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Water Births and why I choose them.

27/5/2015

15 Comments

 
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There are so many aids during the process of labour and childbirth that will eases the pain and discomfort during the process.

One of the options that I have chosen on all of my pregnancy experiences has been the use of water relief.

There has always been a sense of feeling of serenity, relaxation and peace for me when it has come to water.
I feel calm and almost transfixed in watching and moving around in it and this has been my biggest reason to choosing......

''The Water Birth''

If you have ever been through the wonders of labour and giving birth then you will understand that there comes a lot of pain from contractions especially and these can sometimes become quite unbearable but not unmanageable.
Some woman feel the need to use pain relief in as many natural ways possible including gentle movements, breathing techniques and yes that is right , water where as others go for the Epidurals which numb everything from the waist down.

On the run up to the actual delivery of baby, you may find that a soothing relaxing bath or massaging shower is all you need to feel at calm but some woman decide on going the whole way by actually delivering the baby in the water just like I did.

Sometimes water births are not an option though.
If you at high risk in your pregnancy and need closer observation and monitoring then it may not be possible to have a water birth especially if there are electronic devices needed to measure yours or the baby's progress throughout the labour.
Also if you are opting for pain relief such as epidurals which numbs your lower body and limbs it is also not a great idea in case they need to move you so it is best to say out of the water .

One of my reasons as well as many for a water birth was the fact I do not like taking any sort of medication, I do not like unnatural remedies and for me water seemed one of the most natural aids I could choose from (although gas and air was a huge help also in the pregnancies).

Some people only use the pool for pain relief but some also use it to deliver their baby into also which I have done 3 times now and hoping for a 4th this time round .
Delivering in the pool itself is actually more uncommon than I originally thought as it was found that only 6% of births recorded last year were that of water births.

Unfortunately my home from home midwifery care delivery suite was closed down at Bishop Auckland Hospital and is no longer open for me to have my son in as I did with the others . 
It is such a shame as the care I received from the midwives and everyone else there was of the best care for both me and my children and I felt so well looked after.

It scares me a little knowing I am now being put into new hands , those who I have not met before in a place where I have not had any births before and I am hoping this does not make me feel anxious as I have done before.
I am sure they will take care of baby and me and when I visited the consultant on Wednesday he assured me they would .
I was relieved to find that there are a few pools available at Durham University Hospital , a lot bigger than the ones I am used to so my husband can join me once again  (this time without being burnt by being squashed up against the tap end, my way of getting him back) and be there as close to baby and me as he possibly can helping us through the whole thing.

Don't feel scared to ask for your husband or partner to be in the pool with you, they want you to feel comfortable and as calm as possible through out the whole thing and if that means having someone else in the water with you then I am sure most will welcome the extra help.
The midwives we have spoken to regarding partners in the pool have told us it is very uncommon but an amazing thing to do to have both parents to be in the pool together experiencing the whole thing together. 
Birthing partners in the pool need to be clothed, my husband wore swim shorts but as for us mummies to be , well you can do whatever you like, some choose to be totally naked , preparing for that skin to skin moment as soon as baby is born , for me , I felt that a long nighty covering my modesty would be suffice although there is no time for modesty in the birthing position lol.
I have worn the same nighty in the same pool through all of my births , this time it will be in a different pool but we feel the nighty is a symbol of reassurance , birth and luck for us so it will be worn once again this time to.

Being in the water means that your weight is being supported a little more and it can make moving around a lot more easier and freely.
I find being enclosed by water gives me a small sense of privacy and I don't feel ''on show'' as much as I would expect laying on a bed would have me feel.

I always seemed to feel more relaxed as soon as I got into the water and for the mummy to be to be relaxed it can sometimes move the whole process along quicker and speed things up.

My way of describing baby entering the world through the experience of the birthing pool 

'' A gentle transition of life entering the world more calmly''

Each time has been different, all births are but the birthing pools have been the biggest part of the whole experience for me and they all made me enjoy the process as much as I possibly could without the feeling of being drugged or sedated although it can get quite warm in those pools so I had plenty of fresh cold water on the side for me to sip .
I did not jump straight into the pool, the later on you leave it the better and so at the beginning I merely just bounced away on a birthing ball until I found pain relief was definitely needed.

During your time in the pool, they do try to leave you be without prodding and messing about with you as often as they normally would and simply keep topping up the water and measuring the temperature .
Birthing pools need to be a certain temperature , you can not have it to hot or cold for baby entering the world so they try to keep it at 37°C.


Using the birthing pool in the hospital is not just the only place you can have a birthing pool experiences, in fact if you are feeling brave and again a low risk pregnancy, you may want to opt for home birth where you can hire birthing pools but please ensure they are safe and fully licenced .

After having all three babies in water , I have come to the conclusion that I most certainly wish for another water birth with my son and again with my husband in the pool with me.
Luckily I have been low risk with my pregnancy as with all of the others and the water pool and gas and air has been all I have needed .
I am hoping this time around will be the same.

I can not say it any other way but when I had to push I knew it was time and when that time came , I felt comfortable and calm knowing the midwife was there to help as baby slowly releases from the birthing canal , the midwife simply eases the baby towards you so you can hold your baby straight away .

Some people worry about baby being in the water but you need not worry. 
Baby does not take its first breath straight away and it is a change of atmosphere that has them do so , so because it is all gentle transition baby feels calm and does not inhale any water.
You do not leave baby in the water , you get it as soon as it is born .
You have waited for so long to see them that you simply want to hold them in your arms as soon as possible .

We had our camera at hand for the midwife to take a picture as soon as our baby was was born the last time but after a quick ''Pull yourself together moment'' , we were helped from the pool, my husband dried and got himself ready while they seen to me .
I was layed on the bed to deliver the placenta and be checked over , ensuring everything was all ok then left to enjoy my new born with my husband.

I have to admit , all 3 water births were an amazing experience, I don't think I could have done it any other way . 
I would say I am almost addicted to them now as they helped me so much ,not that I plan on having any more just to experience them any more but I merely would not know what to expect if I was not in the pool.

Here is to having a 4th water birth with this child and I am hoping the experience will be just as amazing and magical.

What are your thoughts on Water births?

15 Comments
Babyfoote link
28/5/2015 03:49:09 am

I had a water birth with James and thought it was a lovely way for a baby to come into the world. We got as far as the midwife turning the taps on when I had Noah; he came so quickly there was no time at all!

Reply
Liz Burton link
28/5/2015 04:07:06 am

I laboured in a pool and it was absolutely wonderful! I felt no pain at all and I didn't want to get out. Sadly due to complications I wasn't able to birth in the water but I'm so glad for those hours I spent in the water.

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Sarah Ebner link
28/5/2015 07:09:47 am

I have heard such wonderful things about water births and even my friend who found it pretty awful (!) said that the baby was amazingly alert afterwards, which is pretty amazing.

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Adele @ Circus Queen link
28/5/2015 09:57:09 am

Lovely and informative post! I had a water birth at home with the second daughter. It was lovely, especially as I caught her myself. I just found I got to a point where I was desperate to get into the water!

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NorthEastFamilyFun link
28/5/2015 11:05:30 am

I had a water birth with my first - I knew I didn't want medication if possible and loved the whole experience. Heidi was born at home (unexpectedly) and I wanted a water birth with Jack but like Helena - mw only got as far as turning taps on and he was here!

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Jaime Oliver link
28/5/2015 04:34:44 pm

wow i totally would have loved a water birth if i had been lucky enough to have had straight forward births! .. good luck with the next one lovely x

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Mums do travel link
29/5/2015 12:42:10 am

It sounds like this works brilliantly for you. When I had my daughter I just wanted to be walking around and standing up for as much as possible so I don't think that I would have liked a water birth.

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Jen Walshaw link
29/5/2015 03:41:45 am

I would have loved to have a water birth, in fact that was what I had planned. Alas a crash section and an emergency one instead!

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Globalmouse link
30/5/2015 07:47:48 am

I really wanted a water birth but for a number of reasons it wasn't possible. I think they're a great way to have a baby though.

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Lori link
30/5/2015 11:23:31 am

I really hoped for a waterbirth with my son but had complications, although I did spend the first half of the labour inthe water and I felt it really eased the pain and made me feel relaxed. I managed to have no pain relief at all and I could certainly tell the difference with the water. x

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Michelle
1/6/2015 12:20:30 pm

I really wanted a water birth but wasn't allowed one due to complications xx

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Kara link
1/6/2015 11:22:28 pm

I always wanted a water birth but the pool was already in use with Kian and then I was considered high risk with my others so never got the chance

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Shell Louise link
4/6/2015 03:29:52 pm

I ended up with 3 c-sections, 2 emergency and one planned. Water births sound wonderful and I'm a little sad that I'll never experience one.

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Carolynne @ Mummy Endeavours link
4/6/2015 04:58:41 pm

I've never had a water birth. I've got 4 kids inc twins so I've three births, all very different. I agree that going as natural as possible is better as You can almost let your body take over. I bet a water birth is nice, I'm not having any more so never given it much thought! Hope you get the birth you want this time x

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Zena's Suitcase link
5/6/2015 01:31:26 pm

I love the idea of a water birth, but haven't been able to have one for either pain relief or delivery. All my babies have arrived far too quick, you'd never get the pool filled in time x

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