Water Births?

babycatcher2B · Dec 3, 2006

I have met several of the Farm midwives, including Ina May, and they are wonderful! One of them corresponded with me during my last pregnancy to help me with hyperemesis.

I've had all 4 of my kiddos at home and have used hydrotherapy each time, although for various reasons never gave birth in the water. The water helped ease ctx immensly though.

I work in a birth center and we do quite a lot of waterbirths. The water seems to take the edge off for a lot of women and help them stay on top of ctx. A mama we had not long ago submerged herself with ctx, blowing bubbles to the surface. She was doing this instinctively.

There benefits of waterbirth are many like relaxation of pelvic floor muscles, reduction of opposition to gravity, helps with a dysfunctional labor, helps to stimulate labor...its definately an option worth looking into.

Jo Dirt · Dec 3, 2006

I love water, and I like the thought of being able to submerge myself in a big warm tub and when out comes the baby they just pass it right to you. So the more I think about this the more I like the idea, I think.

sbyramRN · Jul 31, 2007

I had a water birth with my third baby, and it was by far the BEST birth out of the three. I had an epidural with the first, an intervention free hospital birth with my second (they were both posterior births, too) and I delivered my 9lb 1 oz baby girl in the water at a free standing birth clinic here in Houston. I was home three hours later and they senat a nurse to my house for the next two days to check on us. It was an Awesome experience! I have to say the first two were pretty much miserable. I am just a nursing student right now, but I am hoping to get to a point in my career where I can educate women on their options when it comes to childbirth.

cmonkey · Aug 3, 2007

My son was a water/homebirth and I cannot tell you how much less it hurt than my med-free hospital (bed) birth. They don't call it the aquadural for nothing! :lol2:

queenjean · Aug 3, 2007

Babycatcher2B mentions the opposition to gravity--I thought I'd reiterate that.

It is awesome to watch a mom labor in water--she is so mobile! Getting in one position to rest, changing to another for the contraction, and I tend to see a lot more movement with the contractions; it's easier for her to stretch and relax and move when she doesn't have to carry the weight of her body. It really is pretty amazing.

Most moms I know tell me that water was the best thing that happened to them during labor. I felt that way, as well.

And, we have a lot of our moms with BP issues labor in the tub--it helps keep their BP from getting too high.

chnc1024, ASN · Aug 5, 2007

Well, since I'm not a nurse (haven't even started nursing classes, but hope to start soon!) I can only account on my personal experiences.

When I was in labor with my daugher (my first), I had heard that water would help me relax and take some of the pain off...HAHAHAHA!! I was at my apartment, and was trying to put off going back to the hospital. -I had been there that morning, and wasn't far enough along, and waited around to go to my Dr appointment, then went home because I was only 2cm, but was 90%. The drive home killed me, we lived in the San Diego area and our car was a mustang with NO shocks...every bump killed me!- Anyway, I thought I'd get into the tub to make things a bit easier on me. Well, in between contractions I did feel a bit more relaxed, but durring the contractions, for me they hurt worse, because I was also having to strain to make sure I didn't drown when I was doubleing over in pain. Then I couldn't get out, had to have my hubby basicly lift me out. It made me feel like I had a 50lb weight holding me down in the water... I'd never make that mistake again!

I ended up having her a few hours later-no epidural-very little IV meds, until her heart slowed to 60, and then they gave me a spinal-I was already 10 cm by then... In contrast with my son, I had to be induced, I was 39+1 but measured 43weeks. His weight was estimated 9lbs 8oz (only 2oz off) I was in MORE pain with him because of pitocin **I completely agree it should ONLY be used for torture!!!!!!!*** at 3cm then I was with my Daughter at 10, and begged for an epidural! It was awful!

But anyway for me, the water, IV meds, gave VERY little releif. The Epidural was spotty, and wasn't really much help, but the spinal was GREAT! I even said to my hubby that I could stay in labor for another week as long as they kept that stuff pumping! I was so numb I coudn't even wiggle my toes...

Have a Great Day!

Chancie

mpoppym · Jul 30, 2008

As far as a birthing stool goes, I was present at a birth where it was used for the delivery in a birthing center with midwife attending. The mother tore through the front of her instead of to the back. Ouch! If I were going to have any more, that alone would make me think twice about what position I am in. I think the "toilet like" shape does pull the tissues of the perineum tighter when you are sitting on it. This was the only birthing stool birth I was present for.

Aislstarfish · Jul 31, 2008

aww waterbirths..one of my fave topics. I have done it both ways: #1 was pure hospital/dr led. OB didn't abide by any of my wishes. He was VERY into inducing moms. I kept telling him "I want to go natural.. I don't want to be induced" and he kept saying "trust me you don't want to go natural" I was young and first pregnancy - so finally he convinced me to be induced. I think pitocin should qualify as torture drug lol. OMG it was soooo awful. And with the internal monitor and iv's and thing and I felt so confined to the bed. I never cussed so much in my life. I had some stadol which only served to knock me out between ctx..so that it felt like one ctx after another. Finally the pain was so bad I said "I can't take it anymore" and got an epi which I have absolutely NO recollection of. Well as it often goes, immediately after my epi they realized I was 10cm and my child was born no more than 30 min later (and probably 10 min of that was waiting for dr to arrive as she was crowing..man that felt like an eternity!)
ok so fast forward to #2 - I KNEW I didn't want a repeat of #1! It was only a year later and very fresh in my mind. Sooo I started checking into midwives and that is when I discovered home waterbirthing. It was indeed an amazing difference. Of course the major thing is she did not push me to induce... and yes I was a few days late...but my body did it's "thang" and went into labor on a Saturday evening. By lunch time the next day I was holding my baby... all with a WHOLE lot less cussing lol. This time was so much different. For one - I had a BREAK between ctx where I could feel good, laugh, relax. Seriously we were telling jokes between ctx right up to transition. So here I am in the birthing pool, almost in a leapfrog type position, leaning over the edge, gently bouncing up and down during ctx, focusing on my inner self. It was actually SUCH an overwhelming experience that I began to cry, just out of "wow I KNEW I could do this" types of feelings. My midwife whispered to my husband she felt I was in transition due to the hormonal changes lol..and she was right. Close to that time she wanted me to go potty to empty my bladder and I'd say that was the hardest part as I had ctx along the way and while using the potty. That is the part where mabye a few cuss words slipped in lol. But then I got back to the wonderful tub..and gave birth. We got the cord cut and one midwife took my daughter after holding her for a few moments to dry her and attend to her while I birthed the placenta (I have NO recollection from my first birth of birthing the placenta!) Then we all snuggled on the bed while midwife checked me, did all the measuring and things, and I quickly was able to begin breastfeeding my daughter. I would definitely do it all again.
Now the dilemma: I will graduate nursing school in May. Would love to find a low intervention L&D to help moms with a waterbirth or even non-induction type experiences. But of course those are few and far between.
When I did L&D clinical pretty much everyone was on pitocin. I of course know it's useful when there is a medical need..but my insides tell me that it is often used for a doctors convenience to schedule deliveries during day time hours... same thing happened to my best friend, I tried to talk her out of induction. But the dr. took advantage of "Im tired of being pregnant" and she was convince no prob..she was getting an epidural. After she told me "no one told me it could still HURT"
I'm an old fashioned kind of birthing gal I guess lol... and I just cringe at how much the medical field messes with the birhts... first inducing before really ready, then the mom is so hooked up to stuff she doesn't progress, she isn't being up and doing things to help the baby move down because she hurts and just wants to be in bed, or because she is limited in mobility (I have heard of some hospitals using a tele monitor for fetal monitoring) Then we end up with vacuum, forcep, or csections. I also feel from what i have learned about pit that it puts so much responsibility on the nurse, because of so many potential complications that the nurse must be SUPER diligent to closely monitor this drug and be ready to react (as well she should at any birth, but to me this inc. the chance of a problem)
of course when I do clinicals its 5pt:2 nurses. So the nurses have no time to really help the pt during this awful pain. I think coaching made a HUGE difference in my 2nd birth where I was constantly attended by 2 midwives who gave me relaxation techniques to use and reminded me to breathe during ctx.
My first day in clinical was with a 17y old who was literally thrashing in bed. Her mom was telling her to "behave" ugh. I felt like I was able to get in there, gain her trust, and help her use some of the techniques I was taught. She calmed down a GREAT amount. But of course I stayed by her side the entire time (actually was very fast, about 1.5 hrs) her epi did not arrive before time to push, and by this time I felt like she was trusting me and I wanted to stay by her side. Of course I got in trouble with my teacher for not doing all my paperwork recording the ctx patterns every 15m and documenting very well lol. I just wanted to hand hold this young girl through so much pain lol. So I just feel like maybe I wouldn't be such a hot L&D nurse in the current medical model. I dunno..I have very torn feelings on it all. I'm considering maybe a focus on postpartum and newborn, and lactation nursing.

:yeahthat: YES! I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING.. Besides that I haven't had any children yet, I feel exactly the same way. I'm just about positive that I will have my babies at home with a midwife and a birthing pool. I've just read tooooo many horror stories. I can't say that I've heard ANY good hospital birthing stories... So now my dilema is L&D nursing, where I just dont think I would do well watching all the "unnecessary" interventions, or Midwifery. I'm thinkin' the latter but who knows.:)

MIcrunchyRN · Aug 1, 2008

Try hypnobirthing or hypnobabies its fantastic.

Also epidural doesn't guaruntee you'll be pain free. I hadan epi with my daughter and felt everything except my legs. My 2nd was natural and while uncmfortable I atually prefered it.

Some hospitals offer waterbirths as well as birth centers its something to look into. It isn't without pain tho... I've heard it just lessens the "ring of fire" feeling.