Waterbirth

[planet]

I know there are a lot of expecting moms on iMSN right now. Yea!!

I just want to make a quick pitch for checking into water birth. I did not plan on having one, but once I got into the hot tub I wouldn't get out. It was an amazing experience. DS2 was born underwater at a free standing birth center located on a hospital campus. I did have the 'will he drown' concern. As far as I understand the babe won't take a breath until his/her face hits air. The birth was peaceful, beautiful and I had a level of unterine muscle control that I never would have thought possible.

Ok, my pitch is done.

[SueC]

Hmm, I wonder if my hospital has that option. I'll have to check. I never get to try any of the cool labor stuff when I'm there since I tend to go fast, but I always thought the whirlpool looked intriguing. I'm an epidural girl, too, so I guess that kind of limits my options as well.
Out of curiosity, do they do anything special to the tubs to prevent infection? I'm only asking because my dh was just telling me I couldn't have a whirlpool tub at home because he read somewhere that the jets are a good place for bacteria to hide. (Personally I think he just doesn't want me to get one .)

(Personally I think he just doesn't want me to get one .)

It's true -- and a good reason to be careful about getting a pedicure at a place with the pedicure chairs with jetted tubs. Cleaning the sink basin doesn't clean the tubes that circulate the water. DH has seem some gross stuff from that. But, if you have a jetted tub at home, you can fill the tub with water and something else (a little bleach?) to run it through the tubes. Might not be bleach but the owner's manual has instructions.

Back to the topic -- my cousin did this and thought it was great!

[Malpka]

Way to go! I am glad you had such a great experience I labored in water both times, but as soon as it was time to push I was ready to be on land! I might have stayted in the last time, but I had a homebirth and our bath at home is not so nice and deep like they have at birthcenters.


At the hospital where DH did residency they had a birth tub (just one on the floor in it's own room), and I know that after one person used it they had to wait a long time to use it again because of some major disinfecting they did. I am not sure what process was used though.