i dont understand

[bubs_and_us]

i dont understand why EVERYWHERE doesnt offer water births , and why i'm going to have to fight so darn hard to get one (which will most likely not eventuate anyway)

if my research is correct, water is a pain reliever, therefore (sometimes) avoiding the need of synthetic pain relief..... surely this is a GOOD thing?!

surely the fact that a labouring and birthing woman could need LESS pain relief and intervention if birthing in water would be a GOOD thing?

surely the cost of filling a bathtub and birthing in that is less than the cost of an epidural? or pethidine?

surely if the mother and baby are doing ok in the water, there is no real NEED to empty the bath and drag her onto land when it comes time to push?

i would think that medical professionals (middies, obs etc) would have it in their best interests (an the best interests of the hospital) to ensure a woman has the best labour and birth possible (emotionally and psychologically as well) - as word of mouth travels far

i just dont understand why something so simple as WATER is denied to birthing women in hospitals?

[Kizmet]

I dont know why either but I wanted one and my birth centre wasnt accredited so I was told I could labour in water and give birth in the bath but they would have to drain all the water out first

[Lillynix]

You want to know the reason I was given by my local public hospital as to why they don't do waterbirths?

And I quote...

"It is too dangerous for mother and baby not to mention it takes a specially trained midwife to deliver a baby in water, and not everyone is trained in this area, so if a trained midwife isn't on duty looking after you, you wouldn't get a waterbirth anyway"

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHAHHAHH AHAHHAHAH biggest load of sh*t I had heard in a long time that one!!!

However, I was told I could labour in water, just not give birth in it. So I raised the question, what if I refused to get out of the pool/bath and was told that in that case I wouldn't have any help as the midwife would not be allowed to help me deliver the baby.

The whole time I was sitting there thinking...what the HELL does the midwife have to help with!? I'm the one pushing the damn baby out of my vagina

Needless to say, I haven't been back to a hospital since!

[34me]

I think its a bit of they are too slack to put the birth pools/baths in and maintain them. They have to be very very clean(I know spas etc can harbour germs) and its probably too much money and too much effort

[bubs_and_us]

I think its a bit of they are too slack to put the birth pools/baths in and maintain them. They have to be very very clean(I know spas etc can harbour germs) and its probably too much money and too much effort

but there's big baths ALREADY THERE!!!! in most birthing suites, there's a big bath that can be filled up to LABOUR in, but you're not allowed to give birth in it

[kymmy]

I am not too sure why.
When we talked to our doctor when I was preg with Av, she pretty much said No the baby will drown. We thought it was a joke and laughed but she was serious!
When we talked to the midwife she just said some doctors have worries and aren't educated with water births etc. But she did say newer facilities would have water tubs - this was at a time when the new Women's in Melbourne was being planned.

[~Emmylou~]

I am not too sure why.
When we talked to our doctor when I was preg with Av, she pretty much said No the baby will drown. We thought it was a joke and laughed but she was serious!

Good grief that is so depressing that a doctor would think something like that.

The baby has been floating around in fluid for nine months and it didn't drown.

They don't take their first breath until they're pulled up from the water!

As far as why waterbirths aren't available I think it's mainly a liability and insurance issue....as with everything birth related these days

[pookiesossige]

Our public hospital (the only birthing hospital in our region) has a bath for women to labour in... but it is used to store equipment these days Last time I was in there it was stacked to celing with chairs etc... gee, great.

I laboured in that bath for a while with my first baby, but they were sooo obsessed with the water being cool (I was FREEZING!! I wanted it HOT HOT HOT!!) and anxious about me getting out well before transition. I needed that bath ESPECIALLY for when transition rolled around!! GIVE ME MY FREAKING BATH!! WITH HOT WATER!! Oh I was off my nut, but they just kept their cool, pulled the plug and said "ok, get out now, thanks"

[erinjacob]

my midwife said it was because it is harder to see if theres a cord around baby neck or somethings wrong. she said they would prefer to see whats going on just like some wont let you birth in any position because they cant see. she said its really just to cover there bum so they dont get in trouble if somthing goes wrong. my midwife swears by water births.

[QTB]

th hospital im going too dont do water births... but have a big bath you can use for pain relief, i had an awesome Ob last visit and said what if i "accidentally" dont get out in time... he grinned and said well then you get an "unplanned" waterbirth hehe

but i agree - its great pain relief and should be available everywhere,rather than epidurals/peth/gas