Hope you don't suffer from hayfever!

pmsl....stock up on underwear !! ha ha ha
sorry cant really laugh either......................

all i can say ladies is....Pelvic Floor exercises!!!

I tried it but it wasn't for me,i felt like a beached whale i was so big and promptly got out after a trying for a while.Glad i had a go though

Hi Ladies, so many babies due

I have had 2 water births both slightly different to each other.

1st baby (William) nearly 8 years ago.

I got to the widwife unit and was checked and found to be 5 cm dilated (you have to be 5 or more to get in a birth pool) They are a large quite deep pool of body temperature water. When I was ready I got in. The water was lovely and warm. I got in naked, all embarassment had gone long ago. It was about 2pm when I got in the pool. I had music playing but god knows what it was lol. I was happy enough in the water using my gas and air. I could move around freely in the water and found it easy to get comfy ( well as comfy as your eve going to be in labour lol). My OH sat behind be and did what he could ie held the gas and air, or just held my hand. The midwife everynow and then checked the heart beat with an under water thing. All was realxed. After a couple of hours or so I felt the urge to push, midwife asked me to wait a bit (not easy) then said I could push when I felt I needed to. I pushed and pushed, with no midwife intervention. She held a mirror under me so she could see what was happening and also so my OH could see.

Eventually she said the babies head would be delivered very soon, the midwife never touched me or the baby while I was pushing as she said it could make baby take a breath, everything was done at my speed. I delivered the head relatively easily and one more bog push and William was born. The midwife caught him. He was a lovely healthy pink boy. I panicked then as he wasn't breathing. Widwife just said don't worry he doesn't realise he has been born (as it was so relaxed) and I was still in water. She said blow on him gently so we did and sure enough he cried. Born at 5.50pm (11 hours labour in total)

I enjoyed my experience, it definately was not pain free but the water enabled me to get in good positions. Helped me relax. No stitches either

2nd birth (Samuel)

again got to hospital after a short while at home, was checked and was5cm dilated again. Got in water at 11am, was using gas and air, this time things happened very quickly and pain was far more intense as I had not gradually got used to it. It just hit me. after about 40 mins I had an all mighty contraction, I pooed in the water midwife literally scooped it out and that was it. I started pushing then too as he must have hit first base with the big contraction. Again I pushed with no assistance and in my own time. Head was deivered very quicky. However then my body shut down I went into shock. Panic buttons were pressed and in flew loads of staff. I was pulled out the pool onto the floor, where somehow another midwife had managed to launch a mattress just before I landed on it lol. Then it was knees up where you would not believe, a nurse on each leg, some one pulling, someone pushing and me pushing too. Eventually (only few seconds)

Samuel was born weighing 9lb8oz .

He was fine, although he had bruises on his face where he had been hit on the side of the pool when they got me out poor thing. Again even though he got stuck, no stitches.

So you see two very different births. Also goes to show things can go wrong but the midwives knew what they were doing and sorted it.

I have to say the pool really helped me relax and get into things in my own time, without midwivers intervention which is what I wanted. I would def recommend them. I can't say how they helped with the pain as I have never given birth on dry land so to speak but I found once I was ina good breathing pattern with the gas and air the pain was managable.

Good luck

If any body wants to ask anything please do so

Mel xx

really good to hear both experiences Mel thanks for sharing !!

and alex - just you wait - pelvic floor exercises all done the first time round with Luca - but second time round there is literally nothing there !!! LOL

Thanks Melsgems!

The first labour sounds almost perfect! Will be asking about this at my next appointment! sounds like the way i'd like it to go!

Dani - Im not planning on a second any time soon!