I had one with my first and found it very painful. It was too late to get the epidural when I asked. It was so painful that the water didn't help much to be honest. . But it does only last a few hours. No floaty bits for me either thankfully! I'm pregnant again and not sure what to do- I may go for epidural second time round. The main reason for me to go natural was to avoid any form of instrumental birth which may be more likely if you take too much epidural and are unable to feel to push. It depends a bit how fit I'm feeling nearer the time and how much sleep I get the morning - afternoon before. I think being fit/ energetic helps. Some people obviously find it less painful than others so hopefully you will be one of the lucky ones . I think the epi no is great for giving confidence before hand too. Good luck! You'll be fine- I spent so long thinking about it but when it happens you just deal with it. My stitches were fine btw- local anaesthetic and didn't feel a thing.

I definitely recommend a water birth. My first was a home birth in the States on a bed - lying on my side. I was too tired after 20 hours of labor to get into the pool for delivery. But the pushing stage was so hard. I tore a bit and had massive hemorrhoids. I think being in the water and gravity helping would have been so much better.

With my daughter I had a water birth here. It was so much easier. My labor was longer - 40 hours, but the pushing stage was so much more comfortable in the pool. It felt more discrete too. I liked leaning over the edge to grab on to my husbands arms for counter pressure.

Any 'floaty bits' are promptly removed by midwives. If not in pool, then on bed or floor anyway. if it happens, it happens! I got out of the pool after a bit and pushed out the placenta on the sofa. No tears this time. Highly recommend!

I'm not sure where you are thinking of having your baby but I can tell you, in response to another post here, that at St. George's if you are booked to use a pool in the Carmen suite and they are full when you arrive, they take you to Labour Ward but you get priority over anyone ringing in from outside if a room becomes available. Of course it doesn't always work out, as you will have read here, but useful to know I am sure.

I teach classes at St. George's in the Parent Ed room right next door to the Carmen Suite - I can tell you that some mornings it is completely empty!

I had a water birth with my 2nd a year ago. It was so, so much easier than the first birth but of course I don't know if that was due to the water or the fact it was second time. I had to deliver the placenta lying on the floor next to the pool, which didn't really hurt but wasn't that pleasant. Get an Epi-no and use it for 3 weeks before the birth and you shouldn't need any stitches. I had 'grazing' with both of mine and virtually no pain at all after birth 2. I was at Tin Pan Annie with the older one 48 hours later!

I had a water birth with my son and have recommended it to all of my friends. It was amazing!! My labour was an hour and a half and very calm and relaxed. I felt in control and the pain was defiantly less in the pool than out. I was also worried about things floating around but whilst in labour i didn't notice anything and it didn't bother me at all. I agree that the stitches after are much worse than labour itself. Its lovely when your baby floats up and you get to lift them out of the water straight into your arms. I don't know about others but my son didn't cry, I've heard its a common thing for water babies not to cry straight away. It was such a special moment, you will love the pool.

Good luck!!

I had a water birth at home with my second and contrary to most of the posters here would probably not have done so in hindsight. It was a great birth, very straightforward and not too unbearably painful. However, compared to my first birth (again, nice and quick, on hands and knees on hospital bed) I just wasn't that comfortable in the water. I felt a bit stuck in one position and think I would have preferred just keeping on going with the TENS, which obviously you have to take off once in the water. The floaty stuff is a bit yucky too and I wasn't aware of any of that with my first. Also delivering the placenta into the water felt strange. I would say if you're a 'water person' go for it. I don't think I am!

Yes! I had a water birth for my daughter at the Chelsea and Westminster midwife led unit last year. She's my first so I have nothing to compare it to but I do remember thinking "I wouldn't want to be doing this outside of water...." It was a very relaxing atmosphere, low lighting etc - almost like being at a spa

I wasn't planning a water birth but I thought I might use it for pain relief early on - in the end I got in and just didn't get out until my daughter was born a few hours later. And in response to your question about the placenta, yes I got out of the pool for that.

Had to get out of the pool to deliver the placenta. When I asked they said they were not insured for it - I assume it may be risk of haemorrhage? I did that and stitches with gas and air. Not pleasant but you know the worst bit is over!

Thank you all very much for sharing!

Did you all have to get out of the pool to deliver the placenta?

I hear the stitching up and 3rd stage of labour, out of the water can be worse than the labour itself, have any of you experienced that?

Definitely! I had my first baby 2 months ago at st Thomas' in the pool. I have nothing to compare it to but know that I felt so much better when they got me in the water. Gas and air is pretty good stuff and in the end that is all I needed. For me there was nothing floating and actually when they handed me the baby she was 'clean' having been born in the water! I felt being in the water offered me more privacy. When in the delivery room initially I could barely leave the en suite bathroom as felt I wanted privacy. The water provided that! As someone has said, there are a whole host of reasons why you may not be able to use the pool on the day so try not to set your heart on it or have too rigid a birth plan! Happy to discuss with you!

Hi - I had water birth in carmen suite at st george's with my 1st child. I can't recommend it more. I had a relatively quick labour but was prob in there for a couple of hours before baby arrived. As soon as I got in to the water (which is actually v warm) the labour pains reduced. You can move around to get comfortable and the water seems to take much of the pain away. I gave birth in the water. Didn't have any 'floaty bits' that I noticed - only when baby came out but by then you're so focused on baby and the shock/relief of giving birth you don't really care. A couple of things - as the water is so hot, you do feel extremely hot so have a cold flannel on your head. Other thing is that the water can actually slow the birth down so you may be asked to get out.

Unfortunately on my second child when my labour started the carmen suite was full so I couldn't give birth in there. The pain was much more intense second time round and I do partly attribute that to not being in the water.


Not sure where you're planning in giving birth but midwives at st george's were amazing.

If you can I would thoroughly recommend but you do have to realise it's not always possible.

yes definitely - I used the pool for 1st baby and was induced 2nd time so wasn't allowed the pool. After the 1st delivery I wasn't convinced the pool had been that great but compared to not having it second time I think it was. (IF there were to be a 3rd time I would definitely opt for it!) I didn't manage to deliver in the pool as started to have a few problems towards the end but think that was very much due to being a 1st timer and nothing to do with pool....
the midwives are VERY discreet when it comes to removing anything floating in the water that shouldn't be there! (I was mortified but guess that its all part of childbirth...)

Hi Fergie,

I gave birth to our son in the pool in the home from home suite at St Thomas' nearly 18 months ago. I had not really intended to as I thought I could never get through childbirth without all the drugs going.

It was a very calm(ish!) and intimate experience, just me, my husband and 2 midwives. Gas and air were available, but obviously no other pain relief. The labour pain was certainly much less when I was in the pool that out (towards the end maybe a 6 or 7/10 rather than 10/10 on the painometer if that makes sense!)

It was very non-medicalised, soft lighting, a natural experience, but with the knowledge and comfort that experienced doctors were literally seconds away if needed.

My labour was very quick but I don't know if that has anything to do with the water birth per se or if that runs in the family - my Mum and sisters all had relatively quick labours but only I had a water birth.

I had a bad tear so the stitches afterwards just with a local anaesthetic were much worse and took much longer than the birth itself.

Not sure what you mean by things floating....?? The only thing that really floated was the baby as the midwife guided him to the surface straight into my arms.

I should say, though, that our son is our only child so I have no other birth experience.

Feel free to PM if you have any other questions.

Good luck!

Hi everyone !

This is my second pregnancy and I was seriously thinking of having a water birth.

For my first baby I was induced, in labour for 40 hours and eventually had an epidural and can barely remember any of it.

I read so many positive things about water births, but would love the opinion of women who have actually done it?

Also - and this may seem silly to some of you- but the idea of things floating make me really uncomfortable. How does one deal with that??

Thanks for any advice/ stories you can tell me which can help me make up my mind!

Have a lovely evening,