laboring in water?????

hello everyone, I am a new mom to be and i have really considered and would like to have a water birth i spoke to my doctor today about it and he told me i could labor but not deliver in the jacuzzi my hospital offers. so i was wondering had anyone done this? how did ur experainces go? and did u need any other medication to control pain... i guess my main goal is to avoid the epideral... anything else i am game for!!

Quoting bugga boo:“ hello everyone, I am a new mom to be and i have really considered and would like to have a water birth ... [snip!] ... u need any other medication to control pain... i guess my main goal is to avoid the epideral... anything else i am game for!!”

why would you want to avoid the epidural when it is the safest pain medication for you and baby? other pain medications are most likely to be felt by your baby as well.

At the hospital I'm giving birth at said the same thing...I can labor in the water but not give birth in the water.

And I did go in the jacuzzi tub when I was in labour. It didn't really help much for the pain.

Everyone is different....

I want to give birth as naturally as possible, I also figured that the water would help relax me.

Quoting bugga boo:“ hello everyone, I am a new mom to be and i have really considered and would like to have a water birth ... [snip!] ... u need any other medication to control pain... i guess my main goal is to avoid the epideral... anything else i am game for!!”

I had an awesome waterbirth with my daughter two years ago, and am planning another one for five weeks from now!   I delivered in the water and everything, I highly reccommend it. It makes it so much easier to change positions, to relax and release the tension that causes pain during contractions. It helps regulate your blood pressure, and is wonderful for reducing the risk of tears.
Do you know why they wont let you deliver in the water, other than it being kind of inconvenient for the doctor? (cause that's ususally their issue... they're too cool to sit on the floor with their arms in water up to the elbows when they can make you get out and lay on a bed)  
Anyways, good luck! Any other questions, I'd be glad to answer.  

ETA I had no pain meds whatsoever, labored for 7.5 hours total... in the water for maybe two of them. I pushed out a 8lb 3oz baby girl in 15 minutes, no tearing at all, not even a nick! My daughter was very peaceful, quiet and alert, had a 10/10 apgar and nursed right away... it was pretty much perfect!  

Quoting bugga boo:“ hello everyone, I am a new mom to be and i have really considered and would like to have a water birth ... [snip!] ... u need any other medication to control pain... i guess my main goal is to avoid the epideral... anything else i am game for!!”

I had my first at a birthing center, where I labored in water- my labor was 36 hours and the only place I could sleep was the tub

The narcotics are worse for you and the baby than the epidural....

I watched a birth story where the woman labored in water...all she kept saying was how good it felt! wish i could have done it!

Quoting - Kat & Emmie - [[BBC]]:“ why would you want to avoid the epidural when it is the safest pain medication for you and baby? other pain medications are most likely to be felt by your baby as well.”

Because a natural birth is AMAZING!


I know I wont be getting an epi next time around.

Quoting Milk Tits the Babyeater.:“ Because a natural birth is AMAZING! I know I wont be getting an epi next time around.”

using other pain mediction isn't a natural birth though..
I'm asking if she were to want pain medication why would she not use the safest rather than the ones that effect the baby.
I also don't want the epidural next time around.

Quoting - Kat & Emmie - [[BBC]]:“ using other pain mediction isn't a natural birth though.. I'm asking if she were to want pain medication ... [snip!] ... why would she not use the safest rather than the ones that effect the baby. I also don't want the epidural next time around.”

I'm pretty sure she means to try the water first instead of opting for an epi... if the water works well for her and she can manage without, she wont get any pain meds. Besides, you cant have pain meds while you labor in water most the time because once they give you IV meds you usually have to be on the continuous electronic fetal monitor which is obviously not compatible with water!
I think laboring in water is a great idea to avoid pain medication, as well as really researching natural labor and birth so you understand WHERE the sensations of pain come from and how best to lessen and eliminate them.
I'd reccommend reading Childbirth from Within, by Sheila Kitzinger, Childbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-Read and Michael Odent, as well as Active Birth by Janet Balaskas.
They are all great for helping empower you and teaching you how to best work with your body during labor to avoid unneccessary pain! They also really help get your mind in the right place in preparation for birthing. The more you know the better luck you will have creating the birth you want!

Quoting Sharonblueyes:“ I'm pretty sure she means to try the water first instead of opting for an epi... if the water works ... [snip!] ... in the right place in preparation for birthing. The more you know the better luck you will have creating the birth you want!”

"and did u need any other medication to control pain... i guess my main goal is to avoid the epideral... anything else i am game for!!"

thats what she said in the OP... I think she's wondering if you can use other pain meds while labouring in water.. but you cleared that up! 

Would anyone have a referral for a hospital, and either doctor or midwife, who could do a waterbirth in the hospital for me, in the Bay Area, San Francisco?

There are no hospitals in L.A. that do it!
So, my fiancee and I would move up north for this.
thanks!!

Quoting Banshee Cat:“ Would anyone have a referral for a hospital, and either doctor or midwife, who could do a waterbirth ... [snip!] ... Area, San Francisco? There are no hospitals in L.A. that do it! So, my fiancee and I would move up north for this. thanks!!”

I dont have a referral since I dont live there, but I know you can do an internet search or just look in the yellow pages for birthing centers or midwives in your area, you should be able to give one of them a call and I'm sure they would know if or where waterbirth is offered! Generally its best to call a midwifery clinic and they always have great reccommendations, usually people they have worked with before. Good luck!   I'll google it quick too, if I find anything I'll post a link for you.