Can you take your own birth pool into hospital?

[CrazyPlateLady]

I really want a water birth as I want to avoid an epidural and tear this time and I think water will really help soften everything up. I am not going to have a home birth, its not an option.

As there is only 1 pool at the hospital, does anyone know if you can hire your own and take it in?

Probably not due to size of rooms but just wondering if anyone had done or heard of this?

[gladlymadly]

infection control will have a fit, health and safety will flood you with risk assessment forms and the hose will never fit the taps.when you get into labour ring ahead and try to get your name on pool, if someone else gets there first they will have to let them have it, but it also means they will try not to use the pool room unless they are full.try perineal massage,vit e and a for skin, dont overdose use diet. avoid having waters broke, if possible, to stop dry labour,try to avoid positions in second stage that stretch sideways like lithotomy, squatting esp.low(too much power if you had one before) at end, try kneeling, side, practise breathing control like yoga to avoid screaming the head out fast,good luck,no.2 birth suppose to be best

[thisisyesterday]

no, you wouldn't be able to

liek you say, there wouldn't be enough room, but i think the biggest thing would be health and safety reasons

[CrazyPlateLady]

Bugger, didn't think so.

I have read up on perineal massage and I know it is suppose to help but its not something I can do myself and I am cringing at the very thought of it (I do have some issues which I'm not going to go into).

I'll ring early when I'm in labour and hope I can get there first!

Thanks for the good luck, I wasn't allowed to scream DS out anyway. The surgeon was telling me off for quietly groaning!

[thisisyesterday]

i tore with my first after an epidural too

my second and third babies were both bigger but i didn't tear at all.
i think part of the reason was just how the labour was managed. I was so much more relaxed, spent more time upright, labour progressed quicker and i had no pain relief which meant I could really feel the head crowning and could slow right down. my midwives were also really good and stopped ds2 coming out too fast which could have risked tearing

hope it all goes ok :)

[CrazyPlateLady]

Thanks. That sounds like what I am after.

I was so worried the first time as I have M.E. and my main thought was that I wouldn't have the strength and energy to push after labour. This time I am going to stay at home as long as possible and just try and relax and stay upright like you said. Hopefully gravity will do its job!