Planning a Water Birth: USA 🇺🇸 v. Germany 🇩🇪 #livingingermany #germanyvsusa #birthplan

[usa.mom.in.germany]

This video is just based on my experiences with some stats for context. Many women have successful water births at home in 🇺🇸, but the # isn’t tracked. Please share your experiences, while honoring that these are mine.

[samanparsi]

Germans are truly pro life. Being anti abortion is not being pro life. Helping mother's and kids and securing their future is pro life

[caesarq]

My strong recommendation to any young couple trying to start a family would be if it is possible for you to leave America for another 1st world industrial country like Germany. Unless you are rich America is not designed for families any more.

[zb]

The US: we will only LET u do it if we make a ton of money

[RJHW]

Im American and move to Germany when I was 18 and pregnant with my first daughter. I birthed my first daughter in Germany and had a 22 hour Labor.
Here the midwives ran things and without them and if i had to give birth in America id probably have to have gotten a c-section. But thankfully I gave birth in Germany and was supported in having my natural birth.
With my second baby (my son) 9 years later I wanted a water birth but during labor changed my mind and that was totally ok too. It was summer and very hot. 😅

[lolnoscoped]

Unlike what it's American critics claim, this exact situation proves that socialized medicine drastically improves personal choice for people in their own health, as people don't have to be able to afford the "luxury" of more expensive and effort intensive options if they feel it's what is best for them. I'm so happy for you that you're in a position that allows you to take care of yourself and your child in the way you see fit.

[teacherella]

Had a water birth at home in my third pregnancy. The midwife had 15 years of house birthing experience. My ob/gyn wasn’t happy because my first two births hadn’t gone well for me, but the hospital was only 15 min away. Everything went well, it really healed my prior birth traumas.

[hape]

Downside of being first: No outraged American comments yet. 🤪

[Touchpadse]

You can't snitch this much on Europe, soon all Americans will move here. Jokes aside, as a European your videos are really interesting in showing how different the USA is

[yojimbo]

See, in America, all you got to do is get a teen pregnant, and then they're forced to give birth under the law. Saves way more money that way.

[jukihiw]

Lol I didn’t even get “you should go to a birthing center” when I asked. I just got “no”. Found the birthing center on my own!

[MrDoBo]

Im a physiotherapist in Germany and we learned in school that hanging from a climbing wall, being on all fours or crouching are the healthiest and best position for mom and child. Sadly the USA method takes over the minds of people and they choose the "Hollywood" way, as our obgyn who teached women's health class called it, which is actually quite dangerous and will leave a lot of temporary or even chronic problems, that could be easily avoided. This all just to look nice while laying on your back! The doctors even need to jump on your belly and push on it while gravity alone could take care of that!

I don't know anything about the process in action as I start my internship in that area next year and I know theory and reality may lay apart but yet I'm already planning the best option for our future. I don't want my future wife to suffer as much as my mom did till today!

[j.a.]

My hospital here in Austria offers bathtubs as well. Usually for oain relief in the early stages of labor, but you can stay in it as long as you like, so if you want to give birth in the tub, you can. But there is definitely no communication between different providers lol, that's what the mother pass is for :)

[keineahnungabervieldavon]

Sometimes I think about moving to the US, sometimes I dont

[jennyh]

I’m German, didn’t have a plan or an epidural. I moved around, tried what the midwife suggested, kept doing what felt good and had a water birth in the end.

I wish you a good birth and you and your family a good time getting to know each other with the addition and in your new roles!

[iCookMe]

Omg, congrats!! Hope everything goes smoothly for ya 🎉

[saraleigh]

A little confused at the tone in the comments in which people seem to be putting down the choice to have an epidural? This seems like an extremely personal decision.

[captain_context]

In the US, there always has to be someone at fault, someone you can sue, someone that ends up with the bills in the remote chance something goes wrong. When you have a system that is FREE, you dont have to consider that element at all.

[HalfBlindPlans]

Some US hospitals have big tubs for labor comfort, but they aren't for water births. The thing is, they don't drag you out of them, so from what I've heard, plenty of babies are "accidentally" born in them. Some hospitals either rent inflatable birthing pools to you or let you bring in your own. The ones made for water births are amazing. They have good handles for gripping, a small seat built into the floor, heaters to keep the water warm, and nice high sides. They have disposable liners for additional sanitation. Some are sized for a birthing partner to join you, some are smaller for you to be in there solo.

I've only ever had water births. The water was my happy place during labor. One of my babies, not so much, as they would not be contented until we got out of the water. Ended up being the baby who hated baths for the longest time too. A friend wanted a water birth, but she didn't last even five minutes before noping out. Not her happy place. I loved how much easier it was to move around and get comfy and shift positions throughout labor. Drinking water was always within arms reach, with a straw. I kept a small towel nearby for anytime I had a sensory moment and needed my hands or face dried. The medical team was very non invasive and discreet with things like doppler checks and mirror checks. I'm told that if you have a bowel movement they just use a net and snatch it out. Our supply kits always included a little net, like for cleaning fish tanks. I'm assuming where you are, if you plan for a water birth, you can get in and out of the pool as desired, and change your mind at any time. You won't know for sure if it's your jam until you're in the moment, so if you're interested, give it a try! 💦

[cathyh]

I'm actually surprised to hear the number of hospitals offering water birth is so high. I figured it would be closer to 0. My hospital barely lets you bond before they do the assessment and push you to the postpartum side. I hate it, but I'm a LC so they think all I do is get in their way.