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Problem with water quality for water birth - can anyone help

BluedimeBluedime
in Labour & birth
I am currently 32 weeks pregnant and really want to have a water birth at home. Having spoken to the midwife recently she is all for the idea of a home birth and using a pool as long as my house and water supply is up to the job. I mentioned to her that our water supply comes from a well. She asked whether the water was filtered as well water has a higher risk of bacteria content. My OH seems to think that it is filtered for foreign bodies but is unsure as to whether the bacterial/microbial content is filtered/monitored - it is unlikely to be. Has anyone else had this problem? Can the water be treated in the pool? Is it simply the case that I will be unable to have a water birth at home if this is the case? Can midwives actually put a stop to it or would it be left to my own judgement? The only other option if I wanted a water birth would be to go to a hospital that I am unfamiliar with and really want to avoid any hospital if at all possible.

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    BluedimeBluedime
    Bear in mind that this is the water supply that I drink and bathe in on a daily basis - would the baby therefore already have potentially come in to contact with the water's likely content via the placenta!?!?!
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    michelle07-79314michelle07-79314
    Where do you get your water supply from? is it your well or is it owned by a water company? Is there someone you could phone and ask?

    But i would think if it is safe to drink it would be no problem to birth in!
    You can also buy water purification tables that you can put in "dirty" water to make it safe to drink so maybe these might be of some use?

    But as i say if you can drink it i can not see there would be a problem!
    Let us know
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    FrubesFrubes
    Are you planning on using a heated birth pool or a fill to use birth pool? If using a heated pool you use a water maintenance kit anyway which ensures that the water is clean and kills off any bacteria & algae that exists in the water so I dont think the source water should be a prob. Friends of mine have used www.baby-stork.co.uk to hire their pools from if you still need to get one.
    Good luck!!
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    mrsbobstermrsbobster
    if you use the well water for drinking then it comes under the Private water regulations and must meet the same criteria as tap water. so it should be fine (unless it doesn't meet the regs obviously). if you need any more details for midwife I can ask my OH for more details on the regs for you.
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    BluedimeBluedime
    how would i find out if the water meets regs?
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    littleO09littleO09
    not sure about the water regs etc.... but midwifes can only advise. If you want to give birth at home, they can offer their opinion, but ultimately it is your choice what you do. If they come to your house and you decide you want it there then they must stay. I had a home birth in a birthing pool and it was brilliant, defiantly what i would choose for next time

    xxxx
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    mrsbobstermrsbobster
    i will ask hubby when he gets in!!
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    mrsbobstermrsbobster
    Hi again, you should have had testing by your local authority at some point and if not up to standard they would have made you put in the right treatment equipment. You could ask them for the records to check. You might want to do that for peace of mind but tbh the midwives I'm sure would be content with you explaining that private water supplies have to meet same criteria as tap water so it shouldn't be a problem. Hubby is not expert in all the detailss of the private water regs so if you need more detailed advice you should contact Defra and ask for Peter Jiggens.
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