diff --git a/sdk/docs/async.md b/sdk/docs/async.md
index b4a715b..8c061ca 100644
--- a/sdk/docs/async.md
+++ b/sdk/docs/async.md
@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ Same constructor options as `ConfigClient` — see [Configuration](configuration
 from opendecree import AsyncConfigClient
 
 async with AsyncConfigClient("localhost:9090", subject="myapp") as client:
-    async with client.watch("tenant-id") as watcher:
-        fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
-        enabled = watcher.field("payments.enabled", bool, default=False)
+    watcher = client.watch("tenant-id")
+    fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
+    enabled = watcher.field("payments.enabled", bool, default=False)
 
+    async with watcher:
         # .value works the same
         print(fee.value)
 
@@ -47,9 +48,10 @@ async with AsyncConfigClient("localhost:9090", subject="myapp") as client:
 Use `async for` instead of `for`:
 
 ```python
-async with client.watch("tenant-id") as watcher:
-    fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
+watcher = client.watch("tenant-id")
+fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
 
+async with watcher:
     async for change in fee.changes():
         print(f"{change.old_value} -> {change.new_value}")
 ```
diff --git a/sdk/docs/quickstart.md b/sdk/docs/quickstart.md
index fa7d50c..1a3e1bd 100644
--- a/sdk/docs/quickstart.md
+++ b/sdk/docs/quickstart.md
@@ -61,14 +61,15 @@ with ConfigClient("localhost:9090", subject="myapp") as client:
 
 ```python
 with ConfigClient("localhost:9090", subject="myapp") as client:
-    with client.watch("tenant-id") as watcher:
-        fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
+    watcher = client.watch("tenant-id")
+    fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
 
-        print(fee.value)  # current value, always fresh
+    @fee.on_change
+    def on_fee_change(old: float, new: float):
+        print(f"Fee changed: {old} -> {new}")
 
-        @fee.on_change
-        def on_fee_change(old: float, new: float):
-            print(f"Fee changed: {old} -> {new}")
+    with watcher:
+        print(fee.value)  # current value, always fresh
 ```
 
 See [Watching](watching.md) for more patterns.
diff --git a/sdk/docs/watching.md b/sdk/docs/watching.md
index 494a51e..d735c2e 100644
--- a/sdk/docs/watching.md
+++ b/sdk/docs/watching.md
@@ -4,16 +4,17 @@ Live config subscriptions via `ConfigWatcher` and `WatchedField[T]`.
 
 ## Basic usage
 
-Create a watcher from a client. Register fields before entering the context manager:
+Create a watcher from a client. Register fields before starting the watcher:
 
 ```python
 from opendecree import ConfigClient
 
 with ConfigClient("localhost:9090", subject="myapp") as client:
-    with client.watch("tenant-id") as watcher:
-        fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
-        enabled = watcher.field("payments.enabled", bool, default=False)
+    watcher = client.watch("tenant-id")
+    fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
+    enabled = watcher.field("payments.enabled", bool, default=False)
 
+    with watcher:
         # Read current values
         print(fee.value)      # 0.025 (float, always fresh)
         print(enabled.value)  # True (bool)
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ The iterator blocks until a change arrives. It stops when the watcher exits.
 
 ## Lifecycle
 
-Register fields **before** the `with` block. Fields cannot be added after the watcher starts:
+Register fields **before** starting the watcher. Calling `field()` after `start()` raises `RuntimeError`:
 
 ```python
 watcher = client.watch("tenant-id")
@@ -87,21 +88,11 @@ watcher = client.watch("tenant-id")
 # Register fields first
 fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
 
-# Then start
+# Then start — loads snapshot and subscribes
 with watcher:
     print(fee.value)
 ```
 
-Or equivalently:
-
-```python
-with client.watch("tenant-id") as watcher:
-    fee = watcher.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
-    # ...
-```
-
-Wait — fields must be registered **before** `start()`. When using the two-line form, register between `watch()` and `with`. When using the one-line form, the watcher loads a snapshot on enter, so fields registered inside the `with` block will get their initial values from the snapshot.
-
 ## Auto-reconnect
 
 If the gRPC stream drops (server restart, network issue), the watcher automatically reconnects with exponential backoff:
@@ -119,11 +110,14 @@ You can create multiple watchers for different tenants:
 
 ```python
 with ConfigClient("localhost:9090", subject="myapp") as client:
-    with client.watch("tenant-a") as watcher_a:
-        with client.watch("tenant-b") as watcher_b:
-            fee_a = watcher_a.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
-            fee_b = watcher_b.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
-            # Both update independently
+    watcher_a = client.watch("tenant-a")
+    watcher_b = client.watch("tenant-b")
+    fee_a = watcher_a.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
+    fee_b = watcher_b.field("payments.fee", float, default=0.01)
+
+    with watcher_a, watcher_b:
+        # Both update independently
+        print(fee_a.value, fee_b.value)
 ```
 
 ## Next steps