S/O HOW to drain the birth pool

[jenners26]

Did you use a pump of some sort? I'm trying to figure out what I need to get to empty the pool. I checked at a local hardware store, and all the drain pumps they had were upwards of 50 dollars! There HAS to be a cheaper alternative!!

What did you use?
Thanks!

[Gray's Mommy]

You can use a small sump pump. We used a Python attached to the hose we used. It is made for an aquirium, so it took forever to drain all the way. I think we are just going to spend the money & get a cheap pump.

[Mamatoabunch]

We just used a bucket or large bowls, was very quick.

[laohaire]

I was not in any way involved in the draining or dismantling of the pool, but I THINK DH put one end of the brand spankin' new hose we got in the pool, pulled the other end outside and downhill, and sucked briefly on the other end to create a suction. I am quite sure that only a momentary suck is needed and nothing nasty gets in anyone's mouth From there, momentum and gravity (DOWNHILL) keeps the water flowing for a while, and then probably at some point you would need to just scoop out the last bit of water.

[pjs]

We used a small pump from waterbirth international. I think it did cost $50+. I've also heard that you can sort of suck on the hose (like if you were siphoning gas or something) to get it going and then it works by itself- or is that just an urban legend?

[Veritaserum]

My midwife had an electric pump that drained it really quickly.

[~Kristina~]

We'll use our python hose from our old fish tank.

[XanaduMama]

We just used the hose/siphon method--no pump (fishy pool, btw). It was quick and easy...we just let it run out into the yard.

[evobaby]

siphon out the window with a hose. Then DH and my doula took it outside and sprayed it with the hose

Very simple

[Pyrodjm]

Originally Posted by laohaire

I was not in any way involved in the draining or dismantling of the pool, but I THINK DH put one end of the brand spankin' new hose we got in the pool, pulled the other end outside and downhill, and sucked briefly on the other end to create a suction. I am quite sure that only a momentary suck is needed and nothing nasty gets in anyone's mouth From there, momentum and gravity (DOWNHILL) keeps the water flowing for a while, and then probably at some point you would need to just scoop out the last bit of water.

This is what DH did.

[elle7715]

I had ordered this for $36 but returned it when I found out my midwife had her own pump. Unfortunately she forgot to grab it when she came to my birth so her and DH ended up bailing out the entire pool with plastic tubs. I felt so bad for them! I don't know how good that pump is but one of the waterbirth supple websites I looked at sold it.

[Bromache]

Hmmmmm... We have an aquarium pump like the Python one mentioned here and I found it to be great for filling and draining during our trial run. Strange. It filled the pool to about 4/5 the depth I want (that's when the hot water ran out) in fifteen minutes, and completely drained it in about forty. That seemed very reasonable to me!

We're planning to attach panty hose on the end for draining on the birth day so the hose and my drain won't get clogged with chunks. (I hope to do a trial run of this too, but I'm running out of time!)

[Noelle C.]

We'll just throw our two dogs and half dozen cats in it, let them absorb it, then throw them outside.

[Gray's Mommy]

[QUOTE=Bromache;14405964]Hmmmmm... We have an aquarium pump like the Python one mentioned here and I found it to be great for filling and draining during our trial run. Strange. It filled the pool to about 4/5 the depth I want (that's when the hot water ran out) in fifteen minutes, and completely drained it in about forty. That seemed very reasonable to me! QUOTE]

Make sure your water heater is turned up all the way. We had turned ours down before the birth (for bath times after the birth) & if we would have left it up--we wouldn't have run out of hot water Life & learn!

[Bromache]

Originally Posted by Gray's Mommy

Make sure your water heater is turned up all the way. We had turned ours down before the birth (for bath times after the birth) & if we would have left it up--we wouldn't have run out of hot water Life & learn!

Already done. (Actually, it's not up ALL the way, so we should be able to fill the pool right to where we want it when we turn it up to the maximum considering we were so close with the temp. it's set on now. Cranking it up full blast next week. )

[jebandkaci]

My MWs took care of it. I have no idea how they did it

[mamato3cherubs]

Originally Posted by evobaby

siphon out the window with a hose. Then DH and my doula took it outside and sprayed it with the hose

Very simple

This works great, and once the syphon starts it doesnt matter if the hose has to go up out the windo as long as the end in the pool stays under the surface of the water