Waterbirth in apartment

[Vespertina]

Anyone else have waterbirth in their apartment? How did you fill your birth pool? How long did it take? Were you worried about it leaking or getting punctured?

I really, really want a waterbirth, but we're not certain if we can get it set up in time since I have very rapid labors. I'm thinking about getting an aquarium kiddie pool. It looks easier to fill up. My midwife has the Aquadoula. It looks like it will take too long to fill up.

[Sihaya]

DS was born in the dining "room" (more like nook) of our one-bedroom apartment. We lived on the second floor. The kitchen looked into the dining room, so we just attached the hose to the kitchen sink and it went about 3 feet from the sink over the counter/bar into the tub. If we hadn't had that setup, I probably would have put the tub in the kitchen closer to the sink or in the bedroom that was right next to the bathroom. We had a splitter on the kitchen faucet so the mws and dh could use it for water if they needed.

We knew how many gallons it took to fill the pool (LaBassine) and dh timed how long it took to fill a gallon bucket from each faucet (kitchen sink, bathroom sink, and tub faucet). From that he estimated how long it would take to fill the pool.

I think it took maybe a half hour, though it could have been longer. I know that dh misunderstood me and filled it with entirely hot water, then had to add more cold water before I could actually get in.

I never worried about it leaking or getting punctured. That's why we went with the La Bassine over the kiddy pool, which I think I would have worried about more.

[gentlestrengths]

Originally Posted by Semper Gumby

Anyone else have waterbirth in their apartment? How did you fill your birth pool? How long did it take? Were you worried about it leaking or getting punctured?

I really, really want a waterbirth, but we're not certain if we can get it set up in time since I have very rapid labors. I'm thinking about getting an aquarium kiddie pool. It looks easier to fill up. My midwife has the Aquadoula. It looks like it will take too long to fill up.

My 2nd birth was in an apartment. We were on the bottom floor though. For my 3rd and 4th we lived in military housing, and we put the pool upstairs. It was fine.... my husband accidentally spilled the pool and it leaked into the ceiling of the floor below (our house though) and went through the vents and leaked out. lol. OOps. It wasn't the entire pool. He was being dumb about dumping it. He should have pumped it out and didn't have the right equipment - live and learn - get the right equipment the first time.

We use the fishy pool. We didn't for my 2nd birth and it was so uncomfortable - never again with the straight side-walls....

It really doesn't take long to fill up. Have it all blown up and cleaned out with a plastic paintdrop cloth over the top prior to labor, if you can. Once you go into labor, and you know it, just fill it up right away. If your labors are at least a a few hours, you should have time. Otherwise, maybe just stik with the bathtub, or shower..???
The only other thing I wonder about is do you have your own hot-water heater in your apt? If so, it might be smaller and you may run out...and the water may not be hot enough for you.

With my 2nd birth - our apt had a shared large heater for a few apartments, so it was fine - we never ran out. But in our houses, we often run out. You can also turn your water heater up when you go into labor or in the week when you're due if you go on time normally or whatever - and that should help with having warm enough water.

I think there is plenty of room in the kiddie pools. I had the Aquadoula with my 2nd labor and it was NOT comfortable. Granted, the heater keeps it nice and warm, but I have never had a problem with keeping the fish-pool warm - just keep a plastic paint-drop cloth on it when you're not using it (when it's filling too). You can't hang your arms on the sides of the Aquadoula because they cut into your arm, and you kind of just float there, it just isn't comfortable. I am amazed at the price of those things because I just am NOT impressed! The fish-pool is a WAY better experience and the price makes you love it even more!

[ShwarmaQueen]

It shouldn't be a problem (as long as you don't advertise it to the neighbors, landlord, etc.) but I do remember reading a post here, within the past year, of a pool leaking and flooding the floor below. I don't remember ever reading the followup on what the repercussions were, but I'm sure it wasn't pretty.

[Belle]

We had a waterbirth in an apartment. We also have an aquarium that our landlord knows about and we have renter's insurance for that. The renter's insurance would have covered the birth pool leaking also. We didn't bother to tell our landlords about our homebirth, but we did tell our immediate neighbors. They were all cool about it.

We used La Bassine for the birth. I had a fast labor also so I didn't get in until I was already pushing. Though in truth, I could have gotten in sooner. Total labor was less than 4 hours. It took 12 minutes to fill with air using an electic air pump. It took about 15 minutes to fill with water. We cranked up the temp of the hot water heater in anticipation of the homebirth. It was enough.

A fishy pool wouldn't have worked for me because I'm 5'11", but I've heard it works well for shorter moms.

[gillibean]

My first two were in apartments. The pool took about 1/2 hour to fill, just make sure that have the proper adapter for your faucet. With our second we must have had a small hot water tank because we had to start heating water on the stove. It all worked out though.

[*MamaJen*]

Originally Posted by ShwarmaQueen

It shouldn't be a problem (as long as you don't advertise it to the neighbors, landlord, etc.) but I do remember reading a post here, within the past year, of a pool leaking and flooding the floor below. I don't remember ever reading the followup on what the repercussions were, but I'm sure it wasn't pretty.

Yeah, I remember that thread. They had to transfer and the apartment was uninhabited for several hours. I think the moral was that in your emergency transfer plan, it's smart to designate someone to come over and drain the pool.
That was a worst case scenario type of thing. I think typically it's fine.

[Vespertina]

Thanks, ladies! My midwife has the Aquadoula, but I'm not sure I want to use it. I've heard it's not very comfortable, like a pp said.

I'm on the second floor. That's what worries me. The weight of the pool and water. I don't want it falling through the floor/ceiling, lol. I'd have it set up in the dinning area since it's right next to the kitchen and close to the sink. I really like the La Bassine. Looks comfortable. I guess a fishy pool would not work. I'm 5'10" and on the fluffy side. I might feel cramped. I bookmarked the thread on Birth Pools/resourses by StacyL. That has helped a lot.

If it takes less than 30 minutes to fill then that's good. I have very rapid labors. Shortest was 47 minutes and my longest was 3 hours (DD1). That's why I was worrying about filling time.

I checked out the hot water heater, but I don't see the dial to turn it up. Hmmm. My midwife said we can boil pots of water if it's not hot enough.