Question on water birth and depth

[Mama_2_Boy]

I am trying to figure out if we can just use our home bath tub. Anyone have an idea on how deep it should be? The midwife is encouraging me to be on all fours during the pushing phase, so obviously my butt and stuff have to be submerged. Last night while in the tub, I assumed the position and can see if the tub is very full that I will just be covered. DH said he would have to block the vent drain to allow for this - no problem. The other option is renting the actual birthing tub from the midwife and setting up shop downstairs, but I'm not crazy about the environment down there and would rather go with our bathroom.
I'll try and get photos later.

[*MamaJen*]

There are two things that help in a water birth -- one is the hot water, and the other is the buoyancy. You will get the benefit of the soothing warm water in the bathtub -- think how good a hot bath feels for cramps-- but most normal ones aren't deep enough to provide real buoyancy, unless you have one of those cool spa tubs.
For me, the buoyancy was really important, especially near the end of labor. I found a really comfortable position and was able to stay in it without getting exhausted because the water was supporting my body.
Is there a possibility of setting up the birth tub upstairs if you moved furniture around or something? They're not that big.

[Mama_2_Boy]

We actually do have one of those really big spa tubs...but it's just really large - the three of us can sit in it easily together, not so much deep - I think. I mean, when I"m sitting in it and it's full, the water level is just under my boobs. So the only way I could experience real buoyancy is when I lay down and I REALLY DO NOT WANT TO BE ON MY BACK laboring again. I watch the water birth videos online and the girls look really content at sitting on their bums. That's what I want, till it's time to push and then just do what comes naturally.
The problem with putting the birthing tub upstairs is that my husband looked at the specs and the weight when full is enormous and he has concerns about that.

[Astraia]

I've been hearing a depth (for the pool) of 22 inches, so it would be roughly 18 inches worth of water.

If it's enough to mostly cover your bum on hands and knees it should be deep enough- the idea is that the baby must be either all the way IN the water or all the OUT of the water, no bobbing in and out as it's being born.

[*MamaJen*]

Originally Posted by Mama_2_Boy

We actually do have one of those really big spa tubs...but it's just really large - the three of us can sit in it easily together, not so much deep - I think. I mean, when I"m sitting in it and it's full, the water level is just under my boobs. So the only way I could experience real buoyancy is when I lay down and I REALLY DO NOT WANT TO BE ON MY BACK laboring again. I watch the water birth videos online and the girls look really content at sitting on their bums. That's what I want, till it's time to push and then just do what comes naturally.
The problem with putting the birthing tub upstairs is that my husband looked at the specs and the weight when full is enormous and he has concerns about that.

There was this thread a few months ago that I actually found really amusing. All the engineer homebirthers (only on MDC, right?) got together to calculate the weight-bearing load of an apartment floor as it related to a birth tub. The basic conclusion was that the floor should be plenty strong enough.

[Mama_2_Boy]

Originally Posted by *MamaJen*

There was this thread a few months ago that I actually found really amusing. All the engineer homebirthers (only on MDC, right?) got together to calculate the weight-bearing load of an apartment floor as it related to a birth tub. The basic conclusion was that the floor should be plenty strong enough.

And under normal conditions (construction that meets code) this would be true, but we are in a home that was custom built and we can tell that in alot of regards, the builder did not go to permit to construct so we are worried about that.

[nashvillemidwife]

Your belly should be submerged.