Cheapskate Water Birth

[JosieAK]

Okay, so I am kind of late to the game.  I am at 37 weeks and suddenly feel that it is very important for me to have access to a birthing pool (not just my tub) in my upcoming home birth.  However, we are pretty much broke after moving into a new house.  We are trying to make sure we save enough to pay the midwife in case our insurance gives us difficulties or for an emergency if we transfer, etc. 

I have a friend who is giving me her fishy pool from HER home birth.  However, if I get it and it is at all iffy in it's condition, I will order the $30 one off of Amazon.

What do I NEED for a water birth?  On one hand, I do not want to buy a bunch of expensive pumps and equipment, on the other, I do not want DH to have to wrestle for hours with a silly tub (either putting it up or taking it down).

What are the ABSOLUTE essentials?  What one thing would you splurge on to make things more ideal?

Thanks so much!  I appreciate this.  I am hoping for help soon so I can order or buy what I need ASAP!

[coharmony]

I'm going to ask my midwife if I have to get a liner for the aquarium pool but other than that she recommends a new hose (which makes sense) and the hose/sink attachment. I think you can get these both for under $30. Oh and she also says a few extra dropcloths and towels.

[JosieAK]

Are you going to get a garden type hose or a fish/aquarium type hose?

[LovingBaby]

I think they recommend a hose for drinking water... which I imagine an aquarium hose would be more or less equal to that since you can't have any impurities in an aquarium - right?!  :D

[sharita]

After already having one waterbirth, DH can say that all that we needed was a hose (new) some prefer drinking water quality but midwife told me that if in a bind, it shouldn't matter, no one will be ingesting the pool water, me or baby, lol.  A faucet adapter, a large pastic drop sheet like for painting (really cheap), and something like a fish net to scoop solids out with  as it is draining.  My usually very mild mannered quiet shy DH was heard by the midwife and assistant from the other room last time cursing the cleanup.  Our hose wasn't draining it properly and we had no net so he was having to take the water and dump it with a boiler into a plastic storage tub then drag that to the toilet and made so many trips.  Instead of a net I found a rather large strainer with small mesh at goodwill so I figured that would be good for scooping out any clots or nasties. 

Other than that, just have lots of towels on hand.  Nothing like getting in and out and using up all your towels then freezing.

[JosieAK]

So, Sharita, your DH would be okay with a waterbirth with the same equipment next time?  Did you also have a liner or anything?  Did you need to sterilize the pool (before or after)?  Where did you get your hose?  Thanks!  I appreciate you taking the time to respond!

[atnightingale]

Some of these are exactly the questions I came on to ask! For my first waterbirth we rented a pool and kit.  It had liner and so forth.  This time we are going with the ocan reef (the larger fishy pool). I have pump, dropcloth, net strainer, hose (drinking water quality garden hose from costco) adapter (ace hardware: hint unscrew your aerator from faucet and take that to the hardware store) and a cheap aquarium siphon (from petco) because draining was a pain. 

But what, if anything do I use as a liner?  How do I clean the pool?

Any wisdom is welcome, and good luck to all.

[JosieAK]

Awesome suggestions!  We can do Costco and Petco and I love the suggestion to take the faucet with us!

I did see these at a water birthing site: http://www.yourwaterbirth.com/other-water-birth-products-c-2_44.html , so I THINK that using a cloth or soft brush or sponge to coat the inside of the tub with iodine would get it ready.  After it was over, I would think that taking the tub into the yard (while inflated) would be good to wash it down with a hose and maybe do another iodine wipe out. 

[Munchkingirl]

PP suggestions all good.  I use the fishy pool with out a liner (bought new and aired out for a week or two inflated in the closet), some basic scooping after birth, drain it with buckets and pump at the end to get it out of the house, take it outside, rinse off, spray with whatever cleaner you like, rinse again, fill up for other kids to use while you rest. ;)

[kawa kamuri]

an RV hose from WMart $15

tarp for under the pool or a blanket if you need to forego the tarp $0-$5

some sort of pump to inflate $ varies 

faucet adapter (pet store/home improvement store) $5 

a bucket is nice - last time I cleaned and used my mop bucket $0

we'll again drain by siphon - quick, free and easy $0

towels - I only used two/three last time $ varies, I bought the $5 variety from Target

I personally find it important to do a test run prior to birth. It helps us with timing as well as flushes out the hose/rinses off the pool. I wouldn't want to birth my child in water that passed through a new hose. My hot water heater has been up all the way since last week (another expense no doubt) and the pool inflated because I have quick labours.  

[XanaduMama]

For my waterbirth, I bought a fishy pool for $24 (in 2008), an rv hose from Big Lots for about $7 or something, and the faucet adapter. That's it! Didn't need a pump, liner, tarp (you can use a shower curtain for that if you want one) or any of the other stuff. Mine was blissful--wishing you the same!

[kawa kamuri]

Originally Posted by XanaduMama Didn't need a pump

Did you blow it up by mouth? 

[XanaduMama]

Oh, I meant we didn't need a pump to drain it (just siphoned out into the yard using the hose). Sorry for the confusion. I guess we used the pump we already had to inflate it--non-motorized, just a big hand pump we used for our air mattress etc.

[labortrials]

Dang it. Post got eaten! Grr.

Anyway, I purchased that fish pool several seasons ago (hoping to labor in it with the twins) b/c it was recommended for water birth.  Mine has a drain in the bottom, but I guess that's only helpful if I do this out in my yard . . . not sure about that.  LoL!

Cleaning: I'll probably use my Thieves household cleaner; gonna wait a few weeks b/c I imagine the kiddos will be in the pool some this month...

Accessories: I think a drinking quality hose is necessary, personally; you can buy one for about $10 at Walmart (just looked there the other day); scoop/strainer - good idea, may have to look for one, I do have a strainer that'd work for that, but I doubt anyone would want me to use it in the kitchen again!  And the adapter, so you can use it with your sink faucet.  Turn up your water heater!!!  Big pots for boiling water - I hear laboring in cooler-than-body-temp water sucks.

Other stuff: today my MW recommended having camp pads to lay down under where I might be kneeling in the tub - thought that was a great idea.  And sleeping bags to put over top to help keep the temp up if I'm not in the pool for some reason.  And you need tarps to protect your floors and lotsa towels.  Some folks also like to have a thermometer for the pool.

[jessica_lizette]

Another question to go along with this thread....where do you drain it if you don't have a yard? I plan on using the fish pool in my apartment. I think the neighbors might object to me draining it off my balcony. =p Would the kitchen sink be fine? Toilet?

[atnightingale]

Originally Posted by jessica_lizette 

Another question to go along with this thread....where do you drain it if you don't have a yard? I plan on using the fish pool in my apartment. I think the neighbors might object to me draining it off my balcony. =p Would the kitchen sink be fine? Toilet?

We drained into the shower with this last one.  Though when they had to empty and refil the pool during my first birth I will admit to some pots of water out the second story window.  But it wasn't icky water yet.

[kawa kamuri]

I believe my last pool was drained into the apartment tub. I had birthed both baby and placenta in that water. 

[4 in 2005]

My list from my MW--

Pool

New hose (she didn't specify drinking water safe but I am going that route)

4 large pots to help heat water

Adapter for hose

4 extra towels

4 extra wash clothes (not an issue I got a large pack from Wally World for my birth for $3.50.)

2 Tarps (one for under the pool and one for over it to help retain heat if I get out)

Air pump to blow up the pool which I already have

bucket to help drain the pool (again I already have 2 cleaning buckets)

birth ball or low stool for MW to sit on. 

I found a square pool for $20 at Meijer that is 5 1/2 feet each side and 19 1/2 inches deep.  A little shallower than I would like but I like that it is square and smaller.  Most the ones that are 22-24 inches deep like I want are 8feet around and that will take up more room in my birth area than I prefer.