Birth Tub Question

[TwinMum3]

I am 5'6 ~180 lbs.  My midwives have a pool I can borrow for free during the birth (not sure which one, we would just buy a liner), but my husband and I were thinking of buying a 'fishy pool' so that it would be ours for future births, and later a play pool for the kids.  I'm hesitant because the manufacturer says it is 20 inches deep vs. the birth tubs which are on avg 26 inches deep.  Has anyone my size or around it used the fishy pool?  Experience with it?  I'm 31 weeks hoping to order by the end of this week or next so any response is really appreciated.  Thank you!

[Carson]

We bought the fishy pool with all intentions of reusing it but when all was said and done, DH made the executive decision to just trash it after the birth.  Granted I delivered in the winter, and there was no way to take it outside and clean it, but he said it needed some deep cleaning that he just wasn't up to with all the other stuff he was doing PP.

If my MW were loaning me the pool for just the cost of a liner, I'd definitely go that route. 

[MarleneCPM]

  I am a midwife who used to buy those cheap fishy pools for births. I loved them, so did my clients. They weren't good for more than a couple of births though, before they wouldn't hold  air  anymore. One of my clients, after the birth asked if they could buy the tub their baby was born in, which I let them do.  I have since gotten tired of constantly replacing my pool, however & now have a sturdier La Bassine, which I love even more! it is a little bigger than the fishy pool, but only by 20 gals. It is nice in that being oval there are more options in positions & room for dh to get in too if he wants, but I can't remember any client being too big to be comfortable in the smaller pool. The birth-in-a-box tub is too big! Can't reach to give perineal support. I do like the built in seat. They also have a smaller model, which I haven't tried yet.    The Aquaborn is too tall for my liking, harder for mom to climb in & out during labor, and not as even as long lasting as the fishy pool, though I do like its inflatable lid, to keep the heat in, and debris out when mom is out, walking or going potty! Aquadoula is too big to store & constantly transport easily, and I've had trouble with the heating elements, from the jostling it gets being carted around, also not as comfy to lean on in labor like the inflatable ones, whose air insulation makes the heating element unnecessary.

  As for cleaning & reusing... if you use a disposable liner, it's a cinch to clean! You can buy liners from several online sources, but I found getting a 25 ft. role of 2-4 ml. plastic is more economical & works just as well. Use about 6 ft. under the tub to protect the floor, about 14 ft in the tub to line it, and the last 5 ft. as a cover.

[MarleneCPM]

Cleaning & reusing should not be a problem if you use a liner. I have found that altho disposable liners are available from just about anywhere online you buy your tub for $15-35 each, that a 25 ft. roll of 2-4 ml plastic is more economical & works just as well. With one 25 ft roll you can  use approx 6 ft. under the tub to protect your floor, approx 14 ft. to line the tub, tucking the corners under the tub to keep it from slipping & still have about 5 ft. left to use as a cover to keep the heat in & debris out while  it is filling, or when she gets out to walk or pee.

I do have several tubs I lend out to my clients, just as your midwife does. I did have one client that became so emotionally attached to her tub, that she asked to buy it off me after her birth, which she did. It was one of those $35. fishy pools from In His Hands Birth Supply. I have since stopped using them because they don't last through many births, & I figured I'd save $ in the long run if I just bought the more expensive higher mill But for your personal use, I'd think the fishy tub would work just fine. tubs.

I don't know what kind of tub your midwife has, but here is my critique of the different kinds:

I love the La Bassine the best, which I get from YourWaterbirth.com!I never had a client who thought it was too small. La Bassine is slightly larger than the fishy pool (holds 20 gals more) and the oval shape gives greater variety of possible positions including dh getting in w you.

The Birth-tub-in-a-box is too big for my liking, takes a LOT of hot water to fill, and makes it hard to reach/give perineal support. I do like the built in seat, but never had anyone actually sit on it, yet. They do have a smaller model w/o the seat, but  haven't tried that yet.

Aquadoula is not as portable as they make it sound, even rolled up it takes up my whole back seat in my car, size also makes storage a problem for me. The sides are not as comfortable to lean against as the inflatable tubs, even with the pool noodles on them, which does help a little. Also have had trouble with the heating elements, which it needs because the thinner walls don't keep the water as warm as the inflatable kind.

My Aquaborn sprung a leak very 1st time I used it. 'Patched that & sprung an even bigger leak in 2 other places 2nd time I tried to use it. I am not at happy with their quality! I do like the inflatable lid though, and the color, which makes it easier to assess blood loss after the birth easier than the darker blue colored pools. (One can always put a white sheet in pool under liner no matter what color pool they use)

The rubbermaid horse troughs are a nice size & shape, but they are thin walled, very uncomfortable to lean on & don't come with a heater, not to  mention takes up even more space than the Aquadoula since it is not collapsable. And they are black, very hard to estimate blood loss, unless you line it with a white sheet.

The great thing about using a roll of plastic, instead of buying a fitted liner, beside the cost savings is that it will conform & fit any tub you get.

Have a blessed birth!

[TwinMum3]

Thank you so much for your replies!  Marlene~do you mind if I ask where do you get the plastic rolls from?

[MarleneCPM]

Lowes, Walmart, Mennards, Home Depot, even Odd Lots carries them at times.... Anywhere that sells home improvement stuff.

[jenrose]

I used a rubbermaid trough, and it got emptied afterwards then lived in the backyard for a long time. I'm going to evaluate it soon and decide if it is cleanable for this next birth. But the 100 gallon size fit very nicely in my kitchen and I fit in it, and I am 5 foot 8, with very long legs, and I'm very heavy. It wasn't "expansive" but was adequate and filled SO FAST.