getting and keeping the hot tub hot - how does it work?

[L'lee]

So, those of you who have had a home water birth before, how do you get the tub filled with hot water, and then how do you keep it hot? It seems like our 40 gal hot water heater only makes enough to fill the bathtub, and even then the water from the tap is getting cold by the time it's nearly full. The hot tub uses a lot more water than that!

I figure I'd probably turn the water heater all of the way up as soon as I know I'm in labor, but this one might go fast and I think it takes an hour or so to get it up to temperature (?) Does a 40 gal hot water heater set to HIGH make enough hot water to fill a 130-170 gal hot tub? Do you boil big pots of water? Does that work fast enough? Do you fill the tub in stages and try to cover it? How long does it stay hot, and how do you make it hotter when needed?

Thanks for any thoughts/ideas/input!

[L'lee]

Just found a helpful thread in the Homebirth forum - should have looked there before posting, sorry!

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/589333/birth-pool-resources-and-information

If anyone wants to add anything here, feel free!

[XanaduMama]

Yes, you turn up your water heater a few days before your EDD. I did this and still overdid the initial cold water fill, so we just added hot water from a kettle and pots on the stove when it seemed necessary. No problem. If you're using a real hot tub (and not just a pool/bathtub), doesn't it come with a heater, though?

[josie423]

We have an 85 gallon whirlpool/jacuzzi type tub and an 80 gallon water heater. The water heater is electric and doesn't quite get the job done. I fill the tub with straight hot water, add boiling water and then cold to the level I need it at. After that, the water heater recovers pretty quickly and we just add hot water from the faucet when needed.

[womenswisdom]

If you want to fill the tub in order to get in immediately, fill the tub with straight hot water until the water heater is empty. Then add cold water until the tub temperature is at 100 degrees (be sure to mix the water well because the cold water will tend to sink to the bottom and will give you a false high temp reading on top if you don't). Then add water that is 100 degrees coming out of the hose (use a regular digital thermometer to measure the temp of the water coming out of the hose) until the tub is at the level you want. You may have to wait until the hot water heater recovers to begin adding the 100 degree water for the second fill but that usually only takes around 20-30 minutes to happen.