Suggestions on filling birthing pool far from tap. « Back to Group Discussions

[Mittens]

We have a two floor apartment with only one bathroom which is on the main floor. We really would like to birth in our bedroom upstairs, but because there is no bathroom up there, I'm not sure we can swing it. We are getting a fishy pool to birth in, or at least labour in because who knows how it will go.. and we would love to be able to have it in our very large bedroom, along with a birthing ball, birthing stool, and our bed all set up. Anyone have any suggestions on how to fill the fishy pool up a long flight of stairs, down a hallway, and into the bedroom? I really would like to see this come to fruition. It would be my ideal because our room is the most sound proof, private, and the largest and most comfortable/appealing/cozy.

Thanks!!

[MamanFrancaise]

Just get a long hose. Our hose is 50 ft and could easily reach another floor. If that's not long enough, get two hoses and a connector. Since it's a small fishy pool, even water travelling upwards shouldn't take too long to fill it up. 

The annoying part would be your partner having to run downstairs to change temperature. Perhaps consider getting a shut off valve for the water end so you don't need to run downstairs to turn anything off in a hurry.

[MIrandaM]

Bucket brigade!  :)

Your bedroom really does sound like the perfect place, I hope Maman's solution works, sounds like it would. 
 

[katt]

Go for the hose.  Have a back up plan in case you run out of hot water.  My dh actually got to heat water on the stove for the birth for that reason.  lol

[dmpkmom]

agreed...I could be wrong but I'm fairly sure hubby filled from a garden hose snaked in from the outside via a window but b/c my birth tub had a heater, temp wasn't an issue. If you have a few crock pots or can borrow some, have extra hot water heating up in there and/or show your MW where your pans are (our MW's broke my totlocks trying to get into my pan cabinets! that is no small feat!). The one issue I see is w/ drainage. Can your hubby set up reverse suction into a tub or toilet from upstairs? It may be a bit..um...chunky.

[help007]

I also recommend an electric kettle that you can plug in- they can boil a quart of water in just 2-3 minutes. You can fill it downstairs and plug it in upstairs in your room so no one is going up and down stairs with boiling water. I have even considered borrowing friends' kettles to keep more hot water going!

I have to admit that I am now considering what it would have been like to have to go downstairs to potty in the middle of the night throughout this pregnancy! Wow!

[Mittens]

LOL yeah it's not been fun going up and down that long flight of stairs every hour of the night just to pee a tiny bit. I actually tried DD's potty once in our room, and nope, it was just too small. Heheh.

Man, you ladies are awesome with the suggestions!!! Thanks so much. The hose with a shut off valve is such a great idea, and the crock pots and kettles!!! Awesome. And i hadn't thought of the reverse drainage. Yikes!! I hope we can figure something out for that. Are some hoses capable of reverse drainage? Maybe we should by one that does both, if they exist?

Oh, and has anyone ever used a birthing stool right in the pool? And are they expensive and where do you get one? I'm guessing Babies r us will have one. I'm in Canada.

Thanks again everyone!!! We're getting so excited. GBS came back negative so we're almost in the clear for the home birth depending on if there is meconium in my waters or not. Shall see! Also just need to get my iron up which i'm working on, but it's not dangerously low in the eyes of the midwives. I'm just concerned about not having the energy myself.

[help007]

Originally Posted by Mittens 

Oh, and has anyone ever used a birthing stool right in the pool? And are they expensive and where do you get one? I'm guessing Babies r us will have one. I'm in Canada.

The floor of your tub is likely slightly or very inflated (mine is), and I would be wary of putting something hard on that surface. I was considering a yoga block for that, though.

[dmpkmom]

i think you float too much to sit on a birthing stool in the tub! reverse drain can be done ..you ever take a chemsitry class and they tell you not to pipet by mouth...well....um....as long as your remove your mouth soon enough, you can get the suction going by mouth or sometimes gravity will do it all by itself..sometimes you need the suction to remove the air bubble in the line. if you have a air pump for a air mattress, that might also start the suction but again..must remove before the liquid starts actually coming out! LOL

[Mittens]

Ahh, good points help and dmpkmom!! Thanks much!!