help with birthing tub?

[mija]

Hi,
I've decided to change my birth center birth to a homebirth, and I'm trying to get a good tub setup. I'm interested in the inflatable pools, and I'd love it if anyone could answer a few questions for me.

What tub did you use? Did you buy it online? could you provide a url and maybe a price?

did you use a waterbed heater underneath (I have one for free)?

did you use a pump to empty it? did you empty it indoors or out? (I'm in an apartment, and I'm not sure about draining it to the outside, although it might be okay)

does anyone have any stories of popping a leak? how did it happen/what kind of tub?

If I don't figure out anything else, I think I'll use the Sevylar pool from Shipstore.com, because I know someone who has used it... but I am very open to alternatives...

thanks in advance for helping out a newbie
mija

[indigolilybear]

hi! i used water in both my births. i wanted to suggest you search the web site for birth tub threads. i've seen quite a few w/every type of info and question.

good luck. water is WONDERFUL!

[mamasunshine14@aol]

birthing tub

Hello!

We searched for an affordable birthing tub online, but the shipping alone was just outrageous! My WONDERFUL midwife suggested that we get in touch with a birthing center that she use to work with, to buy the tub. They use inflatable baby pools in the center, and sell them to those wanting to do homebirths. My daughter was born in March, so it was VERY difficult for us to find a pool at a retail store in winter! The birthing center had about 10 on hand, and we were able to purchase one from them for only $25.00. It was more than big enough, with high walls to rest against, and strong enough for my husband to sit on, while helping me. We ran a garden hose, attached to our washing machine, up our basement stairs, and trough our living room, so that I could have warm water. When it cooled off, we would just empty a bit with some buckets, and refill with warm water again. To empty, we reversed to hose, and had it go down the drain in the bathtub! No problem with leaks......

Good luck and ENJOY! $25.00

[mija]

Thanks for the replies! I've ordered a tub and I'm getting pretty psyched up for the birth

[mindyfalcon]

Global Maternity is where I rented my tub from. The website is waterbirth.org. They are located in Wilsonville, OR, just south of Portland, where I was living at the time. They let me come in and help with admin work to pay for my tub, and the crew there are awesome, wonderful people.

The prices may seem sort of steep for rental, but everything is included, ie. pump, liner, little scooper net, etc.. We didn't have to worry or think about anything else. You get your tub around 38 weeks, and I went hot-tubbing in my living room for many nights before my daughter was born!

Good luck. I think it's great you chose a home waterbirth. I had a perfect birth this way and will do it the same with my next baby. As far as draining, we just emptied it into the yard. I had some friends in an apartment who stuck the hose out their back window on the 2nd story and let it loose behind the building! Whatever works, right? Congrats again.

Mindy

[Nee Nee]

mija

check out this wonderful link on waterbirth- it is a back and forth commentary between midwives about their experiences and there are links at the bottom for supplies, I would be very careful about using a waterbed heater with a blow up pool!!

check it out, and good luck

Renee

http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/watrbrth.html

[elaine]

excellent link!! thanks!

[Heavenly]

How do you reverse the hose to empty it? We bought an inflatable kiddie pool for our home waterbirth in 5 weeks but I have no idea how to empty it. Thanks!