For those who have birthed in an inflatable pool....

[mom2threenurslings]

If you've used an inflatable pool for a homebirth, how difficult was is to keep the water warm enough? Was the process very intrusive? How did you manage it?

We're planning a home waterbirth, can't afford to rent a birth tub, and my midwife (although she has attended births w/inflatable pools) says that it is an extreme hassle to keep the water warm enough (99 degrees when baby is born) and that the process of removing water/topping off with hot water will be very disruptive. What are your experiences?

[IAmAMamaToLogan]

I have to think back... My DH started filling the pool at 3pm and about a half hour before Adam was born, he topped it up with more hot water. I don't remember him adding water at all. Adam was born at 4:55pm btw and the water was still very hot to me.

[punkprincessmama]

i've been wondering about this too. i know i read somewhere about using a waterbed heater under the pool, but i don't remember specifics.

[alegna]

It didn't disturb me in the least and gave my "audience" something to do (have to understand- I had: my dh, my mom, my dad, my sister, my mil and 2 midwives there...) I was in the pool about 12 hours and they probably added hot water about 4 times.

Let me know if you want more details, NAK right now

Angela

[Patchfire]

We filled it and kept it covered and/or partially covered with a flannel-backed vinyl tablecloth. That worked really well when we did our 'test run' and kept it warm for a good four hours or so (might've kept it warmer longer, that was just when we drained it).

We barely got it filled when I was actually in labor, so it was plenty warm still.

[pamamidwife]

I have never had an issue with it.

Although, I've never had a rental keep the water warm, either.

At any aquarium shop, you can get an inexpensive sumbersible sump pump for large aquariums. Ask around and see what the salespeople can do to help get some extra tubing and maybe a fitting to make it attach to a garden hose.

Then, when the water cools off, simply pump some water out, and connect the hose back up to the hot water outlet and then add more hot water.

I wonder if your mw has never used a sump pump but only bailed out the water and boiled water? That would be a pain in the butt, for sure.

It's not invasive, it doesn't have to be. However, I'd make sure your midwife understands how it will work so she won't be resistant to the idea.

IMO, I'd rather see clients spend the extra money from a rental on a nice postpartum massage or something else. The inflatable tubs ROCK.

[mom2threenurslings]

Thanks for the suggestions.

pamamidwife...Yes, the midwife said that she found it a hassle to empty it with buckets and fill it with boiling water. Thanks for your suggestions!

I'm thinking of getting a Python to empty/fill the pool. It's made of FDA approved materials including uv stabalized, nonporous tubing which "eliminates the possibility of adding chemical toxins" into the water. It's used solely by water pressure (you turn on the water at the sink and simply flip a switch to fill or empty the pool). I used to work in a pet store, and when pamamidwife mentioned an aquarium pump, the Python was the first thing that popped into my mind. It can be removed when not in use, so wouldn't be in the way. Hmmmmm...

I'll set up the pool for a "trial run" for my 36 week home visit so everyone can become familiar with how it works and I can then relax in it for a while after the visit!

Whew...I feel much better ... but please continue to offer suggestions, helpful hints, and stories!!!

[MamanFrancaise]

Originally Posted by mom2threenurslings

I'm thinking of getting a Python to empty/fill the pool.

Do you know how much these sell for?

[kavamamakava]

I used an inflatable kiddie pool and we didn't have any problems keeping the water warm. I was in it for about 3 hours.

[LianneM]

We used buckets to take water out, then hot water from the tap through the hose. I think they did it three times - never bothered me!

[pamamidwife]

Wow, I found some of those Python pumps on eBay - it sounds GREAT!

http://search.ebay.com/python-no-spi...omZR40QQsojsZ1

[mom2threenurslings]

Originally Posted by MamanFrançaise

Do you know how much these sell for?

They come w/ different length hoses ... the longer the hose, the more it costs. I found them at www.drsfostersmith.com for: 25 feet - $28.99 (currently 22.99 on sale) and 50 feet - $49.99 (currently 39.99 on sale). They also come in 75 feet and 100 feet...maybe longer.

I also did a search for them on ebay and found some ... some were more, a few were a bit less, although I don't know what the difference would be with shipping.

[pamamidwife]

oh, hey, the water doesn't have to be a certain temp - in fact, that's the real hassle, having someone tell you that it's too hot/too cold all the time! if the water feels good for you, then it's the perfect temp for your baby.

I haven't measured temp of the water in years. I would venture to say that many moms give birth in water that is about 95' or so.

[Belle]

Originally Posted by MamanFrançaise

Do you know how much these sell for?

We bought ours for about $25 and bought a regular hose (white for potable water) at a hardware store for abot $5 to extend the length. I haven't birthed at home yet but that thing is a miracle for changing the water in our aquariums.

[sarahloughmiller]

We had a kiddie pool with a water bed heater under it. I was in labor for 3 days and when I was not in the pool we put a plastic drop cloth over it with a down throw over that and it kept it really warm. It actually got too hot at one point and I had to get out. We never took the temp in the pool, I was just getting too hot. We never added new water either.

[Full Heart]

I never noticed honestly. I was busy laboring. So I called dh in to read the post and he said, Yeah its troublesome. The water is always 97 or 101 never 99, and you gotta keep putting water in and taking water out to maintain the temp.

But like I said, I never noticed. I was laboring. Getting the water in and out was no problem though. We hooked up a hose to the sink. To get the water out we used another hose (once we had to cut it short so it would drain, the next time we were on the 2nd story so it drained just fine with a longer hose). If you have good labor support you probably won't even notice whats going on during the labor.

That said I love laboring in my kiddie pool. I'm doing a lot of work to get my baby there so dh can do something too :LOL

michelle

[teachinmaof3]

It wasn't that hard or disruptive at all. The tub was set up right next to our bathroom. We had a 5gal bucket that dh filled up and dumped in the tub...then refilled with hot water. I think we did that like 3x that day.

[kahbo]

It seems like maybe if you just covered it when your out of it...like some of the mama's have suggested...I beat it would work well with something that had an almost silvery thermal layer...or like a silver sided tarp with a down blanket...you shouldn't have to go through buying really expsensive items...but I'm not sure

[punkprincessmama]

Originally Posted by sarahloughmiller

We had a kiddie pool with a water bed heater under it. I was in labor for 3 days and when I was not in the pool we put a plastic drop cloth over it with a down throw over that and it kept it really warm. It actually got too hot at one point and I had to get out. We never took the temp in the pool, I was just getting too hot. We never added new water either.

okay, so did you just put the heater directly under the pool, or did you have a layer of cloth between the two?

[orangebird]

I didn't think it was disruptive either, and we had to do the scoop-dump-boil-and-pour method. So if you used the hose method that would be even easier. I honestly don't remember it being disruptive at all. We had a rubbermaid horse trough and I think DH only warmed it up a couple times, we never measured the temp, just when I said I wanted it a bit warmer. I don't think keeping the temp has to be an exact science, you just want to be comfortable, that's all