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waterproof alternative to shower curtain to cover bed?  

post #1 of 14
6/12/06 at 10:44am
Thread Starter 
New plastic shower curtains are so stinky... I think I remember reading somewhere about alternatives, but I can't remember what/where. Any suggestions? Thanks!
post #2 of 14
6/12/06 at 10:56am
Painter's dropcloth or whatever they call them. Just a big thin layer of plastic. About $1.50 at Walmart for one, or you can get a 3 pack (in the paint/hardware section). Not stinky like a shower curtain.
post #3 of 14
6/12/06 at 10:59am
Thanks for asking this question! I was just thinking about this a few weeks ago. Anytime we've gotten a new shower curtain, I've had to let it air out outside for days because of that strong yucky plastic petrochemical smell! I just couldn't imagine dealing with that smell during the whole end of pregnancy and laboring time.
post #4 of 14
6/12/06 at 11:02am
If you want to stay away from vinyl then wool is an option. I don't know how it will stand up to the mess that is birth, but felting a couple wool blankets (since they'll shrink) is an option. Get pure wool blankets (second hand) and wash and dry on HOT HOT HOT! SInce it will be a big amount of wet, I'd felt lots to get the wool to close up as tightly as possible....not sure you'll have to lanolize but that's an option for better water-repelling too.
post #5 of 14
6/12/06 at 12:11pm
We used the painting dropcloths too. Put one under the pool and on the bed.
post #6 of 14
6/12/06 at 12:19pm
waterproof mattress pad? We had one thast's all crunchy and feels nasty, but lot's of places sell similar things. ikea sells a waterproof pad that looks pretty nice.

we didn't use anything here. no time. 33 hours of labor, but no one realized how fast it would go once she got into position. just lots of underpads, and everything was fine.
post #7 of 14
6/12/06 at 12:20pm
Plastic table cloths. The kind with flannel on one side- keeps it from slipping. Somehow they're not as stinky.

-Angela
post #8 of 14
6/12/06 at 12:23pm
I'm planning on going with the plastic tablecloths. I want to put a couple down on the floor between my bed and the bathroom, and the flannel will keep everyone from slipping around.

Ditto on the stinkyness of shower curtains... BLECK!
post #9 of 14
6/12/06 at 1:06pm
I highly recommend the vinyl table cloths with flannel on the back. I've had two homebirths and used those both times and have also been an apprentice midwife. The table cloths by far work the best. There are quite a few dollar stores that sell them and I wold buy a few. Put two chux pads under an old sheet (on your side of the bed), the table cloth, and then a different sheet. That way after the birth you can just pull off the top 2 layers. I would also place one hanging out between your mattress and boxspring. It's almost inevitable that when you stand up off of the bed after a birth that you'll have a little mess run down the edge of the bed, and the table cloth helps catch that. We have cleaned up many dust ruffles and carpets right where the woman stands - but if the cloths are there it helps a ton. Hope this helps....
post #10 of 14
6/12/06 at 1:22pm
We're going to go with the plastic/flannel tablecloths, and the ones we bought are machine washable (I assume they all are), so they'll have been laundered a couple of times and have been around our house for awhile - they'll smell like our home so we shouldn't notice them smelling at all!
post #11 of 14
6/12/06 at 1:25pm
high quality fleece, from Malden Mills preerably. Works great, wash and reuse.
post #12 of 14
6/12/06 at 4:50pm
We just have one of those waterproof mattress covers on the bed, since we're co-sleeping too and the mattress is new. If it gets wet/dirty we can just toss it in the wash before we climb in bed. I plan on birthing in the tub anyway, but I also keep chux pads within reach of the bed incase I need to lye there at any point during labor, or if my water breaks in bed (fingers crossed I can get one of those pads under me in time!).
post #13 of 14
6/12/06 at 6:12pm
Thread Starter 
Great stuff! Thanks everyone!!!
post #14 of 14
6/12/06 at 8:14pm
The company I ordered my from had some good choices. What I did was bought a plastic cover that goes completely over the mattress. (I have it on already just in case my water breaks in bed.) I just have my regular sheets on for now but I bought a fitted sheet to go over that and also have a cloth w/ plastic backing that fits over the mattress.

I'm pretty sure the website is http://www.1cascade.com just in case anyone wants to check it out.
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Mothering › Forums › Pregnancy and Birth › Birth and Beyond › Homebirth › waterproof alternative to shower curtain to cover bed?