How do you empty the birthing pool/tub?

[an_aurora]

We're planning on having a homebirth at my mom's house and getting a fishy pool. I understand that filling up is pretty easy, with a hose directly attached to the hot water heater, but what about emptying? DH with a bucket?

[megny]

We bought a submersible pump... worked great. It cost around $50 at Home Depot, but honestly, it was worth every cent. The pool (we used the large fishy pool) would drain in about half an hour and with zero effort. The pump can only get the water down to about 1/4 inch, at which point hubby just used towels to mop up the remainder.

[twogreencars]

Apparently there is some way to empty it without a pump or any other gadget - something about having the hose in the water and it draining out due to gravity - but I have not figured that out yet. Anyone else know?

[AnnesMoM]

Originally Posted by twogreencars

Apparently there is some way to empty it without a pump or any other gadget - something about having the hose in the water and it draining out due to gravity - but I have not figured that out yet. Anyone else know?

Ok, I was a little "out of it" when dh was draining the tub, but this is the method he used. He filled the hose up and then crimped it at the outlet end, turned off the water, crimped it at the other end, put one end in the pool and the other end out the door and it drained away. This is basically the same as siphoning it out where you suck on one end until the water is far enough to start draining, but dh didn't fancy getting a mouthful of what was in the tub, if you catch my drift. :Puke

[theelfqueen]

We used a pump, via a hose through the window into the grass.

[twogreencars]

Originally Posted by AnnesMoM

Ok, I was a little "out of it" when dh was draining the tub, but this is the method he used. He filled the hose up and then crimped it at the outlet end, turned off the water, crimped it at the other end, put one end in the pool and the other end out the door and it drained away. This is basically the same as siphoning it out where you suck on one end until the water is far enough to start draining, but dh didn't fancy getting a mouthful of what was in the tub, if you catch my drift. :Puke

How did your dh crimp the ends of the hose?

[an_aurora]

Thanks for all the replies!

Megan, I will look for that pump! Thanks

[Pandora114]

We have the Python hose

Fill and empty with the flick of a little switch thingie. hehehehehe

[Gray's Mommy]

We are either going to use the pump method or buy the python hose. It just depends on if we can find the pump or not

[StacyL]

Don't bother wasting your money on a submersible pump (expensive) when you can use a faucet drain & fill pump that cost $5.

If you have a faucet adapter and a drain & fill pump, it should only take about 30 minutes to drain your pool, and it goes right back into your sink and down the drain. All you do is turn on your cold water full blast to provide the pressure, and then turn the ring on the bottm of the drain & fill pump, which reverses the flow and pulls the water out of the pool. You don't have to touch any water or buckets or anything. It's painless!

Here's the parts you need. (Python brand). You can get them at Petsmart or at the links:

Faucet adapters Most people use the white one.

Drain & Fill pump

Python Hose

P.S. You should not hook the hose to your water heater, but to your nearest SINK. And you should always use the SHORTEST hose possible - cuts down on heat loss and pressure loss.

[an_aurora]

Wow thanks for the info Stacy!

[AnnesMoM]

Originally Posted by twogreencars

How did your dh crimp the ends of the hose?

He just folded the hose over and had my mil hold one end while he held the other

[twogreencars]

Originally Posted by AnnesMoM

He just folded the hose over and had my mil hold one end while he held the other

Ah - we can handle this!
THANKS!