Fishy pool water birth?

[Carolinamidwife]

Anyone use the cheap-o fishy pool for their water birth? I am disinclined to rent a $300 tub when I am not 100% sure I want to birth in the water so the fishy pool appeals to me. I'm not too worried about keeping it warm as we have a great hot water heater.

What I am wondering about is how you empty it. I just can't envision how we (or dh) will get the water out. Anyone have any other issues with a fishy pool birth?

Thanks in advance,

Amy

[pamamidwife]

most of my clients use it. I love it - I have a problem with the heated, expensive rental tubs as they don't stay warm! the one thing the rental tubs have that these do not is higher, firm sides for leaning over. but, that's it.

it's cheaper, easier to install, and you don't have to worry about a time line if you go over your due date....

here's my write up on birth tubs and how to create your own:

http://www.midwifemama.com/waterbirth_hints.html

[georgia]

we used the fish one by wet set. it was awesome--nice cushy, inflatable bottom. $15--can't beat that! it's the one my mw highly recommended. we bought the waterbed adapter (from hell-mart in the waterbed sheet dept) for our bathroom sink's faucet, and dh just turned it to the "remove water"setting when we were done. water went right out the window via garden hose. perfect! i think gentlebirth.com has some wonderful info about pools. you can just throw a blanket over it or a poly layer to keep it warm. i've said quite often keep your options open---for many of us, there's nothing like the wonders of water! i'd give birth in a sink if that was the only water available

one thing----make sure, really sure, that all the plugs are pushed in....all the way. my dh was responsible for that job, and during transition, i lost a layer of my pool's side! sssssssssss......tidal wave

Warmly,

Amy

[TrishWSU]

Amy~ I would definetly go with the cheap pool. We spent $175 on the rental birth tub (which we really couldn't afford.) I never ended up using it because we didn't set it up early enough to get it filled and we had a very small water heater (but my best friend loves telling everyone how she got to boil water at a birth LOL). But the tub came with a submersable pump to empty it with the garden hose.

So next time I'll go with the cheap pool, because I really, really wanted to get in the tub while I was in labor. I was still asking if it had been filled while I was pushing.

Good luck and Happy Birthing!!

other Amy ~ Just had to say, I love the name 'hell-mart', pretty much sums up the way I feel about it.

[ChildoftheMoon]

another vote for the fishy pool! We just bailed out with a big pot , when the water level was low enough we let enough air out to make it soft, then drug it outside and dumped the rest.

[teachinmaof3]

We used it too..and LOVED it!!! I got it from Quality Inflatables website. It was the perfect size for me. I was able to rest my head on the side, slouch down and put my feet up, float on my belly (feet up on the opposite side), lean against the side when on my knees, etc. For the birth, I was on my knees leaning against the side and the mw had her knee on the other side behind me and the walls held up perfectly. In fact, they were so good that the next day, my mw had a bruise where she had been leaning..LOL!

When the water got cool my dh took a big bucket and dumped a bit. Then he refilled it w/ hot water.

You can use a waterbed kit to fill and drain. The one we used was my Moms and is probably 20+yrs old so she didn't have directions with it. We filled w/ it but to drain dh used the bucket to basically bail the water.

[panda]

teachinmaof3 - which size kiddie pool did you have?

I just ordered the 60x22 from quality inflatables, and it should arrive tomorrow. The larger size pools are out of stock. I hope this one is big enough.

[Carolinamidwife]

Yay, I'm happy to see that people were happy with them.

Panda, can you come back and let me know how the size of that pool seems? I want a pool large enough that I can stretch out, otherwise I might as well just use my bathtub.

Amy

[marbles]

Hey Gals, Thanks for the info on Fishy pool birth...I'm very excited to say I am having a Fishy pool birth in May...my first 2 were dry land in hospital and I have a midwife and 2 doula's this time...I'm sooo excited and have bookedmarked your info Pam. Thanks again everyone!

[teachinmaof3]

panda ~ This one: http://www.qualityinflatables.com/58480.html The 60x22 size. It should be fine for you. If it helps, I'm about 5'4" and it was the perfect size for me.

Amy ~ I could stretch out in mine and I floated on my belly. LOL



HTH

[JayGee]

My midwife uses the fishy pool too ~ brings her own to your house for the birth! She also has a sump pump that she uses to empty it in 2 minutes flat! In addition, she made a pad that it sits on that has a sandbag rim to prevent any water damage.

[Mommy StormRaven]

used it! loved it!

60x22 was fine and i'm 5'7" and very fluffy!

[mooliette]

We used it for both our births. We actually kept the one after Sammy and the boys are still using it in the summer time...well worth the $15

[Hera]

I used the AquaDoula at my birth, and helped at a birth that used a fishy pool. I have to say that given the choice I'd go with the AquaDoula. The fishy pool was small, so my friend's dh couldn't go in with her. She basically had to be on her back because it wasn't deep enough for squatting, using the birthing stool, or hands and knees (my chosen position.) Plus, the sides got kind of melty. They're made of vinyl which leaches phthalates into the water, especially a brand new one out of the box (that smell, kwim?). I just remember her horribly uncomfortable-looking position and the state of her neck and shoulders after the birth, from having them up on the sides of the tub.

Just my 2 cents....

[kangaroo_mom]

I was going to rent a blow-up tub and hoses from a lady I know who rents her tub out, but now I am reading that I have to buy new hoses for the tub so it will be sterile. If I rent the tub from her it will be $50.00, plus the cost of the new hoses. Do you think I could assemble all of the supplies myself for the same price or less and be able to assemble all the supplies in less than 6 weeks? I'm due 2-14-04. This is my second HB, but first WB.

Any help please?

Thanks,

Jenn

[pamamidwife]

There two different inflatable pools that are used for waterbirths. One is small (too small, I think, based on what Rebecca said I'll bet they had the small one) - the other is larger. In fact, I just attended a birth last week where both mom and dad were in the tub together in the larger of the two birth pools. It was easy to keep the water warm and the padded, inflatable bottom was nice.

[Mommy StormRaven]

was going to rent a blow-up tub and hoses from a lady I know who rents her tub out, but now I am reading that I have to buy new hoses for the tub so it will be sterile. If I rent the tub from her it will be $50.00, plus the cost of the new hoses. Do you think I could assemble all of the supplies myself for the same price or less and be able to assemble all the supplies in less than 6 weeks? I'm due 2-14-04. This is my second HB, but first WB.

Ok - why new hoses - birht isnt' a sterile process at all. We didnt' use new hoses and I dont' think that new ones woudl be any more or less sterile than old ones - it's only water goign through them.

I've truely NEVER heard of anyone buying new hoses for this. It's not liek your running sterile water into the pool out of the tap.

I dont' mean to soudn sarcastic but I really don't get it. I've NEVER heard of that ever.

[pamamidwife]

I recommend people buy two sets of drinking safe water hoses - usually the types that are made for RVs or plumbing.

I wouldn't use a garden hose, or at least not the typical garden hose, just because they're treated with chemicals.

[kangaroo_mom]

We went out shopping today at Home Depot and the plumber we talked to said that we could use our waterbed hose and attachment kit - duh! lol So that saves us about $30.00. It looks like we'll be able to buy the pool online and pull this whole kit together for under $50.00! Yipee

[Carolinamidwife]

Since this thread is going again I wanted to pop in and say that I ended up giving birth in the fishy pool and it was AWESOME!!! I love that fishy pool and I will recommend it to anyone who is considering a waterbirth.

Oh, and I would never use a regular garden hose to fill something my baby was going to be born into. I bought a drinking water safe hose at Wal-mart for $11.00. Garden hoses are treated with chemicals that are even more likely to come through in the water when the water is hot.

Amy