Birthing Tub?

[ariahsmum]

So those of you who have been in the water for labor/birth- what did you find you liked for a tub? I think what I recall from some lists I'm on is that most women ended up very satisfied with the cheap inflatable fishy pool over the rentable tub with hard sides...

But what is your experience?

I am less concerned with a birth attendant than I am with a tub :lol .

[Chicky2]

I used a Global Maternal tub last time and LOVED it! Was plenty big for both myself and dh to be in for the birth. I will likely use my very deep garden tub this time around, but if not, I'll be renting my mw's tub...

BTW, my mw stuck an inflatable hemmerhoid (sp?) cushion under my face while I was laboring. MUCH better, lol. A few towels on the edge would work fine, too. Just make sure someone can replace them w/dry ones if they get wet.

Oh yeah, I personally wouldn't want the kiddie pool because I really like the water to come up to the top of my uterus, which is extremely important for optimal pain control. Also, I was up on my knees the whole time I pushed, so that would have had my uterus above water in the kiddie pool. You cannot possibly know which position your body will tell you to use beforehand, yk?

[lotusdebi]

The biggest issue I had with the jacuzzi tub at the birth center (where I delivered my son) was that the water didn't cover my belly. I had my DP pouring warm water over my belly the whole time I was in there. For my homebirth, I'll definitely be looking for a tub that I can fill with a LOT MORE WATER!

[kaylas mama]

Hi!
I labored in a blow up kiddie pool that I bought especially for the occaision. It was GREAT! We took out our dining room table, and set the pool up on a tarp in the dining room. DH filled it with water from a hose that ran from our kitchen sink. It was SOOOOOOOOOOO nice. We live in an apt. and there was no way I was going to get in and out of our little bath tub.

I ordered it online at www.brandsonsale.com, and it was the Aquarium Inflatable Kiddie Pool-$19!! Cheap, easy and very comfy.

My midwives and doula sat with me and helped me stay relaxed. It was great, and I'll definitely be using it again next time!

Good luck with your birth!

Jill

[laohaire]

I had the AquaDoula that my midwife's assistant brought, and the fishy pool as a backup since the midwife's assistant kept saying she'd bring it and kept forgetting or something, and there was NO WAY I was gonna get caught without a birthing pool.

Well, she came through, we set up the AquaDoula 1 day before my water broke. It was plenty deep, so that was wonderful. I floated around and got into all sorts of positions. The heater kept it warm VERY nicely.

The drawback was that holding onto the side wasn't so great. Actually, I didn't really notice at the time, but the day after the birth I discovered I'd bruised my face and the back of my neck a bit from leaning against the side in all kind of interesting ways, but believe me, I didn't feel a thing during the birth. Also, I developed carpal tunnel syndrome from the kneeling position where I bent my hands backwards pretty brutally for hours. I don't blame the tub for that, just please keep in mind to treat your body nicely while you're in labor, since your pain receptors may not help out if you are in LaborLand.

I never used the fishy pool in labor but when I tested it prior to labor it felt adequately deep, and the cushions were really nice.

I think if I gave birth again I would honestly stick with the AquaDoula because of the extra space plus the heater, which allowed me to stay in the tub for hours and hours and hours and hours.

[ariahsmum]

It looks like the fishy pool is 2 inches shallower (is that a word?) than Aqua Doula. I have had clients use the fishy pool and it seems like they had no problem getting their entire belly under water...

I guess I'm responding to Chicky2... does 2 inches really make the difference? The fishy pool now comes in a bigger fancier model, but it looks HUGE! I can't imagine ever getting enough hot water to fill it or even getting any purchase on the sides when I'm birthing.

So, was it deep enough for you all who used it?

[annethcz]

I've never had a water birth, and it's not something I'm interested in doing, but I have spent significant amount of time laboring in my bathtub. Although my belly didn't go all of the way under the water, I had my mom drape hot towels over my belly, and it had the same effect. It relaxed me SO much.

I was never interested in a water birth, and I didn't want to worry about setting up a pool just for laboring in. But the bathtub worked really well for me. I also have a friend who *wasn't* planning a homebirth, but was so relaxed in the tub that before she realized what was happening, the baby was born at home in the bathtub :)

I know this isn't quite what you asked about, but I thought I'd throw it out there as another option for people who are birthing at home but aren't sure about having a water birth (or even people who are laboring at home before going to the hospital).

[Chicky2]

Jaya (love your name, btw!), I think it really depends on your height. And maybe how big your belly gets. I get HUGE, lol. And I am 5'9" tall, and really desire my dh in the tub w/me. I need plenty of room, and depth. I also really, really loved the fact that a 'real' birth tub has a heater. However, the one i used had a waterbed heater between the liner and the tub. I imagine that could be easily bought at a waterbed store. I admit I have not seen the bigger fishy pool, so I really cannot compare. For myself, however, yes, 2 inches can make a HUGE difference. It's all about the water covering your uterus completely. And like I said, you have no way of knowing what position your body will tell you to birth in. I would have NEVER expected to be up on my knees the whole time!! I couldn't have, had I not been in water, too! I love to be able to float (and my breasts floated right on top, all proud, lol) during labor--that is the most comforting feeling! If we find that altering our big garden tub doesn't make it deep enough, I will not hesitate to rent my mw's tub. That, of course, depends on our financial situation at the time, too, but it is important enough to me to find a way.

[honeybeedreams]

we bought a $10 kiddie pool at k-mart.

hoping i can find one again. or i might just go with the fishy pool so i can inflate the bottom.

i have heard of women using 100 gallon rubbermaid house troughs. (i could get one of those easy where i live, don't know about you)

[Chicky2]

I have a horse trough, but man oh man, my horse occasionally poops in it. Ewwwwww! LOL!

[leurMaman]

I had DS at a free-standing birth center. The room was equipped with a beautiful jacuzzi-tub. It was a little deeper than an ordinary tub, but not as deep as a birthing tub. I really wanted a water birth, and I fully planned on giving birth to the baby underwater (well, the baby underwater, not me!). I labored most of the 14 hours in the tub. I found that the warm water helped ease the pain of contractions. Of course, I couldn't stay in there for 14 hours. I also got out - but eventually I would crawl back into the tub for most of the time.

However, when it came time to push,the tub didn't work. I pushed for an hour and a half. I pushed in the tub for a while, but my abdomen was in the wrong position. Because it was not a very deep tub (I'm also tall), I was essentially sitting up or laying back. It became very uncomfortable. I had to lay back completely so as not to push the baby out against the bottom of the tub. Of course, I got on all fours and tried pushing the baby out that way (so that I was not laying), but this was painful for me. In the end, at the midwife's suggestion, I got out and sat on a european birthing stool. This was a perfect idea. Your body has gotten used to pushing on toilets your whole life, so once I was sitting upright on the european birthing stool (which is basically a like a freely suspended toilet seat that allows someone to get under and catch) I started pushing more efficiently. I was so exhausted by this time that I was on the brink of having to be transported to the hospital for the rest of the birth. I got determined and pushed with all my might. I finally birthed a 10.5 pound baby boy. I feel that the stool helped gravity pull down and get him out. He was nearly two weeks late, so he was not only huge - but his head had hardened. He looked like a cesarian-born baby since his head hadn't squished at all (thus the long time of pushing). Even the nice, deep birthing tub wouldn't have worked so well at this time because I needed the midwife to do perineal massage and really get underneath me to help out so that I wouldn't tear (I had third degree tears as it was). My son was also not breathing right away and had some meconium in the sack with him - so he needed quick attention the seconds after birth. They had to cut his umbilical cord right away to get him to breathe - and they suctioned his nose and mouth (when my water broke, it showed meconium - which means they needed to suction to make sure he wasn't choking on any of it).

You never know how it is going to go! I was disappointed that I didn't push him out under water, but the real story played out far differently than I imagined. I considered renting a tub this second time around, but based on my first birth - I might just labor in the bathtub instead and go with the good 'ol stool in the end. Good luck!

[Chicky2]

Thanks for sharing Mandi! Yk, from what you said about not having any molding on his head, it sounds like his head wasn't in the optimal position for coming out. I always carry over (last time 20 days past edd), and also had a big baby. If their head is presenting correctly it should be much easier to push out. Just something you might want to have your mw check towards the end of this pg. There are homeopathics that can help w/head presentation, although I'm not well-versed enough to tell you what they are. I'm betting that w/a deeper tub, you would have been much more comfy and able to stay in the tub. The deep, deep water supports your body in ways you cannot even imagine. that's the only way I was able to stay in the position I birthed in for so long! I simply would not have had the strength to do that on land!

[Chicky2]

Oh yeah, and w/ea subsequent birth you will find that your pushing is MUCH more effective.

[leurMaman]

Hey Chicky2,

Thanks for the info. With all my reading, I hadn't considered head presentation. Of course, he was not breech or anything. Oh - I forgot to add the funny part. When I pushed his head out, he was face up (sunny-side up, as my mom says), and then, as I was trying to push his shoulders out, he did a 180degree turn and twisted his whole body around to face down! I was mad at the time because I thought the doula was trying to "screw" him out or something. She started laughing and said she has only seen a full turn mid-birth in a few births. Lucky me...OUCH!!!!!

Okay - after reading this I'm starting to think of renting a birth tub. You never know....I sure hope that pushing is more efficient this time. Especially if I'm due to have another 10 pounder!

[Chicky2]

Mandi, Sweetheart, no wonder you had so much trouble! Sunny side up, or posterior babies are much harder on you! This is something that absolutely should have been foreseen by your mw. Any truly experienced mw would have been able to tell ahead of time. this is also something that you, as the mama, can watch for as this pg progresses. When you get into your last couple of months, pay close attention to where you are feeling kicks. The kicks should be felt only down low, up high, or on either side of your body. Never in front, by your navel. There are things you can do to prevent this type of presentation from even happening, and if possible, should always be taken care of prior to labor. I'll dig up some good sites for ya on this topic. Posterior babies make for some pretty awful back labor, and esp. w/big babies, it can make them difficult to get out. Optimal head position is w/the very top front of the head presenting first. That way, your baby's head will be able to mold and fit thru the birth canal better. I'll go dig up those links for ya asap!

[Chicky2]

http://www.spinningbabies.com/

Here's one....I'll find some more...Also, if you tend to have big babies, something I do in the last trimester is limit my processed sugars and flours and starches (bigtime). I do that better this time around anyway, (I try to always eat only whole foods) but it makes a big difference! Starches, white sugars and flours turn to glucose in your body and go straight to the baby.

[Chicky2]

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

[chrissy]

last time we used the fishy pool and it was fine. and i am also tall (5 10+) and get darn huge! i will say thought that my labor was faaaaaaaaaaaast and i was only in the pool for the last 20 minutes or so. i was on my knees with my armpits on the sides of the pool and my whole belly under water. it felt gooood.

[Chicky2]

Love the pics!!! What a belly! Looks like it went straight out 'cause it had nowhere else to go, lol! Mine spreads much more... I spent quite a bit of time in my birth tub. I could not have gotten on my knees or in a good squat in that fishy pool and still had my uterus covered. I don't ever birth in a 'normal' position, though, lol.

[Tori Gollihugh]

Thanks for all the great info Chicky2. I've been lurking, but wanted to thank you for the great sites. Had one, but not the other. :)

[BCmamaof6]

With baby #3 we had planned a HB in a birthing tub (mw's) but due to PROM for over 18 hours had to go to the hosp for antibiotics anyway. Once there the doc insisted on pit. :( I used the hospital whirlpool for labouring in. It really helped with the pain, but slowed my labour down a bit. (She ended up being born on the bed)

With baby #4 we had planned the same but went into labour at 36 weeks. Automatically ruled out HB. Again- used the tub once ctx were really strong. MW wouldn't let me deliver there & ended up walking down the hallway naked with the baby crowning to the delivery room. Fun fun.

With baby #5 we had planned a HB with our jetted jaccuzi bathtub as the 'birthing tub'. MWs were fine with it- as long as it was well sterilized. Again- PROM for over 18 hours but due to circumstances at home- I didn't have the 'fight' in me to stay home. Gave up went to the hosp & ended up with induction over 3 days. A total nightmare...and a story for another forum!
But in the end- once ctx started I got into the tub & my MW whispered in my ear- you're not allowed to birth in the tub- against hosp policy- but we can't legally move you- soi if you refuse to get out...
After 45 minutes of actual labour (ctx) I ended up having the waterbirth of my dreams (just wrong venue). It was the most gentle, empowering & spiritual event of my whole life.

With this baby I am planning to have a HB in a birthing tub. And will be thoroughing researching possible causes of PROM (without ctx) to remedy that this time. This will likely be our last baby- so it's my last chance for a HB.

[Chicky2]

You are totally welcome!!!

[Chicky2]

BCmomof5...Why did you have to go after only 18 hrs of your membranes being broken? I don't understand. Was there a maternal fever or some other indicator of distress? Had you had vaginal exams, or unsterile ones after they were broken?

[BCmamaof6]

BCmomof5...Why did you have to go after only 18 hrs of your membranes being broken? I don't understand. Was there a maternal fever or some other indicator of distress? Had you had vaginal exams, or unsterile ones after they were broken?

Ah...
in BC medical is fully paid for including midwifery. :thumb
The down side of that is that it is govt regulated. There are 'rules' to follow. Those 'rules' include antibiotics after 18h. You can go to the hospital, have the antibiotics & go home. And then come back if you have to (because they have to be given every X # of hours). And in my case I would probably have to keep coming back. With my last 2 babies it ended up being a 3 day induction with antibiotics & pitocin. :(

I will be researching possible causes of PROM w/out ctx following this time around. I really feel that I *need* this HB...if only to prove to myself that I CAN do this...that I am strong enough. So that I don't feel like I've failed. Again.

[Chicky2]

IMO, that is ridiculous! There are LOTS of mamas who haven't got contractions after only 18 hrs! Maybe if it happens again you could fudge the timing? Or start natural induction methods immediately? I'm so sorry you were forced into getting things you probalby wouldn't have needed had you had more time....

[leurMaman]

Chicky2 - thank you, thank you! I am already looking up the links. I truly appreciate you taking the time to help me out. I would really like to have things go a little smoother this time. I'm excited for another natural birth, but I am really hoping that I don't have to push so long this time. I also like your idea of limiting sugars and starches. We have an 11 pounder in the family tree, and I don't want to try that one!

[Chicky2]

Mandi you are so welcome! Btw, feel free to email me anytime if you have ?s, or post 'em here... theherbmama3@earthlink.net

[greeniegreen]

I'm going to use an inflatable fishy pool as well. I've attended many births where women used those and have always liked them very much - they're a great bargain compared to the others that I've seen used. I'm nearly 6 feet tall but I've seen women my size get plenty deep in them. Plus, it'll be big enough to fit my hubby in if he wants to.

[loomweaver]

Hi!


I ordered it online at www.brandsonsale.com, and it was the Aquarium Inflatable Kiddie Pool-$19!! Cheap, easy and very comfy.

My midwives and doula sat with me and helped me stay relaxed. It was great, and I'll definitely be using it again next time!

Good luck with your birth!

Jill

How did you heat the water in this pool and keep it heated, I like the looks of it and that seems to be the only barrier for me....

[Chicky2]

Yeah, i wonder about the heating, too. Do you invest in a waterbed heater and a liner?

[greeniegreen]

At the births that I've attended where we used inflatable tubs we very rarely needed to reheat the tubs, so I think that a heater is a waste. More often than not they hold the heat so well that we have to cool them down a bit. The times where we did need to reheat tubs because the birth was long, we just bailed out some water and then added in more hot.

[ariahsmum]

As far as keeping the pool heated... and I know I'm not the OP... but in all the births I've been at with no heater we just do bucket brigade. Schlep out a few buckets full, and in goes new hot water until it is at the desired temp. It isn't a big deal as the water doesn't need to stay that hot anyway.