Birthing pool or tub?

[Tattooed Hand]

So we have a big, old-school claw foot tub in the bathroom. If I pad the bottom, could I comfortably labor and give birth in it? It would be so much easier in terms of money, filling and emptying and logistics (we can't set up a birth pool ahead of time in our tiny apartment).

Or I could get a la basine. Is it worth the money and hassle? Anyone done it in a claw foot? What kinds of things does the pool/tub need to have?

This is my first baby and I don't really know what to look for in a birthing tub, so any advice is appreciated...

I'm 36 weeks, so we need to make a decision about this soon.

[ashley_nicole]

My first was a very natural hospital birth. I labored in their birth tub and it was just a big bath tub with jets. Like you see in some homes. I wouldnt even worry about padding the bottom cause you're going to be floating most of the time. And that's one less thing to remove/clean up. IMO the only thing is that it has to be deep enough to cover the top of your belly if youre laying down and most of your back if youre kneeling. This time around I plan on laboring and possibly birthing in our tub at home. It's one of the big garden tubs.

[Mama_2_Boy]

This will be my second home birth, first water birth.
We have a huge tub and I labored in it the entire time and then got out to push because pushing was becoming so darn laboris in itself.
Anyways, my tub is huge, but not deep enough. I did the measurment to be sure and it is recommened that you have at least 19 inches of water and my tub only does 14
Now we figured out that if we plugged the evacuation drain that we could get it deeper, but I would have to be laying down on my back, and for this birth I really, really, really do not want to be on my back. When I watch the water birth vid's online at the birth centres and such, their tubs are very deep so the girls are in a crouch position and the water still comes up to their chest. So I now know, I really do need alot of water and we are picking up the tub next week when I'll be at 36 weeks.

[melamama]

I think it depends on your size. We used to have an old claw foot, and although in my non-pg state it seemed huge, pg it wasn't even big enough for a comfortable bath when I was in my last trimester.

Another thing to consider is your ability to get into different positions. Old claw foots are generally long and sort of thin. If you wanted to squat you might be out of luck. Also depending on your mw, she may not be comfortable with you birthing in one as she many not have good access to you (though this will depend on your mw).

I bought a birth pool in a box for my last birth and think it was completely worth it, I am 6' tall and knew that I would definitely use the pool to birth in.

[Belle]

When my dh and I were dating he lived in an ancient apartment building with a clawfoot tub. I would have loved giving birth in that thing. It was huge. If you have one like he did I'm jealous.

I'd say as long as you are able to submerge your belly in it, it should be fine. For dd1 I labored in a hospital tub that was slightly larger than our tiny standard tub and home and it helped a lot. (could have been bigger still, but I digress)

[Bella Catalina]

I had a La Bassine and it was worth it. That said, my tub was not deep enough. If you can give it a practice run and try out every conceivable birthing position you can think of and find it deep enough and comfortable, then go for it. It would definitely make clean up easy.