Home Birthers & Hopefuls!

[Rmar]

I'm an April Fools baby. The EDD mum had was 14th April and my brother and sister didn't come before 40 weeks so she didn't expect it but my dad joked about it constantly.

I'm looking into birthing pools. I am trying to choose out of hiring an inflatable one or a wooden one. I really like the idea of the wooden one for heating and because the person who hires it out says that there isn't much of a problem of using it for pregnancy relaxation. It's just the wooden one costs a lot more.

Did keeping your birth pool warm become a problem for anyone?

 

[KandyKinz]

At the water births I've been to keeping the water warm wasn't much of an issue.... It's the midwife's job to periodically top it off with warm water to keep it the correct temperature.

 

[kiwimama]

How close to the taps do you have to set up the pool? I'd probably like mine in the living room but then hoses are going to have to go all the way through the dining room into the kitchen to the taps. I can't set it up in the dining room because then the neighbours are likely to be able to see me through our fully glassed conservatory and if last time was anything to go by, I'll be completely starkers the whole time!

 

[Rmar]

Lol!

The laundry is about 5 meters from where I would set it up so that isn't a problem. It's just my hot water system can only handle 2 people taking a shower and if one person takes a long shower, the next one is stuck with cold water. It takes a long time to heat up again so I am worried about that.

 

[LuckyD]

I am thinking I might get a little April Fools baby too....EDD is March 28th.

I hadn't thought about all the neighbours seeing me pacing around naked! Our main room (and the only room suitable for the pool) also has big glass windows - and it's going to be hot weather so don't want the curtains closed if it's daytime....ah well, how hilarious!

 

[PeanutBean]

We had issues trying to get enough hot water last time as we don't have a combi. It'll be fine topping it up, just getting it filled in the first place. Has anyone tried hiring a water heater?

 

[snagglepat]

The distance from the taps to the pool depends entirely on how long the hose you have is. The one that comes with our midwife's pool (which is a medical grade BPIAB) is 15m so even though it has to go across the kitchen, through the dining room and into the snug it will be more than fine, even allowing for wiggling round corners and furniture.

Heating the water will be fun - we don't have a combi either and the tank, when full, just fills a normal level, not high level bath. It then takes a full 90 minutes to heat again so I think we're looking at a good 3-4 hours to get it full and that's with boiling pans of water on the stove too. The pool we're using has a heat retentive cover - one of the tight fitting ones, not just one that floats on the top like we had last time - so we're hoping that will keep the warmth in during the filling process. I now just need to hope that I have a slow enough labour to give it enough time to fill. We'll definitely be starting to fill it as soon as things get going!

I'm also very glad my midwife drives a 4x4. We've only had a few inches of snow and half the roads round here are like ice-rinks. At least she'll be able to get here ok!

Welcome to all the new homebirthers!

Gina. x

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

My main problem is the birth pool would be in our kitchen/dining room combi, and cause we have a downstairs bathroom everyone will have to cut through that to use the loo. I think my MIL (who will be down to look after my 3yr old) will be okay with it i hope, I know i won't care at that point!! lol

 

[Jenniflower]

I'm a bit worried about filling up our pool as well. But we think that if we turn out boiler up to the max it shouldn't be a problem. If not we'll just cover it and wait for it to heat up again. We're definitely doing a trial run before hand to see how long it may take.

The hoses that come with ours should just be long enough to reach over to our living room. Hopefully.

 

[Mervs Mum]

My hot water system isn't great but tbh so long as you have a lid, fill with hot and keep it covered till you want to get in you'd be surprised how well inflatable pools retain the heat! We started to fill ours at 9am after my waters went and I didn't get in till gone 8pm! It still needed cooling down as the cover kept the heat in so well!

 

[PeanutBean]

Hm a cover! Amazing! Ours didn't have one last time so will ask the MW about that. I'm sure we can create something makeshift if needs be. For me it'll help that this time it'll be April and not November!

 

[Mervs Mum]

The one I use with my pool is made from that foil backed bubble wrap type insulation. I got it for free too which was a billy bonus!

 

[PeanutBean]

Oo maybe I should use my foil loft insulation leftovers!

 

[Mervs Mum]

I was looking for some on eBay but it was only sold in huge rolls. I messaged a seller and asked of they sold smaller amounts and said what it was for. He said if you pick it up you can have an off cut for free! I got the idea from the homebirth.org website.

 

[PeanutBean]

I'll have to measure it up and tape the edges, might be enough!

 

[chuck]

All this talk of filling them but how do you empty a birth pool?!

Its not like a paddling pool you can just tip out onto the lawn!

 

[Mervs Mum]

You use and electric pump! You'll do well to drag 520KG of water out to the lawn!!

 

[PeanutBean]

My mum did mine after I'd gone to the hospital I think. I guess they used a bucket. Our pool was in the kitchen so not far to empty it and they're not THAT big.

 

[Mervs Mum]

I had mine in the kitchen too. OH attached the pump to the hose you use to fill it and just left it draining. It emptied quicker than it filled with our rubbish hot water system!

 

[chuck]

What do you do about cleaning the pool once it's drained?

Sorry but I've never used one and dont know anyone that has.

Hubby doesnt want one at all so just trying to get clued up so I might be bale to persuade him!