home birthing pool questions

[x.Lilly.x]

I have just bought a second hand birthing pool of ebay,
and will get a liner wich i think I need dont i, where do i get these from???

I just have a few questions...

1. stupid me, bought it without measuring if itll fit in my lounge, are they as big as they look?

2. Do you pump it up when your like 37 weeks ready for labour or pump it up when in labour and fill it up then??

3. how long does it take to pump up and fill up, and does it get water everywhere wen ur unfilling it??

4. would u need to empty the water and refill it if you pooed in it as surely that contains harmful things for baby?

Think thats it, if u no of anything else ill need to no plz add

 

[flexilexi394]

your funny. If it was me I would put it up at 37 or 38 weeks, don't think you need to empty it if you poo and youre like pushing, just fish out the poo with a sieve! X

 

[x.Lilly.x]

if i didnt have joe id put it up then but have no where to put it in the day thats all. hmm i guess it could jst sit on my bed, but then i dont think it would go downstairs fully pumped up.
but if it only takes a few minutes to pump up then i guess i could do it when im in labour? x
and yeah it comes with a siev haha x

 

[indigo]

I've got my pool sitting in a box, ready to go. OH will set it up when we're sure I'm properly in labour. It came with a good pump, when we did a test run it only took about 15 mins to inflate. It's the filling that's going to take the time I think, we didn't test that bit but have the hose in the bathroom, and OH got a fitting for it from B&Q so that it fits on our taps securely.

I think they vary in size, so really depends on the type you've got. We've got the Eco mini from here https://www.birthpoolinabox.co.uk/birth-pool-eco-mini (well, we've borrowed one at least), and it fits OK in our smallish lounge. I was hoping to put it in the corner, but midwife told me that they need to be able to get all the way round it (so that they can get me out from where ever if they need to). I bought the liner from the site above, so you'll have to make sure that you buy the correct liner for the type of pool you've bought.

I've got an old sieve on standby for any poo incidents. From what I've heard, midwives are pretty discrete at fishing lol!

Good luck sorting it all out. I'm just desperately hoping I get to use mine as I'm running out of time!

 

[x.Lilly.x]

thanks hun

http://www.ecobirthpools.co.uk/

thats the one iv just bought.
but i dnt think it seys the size. i guess ill just have to test it out when it comes, and if needs be ill move the sofa back againt the wall during labour for more room lol

 

[x.Lilly.x]

Also...another question, doesnt water get cold wen ur in it after like an hour?? how do u keep it warm wen ur in it...??

 

[indigo]

A birth partner, a bucket and a hot tap!

Also, have you got a thermometer? That was something else that the midwife mentioned that we would need as it's important to keep the water at specific temperatures (which are different for labour and for the actual birth). I bought one at the same time I bought the liner, it was only 3 quid and is a proper water thermometer.

 

[x.Lilly.x]

yh it comes with a thermomiter hun, how do u ajust the tempeture once all the waters in there instead of just emptying it all and refilling to a diff temp??
and how does it stay hot and not get cold when ur in it for a few hours?

 

[indigo]

Our plan is that when the temperature starts to drop OH will fill the bucket from the pool, empty it and bring it back full of hot water, or use the hose to top it up again. Really don't know how this is going to go, just hoping it'll be manageable. The last thing I want is for him to be fussing with the water and not being there when I need him!

 

[x.Lilly.x]

yeah true, what do u mean by bucket? do they all come with a bucket?

 

[flexilexi394]

Lol just buy a bucket from tescos x

 

[Rayoflight]

It's a bit of a pain maintaining the temperature. The fitting for our hose bust so Shaun and my mum had to use the kettle and buckets (our hot water is a bit too hot at home so this worked in our favour in this instance). Both did their backs in emptying and refilling the pool. The midwives checked the temp every 15 mins. When you're ready to push the water needs to be slightly warmer for the baby on delivery. I didn't get to the pushing stage but if I had I wouldve been worried about Shaun sorting the water out and missing the birth! My mum's back was totally wrecked after the first day of labour.

I took the pool back today and gutted I didn't keep hold of the spare sterile liner - I could've sent it to you Lily! For some reason it had two in the box. Never mind.

 

[x.Lilly.x]

thanks ray of light, did u pump ur up wen u new u were in labour or hve it pumped up be4 hand and how long did it take to fill up?

Yeah will buy a bucket and also think Ill need a few like plastic big mats for it to sit on incase any water spills?,,

 

[x.Lilly.x]

also rayoflight did u have a hospital bag for u and bubs packed, just in case?
I already have our packed but dont no if i should unpack them or not.

 

[Rayoflight]

Hiya love yes I packed a bag. BUT... when the ambulance was called we literally had ten mins. I started barking orders at mum and Shaun about my makeup bag, hairbrush, toothbrush etc to go in the bag. Think they both panicked because I ended up with so much extra shit in the bag. They just packed any old bollocks and in hospital it was bulging at the seams and I was stressed trying to find things. I wish I had put baby's things in a separate bag but I didn't have a changing bag at this point so just put everything in one holdall.

We pumped up the pool at 38 weeks and had it ready. But we did have the empty dining room to birth in.

If your space is limited just pump it up when your contractions start - you'll have time. Be careful when fitting the liner. Don't blow the pool up fully. Have it half inflated, then fit the liner, then blow up. It was so tight when i tried to fit mine that I snapped two nails clean off - one halfway up the nail bed and it's still infected and sore nearly two months later!

I got some plastic decorating sheets from B&Q which were about £2 each. Just got the smallest size. We had some on the sofa then put towels on top and had some on the long chair you can see in the pic. didn't end up needing them (they came in handy though - husband is decorating dining room as we speak and has covered the floor with them!) but was good to have them and protect everything. Our floor is tiled so we were ok but if you've got carpet then these could come in handy protecting it.

Any more questions feel free to ask!

Xxx

 

[x.Lilly.x]

Can I just say...that char is bloody gorgeous!!! Jelous much! lol

That's fab though hun, think I will just pump it up then when Im in labour. Hoping its not a super quick labour so I have time to pump it and fill it up! lol

I also read that when your baby is ready come out the tempature of the water needs to be higher for when baby goes into it, is that true/really necessary?

I think Im just stressing to be honest haha I had my labour bag packed since 30 weeks, the fact Im nearly 34 weeks and I havent even got it here yet Im worrying a bit that Ill go into labour and Ill try and get it up and itll burst and my front room will be flooded or something stupid like that lmao

This came with a big fitted sheet for the bed wich i will put on, just incase for some reason i cant deliver in the pool, but will get some dust sheets to put on the floor in the front room where this will be going and also to go on the sofas like you said!

 

[x.Lilly.x]

Ooo another question....

you know when your pushing the baby out they look at your fanny and tell you when to push and when to pant so you dont tear...

how would they do that in a birthing pool unles they had a snorkle?! lol

and what about if you ripped real bad and there ws blood all in the pool or something??

 

[Rayoflight]

I didn't actually birth in the pool as I had to be monitored in the end. One of the other ladies might be able to help? Sure someone had a waterbirth recently?

 

[indigo]

That chair really is gorgeous!

I think if you're birthing in the pool they use a mirror...but not sure. And the bucket is just the mop bucket from the kitchen (it's new as we found the old one had split).

All these preparations and I'm running out of time to actually use them!

 

[indigo]

Just remembered, we were also told to have a good torch on hand too!

Thing is, the best torch we have is my OHs head torch. Midwife said that would be perfect! Hand's free viewing. The images in my head are getting too much, I'm so pleased we don't have a miners lamp!