Waterbirth Title
 
 

Some Ideas to Make Planning Your Waterbirth Go More Smoothly

Garden Tub If you have a 'garden tub' in your bathroom and it is deep enough to cover your pregnant belly, you may want to have your baby there.

Advantages:
  • There is much less preparation and clean up involved.
  • There is no added expense
  • The cold or dirty water can be let out and replaced easily
Disadvantages:
  • Often not as deep as other birth tubs
  • Usually the tub has walls on three sides, this limits access to the mom for support and massage
  • If you plan to have more than two people attending the bathroom can get very crowded.
image of garden tub
   
  My Horse Trough This is a lightweight plastic watering trough for livestock. I loan it out to my clients at no charge but you have to pick it up and return it. In use it will be different than shown as I insist that you line it with a large piece of plastic. See Journey's birth. to see the tub in use. Be sure to click on the pictures to see the larger images. The thumbnail pictures are cropped and you don't see the tub as well.

Advantages:

  • Free to use
  • Deep, covers belly nicely
  • Because I want you to use the plastic, you can put pillows in the bottom for more comfort
  • After draining the tub you can just throw the plastic away, easy to clean up
  • Accessible on all sides by attendants
  • Can be in any room to allow more people
Disadvantages:
  • Has to be filled and drained with a hose.
  • Must use a bucket to take out cold water
  • Must be picked up and returned
 birth tub image
 
 

Blow Up Birth Pool These are nice and come in a variety of sizes. The one shown is 60" wide and 22" deep from Birth With Sol The larger pool is too big really but is deeper at 25". You can buy the larger pool along with your birth kit from Everything Birth.

Advantages:

  • Accessible on all sides by attendants
  • Can be in any room to allow more people
  • More roomy than the horse trough, two people could get in it
  • Can be cleaned and reused as a kiddie pool.
Disadvantages:
  • Has to be filled and drained with a hose.
  • Must use a bucket to take out cold water
  • Must be purchased. Prices are about $30 for the small and $40+ for the large.
  • Small pool is not deep enough for some.
 
   
 
Another option is a rental tub. These are heated and some have jacuzzis in them as well. They are at least $200 and you can keep them for a set time only, even if you haven't had your baby when your time is up. I don't know of anyone locally but this is the Aqua Doula link.

 
 

Waterbirth
 

Some Pointers

Extra Supplies
Articles for More Information
 
  • Don't get into the water too early, wait until labor gets really hard
  • Turn your water heater up all the way so that you don't run out of hot water. (Be sure to turn it back down after the birth)
  • Keep some cool drinks and washcloths for the mom's head while she is in the pool.
  • Consider taking an enema if your labor hasn't caused your bowels to clean out. Poop happens at births, no big deal unless you are swimming in it.
  • Have extra towels on hand and put some in the dryer to warm when the birth is close. Wet babies get chilled.

 

  • A clean garden hose. Don't stress your woman out by bringing in the dirty yard hose!
  • If you can't hook the hose to your washer you will need a hose adapter.
  • A flashlight shining into the water can help everyone see and make pictures possible.
  • Buy an electric pump to inflate your blow up pool. Labor is not the best time to try to blow up a pool with your lungs!
  • Put a piece of plastic under the pool to protect the floors
  • Get a fish net to scoop any poop or birth goo from the water.
  • A bucket to scoop out cold water when you need to add more hot.
  • You might want a floating thermometer

 

 

Try these Links For Your Waterbirth Supplies

Quality Inflatables

Your Water Birth