# Bite the financial bullet and rent the birth tub or use the bathtub?



## eko_mom (Jan 30, 2007)

Just wondering how much difference a water birth in an Aqua Doula makes vs. using a regular bathtub or not being in water at all...


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## Lula's Mom (Oct 29, 2003)

My vote would be to buy an inflatable kiddie pool for under $30. No way would I shell out big bucks to rent a birth pool!

I have had one labor each in an inflatable pool and a bathtub. Water makes a huge difference in my comfort level and pain control. The inflatable pool was so much more comfortable than my bathtub (big garden tub with jets, which _were_ nice, though...). The bottom of the tub was just too hard, because I was kneeling a lot and it was just killing my shins and the tops of my feet.

It works and you can't beat the price!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Another kiddie pool vote.

-Angela


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## AngelBee (Sep 8, 2004)

I just used the tub with 2 cheap pillows







Worked great!

Use what you can without breaking the bank.


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## XanaduMama (May 19, 2006)

Another vote for the Intex fishy pool! It was awesome...cheap...and we used it all summer as a kiddie pool!


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## eko_mom (Jan 30, 2007)

I was thinking of that too, the kiddie pool, but the midwives said something about having the water at 100 degrees and I wonder how much of a pain it is to maintain this temp in a pool like that?


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## rebeccalynn (Jul 21, 2006)

I would go with the cheapest but most comfortable for you. I am taller and bigger and just cannot see myself in a tub or kiddie pool so I am going for the rental tub but I would go for the tub or kiddie pool if I though it would be big enough.


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## laralee16 (Nov 12, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *XanaduMama* 
Another vote for the Intex fishy pool! It was awesome...cheap...and we used it all summer as a kiddie pool!









That what I used, SOOO good!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eko_mom* 
I was thinking of that too, the kiddie pool, but the midwives said something about having the water at 100 degrees and I wonder how much of a pain it is to maintain this temp in a pool like that?

My midwives just kept water on the stove, put it in every once and a while.


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## eko_mom (Jan 30, 2007)

I'm gi-normous and 5'7" I can't imagine a kiddie pool that would be comfortable, but one of the links here says 22" tall. That MIGHT work. There's La Bassine, which is taller but no heater and a rental. I'm just not sure how people keep those things hot/warm.


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## Belle (Feb 6, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eko_mom* 
I'm gi-normous and 5'7" I can't imagine a kiddie pool that would be comfortable, but one of the links here says 22" tall. That MIGHT work. There's La Bassine, which is taller but no heater and a rental. I'm just not sure how people keep those things hot/warm.

I'm 5'11" and I tried the regular bathtub. It was way too small for me. It wouldn't cover my belly at all unless I was flat on my back with my legs up in the air. Not a comfortable option for a laboring woman. I used La Bassine for actually giving birth and it worked well. We filled it up the night before I gave birth and my midwives had a cover for it. We kept it covered all night and in the morning when I got in we only needed to add two teakettles full of water to bring it back up to temperature. It kept its temperature well. I suppose that if you're a shorter mother a fishy pool would do equally well, but I couldn't use one that was so short.


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## Full Heart (Apr 27, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eko_mom* 
I'm gi-normous and 5'7" I can't imagine a kiddie pool that would be comfortable, but one of the links here says 22" tall. That MIGHT work. There's La Bassine, which is taller but no heater and a rental. I'm just not sure how people keep those things hot/warm.

I'm only 5'2 and there is no way the bathtub covers me. Maybe in a garden tub. I'm not even bothering taking baths anymore.

I have used the fishy pool 7 times myself, never had a problem with someone keeping it warm. If it were that much of a problem it wouldn't be such a huge hit with hbers. Another benefit is that its all soft and inflated, even the bottom.


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## Mamatoabunch (Sep 23, 2007)

I had my first waterbirth in a huge kiddie pool, they come in many sizes. Next was in a garden tub, horrible, bottom hard, uncomfortable. Since w/ the last 5 waterbirths I have used the 60" kiddie pool by Intex, except Kellen I used the six sided intex. I found that one too big for me. I am 5'5" plus size mama.


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## *MamaJen* (Apr 24, 2007)

Bathtubs are waaaay too small. You want the buoyancy. Get the pool.


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## pjs (Mar 30, 2005)

Bite the bullet- get the pool.


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## BrooklynDoula (Oct 23, 2002)

Keeping the pool warm is not a big issue. We always use boiled pots of water when I am at homebirths with unheated tubs. Never had an issue. Honestly, most women only use it for a short time (2 hours or less) in my experience because they get in once in very active labor and this tends to speed things up.


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## bremen (Feb 12, 2005)

not birth related, but in my regualr kiddie pool as a child, we just hooked a hose up to the kitchen sink.
just unscrew the aerator thingie and screw on the hose. couldn't you just do that to fill up the kiddie pool with warm water?


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## TzippityDoulah (Jun 29, 2005)

I'm so glad to read this thread. I've put off buying a pool until today. I am 42 weeks and suddenly I just had to have a pool. every contraction I have sends me to the tub right now and it's SO uncomfortable!!! the bottom is so hard and it hardly covers my hip bone!!

so my husband went out today and bought me this for under $30:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=10715081

anyone ever use this one before?

he also turned up the hot water heater from energy saver to something that will actually get hot. heh... so hopefully that will get atleast some of the pool filled. on "energy saver" I could hardly fill my itty bitty bathtub!


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## Full Heart (Apr 27, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *bremen* 
not birth related, but in my regualr kiddie pool as a child, we just hooked a hose up to the kitchen sink.
just unscrew the aerator thingie and screw on the hose. couldn't you just do that to fill up the kiddie pool with warm water?

Yes, you can and most people do. But the heat is lost over time and needs to be refilled. This is usually accomplished by adding small amounts of boiled water rather than running it through the hose. Since it can empty the water tank, have to wait for the water to heat up anyway and having a hose attached for long periods of time then make that sink unusable for anything else.


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## rebeccalynn (Jul 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HennyPenny* 
I'm so glad to read this thread. I've put off buying a pool until today. I am 42 weeks and suddenly I just had to have a pool. every contraction I have sends me to the tub right now and it's SO uncomfortable!!! the bottom is so hard and it hardly covers my hip bone!!

so my husband went out today and bought me this for under $30:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=10715081

anyone ever use this one before?

he also turned up the hot water heater from energy saver to something that will actually get hot. heh... so hopefully that will get atleast some of the pool filled. on "energy saver" I could hardly fill my itty bitty bathtub!

Nice! Hope you enjoy it and your birth.


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## BekahMomToOliver (Oct 31, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eko_mom* 
I was thinking of that too, the kiddie pool, but the midwives said something about having the water at 100 degrees and I wonder how much of a pain it is to maintain this temp in a pool like that?

I had DH running around town the night before trying to find a thermometer for the pool... cheapest one he found was $99.00 at a local pharmacy so I said _noooooo way!_ Then, when the midwives arrived, they said they never used them anyway, and we just kept topping up the pool with hot water as needed. It was really no big deal, we had lots of helpers around









In our neck of the woods, our midwives have a couple of La Bassine's they lend out for free, only cost is $40.00 for the cover, so it's a no-brainer that we'd go that route. Otherwise, I'd recommend the fishy pool, as it's economical _and_ reusable. I definitely couldn't labour in the tub, it wouldn't be deep enough for my liking (I loved sinking down deep and having the water lift my belly up), and I was a mover in labour, lol.
Anyway, HTH!
Good luck!


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## vegasgrl (Mar 19, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *XanaduMama* 
Another vote for the Intex fishy pool! It was awesome...cheap...and we used it all summer as a kiddie pool!









I am TOTALLY getting the Starfish Rings Pool Floats - even if I end up in a rented tub! Thanks for this!

My only concern is that I won't ever be able to stretch out fully in this pool. The one from Walmart looks better in that respect, but does it have an inflatable bottom? (The cheap pillows idea is genius if not I suppose. Although talk about biohazard when I'm done...)


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## Lula's Mom (Oct 29, 2003)

I voted up above for getting a fishy pool, and then I read some concerns about it not being big enough for tall mamas. I am almost 5'10, and it was big and deep for me.

eta- If you click on the link to my daughter Tallulah in my signature, there's a picture of me in it right after she was born.


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## francesmama (May 21, 2005)

I don't think I'd shell out big bucks for the birthing tub.

Just my experience, but last pregnancy I was all about using the birthing tub in the hospital to help with pain management and in the end, to my surprise, I hated the tub. It was uncomfortable and nothing about it worked for me.

As a result, I'm not going to get a tub for my homebirth this time, I'd hate to be out money and I don't think I'll like it any better a second time.


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## Alison Cole (Mar 6, 2006)

Careful if you get a service that sets up a tub about making sure your hot water heater matches their specs, and that you call them in good time. I shelled out big time on a rental and the baby showed up before it could get filled. I think I'd do it myself with a fishy pool of rubbermaid cattle trough if I had it to do over. If the bottom's too hard, throw in towels, gardening knee pads or cheap pillows you'll throw out afterwards.


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## accountclosed3 (Jun 13, 2006)

i did a bit of laboring in my tub, and it wasn't large enough. unless you have a big tub, i would consider a birthing pool of some sort if you're absolutely dedicated to water birthing. i know some people can rent them.


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## eko_mom (Jan 30, 2007)

Got a fishy tub substitute 80"x22" tub at Target for $29. Its all they had that was close. It seems like it will be too big, but that's better than not big enough. I also see that Ace Hardware has a floating thermometer for $7.50. Plus, bought the foot pump for $4.95. Still better than the $100 that the midwife who rents tubs around here charges for La Bassine.

Other questions--what do you clean the tub with afterward--you can still use it for swimming with kids? Do you put a tarp under it inside the house?


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## Mamatoabunch (Sep 23, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *eko_mom* 
Other questions--what do you clean the tub with afterward--you can still use it for swimming with kids? Do you put a tarp under it inside the house?


We never use a thermometer after we had a fish tank floating one break in the pool.

I think dh just rinsed out, maybe a bit of soap. Never thought about it before the kids got in. We reused ours last year for the kids. They had a blast the day after the birth. Never used a tarp under it either. Now we sound lazy, LOL.


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## MOMYS (Nov 5, 2008)

There is a HUGE sticky on birthing pools and alternative options in the Homebirth forum! Go and check it out! It is GREAT! After reading through it, I went out this past weekend and bought a kiddies pool at Walmart. I couldn't find the Intex Fishy Pool here in Canada and ordering on-line would have just added to the cost.

We will fill our pool next weekend, to see how it does with the hot water tank and then we will cover it with an outdoor table cloth for about 1 hour and leave it open for 1 hour and see how the heat does. I have a big family, though, so have plenty of HUGE stockpots, so we can keep those boiling on the stove if we have to.


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## HappyMommy2 (Jan 27, 2007)

I loved having the one we rented from our mw for $250, it was a "spa in a box". Well worth the $$$$.


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## trauerweidchen (Feb 2, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MOMYS* 
There is a HUGE sticky on birthing pools and alternative options in the Homebirth forum! Go and check it out! It is GREAT! After reading through it, I went out this past weekend and bought a kiddies pool at Walmart. I couldn't find the Intex Fishy Pool here in Canada and ordering on-line would have just added to the cost.

That thread is a great resource; definitely take a look at it!

One thing to consider when you're buying a kiddie pool is the depth--I looked all over my local stores and none of them had one that was deeper than 18" or so. I *think* I read somewhere that 18" of water is a good goal depth to make sure you have the proper buoyancy during labor for maximum pain relief, so if your pool is only that deep, you won't be able to fill it that full. How important is this? I honestly don't know.







I went with the Intex fishy pool because I knew it was a pretty deep little pool. I'm actually in the middle of inflating it right now, and I'm glad I didn't go any bigger; this is going to be enough to fill as it is! I'm 5'5" and average-sized, and I think I'll fit alright. We should be finding out how this setup works in the next few weeks!









All told, with pool and filling equipment (and an optional disposable liner), I think I've spent about $80 setting up this pool, and I could have done it slightly cheaper if I hadn't gotten a few extras (shelling out for the fishy pool online, and buying the liner).


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## eko_mom (Jan 30, 2007)

I bought a pool at Target but after bringing it home and measuring the room where it will go--its WAY to big at 80" round and 171 gallons. So, I bought the 60" Intex fishy (aquarium) pool online since I couldn't find anything that size in the 3 trips I made to various stores locally. I got it at www.yourwaterbirth.com and it will only take 3 days to get here from the day I ordered it, even without expedited shipping. So...here's what I spent:

Pool $35 incl. shipping
Foot pump $5
Liner $15
50 foot RV hose $40
Floating thermometer $8

$103. $3 more than renting La Bassine locally, but then I own all the equipment and can use some of it again. Not for another birth...this is my last...but for some summer fun in the backyard.

I'm sure it will seem like a small price to pay, based on the testimonials on how nice a water birth is. O.K. ready for that orgasmic birth I've read about...


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## MOMYS (Nov 5, 2008)

Eko mom, I added my expenses today as well

Pool $20 (marked down and it is 20" deep. Wish it was a bit smaller, but this was the best I could find))
Pump $0 (had one with our camping equipment)
Liner $0 (decided to go without a liner)
Python Hose, faucet adaptors, drain and fill pump $60
Floating thermometer $0 (scanned price was incorrect, so Walmart gave it to us free)
Tarp $20 (for under the pool)
Net $5

All in all it came to $105 (Canadian). A Le Bassine would have cost me $150-00 (incl postage but excluding everything else, no pump, no liner, no nothing, just the birthing bath). So, I'm pretty happy with my purchases!

Now I just have to get to 37 weeks to actually have the homebirht!


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## eko_mom (Jan 30, 2007)

Definitely get the tub, one way or another. It was totally worth it. In retrospect, I might have rented. Our cost was similar to the cost to rent a LaBassine. That might have been nice for the taller sides. We got the fishy pool which was adequate, but I ended up birthing on all fours and my son wasn't exactly born into the water because up on all fours made me too tall.

But, even though now we own an extra hose, and do have the pool, its really too big to use on a regular basis. Too big to fill very often, but too big to leave full outside because it would kill the grass, and/or be a danger to my children because its so deep. So, its deflated in the shed...the reason I bought was thinking I'd "save" money by having something to keep. Not really. We also got a liner, but didn't use it, and a floating pool thermometer that we will never use again.


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## ann_of_loxley (Sep 21, 2007)

My worry with the paddling pool is that they would not be sturdy enough to birth in - but that paddling pool (the one with the fish on it! hehe) shown on this thread looks really good and sturdy and supportive! (and its really good to hear that other mums have used it too!)- I am also further pleased that they sell it here in the UK for only £14! lol I had no intention of wanting a water birth but due in mid April - im thinking it might be nice enough to birth outside! hehe....And if I don't use it, well, it will be just a nice paddling pool for my DS! hehe - Thank you very much for this thread!


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## crunchymamatobe (Jul 8, 2004)

I know the OP has already made her decision, but I cannot imagine giving birth in the bathtub! I know lots of people do it, but ours is too small and given that I was in our pool for 6+ hours last time, I needed the space.

FWIW, we had Birth Pool in a Box, which you can get in the US from yourwaterbirth.com


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