Home Water Birth? Can anyone explain something...?

[AKL_Megs]

My DH's cousin and his wife are about to have a baby... at home... in a large blow up kiddie-pool filled with water... in their basement!

I know people do this, but... how?

I mean, how do you get ALL of that water IN the pool in the BASEMENT, and at a WARM enough temperature to sit in for hours (it's 32 degrees and FREEZING today... we have a FINISHED basement - they don't - and it's still pretty chilly down in ours tonight...), better yet, how do you KEEP it warm enough for hours? And then (not to be gross), how do you get all of that bloody water OUT of the pool when the birthing is over?

Seems like a Mike Rowe "Dirty Job" to me!

Someone enlighten me!

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

idk the answer but i'm subscribing because i'm interested to know this too.

i would never do it myself, but hey if you can give birth like that and without any pain meds, more power to you!!!

 

[LisaR]

I only know one person personally that did a home water birth and they did it in an oversized bathtub. I can't imagine the situation you are describing.

 

[bumbershoot]

There are some who use heaters specially made. Some of the fancy versions of birth tubs have heaters with them. Others just have strong hot water heaters in their homes; which might be why they are using their basement, closer to the water heater.

There are reverse pumps to get the water out, or if you're not squeamish you can do the suction method and then just hang the hose out the window, but again, with a basement, it's going to be different.

Water was absolutely incredible for my labor. Many people call it an "aquadural" b/c it helps with the pain so much, but since water existed before anesthetizing drugs, I can't call it that. Alas I hired very very bad people who didn't know how to do their jobs very well, and no one thought to simply fire them, so I don't know how the rest of it would have gone. But I would never have been able to labor so long if it weren't for the water.

Oh, and you can get one of those foil type emergency blankets and put it over the water when you're out of it. Saves the heat nicely.


Best wishes to your hubby's cousin's wife!

 

[AKL_Megs]

There are some who use heaters specially made. Some of the fancy versions of birth tubs have heaters with them. Others just have strong hot water heaters in their homes; which might be why they are using their basement, closer to the water heater.

There are reverse pumps to get the water out, or if you're not squeamish you can do the suction method and then just hang the hose out the window, but again, with a basement, it's going to be different.

Water was absolutely incredible for my labor. Many people call it an "aquadural" b/c it helps with the pain so much, but since water existed before anesthetizing drugs, I can't call it that. Alas I hired very very bad people who didn't know how to do their jobs very well, and no one thought to simply fire them, so I don't know how the rest of it would have gone. But I would never have been able to labor so long if it weren't for the water.

Oh, and you can get one of those foil type emergency blankets and put it over the water when you're out of it. Saves the heat nicely.


Best wishes to your hubby's cousin's wife!

Hmm... interesting! Puts a whole new outlook on lawn fertilizing

Thanks, baby GIRL should be here any time now!

Oh, and I can only imagine what you mean about the pain... a hot tub or a warm shower is like a miracle, even when it's just Flo you are dealing with, if you catch my drift!

 

[handinpocket]

You sure do have a lot of drama that involves other people, just sayin', lol.

 

[sunnyday123]

I would never, ever attempt anything remotely close to a home birth. If my DD had been born anywhere other than a hospital with every piece of medical equipment available, she would not have lived. I had a normal pregnancy, no one thought anything was wrong during my delivery. Unforseen circumstances happen, and there is no way I would risk my life or my baby's life.

Why people feel the need to revert to the way things were done 70 years ago is beyond me.

I wish your family all the best with their new baby.

 

[Silent1CB]

I don't know, but glad I'm not the one cleaning up. Bathtub with a drain sounds better if you really want to do it this way.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I would never, ever attempt anything remotely close to a home birth. If my DD had been born anywhere other than a hospital with every piece of medical equipment available, she would not have lived. I had a normal pregnancy, no one thought anything was wrong during my delivery. Unforseen circumstances happen, and there is no way I would risk my life or my baby's life.

Why people feel the need to revert to the way things were done 70 years ago is beyond me.

I wish your family all the best with their new baby.

This is what I would be afraid of.

Funny thing is, when we (the family) voiced this concern, they got real defensive.

I wonder, though, what would happen if baby or mom goes downhill and mom needs to deliver NOW. I know women do it every day, but there is always that chance...

 

[akcire]

I would never, ever attempt anything remotely close to a home birth. If my DD had been born anywhere other than a hospital with every piece of medical equipment available, she would not have lived. I had a normal pregnancy, no one thought anything was wrong during my delivery. Unforseen circumstances happen, and there is no way I would risk my life or my baby's life.

Why people feel the need to revert to the way things were done 70 years ago is beyond me.

I wish your family all the best with their new baby.

I am not expressing an opinion one way or another--don't want to be in the mix.

I just wanted to mention that a couple of the hospitals in my area offer water birthing suites--don't know how it works never had the need to learn.

 

[laurie31]

On the one hand, I believe birth is a natural process and women have been doing it unaided since our species began. On the other hand, women have been DYING doing it unaided since the species began too.

DH and I used the Bradley Method of natural childbirth. We wanted no medical intervetions unless they were specifially warranted. However, I knew thngs can and do go wrong, so we chose a hospital birth. Our OB and the nurses were very supportive of our birth plan, but DD#1 would have died if we hadn't been in a hospital. With DD#2, she and I *both* would have died.

I'm quite happy all 3 of us are alive and healthy.

Chances are that everything will go fine with the home water birth, but I hope the couple has a back-up plan in place in case they don't, and I hope they have an experienced midwife to attend the birth.

 

[lillygator]

My DH's cousin and his wife are about to have a baby... at home... in a large blow up kiddie-pool filled with water... in their basement!

I know people do this, but... how?

I mean, how do you get ALL of that water IN the pool in the BASEMENT, and at a WARM enough temperature to sit in for hours (it's 32 degrees and FREEZING today... we have a FINISHED basement - they don't - and it's still pretty chilly down in ours tonight...), better yet, how do you KEEP it warm enough for hours? And then (not to be gross), how do you get all of that bloody water OUT of the pool when the birthing is over?

Seems like a Mike Rowe "Dirty Job" to me!

Someone enlighten me!

who is delivering? I can't imagine any midwife in their right mind would use a blow up pool. That is just insane.


We've had several friends all attempt the home water birth....all ended up in the hospital for one reason or another. One almost didn't make it.

While I think it is a great thing, for me, not being CLOSE to doctors and facilities to help if something went wrong is just plain stupid and I would never risk the life of my child.

 

[laurie31]

I am not expressing an opinion one way or another--don't want to be in the mix.

I just wanted to mention that a couple of the hospitals in my area offer water birthing suites--don't know how it works never had the need to learn.

A hospital that offers water births usually has a very large, walk-in type jacuzi tub. You can have the benefits of a water birth, plus the safety net of medical care. Also, within the hospital, or even at a birthing center, the tub would easily be filled with warm water, and sanitized between uses. Also, the new parents wouldn't be the ones having to do the clean-up.

I'm wondering if a blow-up kiddie pool is even large enough to provide the benefits of water birth. (is it deep enough for the laboring woman to have enough of her submerged...you get the idea)

 

[NotUrsula]

What I've seen advertised for this purpose is an inflatable hot-tub; with the thermostat permanently adjusted so that it does not get too hot. When you set those up you have to set up a hose rigging, too, and they have a drain valve as well. (Though that is a lot to empty one bucket at a time.)

One of the hospitals I delivered in made a big deal out of advertising how they had a couple of tub rooms. The trick was, moms were not allowed to be in them once their water broke, so it didn't exactly add up to a water birth. For the most part, none of the nurses would ever allow anyone to even labor in them, because they were not supposed to be in there if their water broke, and heavens to Betsy, it might break in the tub!!

 

[Catananche]

I've attended quite a few water births at home, and the inflatable pools are increasingly popular. They are not kiddy pools: they are deep and sturdy, they are quick to set up, and some of them need less water, so they are quicker to fill than the rigid pools.

They are filled by hosepipe from a hot water tap: as the water cools down it usually involves scooping water back out with a bucket and adding more hot. It can be a pain if the room is cold, but a lot of partners seem to like having the task of keeping the water at the right temperature and are back and forth with buckets. It is emptied by pump. Hopefully they will have a heater in the basement.

My favourite type of pool is the one with the thermostat which keeps the water at a constant temperature, but they only come with the rigid pools here and are expensive (and you may need to add chemicals to the water).

 

[IndianaMouse]

I hope she's smart enough to have had prenatal care and have a midwife present. It still amazes me how many "crunchy" mothers don't think it's necessary to have medical care during their pregnancy.

After reading a lot of posts about home births on a certain mothering board, I'm convinced that some these mothers are more worried about having the birth experience of their choice than actually having a healthy baby.

 

[golfgal]

I hope she's smart enough to have had prenatal care and have a midwife present. It still amazes me how many "crunchy" mothers don't think it's necessary to have medical care during their pregnancy.

After reading a lot of posts about home births on a certain mothering board, I'm convinced that some these mothers are more worried about having the birth experience of their choice than actually having a healthy baby.

I agree-I just don't understand taking a chance with something so precious-a BABY. I guess those of us that didn't have a "birth experience" are in some why substandard mothers in their point of view .

 

[laurie31]

I've attended quite a few water births at home, and the inflatable pools are increasingly popular. They are not kiddy pools: they are deep and sturdy, they are quick to set up, and some of them need less water, so they are quicker to fill than the rigid pools.

They are filled by hosepipe from a hot water tap: as the water cools down it usually involves scooping water back out with a bucket and adding more hot. It can be a pain if the room is cold, but a lot of partners seem to like having the task of keeping the water at the right temperature and are back and forth with buckets. It is emptied by pump. Hopefully they will have a heater in the basement.

My favourite type of pool is the one with the thermostat which keeps the water at a constant temperature, but they only come with the rigid pools here and are expensive (and you may need to add chemicals to the water).

Thanks for the explanation! I was envisioning the little kiddie pool DD had when she was 2. I don't think I could have fit into it even BEFORE I was pregnant! The pic you posted looks WAY bigger than what I was thinking.

 

[sunnyday123]

I agree-I just don't understand taking a chance with something so precious-a BABY. I guess those of us that didn't have a "birth experience" are in some why substandard mothers in their point of view .

And it's either their way or you did it the wrong way. Drs. are not evil and having a baby via c-section is not going to cause the kid to need therapy.

 

[golfgal]

And it's either their way or you did it the wrong way. Drs. are not evil and having a baby via c-section is not going to cause the kid to need therapy.

All I know is that if I tried to do a home birth at least 2 of my kids would be dead and most likely I would be too.