How do I use the pool then?

Excellent question! and thus here's the answer...

Things to know about your Water Birth Israel pool

What kind of pools do you rent out?
Water Birth Israel uses Birth Pool in a Box professional and world renowned pools and liners. You can read all about them on their website here: https://www.birthpoolinabox.com

How is the pool packaged?
Your pool will arrive rolled up in a black backpack with the disposable liner, hose pipe, thermometer, plastic strainer, inflate/deflate pump and water removal pump in there too.

When do I inflate my pool?
The when is up to you, you can always use the pool for relaxation before the birth day, it’s your choice whether to use the liner for non-labour use or save until you are close to birth. 
Filling when in labour for the labour is recommended after 4cm dilation.
If you choose to keep the liner until later please know that the pool is sterilised after each use so it’s perfectly clean. The extra precaution of the liner is really only to keep the baby safe.
You may fill the pool with water whenever you like, before, during or after birth. 
NB: Water must be changed every 24 hours. After 24 hours water remaining in the pool can start to be at risk of bacteria growth. To avoid this water must be emptied out, the pool wiped dry and then the pool refilled either straight away or when you are ready.

How do I prepare the room for the pool?
• Turn on your water heater if it needs time to heat up!
• Sweep and clean the floor to ensure there’s nothing big or small that could damage the pool    
• Place a plastic sheet on the floor (if you are using one under the pool).
• Lay the pool out, unfold it fully.
• Using the inflate/deflate pump fill the pools 3 chambers with air until almost full. Please do not overfill the pool as it could stretch the material and make the pool unsafe, the pool is perfectly safe and ready for use even at 90%-99% filled with air! Inflation takes around 5 minutes.
• Check the pool is where you want to it be, after the water is in the pool must not be moved as this could damage the pool’s material.
• Attach the hose to your tap, place the end of the hose into the pool and start to fill the pool with water. It will take on average 40 minutes
• Place a plastic sheet (table cloth is great) over the pool in between uses if you wish to keep the temperature higher for longer. You can always raise the temperature by taking some water out with a bucket/bowl/wtre remover pump and adding heated water.

How long does it take to inflate the pool and fill with water?
Inflation: Around 5 - 10  minutes.
Fill with water: Varies! A high pressure jet: 30 minutes, a slow tap: about 2 hours.... on average: 40 mins.

What is the recommended temperature?
It is generally accepted now that the correct temperature is “whatever the woman finds most comfortable”. The guidelines state 91 - 98 degrees fahrenheit.
For birthing in the water the temperature must be the same as that of the mother - 
96 - 98 degrees fahrenheit.

How do I get out of the pool?
The are two ways, either sit on the side and swing your legs around or step over the side - stepping over can be good for helping baby position and progression in labour! If the sides are too high you can deflate the top chamber a little which will lower the height of the pool. 

What if things get into the pool?
During the pushing part of labour it is normal for women to sometimes pass stools and sometimes there can also be some blood/clotted blood in the pool. If this happens you can simply remove these things with the strainer. 
If there is at any point a lot of debris and/or if it stays there a while you should empty all the water from the pool, clean lightly with very very diluted bleach in water or disinfectant in water and then re-fill with fresh water.
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What do I do with the pool after the birth?
• Use a strainer to remove all solids that may be in the pool.
• Check that you are holding the water remover pump and NOT the inflate/deflate pump 
• Attach hose to the water remover pump & place the other end of it into sink/garden/toilet etc. 
• Place the black box pump into the water and sit it on the bottom of the pool. Put the plug into a wall socket and watch the water being sucked out your pool stress free!
• Wipe around the pool with a clean towel to remove any blood and to dry the last bits of water.
• Once the pool is COMPLETELY DRY fold it up and place back in the bag.
• Throw out the liner and hose. Place pool, pump and water remover back in box and tape up.
• Contact Water Birth Israel and we will send someone to pick up your Pool and 2 pumps
• All done, enjoy your new baby, mazal tov!

What else?
• Please remember to buy hose connectors (hardware stores have them). It may be an idea to take photos of the tap/taps you might use. Then CHECK it fits at home!
• Please make sure you have towels! 
• Also keep a towel ready for baby if they are born in the water.

Anything other than that?
Please feel free to email me at: [email protected] 
or call on: 053 432 0848 with any questions and I will do my best to answer 

Delia Bueno de Mesquita
Owner: Water Birth Israel, Hamidrashya 3B/21, Pardes Hanna
 
There is an FAQ page on the Birth Pool in a Box website that might be useful to you. www.birthpoolinabox.com


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