| |
| |
User Guide to Setting up and Using Your Hired Birthing Pool
Both the Hexagonal and Oval birthing pools are renowned for their ease of use. They have been designed especially so that they require no DIY skills to put together and, by following some simple steps, they ensure that your waterbirth is safe and comfortable. 1. Unpacking Your Birthing Pool
2. Assembling Your Birthing Pool
3. Filling Your Birthing Pool
4. Emptying Your Birthing Pool
5. Packing Your Birthing Pool
The instructions below can be followed for both the Hexagonal and the Oval Birthing Pools. The Hexagonal Birthing Pool is made up of 6 panels. The Oval Birthing Pool is made up of 4 panels.
1. Unpacking Your Birthing Pool
| Step |
Actions |
|
1
|
Remove all items from the box and check off on the Equipment List to ensure receipt of all items. Contact The Good Birth Company on 0800 035 0514 if anything is missing. |
|
2
|
Place all packaging materials and plastic bags back in the box for re-use when re-packing. |
2. Assembling Your Pool
| Step |
Actions |
|
1
|
Place waterproof sheet (if you have ordered one) over the area designated for the pool. Some customers choose to place a piece of carpet on the floor if there is none already, for additional cushioning. This step is optional. Ensure that the surface the panels rest on is flat before assembling the panels. |
|
2
|
Place the fibreglass panels together to form the appropriate shape. For Oval pools use the numbers on the smooth back of the panels to confirm the correct order. Attach the bolts with a washer between the panel and the bolt head and the panel and the wing nut. Turn the wing nut hand tight, without distorting the panel shape. |
|
3
|
Once all the bolts are in place, check them to ensure that none have been loosened as the panels aligned themselves. |
|
4
|
Place the ground pad on the floor of the pool. At this point, you may add other cushioning, such as a bean bag, or a step. This is optional. |
|
5
|
Open up the permanent liner. Place it on the floor of the pool and position it to align with the pool shape. Stretch the liner up and over the panels. The liner is a "snug fit" and you may need to use a hairdryer to stretch it enough, working around the pool, 6 inches at a time. The bottom seam of the liner should align with the pool shape. |
|
6
|
Open up the disposable liner and fit it to the pool as you did with the permanent liner. Both liners will extend several inches below the rim of the pool. We recommend that you use a new liner for the birth to minimise the risks of bacterial contamination. |
3. Filling Your Birthing Pool
| Step |
Actions |
|
Important
|
The pools must always be filled with both liners in place. This is both for hygiene and leak-avoidance. Ensure also that the correct hose (1/2 inch) is used to fill the pool. |
|
1
|
Take the two tap adapters and attach the appropriate one to your designated tap. You may need to experiment to find the best adapter. |
|
2
|
Connect the 1/2 inch hose (the narrow NEW one in retail packaging), to the adapter and run cold water through it into the sink or a suitable drain for 2 minutes. Turn off water before moving the hose end to the pool. |
|
3
|
Place the heat retention cover, foil slide down, on the water to reduce humidity and minimise heat loss. |
|
4
|
Place the end of the 1/2 inch hose pipe into the pool and begin filling it with a water temperature of approximately body temperature (37°C) |
|
5
|
Flatten and smooth out any folds or kinks in the floor of the pool. |
|
6
|
During filling, place the thermometers in the water during filling and adjust taps appropriately to achieve 37°C, or a few degrees higher if you do not plan on entering the pool immediately. Before taking the thermometer readings, agitate the water and the thermometers themselves in the water, then hold the thermometers vertically in the water for 90 seconds before reading - per the instruction on the packet – this ensures no “local effects” distort the reading. Two thermometers are provided in case one fails. If both fail, you can ask the midwife to use hers or use another one from your home, e.g. a child thermometer or a greenhouse thermometer (clean appropriately before use). |
|
7
|
If you are going to enter the pool right away, turn the taps off when the water level is 4-6 inches from the top of the rim. If you are going to enter later, stop filling at 7 inches from the rim to allow top ups as required. |
|
8
|
Remove thermometers and filling hose from pool before entering. |
Filling TimeFilling time depends on your water supply and can range from 30 minutes to 4 hours. Should you need to speed up filling and are short of hot water, boil water in the kettle and in large pans on the stove, then add this water to the pool. The time to start filling the pool is in early labour – it’s better to be a little early than too late!
Maintaining the TemperatureWith the heat retention cover on, the water will only lose approximately 1°C per hour. To adjust the temperature to body temperature, simply remove some water with a clean bucket and add hot water wither through the hose or from a pan/kettle as required. Ask the midwife to check the temperature with her thermometer when you are raising the water temperature up to 37°C for the birth.
Water FreshnessThe water remains “fresh” for approximately 24 hours. After that, empty the water and refill the pool. If the disposable liner appears to be soiled when you are changing the water, remove it and rinse in the shower or with a cloth. You can clean in Milton solution or something similar if you are sufficiently concerned. Dry the liner thoroughly and replace it with the “unused” side facing inwards.
Practice runsYou may wish to have a practice run, assembling and filling the pool. In this situation, you can either use the disposable liner inside out, or use it and dry it off well after use. You may also buy an extra disposable liner from The Good Birth Company (£30) to ensure that the liner you use during birth is clean. Drying the disposable liner after use can be time consuming.
*** DO NOT USE THE PERMANENT LINER ON ITS OWN FOR A TRIAL RUN! ***
4. Emptying Your Birthing Pool
| Step |
Actions |
|
1
|
Fish out any solids from the pool with the strainer and discard. |
|
2
|
Attach the elbow connector to the pump and the tapered outflow nozzle to the elbow connector. Then attach the thick emptying hose to the pump – push the hose onto the outflow nozzle and tighten the jubilee clip over the hose and nozzle. If the hose is difficult to push onto the connector, use a hairdryer or hot water to expand it. |
|
3
|
Lower the pump to the bottom of the pool. |
|
4
|
Place the other end of the hose in a toilet or outside drain and plug the pump in. If it does not turn on immediately, check that the floating switch is free to float. |
|
5
|
When the water is approx 2” deep, the pump will stop automatically. If it does not, then remove plug to stop. You can remove more water by pulling one side of the disposable liner across the pool towards the pump, making the water around the pump deeper. DO NOT LEAVE THE PUMP UNATTENDED DURING EMPTYING. |
|
6
|
When the pump stops, unplug it and remove, placing on newspaper or a towel. Remove disposable liner with remaining water in it and empty into sink, drain or toilet. Throw disposable liner, strainer and filling hose into rubbish bin. |
|
7
|
Rinse pump and thick emptying hose with water to remove visible residue. Wipe off any marks from step, permanent liner and pool panels and leave to dry before packing. |
|
8
|
Pack away in box, using tape provided to seal and call or email for collection. The kit packs tightly in the box – place items in “holes” under or on top of panels to fit. |
If the Pump Stops before Pool is EmptyThe most likely causes are that the flotation switch does not extend to the bottom of the pump; disruption to power (check plug) or the pump is clogged. You can pull more cord through the grip next to the handle to ensure the floatation switch extends sufficiently. If this and the power is OK, remove pump and follow pump instructions on unclogging/cleaning. Then return pump to pool and continue.
5. Packing Your Birthing Pool to Return it
| Step |
Actions |
|
1
|
Rinse and dry (with air or towel) all returnable items before packing into box. The pump and emptying hose in particular can hold water unless you rotate them several times to drain them. See the Equipment List to confirm which items are required to be returned. |
|
2
|
Place all items in plastic bags provided. |
|
3
|
Check off items on the Equipment List. Note any broken or missing items and email The Good Birth Company explaining what has happened. |
|
4
|
Place the blue foam open pipes on the top outer rim of the pool panels to protect them in transit. Reserve the flat foam sections to one side. |
|
5
|
Place one layer of bubble wrap on bottom of box and place four panels on it (curved panels for Tablet/Oval pools). For Tablet/Oval pools some items can be placed in the spaces below the first panels where they rise to the box edges. Fold the bubble wrap over the first panels and place another 2 panels on top. |
|
6
|
Place other items on top of panels to gain a snug fit in box, using other packaging materials as necessary, eg bubble wrap. Please ensure small or delicate items such as bolts are placed near centre of the box, not along the edges and in a cushioned or protected place. |
|
7
|
Place the flat foam sections between the box sides and the contents. |
|
8
|
Use tape provided to re-seal box. Apply at least 4 strips of tape in each direction across the top of the box, and more strips along the open edges of the flaps. Also tape over any damage to box from delivery. |
|
9
|
Email return@thegoodbirth.co.uk to request a pickup for the next day you are available. Pickups are usually in the afternoon but may be from 10.30AM depending on your location. Unfortunately, requests for collection on the same day cannot usually be fulfilled by our carrier. The driver will bring the required shipping documents. |
|
|
|
