H2 Oh Baby! - Taking the kit to Hospital

Taking the Kit to Hospital

Specifically for Taranaki Base Hospital but may also apply to other areas. This will at least give you things to think about if you are planning to use a kit at a hospital outside of New Plymouth. Please remember that you are responsible for the inflating, filling, emptying and packing down of your pool. The hospital midwives and your LMC are likely to have already had a long shift and don't need this to become their responsibility. Ensure you have plenty of support people to choose from, to come at a moments notice, to help with these jobs. It is really not hard and so worth the privacy and peace you will get from the pool.

What's there

Compressor for inflating pool (be considerate of the noise, place unit outside if more appropriate. All responsibility is with the user -if the pool bursts this is non-refundable. The floor and bottom ring in particualr require very careful slow inflation. Once spread out the pool is completely inflated within 10mins this way. Top up with hand pump to maximum tightness. There is a spare pool kept in the clinical midwife specialist's room. You will be invoiced $50 if you use this, as it is then yours to keep.
emptying hose(grey webbed, stored in rm 6 usually)
2 strips of matting used to prevent any slipping - rolled back after each use
Submersible emptying pump - very powerful - ensure hose is securely pushed into pump and other end is well into a source of emptying (best down toilet with lid securely down) before turning it on.

What to take..

New bucket (for bailing out if necessary to top up with hot water).
Old bucket/container - for emptying any of the scooped up 'floaties' into.
Clean container with a lid if you wish to take the placenta home - to bury, to show any older siblings, or - to eat!
Large towels (about 4) which can be used for initial mop ups if necessary and something to take wet towels home in.
Toweling dressing down, or something to put on to keep warm if you are getting in and out of the water a bit.
Drink bottle - ensuring you do not dehydrate will greatly enhance your labour progression.

Where to set up..

Be guided by your LMC here. Pools in the past have been set up in the main area, pushing the bed out of the way. You will need to find the 2 strips of matting to put around the pool to prevent any slipping if you set up here. More preferable seems to be setting up in the ensuite bathroom under the shower. This is less slippery, closer to the toliet which is a common place to apend your labour, and nice with water from the shower over your back. It is cosy however. Either way, do not use the polythene ground sheet at hospital.

What to do..

As soon as your labour is ‘established’ – i.e. not going away once you have had a shower and a rest, send your support person to hospital to begin filling hotter than entry temp as it is way easier to cool it down than it is to warm it up! It is best if this person is not your main support person – as you may need him/her close by!) Get them to cover the pool and call you as soon as it is ready. Once the filling begins at hospital, the pool cannot be left unattended, so ensure this is ‘planned for’. Ideally you will arrive at hospital just as the pool is full and you are beginning to need a break from the contractions. Get in and go with it!! Ensure you are familiar with your hospital’s protocol for using a pool. You may need to ask for this! Another option to consider may be using the pool at home for as long as you are comfortable and having a spare pool ($50 is you use it, otherwise return it and pay nothing) to take to hospital.

Take your labour moment by moment. You cannot predict where you will feel best when you are ready to push. If all is going well, you may not want to leave the pool, even if this was your prior intention. Remember, with support handy, it’s easy enough to get in and out of the pool – trust that you will know where you want to be, or rather – where you don’t want to be!