How to empty a birth pool
How do you empty a birth pool?
You’ve worked out how to fill it up.. but now what? How on earth do you get that pool empty?
It will take you approx 1.5 hours to pack up a birth pool (1 hour of which is the pump working it’s magic with no input from you).
Follow these step by step instructions to empty your birth pool and you’ll have it done in no time!
Attach the submersible pump (usually comes as part of your hire kit!) to your hose.
Place the end of the hose down the toilet/into an outside drain/wherever you are happy for the contents of the pool to drain! (Note, the toilet won’t overflow, it has a siphon at the top to prevent overflow!)
Plug in and turn the submersible pump on and place at the bottom of the pool. (These feels WILD to put something electric into a pool of water, but it is the correct next step I promise- just be sure you are using the submersible pump and not the air pump you used to blow it up!)
It will take around 1 hour for all the water to drain. Use this time to chuck towels in the wash or clear up around the house. (Or nap/cuddle a baby, you know, depending on whats going on!)
There may be some ‘debris’ left at the bottom of the pool liner. Just remove the pool liner, bundle it up and it can go in your normal household waste/rubbish bin.
Clean and dry the pool. (Antibac cleaning spray and a tea towel will do the job!)
Use the AIR pump to deflate the pool.
Pack away for return/storage.
If you have hired your pool, you should have quite straightforward return instructions to follow! They collect pretty quickly, so it doesn’t need to be sat around your lounge for days!
That’s it! Job done, birth pool emptied, harmony restored, now make the new mum a cup of tea and snuggle in bed with your new baby!