Anyone used a birthing pool for labour or actual birth?

[ninja]

Just interested in knowing your experiences and if you have any recommendations on type.

Thanks

[minkersmum]

Hi yes i have twice for labour and birth. Def recommend. Less chance of tears etc and really helps the pain. Have only tried the fixed hospital ones to date but due number 3 shortly and plan to use inflatable type.
hth

[ShowOfHands]

I had one. It was a La Bassine and I laboured in it but had to transfer to hospital after 5hrs of pushing as dd wouldn't descend. I loved it.

[ninja]

Thanks - I'm planning a home-birth and I've looked at the La Bassine. I had a long labour last time so I think I'd get plenty of use out of it (plus I think DD (5) would love it!!).

Any other opinions?

[Litterbug]

I used a la bassine to labour and birth in.

Very comfy and easy to fill

[Evelynsmum]

Hi I used a pool for labour although ended up giving birth on dry land...excellent experience really helped with the pain and added advantage that its hard to do an internal when you're in the pool.

I hired mine from the goodbirth company now outsourced to www.samanthajaynebirthingpools.co.uk/. I'm fairly tall so had the oval one. The rigid sides were great. I think if you use an inflatable one then you need to make sure its properly inflated or you won't get the necessary support.

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

I think mine was the La Bassine, is that the same as the Made in Water one?

I used it for labour last time and will be using it again for this birth.

It was the perfect size, big enough for me to stretch my legs out when sitting and deep enough for me to be on all fours (and I'm 5'10") The inflatable side was also comfortable enough to rest my face and chin on.

[SwissCheese]

Used hospital one for labour and birth. Superb although I did find one midwife was less keen for me to use it. The second midwife was brilliant and very supportive.

[princessglitter]

I used Birth pool in a box.

It was great, very soothing and comfortable.

I used mine just to labour in and was able to stretch out and move around in it. It gave me a feeling of privacy (as much as is possible in labour).

[bellabambina]

I was in the pool in the hospital's birth centre before they'd even turned the taps on stayed there for the rest of the labour, and birthed my daughter into the pool. I'm sure it helped relax me and speed things up. I wanted the water really hot so they kept topping it up, it was fantastic. The only thing that slightly freaked my husband out was the colour of the water post-birth - it looked like Jaws had been there! I couldn't have cared less though, I was too busy saying hello to my new little baby girl.

[ninja]

This is great - all these positive comments are making me so excited about labour. I vowed after last time that I would never go through that again, but now I'm planning a homebirth, I've ordered a hypntising CD, and I think I'll get a pool and I'm feeling so positive about it all.

Am I mad?

[MrsTittleMouse]

I had a difficult back-to-back labour and I loved being in the water. It was the only thing that enabled me to rest between contractions as it really took the pressure off my spine.
Unfortunately my labour was slowing down, so I had to get out. But as yours is a second delivery, that's not very likely for your birth. Good luck.

[Pannacotta]

Had two home births, had a pool in a box for both but only used it throughout for DS2.
Was a much easier labour, the water really helped with pain control, also no tearing with DS2 (had second degree tear with DS1), despite him being a big baby with a big head.
Agree you have more privacy labouring in a pool than on dry land.
Would really recommend it.
HTH and good luck!

[ninja]

Thanks, I'll go and measure my space and then decide what size to get.

Any more stories welcome though.

[thingamajig]

I had a homebirth and laboured in a pool. I used Birth pool in a box too. See the photo on my profile to see how glad I was to get in

[Caz10]

had a water birth in the hospital's big pool, it was my 1st so nothing to compare it to, but it was a positive experience for me, only needed G&A and LOVED being able to lie back in warm water between contractions.

oh mrstittlemouse I would have bitten the MW I think if she'd tried to make me get out! it just seemed like the right place to be, will def go for it again if we go for no.2

[biskybat]

I had a home waterbirth with my daughter, getting in the pool was the most blissful experience ever. I hired a rigid pool with padded sides, it was like having my own hot tub in the living room. We put lots of soft padding underneath and I remember just floating around in it in my own little world. The only drawback is having to 'build' it, but I didn't worry about this as had dh for construction duty I had a longish labour and took a while to push my baby out but would do it all again in a heartbeat

Also, nothing like a postbirth bacon sandwich brought to you by your dh in your own bed.

Good luck with it all.

[SoupDragon]

Birthpool in a box for me. Did everything with BabyDraogn - labour, birth and placenta. Still hurt like *&$£ and I still tore but it was still fab and would recommend it to anyone

[ninja]

thingamajig your daughter's BEAUTIFUL - can't see a photo of you on your profile though, am I missinf something?

[Caz10]

"in my own little world" - exactly!

seemed to transport me away from being in the hospital etc, the bits between contractions were very dreamy and peaceful (yes, prob too much G&A..)

[4andnotout]

DD2 was born in the birthing pool in hospital, i tried to get the birthing pool for dd1 and again for dd3 but each time the ward has been too busy..fingers crossed for dd4!
I found the contraction a lot easier to manage and coped on g&a and delivered in 2 pushes with no tearing. It was very peacefull and i would love to have the chance to do it again!

[laksa]

I agree soupdragon, nothing short of an epidural is going to take away the pain of that end bit ie the ring of fire! For me, the birthpool made the contractions a breeze to deal with and I didn't get in the pool till I was 7/8 cm dilated. It was all about taking the gravity away and suddenly I could find a comfortable position to contract in.

ooh, it's almost making me want to do it again...

[ninja]

Any of you have your kids there? I though dd might like to splash around with me a bit - or is that a bit optimistic?

[SoupDragon]

Optimistic IMO!

but I'm very much a "get the f*&$ away from me!" labourer

[SoupDragon]

And they won't want to get in afterwards, it's, er, generally rather yucky.

[MrsTittleMouse]

Splash around in your amniotic fluid and poo?
Part of the whole point for me was that it was my space, there was no way that I would have wanted anyone else in there with me. Plus you need more room than you think to move around and find comfortable positions for the contractions.

Caz10 - I didn't bite the MW's head off - I think I was too busy (mentally) in tears that I had to let evil gravity take over again. It was so painful to get out and so tiring to move around on land.