Birthing pool - do I get one and how?

thanks Pimpernel - I am only in week 15 now so still have time before booking it - I hope. Sorry for all the questions, thanks for taking the time to tell me about your experiences, it is really helpful. I now need to slowly build my dh up to the idea that it may be fairly costly...I think he thought we could get away with just spending about £30 on a deep family paddlling pool!! He needs to add a zero to the end of his estimate! Oh well, I will wait until he has been paid and is feeling a bit more financially positive before further discussion!
Thanks again

Hi Stripymouse, what a lot of questions! I don't think I've added anything to this thread before, but I hired a pool for dd's birth and used it to labour in, although I didn't give birth in it.

(1) I don't know which is better since I've only used the rigid type - I did lean on the side though, so that might have been harder with an inflatable.

(2) The one I had had a thermostat and a filtration system, which was great for the last days of pregnancy - it meant that it was always ready for me to use. I think it was worth spending the extra money on - I'd have one again next time.

(3) I had a round one which was about 5 feet in diameter. It was far bigger than it needed to be - I only really used half of it. I think an oval one would have been better because then you can stretch out one way, and brace yourself across it the other way.

(4) Sorry, can't help you with that. Where are you based?

(5) I can't remember when I booked it (about two months before I needed it I think), but there was no choice of pools by that stage, so next time I'll book as soon as possible.

(6) You need to think about where in the house you are going to put it - will your floors stand the weight of the filled pool?

HTH

I was just about to post a similar thread to this one as I missed it originally when looking through topics!
I am also considering a home water birth for my second child (following stressful first hospital birth) and have been looking into this very topic!
For those of you that have hired pools for home births, I have a couple of more questions if you would be so kind to share your opinions and advce...

1. is it better to go for a rigid sided pool or are the (cheaper) inflatable "paddling" pool type ones with deep sides ok?

2. is it worth spedning out more to get a heated one with thermostat so that you can forget about topping up or is one with a thermal lid ok?

3. what shape is best if space is no option? a bath type rectangle or a more jacuzzi type rounder one?

4. are there any designs or companies to avoid or to pick out as being great service?

5. how early did you book yours? So often the websites say book early to avoid disappointment as we get hired out very quickly....

6.is there anything else that we aught to be considering when looking at this option?

Sorry to ask so many questions but I know you lot are the ones who know about such things and the websites are so keen to sell their products that you have to take some of their claims with a pinch of salt....

Let me know when you've called them. I'll be doing antenatal pilates on Sat and will also ask my mate (who lives in your area) what she thinks too.

I've just checked with ABC: the cheapest pool is £107, and that covers a week, and THEN it's £5.95 per day. Thing is, if you kept it for say 3 weeks you'd still be under £200...but not if you were much later!

I'm not sure exactly why she had previous sections - I believe one was due to pre-eclampsia.

Yes, she had an independent midwife - a rather well-known one at that.

Do you know why she had sections before?
Did she have an IM????
Curious to hear a biot more about the background.
She deserves champagne what ever the story!

It's fab news isn't it pupuce? I am so thrilled for her. She has had an overwhelming response from the NCT Coffee list in general and from those of us who know her personally. Everyone is totally rapt for her.

Excellent post SueW

If you want to hear a really positive water birth story - my friend has just had a home water birth today. Her son was born in the pool after 6 hours of labour.

She hasn't sent the full story yet but it is particularly remarkable because this is her fourth child and the previous three were born by caesarean section

Think it's the inflatable, then. Wanna come round and have a trial peek in Catford? I can check out what my pilates mate's views are too, although she's gone slightly more expensive.

It damn well better justify itself, is all I can say!

Not quite the same but I spent ages in a gorgeously warm bath whilst I was in labour and it did seem to speed things up - it took 5 hours to get to 3cm then I got in the bath and 2 hours later I had got to 7cms, as soon as I got out (which I really didn't want to) it all slowed down again.
I originally wanted a water birth but you weren't allowed to have one in the local hospital where I started off in because no-one was qualified to do it and in the hospital I finished up in the suite was shut due to lack of use (I ended up having an emergency section anyway so that's by the by).

Cha - brilliant thread as I'm just starting to ponder such thoughts myself.

I'm getting to like the idea of home birth more and more and although the idea first time round of a water birth was not appealing with this pregnancy I long for my evening bath and figure that given the relief its giving me now that during labour it would only be better.

Beetroot - would love to talk more as I'm just outside North London

sounds like you and me are in much the same boat, cha (I had dd at Kings too). If I hire the inflatable, do you want to come round and have a look? I'm in SE6. Due mid-July, so should crack on with ordering soonish.

We don't have the floor problem; just my pain threshold to negotiate...

Have you looked at Homebirth UK? Angela Horns, who runs it, lives in SE London and I believe she has had all her children in water at home.

There is a page on the website devoted entirely to Waterbirth at Home, and covering various questions inc the strength of floor question you mention and reviews of some pools.

The Gentlewater one seems to be popular among my friends at the mo - the extra padding is well worth it, apparently.

PS just checked the splashdown site, and the inflatable pool (which is the cheapest as well) is apparently equivalent to the weight of 8 people. Which should be simple enough to test....

Thanks Marina - I've seen that Woolwich also has a birth centre, but quite frankly if I go to hospital I think it'll have to be Lewisham (where there is a pool, but it is - this is true - just being plumbed in. planning problems or something, apparently). I've become more convinced that a pool may be a good idea through the exchanges on the gas&air thread.

Splashdown looks like a good option, cha, and collectable from SE27; someone in my antenatal pilates class has just hired one and says she'll let me know what it's like. do you want me to let you know too?

Hi cha, I wanted a pool but was told the same, that our floor (3rd floor flat) wouldn't support the weight. So I was in the bath for quite a while (at home) but the midwives told me to get out after a while since they thought I was slowing myself down and actually, that's logical, since in a bath you're supine but in a pool you're upright and gravity is being allowed to help. I certainly was slowing myself down, they were completely right - things really got moving once I was upright. So my totally unscientific view would be that a bath helps but a pool would be better if you can get a company to agree that your floor will support the weight. Good luck.

MrsS - why are you being induced? Can we ask?

Cha

I have no info about hiring a pool but I did have a water birth two years ago in hospital and it was FANTASTIC.

I got in at 5 cms dilated and the pain virtually disappeared altogether. Stayed in for about 4 hours and my midwife made me get out to check me as she thought the pool had slowed labour down as I was "too happy" I was then 9 cms and my son was born about an hour later. I also beleive that the warmth of the pool limits damage to you. My son was over 9 lbs and I had no tearing / no stitching etc.

I dont think a bath would be as good as its too shallow. When you kneel in the pool it comes up to your chest and you dont have to support much of your own weight.

I had not heard any horror stories and was totally confident, however I do know that it's vital to keep the pool at the right temperature especially at the time the baby comes out and I would be wary of having enough hot water at home to ensure this.

I am having to be induced with my second on Monday and am unable to have a water birth due to the induction, am really gutted about this and feeling a bit nervous about this birth after such a positive experience last time.

Whatever you decide, good luck !