Birth pools

[ISpyPumpkinPie]

I'm planning a home birth with DC2, who is due at the beginning of December.

There's a possibility that I might be able to borrow a birth pool from the community midwives, but they only have a limited supply and tbh the last mw I spoke to didn't sound very hopeful one would be available so I'm looking into alternatives.

I'd mainly been looking at the Birth Pool in a Box as I'd heard that it's meant to be good, and at first it seemed that it wouldn't cost much more to buy than hire. Then I started to look at all the extra kit which would be included when hiring but would bump the cost up quite when buying. I still quite like the idea of buying though as if I don't end up using the pool at all for any reason then being able to resell it means I should get something back rather than it being completely "wasted" money for renting iyswim.

So, I was just wondering if anyone with experience of using a birth pool at home could help with the following:-

1. Which extras are really useful? Do you just need a hand pump and a hose, or is it worth going for the electric pumps, heat loss cover, emptying pump etc.?

1. If you don't get the emptying pump is it a complete pain to empty the pool (I realise that this lovely task will probably fall to DH and the mws rather than me but trying to be considerate )

1. Are there any other brands/types of pool which may be better?

1. Have you managed to sell a pool second hand and if so, did you manage to get a decent amount for it?

Sorry for the multiple questions! Would be really interested to hear from anyone who can answer any of the above or any other experiences about buying or hiring pools.

Bump

I think the heat loss cover is definitely worth getting as it really does keep the water warm if you want to get out of the pool. We had the electric pump but my DH said that it actually emptied overnight by gravity when he left the hose in position after an hour of using the pump. I haven't sold mine yet, might be interested in selling it tho, as definitely won't be using it again, where in the country are you?

We had one in a box. Didn't need the heat loss cover (just topped up with a kettle) but definitely needed the submersible pump to empty it. We use it as a huge paddling pool now. one tip I would say is to buy a bigger liner than the pool as our pool sort of expanded with with pressure of the water pushing the sides out. Also check you have a house that fits an internal house to fill it as I couldn't get ours to fit on the day (despite a practice session) and ended up filling it with pans!

you can have my old one, if you like? PM me if you're interested - you'd still have to buy bits and pieces for it, and arrange to collect it, so you might decide it's more hassle than it's worth.
i found it great. has been well used (4 labours 2 babies (i.e. 2 born on dry land))

Thanks so much for the responses and the offers of pools. The mw is doing my home visit to check everything's ok for the birth next week, so should hopefully find out then if I'll need to get one or not. I'm in NW England so would be able to collect from anywhere there/thereabouts.

have a look at this website, it lists loads of companies and doulas who hire pools, also some for are for sale!
www.findmeabirthpool.co.uk

My Dh said emptying pump was essential. We hired birth pool in a box after considering buying. I'm hiring the same in a couple of weeks for dc2

Ps I think it was £80 delivered which we reckoned was worth spending twice rather than store it and worry about the kit still being ok

However, I'd love a paddling pool that big!

We bought a la Bassine pool with all the extras for £100 or thereabouts. Sadly didn't get to use it as I ended up needing a crash c-section. Haven't tried to sell it yet as it was only 5 weeks ago. It seemed easier to get all the bits to go with it, it was on special offer. The air pump was definitely worth it, it inflated so quickly. The water pump apparently wasn't so good & the tap adaptor was rubbish & my husband ended up buying a different one. I'd offer you mine but I'm down in Brighton!

To be honest I would always recommend a sturdy heated pool. I had one for both my births and have recommended them to so many of my friends. They are deep enough so the water covers most of your body which helps with the pain relief. Also because they are kept at a constant temperature your birthing partner only needs to look after you not checking the temp all the time. If the labor is long you won't have to get out because the waters gone cold. I also got so much use out of mine in the couple of weeks leading up to the birth. Towards the end of the pregnancies the pool was the only place I could get comfy. They might be a bit more pricey but for the amount of use you'll get I'd say def worth it, they are also a complete kit so you don't need to worry about extras. Hope this helps x