Home water births - any recommendations?

[squishy]

I know I don't want an inflatable one but the only one my MW will recommend me costs nearly £500 (it has filter, heater so can keep water in for 7 days and possible flashing lights and bells!). I really don't want to spend that much on it, but also want a reasonable one (DH is now worried that we won't be able to keep it warm enough - I plan/hope to labour and give birth in it) - can anyone recommend a specific type please?

Also, read that many women end up doing a pooh in the water during labour and, it may sound silly, but this particular loss of dignity concerns me - any experiences (that people are willing to share?! )

Thanks!

Active Birth Centre rents out pools, also deliver. Jan.et Balaskas has written a book about water birth - she is founder of active birth centre, they also do workshops

I loved my inflatable one :)

wrt the poo, the MW is very handy with a sieve and when you're in labour, you simply don't care. dignity goes out the window!

I have cats and because of our joists in the house, we're going to have to have the pool in the living room!!!!! Hence, no inflatable (I love them, but just don't trust them not to stretch their claws in the side of it!!)

Equip your DH with a puncture repair kit -it'll give him something to do during labour :o

TMI question - I'm also hoping for a water birth. However, when I had ds, I got diahorrea prior to and in labour. Is this normal, and if it happened in the pool, would I have to get out do you think?

You'd only put an inflatable up during labour (if it's anything like mine anyway), so could you shut the cats out then?

To be honest, I'm really certain I don't want an inflatable, for other reasons than just cats. We could shut them out, but they tend to move around the house like velocer raptors and I really don't want the stress (TBH I really don't want DH stressing at them!).

Have seen tons of places that rent out solid ones for much cheaper than the MW recommended me, but don't know anyone who's actually used one.....any feedback from personal experience really appreciated :o

OK, have looked there! Thanks!

Would still appreciate anyone willing to give their own views/accounts of rigid pools at home!

Thanks Sue, that's really helpful, I'll go and do it now. Have just seen that the MW recommended one is 15% off which, if I can get a friend to collect it for us, might make it affordable!

I have used the same type of pool for 4 home water births. A large(ish) oval, solid sides. I really liked it because I could hold onto the side and really HOLD ON ! which was a real boon , especially with last ds who was 9lb 11oz !.

On my last birth we set it up and filled it when I had a false labour and we kept it warm for 3 days by topping up every couple of hours or so. A burco bolier ( tea urn) proved very useful. I got one off e-bay for £20 and it kept up the hot water much better than our house hot water system.

As far as pooing goes I doubt you'll beat me for an embarassing situation. For my second birth I could feel myself pooing but I didn't want in it the water ( my labour brain thought it would hurt the baby) so I caught it and handed it to DH who , bless him, took it I STILL think it is one of the most touching things he has ever done,

I hired my pool for eau-baby in birmingham £175 for 5 weeks.

hope this helps,

Thank you very much for sharing your story - my goodness your last DS was huge!!

Thanks :o

Can't help with the rigid pool but a good buy is a hand held mirror. Not for you to watch the baby come out (unless you want to!) but for the midwife to see what's going on much easier.

Oh, and have a good lamp ready for any repair work... I didn't plan that bit and we had to hunt round for a bedside lamp that wasn't one of those touch lamps.

I spoke to my midwife after her first homebirth. She said you definitely need a rigid pool to lean onto so you can do the "on all fours" position. Her patient got one from France. She said the main hassle was taking water out and topping it up with fresh, warm water - but it gave the dad somehting technical to do and made him feel very useful.

OK, thanks everyone have now booked my rigid pool which has a heater, thermostat and filter (went with MW recomended one in the end!)

Thanks1 :o

sounds v posh squishy - could do with one just to cope with pregnancy!!

The woman was lovely, spent ages answering all my questions and she sends it 3 weeks before due date so we can spend time wallowing in it - could do with it 3 months before I think!!!

I had an infalatble pool from birthinabox.co.uk. Loved it Was cheap too.

I pooed during labour and like you was worried about it but when it happened I couldn't have cared less! The MW discreetly sieved it out of the pool.

Can I just say that this is a load of cr*p: "spoke to my midwife after her first homebirth. She said you definitely need a rigid pool to lean onto so you can do the "on all fours" position."

The inflatable ones are rigid enough to do this, they're rigid enough to have an adult sit on the side! I know, I gave birth to DD leaning over the edge of my BPIABox in Feb.

Glad you've sorted your pool Squishy. It'll be very exciting when it gets delivered!