Birth pool for homebirth

[suzi2]

Can't decide whether to hire or buy or what 'features' and equipment is any good!

DH not too keen on it all as A) it costs money, B) might take hours to inflate and fill and empty and generally be a pain and C) might go to hospital so may not get used.

Any thoughts? I had thought of BPIAB or La Bassine. But would I get more use out of a hired one with a heater? If I bought an inflatable, are they reliable? Easy to fill? Keep warm well? What equipment would I need - food grade hose? liner? electric emptying pump?

i had 'la bassine'

it was fabulous

i wouldnt bother buying a heated one as long as you have plenty of hot water

Have you looked at the NCT website ,you can buy them from them and are priced reasonable.Maybe when you finish with it you could sell on e-bay or through NCT nearly new sales.

If I have another baby I'll get a heated one and use it in the days leading up to the birth, as I only got 10 minutes in my unheated one before the baby arrived last time! I've heard Crescendo pools are good, or Gentlewater.

i used BPIAB and it was fantastic - you just need to have a decent sized hot water tank to fill it quickly and keep it topped up. My midwife actually said that pools with heaters aren't a great idea because there is more chance of bacteria getting going in them if you're in it a while - not a nice thought! I got all the extras with BPIAB and my dh says VERY STRONGLY (!!) that the elec pump to get the water out is a godsend! But be aware it doesn't get rid of last couple of inches of water - you kinda have to scrape that bit out...
good luck

I use BPIAB. Fabulous. We have a combi boiler so unlimited hotwater on tap.

As an aside, you don't have to scrape the last bit out if you have a liner, apparently you can lift the liner out and tip it away then bundle the liner up in a bin bag and shove it in the dustbin. I wouldn't know, I was in bed with DD

Thanks - now convinced that an inflatable will be just fine. DH will be overjoyed that I'm not wanting to spend £300 lol. TBH, I don't give a toss how easy/hard it is to inflate, fill and empty . I'm doing the hard bit so he can just be grateful he's not