Food grade hose or garden hose for birth pool? La Bassine or BPIAB?

[Manoo]

... La Bassine (Made in Water) site says that garden hoses are full of chemicals and therefore not good to fill birth pools. They say use a 'food grade hose' (which they sell with their pool).

Birth Pool In A Box say that a food grade hose isn't necessary, that a garden one is fine, although they do sell a food grade one at extra cost.

Any thoughts? Anyone have an opinion on which pool is better?

I used birth in a box and can't recommend it enough, we used the garden hose and all was fine

Me too.
We used BPIAB which I laboured in but didn't deliver in, though I'd have liked to (MW said contractions had slowed too much cos I was sooooo relaxed, so was hauled out and made to walk up and down stairs...)
BPIAB was fab. Leant it to a friend who coincidentally ended up with the same midwife as me (at home) and MW said it was the best she'd seen.
Personally, I think the 'food grade' hose thing is a bit of a gimick designed to play on your instincts for wanting to do the very best for your babe. I waivered about it to for the very same reason. But, if like me, you don't actually deliver in the pool (and most don't) its irrelevant anyway.
The BPIAB people were lovely too.
Good luck, labouring in water is such a good way to cope.

I was forced out too and made to sit on the loo because I got too comfy and they wanted to move it along! They are so comfortable and I felt very cocooned in mine.

We used a garden hose with no problems. I didn't deliver in the pool though as I felt I needed to be on dry land when I came to push.

Did buy a Made in Water one but couldn't use it as they subsequently said that it may have a fault (ie could leak!) and couldn't get a replacement to me in time. Ended up hiring a rigid sided one from Splashdown. It was fab. .

we got the hose that came as an extra with BPIAB although it looked just like a garden hose. I think we got the hose because i once read a post on mumsnet saying that you needed a new hose for hygiene reasons - but can't remember anything more specific, sorry!
Would really recommend BPIAB, i laboured and delivered in it(v long labour, v,v patient mw). My DH would say that getting the electric pump is also a huge bonus as its not much fun emptying the pool when your wife is upstairs enjoying the new baby...all the best

Second the pump, my DH had to bail out the pool after I had laboured and delivered in it - so it wasn't very pretty! Definitely worth the money I think.

active birth centre, IMO are the best. they provide new hose (wdn't fancy used one!), don't know of its grade though.

Hi

I used La Bassine and bought their kit with the food grade hose. I don't think it makes a great difference but anyway their kit is really cheap so it did not really matter. The electric pump inflates the pool in 3 minutes!!

Highly recommended, the color is gorgeous by candle lit and we had a very romantic water birth.

I have bpiab that I bought 2nd hand on here. But I bought la bassine hose kit as I wanted a electric pump and couldn't get one in argos! Pump doesn't fit perfectly (ie not hands free) but inflates it in a few mins. Hose looks fine - but I wouldn't have worried using a new garden one. made in water don't sell the kits on their own but babyworld shop and express yourself mums do.