Birthball or Gym ball?

[Levanna]

I feel as though I'm being sold the same thing as a gym ball, but under a different name, and for three times the price! Could anyone differentiate between the two for me? I have been looking at the gym ball in the argos catalogue (Reebok). It's the same size, anti burst, washable, etc.... sounds just the same as the birth balls I've seen. Do you think it would be a bad idea, just because it isn't labelled for birth, or is it just silly to pay three times as much for what seems to be the same item? (I have used this particular gym ball before, it is substantial and long lasting....but!)

p.s. Does anyone know how long it's likely to take for my brain cells to return after this child, so I can once more make decisions with relatively little fuss and confusion!!

They are exactly the same, but some come in different sizes. I'm 171cm and have a 65cm ball, which is perfect as a birth ball, but slightly too big as a gym ball. Some balls have a matte surface, which is much more pleasant than a shiny surface as the shiny surface sticks to your skin. But unless you think you will be making skin-to-ball contact then it's probably not worth bothering about.

And the answer to your second question is 45kg. Yes most of my braincells are still missing, 1.5y after birth of second child.

same difference, i used the £10 reebok gymball, was great...

Thank you, gym ball it is then .
(Is it any wonder I haven't been able to narrow names down to under a hundred or so yet!)

Personally, I wouldn't buy either again if it were just for labour. I bought a gym ball and found it far too low to get in any kind of comfortable position so I gave birth leaning on the side of our bed with loads of pillows. The midwife found it very comfortable though and ended up sitting on it to write up her notes!!

ps Toys R us sell them as toys for around a fiver!!

Aero, I'm a bit short on chairs (mid house move) so maybe I'll get it anyway. Dual purpose - at least the poor midwife'll have somewhere to sit if I don't use it !

In fact, at that price, I might get a few .

lol

You planning a home birth?

Yes {grin]. Providing of course I have a home ready when tiny DD decides to put in her apearance! I was undercoating with fervour today .

Awww - good luck with it. I have three children and of all the births, ds2 (7mths)'s was the best and least stressful. I thoroughly recommend it and found the whole experience a very positive one - no drugs necessary!

Thanks Aero, we're really looking forward to the experience . ...and at a fiver a shot, I think I'll just get loads of balls instead of chairs - the kids (me inc!)will love haveing a giant ball pen for a lounge, can you imagine?

Tee hee! You'll be giving Laurence LLewellan Bowan a run for his money with that idea!!lol

BTW - I find it really comfy to sit on now!!

Ah, but my flamboyant ideas can be blamed wholly on hormones - and his excuse is?
Nothing could be comfier than the 6' beanbag I bought the other day - well, so DD and DH seem to think, as I can't claim to have had more than one 'go' on it! (To top it off, the one time I did, I had to have DH 'rescue' me from it's depths when I needed to get up ).

lol - you are funny Levana - and LLB has no excuse whatsoever. Funny enough, I was talking to someone today whose boyfriend grew up with him - perhaps I should tell her to look at this and pass it on!!

Oops - little typo - meant Levanna!

It's probably on here somewhere but when is your little dd due?

Hi Aero, I'm due in two weeks.
(Oh, and if you do pass it on, I might possibly be interested in selling the copywright )

Absolutely. The person concerned is my dd's godmother's sister's boyfriend. (v confusing I know), but she (the sister)is a journalist, so as well as the copyright, perhaps she could do an article about it and promote it for you - she's always looking for a good story!!!

Did you see my post on your other thread? Another idea worth a copyright I'm sure!!lol