Birthing pool recommendations please

springbaby22 · 2022-02-25T09:31:07+00:00

Planing on a home birth, due end of March (optimistic could be earlier). Can anyone recommend any companies that hire birth pools? They're approximately £120 and with the liner about £40, not sure if I need to rent a hose too. Other option is to get one of Facebook market place which I've seen for £70. Everything really adds up. I had a water birth at midwifery led unit last time and really helped ease the pressure so keen to get one. I've heard some companies refund you if you don't end up using it not sure how true this is though.

PinkPlantCase · 25/02/2022 09:52

I had a mini birth pool in a box from barefoot birthpools.

They delivered it earlier than the website said they had one available because I left a message saying when my due date was.

We included a hose because I didn’t want to have to worry about it! Do try the tap adapters in advance though, in the end ours ended up on the unscrewed mixer tap for the shower as that was the only one it fitted on!

It was expensive and I would have bought one outright if any were available at the time as we plan to have more DC. I would consider buying a second hand one but get new liners.

Definitely have the liner.

Clean up/pack up was easy, the midwives did it all!

I think you just have to accept that it might not be used though if you need to go to hospital.

Original poster

springbaby22 · 25/02/2022 10:23

@PinkPlantCase

I had a mini birth pool in a box from barefoot birthpools.

They delivered it earlier than the website said they had one available because I left a message saying when my due date was.

We included a hose because I didn’t want to have to worry about it! Do try the tap adapters in advance though, in the end ours ended up on the unscrewed mixer tap for the shower as that was the only one it fitted on!

It was expensive and I would have bought one outright if any were available at the time as we plan to have more DC. I would consider buying a second hand one but get new liners.

Definitely have the liner.

Clean up/pack up was easy, the midwives did it all!

I think you just have to accept that it might not be used though if you need to go to hospital.

How long did it take to fill up? Yes would definitely need some sort of trial run. Was it worth the cost? I know women birth without one at home.

OP posts:

PinkPlantCase · 25/02/2022 11:32

I’m not sure on timings, things happened quite quickly! But it did fill up fast enough. I didn’t labour in the pool (midwife didn’t get to us until near the end) but was in there for the pushing stage, birth and placenta delivery.

I did spend about 10 minutes kneeling next to the pool waiting for it to cool down a bit haha.

I think it was worth it, it was my first baby so don’t have anything to compare it to. I liked that it protected the space around me. My labour and birth was very hands off. I lifted baby out of the water myself and stayed in the pool for about 40 minutes afterwards.

It felt nice to be in there, it was really easy to be in a good position, I’d definitely get one again.

The birth wasn’t very messy but there was some blood with the delivery of the placenta so it was good for keeping that contained. I might have worried a bit more about mess if we didn’t have one.

We didn’t practice filling it with water but we did practice blowing it up so that my DH knew what to do on the day!

Make sure you have a good look at their dimensions though. We had the mini one because the big one wouldn’t have fit in our living room! Or anywhere else in our house.

ArielFelix · 25/02/2022 17:49

Do your hospital’s maternity unit hire them? I understandably had to buy the liner/hose etc. Myself, but the pool and pump was only £10 to hire from my homebirth team.
I had a regular size one (there are smaller ones available) and we started filling it about 2:30am and I got in the pool about 4am, but I don’t know when it had finished filling. Pumping the actual pool up was fairly quick, maybe 10-15 mins, though we’d done this a week or so in advance.
Although I got mine cheaply, on reflection, I would have willingly paid anything. It was so relaxing and nicer than my first birth where I didn’t get the water birth I had hoped for.

Original poster

springbaby22 · 26/02/2022 13:40

@ArielFelix

Do your hospital’s maternity unit hire them? I understandably had to buy the liner/hose etc. Myself, but the pool and pump was only £10 to hire from my homebirth team. I had a regular size one (there are smaller ones available) and we started filling it about 2:30am and I got in the pool about 4am, but I don’t know when it had finished filling. Pumping the actual pool up was fairly quick, maybe 10-15 mins, though we’d done this a week or so in advance. Although I got mine cheaply, on reflection, I would have willingly paid anything. It was so relaxing and nicer than my first birth where I didn’t get the water birth I had hoped for.

I will check with the midwife this coming week. What an amazing scheme though! Everything adds up to almost £200 including hose and liner but like you say it would be worth it if used.

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Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily · 26/02/2022 21:04

I bought one from birth pool in a box I think it was. Worked out the same cost as hiring but when I didn't get to use it in the end I just sent it back and got a refund so it only cost delivery for us.

Original poster

springbaby22 · 26/02/2022 22:54

@Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily

I bought one from birth pool in a box I think it was. Worked out the same cost as hiring but when I didn't get to use it in the end I just sent it back and got a refund so it only cost delivery for us.

I see the liner is included in the mini pool. Did the pump come with it? Also did you get the hose separately? I've just checked their return policy and that's so reassuring to know you can return it if not used. Would opening the box and checking it cause it to be rejected for a refund do you think? Thank you for your input x

OP posts:

Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily · 26/02/2022 23:11

It had a pump and a hose with it. I had opened the box to check everything was there, just had to be all put back properly, not damaged and well sealed box to return

Original poster

springbaby22 · 26/02/2022 23:32

@Mynotsoperfectlittlefamily

It had a pump and a hose with it. I had opened the box to check everything was there, just had to be all put back properly, not damaged and well sealed box to return

Was this the mini for £179? It doesn't mention the hose in the description but will ring them tomorrow to clarify.

OP posts:

Hep1211 · 28/02/2022 06:10

I hired the mini pool from barefoot birth pools like a pp. Very organised delivery and easy to pack up and return. I thought about buying one and then selling afterwards but knew I'd want it out of the house asap (small house with limited storage) and wouldn't get round to listing it online quickly with a newborn. However my home birth progressed so quickly we hadn't even filled it when baby arrived on the kitchen floor!

Original poster

springbaby22 · 28/02/2022 07:26

@Hep1211

I hired the mini pool from barefoot birth pools like a pp. Very organised delivery and easy to pack up and return. I thought about buying one and then selling afterwards but knew I'd want it out of the house asap (small house with limited storage) and wouldn't get round to listing it online quickly with a newborn. However my home birth progressed so quickly we hadn't even filled it when baby arrived on the kitchen floor!

Did they refund you as it wasn't used? Yes more convenient than selling it on for sure.

OP posts:

Hep1211 · 28/02/2022 08:08

No they don't refund unused hires, plus we had got it out and set it up etc so they will still have had to check it was all okay. We did buy a long handled mirror from them and because we hadn't opened the packaging they refunded for that. Tbh I was so relieved that the birth/baby was fine and we got our homebirth (it was touch and go because staffing was low during covid) I didn't mind 'wasting' the money on the pool!