Anyone used a birthing pool for labour or actual birth?

[ninja]

Just interested in knowing your experiences and if you have any recommendations on type.

Thanks

Birthpool in a box. Brilliant. I'm 5'2'' but got the larger size (not the mini) so DH could join me if it felt right (it didn't!). Delivered in hospital (avoid that if you can, at least that's what I'll be trying to do next delivery) but laboured in the pool.

They delivered it quickly and we set it up immediately. We practiced filling it etc twice before due date (actually a way before due date).

One thing - DO PRACTICE putting it up. You (or DP) do NOT want to be reading instructions once you're in labour. Trust me!

Thomcat - what an amazing photo, you look so lovely pregnant too. I always thought that you sounded really lovely - well you look it too!

Gonkster - good point about practising beforehand, thanks.

yes its great to set it up beforehand, i had a birthpool in abox for ds3, ( i ended up going in to be induced as he was 18 days late, whole other story) but i used the birth pool in the weeks leading up to the birth as it was great to be weightless, i knew how long the pool would take to fill etc and ds1 and ds2 had a great time in it

Right that's it - I'm going to order one NOW (or maybe tomorrow) without an emptying thing, the bigger size and a long hose. Have I got it covered?

I had a wonderful hospital water birth and can't recommend them highly enough.
Had a tough back to back pregnancy so lying on a hospital bed just wasn't going to happen. Started labouring on dry land and finally got into the pool at nearly 10cm dialted.

After being very stressed, asking for an epidural and generally not coping with the pain very well (i'd got to hospital too late for any pain relief as i was already too far along) the water was amazingly soothing and really helped with the pain.

I also felt more in control of the birth and was able to bring my little girl into the world with no assistance from anyone else. My husband watched from the sidelines and also enjoyed the water birth experience as he was able to see the birth in all the gory details! Not for everyone but he - and I - loved it.

totally agree water births are fab
I have had two at the local midwife led unit.
first was a back to back baby and took flipping ages.
second was out in three pushes!!

wouldn't have wanted anyone in after mind looks a bit like stew !!

ags and air makes you sound very manly
the midwife said i couldn't possibly be near to delivering as i was cracking too many jokes
well i fooled her

I had a home water birth with dd2. I used the La Bassine from Made in Water.

I got in it as soon as I was 5cm, and stayed there until I lifted my gorgeous girl to the surface.

My first labour, dd1, was not good - long, traumatic and ended in a ventouse. With DD2 the labour was still long but the pool was divine. I got out briefly to go to the loo and have my waters broken and I practically dived back in afterwards. Birth pool, G&A and dairy milk - you can't go wrong. Obviously the pain is still there but it provides you with a warm, comfortable, private place to do your thing.

Good Luck x

Whoops, couldnt get the photo on my profile before.

My third was underwater, and it was the best birth of the three. Planned to be a HB, and we bought a {{https://www.birthpoolinabox.co.uk/ BPIAB]], but never used it and ended up in the hospital birthing pool.

BPIAB was not wasted, though, as we get it out at least a couple of times a year and have a family paddle! Winter indoors, and summer in the garden.

If I was going to have another, and had a choice, I would never choose a land birth again.

You look very comfy thingamajig, your dd is so lovely, doesn't she look wise as well!

Memjem - dairy milk - what a good recommendation, (or is it obligatory?)

My third was a water-birth, I spent most of the labour in the pool too. It was yet another birthpoolinabox
It was much more comfortable than the bath, and definitely easier than my other births and the warmth and support of the water is so soothing.
If I was doing it again though, I would not actually give birth in the pool. DD3 had some difficulties immediately following the birth, she couldn't inflate her lungs properly and we ended up having to go to hospital in an ambulance. I'm convinced it's because she swallowed some of the water. She is fine now though

Just had my first baby in a hosital pool. Was an amazing experience-was 4cm when i got in, had the urge to push 60mins later and delivered 15mins after that. No tears, no other pain relief needed. The sight of my baby swimming up to the surface will probably bring tears to my eyes forever.

My midwife was very handy with the sieve and I delivered the placenta into a bowl so water was actually very clean at the end. agree that you retain a lot more privacy and therefore dignity under the water and because it is more difficult to examine you, the midwies are more hands off which for me was what I wanted.

I had my first baby in a pool at home. Had an inflatable one from www.waterbirth.co.uk, which the midwife said was the best she'd seen - very comfy for leaning against (for her and me!)

Only problem dh had with the pool was filling it up - the tap attachment for the hose was hopeless (make sure you get a really good one) and he ended up filling up buckets from the bathtap between contractions (I was sitting on the loo at that point, having decided it was the most comfortable place to be, insisting I hold his hand during contractions) and running downstairs to tip it in the pool before getting back for the next contraction. This time he'll have to start filling the pool a lot earlier I think!

I had a bpiab. Used for labour and birth. Loved it. Ds now uses it as a paddling pool.

I laboured at home with a birth pool in a box (had to transfer to hospital for birth due to meconium in my waters).

The water is great for pain relief but I think I will look for a different pool for delivering any future offspring as I had a lot of pain in my back during labour and the pool wasn't quite deep enough to cover my back when I was in my ideal position (slumped over the edge of the pool). Luckily a student midwife was on hand with a jug to pour water over my back during contractions, but the poor love must've been exhausted after three hours!

Highly recommend the Natal Hypnotherapy CDs - that's what got me through the unplanned hospital birth.

Ernestina Splashdown Water Services hire out really good pools that are deep. I had their inflatable one for ds1's birth and it was great - good height (although I'm only 5'4) for leaning over the edge and comfy because it's inflatable. They provide you with all the stuff you need like thermometer, pump, hose, liner etc.

Hi - just to add that I had a hospital water birth with DC2 and it really worked for me.

Laboured and delivered in the water. DH stayed out (by mutual consent!), just poured water on my back or massaged in between my expletives and primal moans!

DS was 10lb 10oz and I'm convinced that the water helped to ease the delivery & to stop me from tearing at all. I was offered gas & air but sort of forgot about it til the end when there didn't seem much point in using.

Midwife let me stay in water with DS on my chest until I was happy to move. Lovely, emotional experience for us all.

Top tips - Drink loads of water (mine was mixed with a bit of rescue remedy) as warmth of pool seems to dehydrate you quicker than with non-pool birth. And midwife put towels at bottom of pool to ease pressure on my knees when I was on all fours/leaning over side of pool.

Hope everything goes really well for you. x

oops - that should have read 9lb 10oz. Anyway, big enough!