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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Want to avoid chemicals in the heated birthpool- help please

26 replies

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:07

My wife and I have borrowed a home spa from a friend. They used it for their two births but they used normal bromine water cleaning chemicals. It smells just like chlorine and searching online it does not sound good. We have found two natural alternatives. 1 is called aquasafe which is totally natural and involves seaweed enzymes that sound fine but doesn't specifically say anywhere in their literature that they are ok for home births. The other is called aquafinesse and they recommend still using a bit of chlorine, although they do specifically talk about homebirths. I think the seaweed sounds the safest. Has anyone else out there got anymore info / experience please?

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MumNWLondon · 08/03/2010 22:13

Surely safest to use proper birth pool with sterile liner?

TBH I think you are mad for considering a borrowed home spa.

pigleychez · 08/03/2010 22:23

What do you mean by Home spa? The image in my head is a hot tub kinda thing

I wouldnt imagine that is very suitable.

MrsBadger · 08/03/2010 22:24

buy a birthpool in a box or a La Bassine (sp) like normal people?

Original poster

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:28

most of the birth pool hire companies have these as an option. They are temperature controlled like the ones in hospital. It is not a jacuzzi. Sorry for not being clearer.
I dont think the unit is the problem, but definitely want to get the right substances to keep it clean.

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thisisyesterday · 08/03/2010 22:28

erm, personally i would not risk any of those options.

get yourself a proper birth pool.

thisisyesterday · 08/03/2010 22:31

afaik no birth pool rental companies advise using any type of chemical in the water, naturally sourced or otherwise

bumpybecky · 08/03/2010 22:35

We used a home spa and oxygen based cleaning stuff for a birth pool for our 4th dc.

As to why we did't use a proper pool (like we did the first 3 times!)... We couldn't get a filtered pool due to lack of avalibility at the time (one company had issues with pumps which mean there was a shortage of pools to hire) and it was late when we tried to book and it was Christmas just to make it really complicated! we needed a filtered pool as had to be set up before labour (fast births, hot water issues).

Anyway, it was OK ish, as long as you like emptying and refilling the pool every 3 days as the water has gone cloudy..... Had we been able to get hold of proper chlorine chemcials we'd have used them, but it was Christmas / New year and everything was shut!

Can't remember what the name of the chemicals was though as 2 years ago now and emails deleted.

solo · 08/03/2010 22:35

In my hospital, the temperature control was a pipe attached to the hot water tap.
As others have said, get a Birth Pool In A Box and use a disposible liner.

Original poster

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:37

all of the online birthpool companies that hire the luxury heated pools use non-chemical cleaning substances for the water. It is because i have seen various different options online that I am asking for help to make sure i select the right one.

OP posts:

bumpybecky · 08/03/2010 22:41

do you have a filter unit as well as the pool?

if you intend to leave it set up ready to use you're going to need a filter as well as some chemicals

ChunkyPickle · 08/03/2010 22:43

One of them is based on seaweed derivatives? errr.. isn't seaweed rich in bromine and iodine? Rather sounds to me like the aquasafe one might be just trying to make a standard cleaner out to sound eco friendly..

Original poster

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:43

yes it comes with pump and filter but have found non-chemical options online which use natural enzymes so we can avoid chlorine and bromine and still keep the water clear apparently. I just wanted to see if anyone had used them and how well they had worked?

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thisisyesterday · 08/03/2010 22:46

really? i didn't come across anything like that when i was researching my birthpool.

you made it sound like you were using a home spa as a birtyh pool, rather than a pool built for the purpose of having a baby in

it isn't something i would do personally. the fewer chemicals around my children the better

Original poster

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:47

the seaweed product is enzyme based and is 100% chlorine and bromine free apparently.

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LentilsRMe · 08/03/2010 22:48

Wow go easy on him people!

We rented a heated one frm Birthworks which is basically a hot tub. We used the chemicals supplied by them though not very helpful as I can't remember what they were.....

IIRC though you only need them if the water is standing - so if you fill it up the same day you use it there is no need for the chemicals.

Original poster

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:50

If you search for heated birth pool you will find the thing we are talking about. They are on at least half of the waterbirth sites. Totally agree about the fewer chemicals the better. That is why I am searching for a chemical free solution.

OP posts:

LentilsRMe · 08/03/2010 22:50

From birthworks website:

Water Maintenance Kit
If water is kept in a pool for more than 24 hours, bacteria and algae begin to grow in the water. To counteract this, we offer a water maintenance kit for use with the BirthWorks heater unit.

This is the system you get with a Gold Option or the Diamond Option.
It's made up of a filter chamber with a filter element and a spa system of tablets and liquid used to oxygenate the water to prevent bacteria multiplying in the water. There is no chlorine or bromine content.

At BirthWorks we pioneered this system and have used it for over 15 years. Thousands of babies have been born in this way (including our own) and we offer it as an option with complete confidence in its safety and suitability for water birth.

The Active Oxygen sanitation systems comprise of two components that are easy to use and work synergistically together to keep your water free from bacterial growth and algae.

The Active Oxygen Activator Liquid

Bayroplus is a liquid that is a long-lasting activator which should be used weekly in conjunction with the compatible Active Oxygen Tablets to activate the disinfectant effect of the tablets and prevent algae growth.

The Active Oxygen Tablets

Bayroklar are quick dissolving tablets that should be added to your water on filling the tub and then prior to using, or weekly if the tub is not used. The tablets destroy bacteria and remove organic impurities.
Both are chlorine and bromine free, working similar to pond plants by oxygenating the water.

Using this system means it's safe to keep the water in the pool for weeks at a time.

The tablets are high in alkaline and, if you are use quite a few of them, you may find that the water appears cloudy, If this happens it would be advisable to change the water.

You may also find that if you live in a soft water area the water can get cloudy, again in this instance you would be advised to change the water weekly.

Original poster

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:52

thanks LentilsRMe

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thisisyesterday · 08/03/2010 22:53

but if you want chemical free then why not just fill it on the day and use it without any chemicals??

sorry, i have had 2 homebirths so far, with birth pools, and not had a problem getting one inflated and filled ready to give birth in

Original poster

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:57

That Bayroklar stuff sounds good but i'd like to know more about it. It may be chlorine and bromine free but may still be a chemical agent. I have a list of people to call tomorrow but was eager to get an answer ASAP hence coming on mumsnet tonight. I really appreciate all your comments. Apologies if i have annoyed along the way.

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Original poster

TomFM · 08/03/2010 22:58

our hot water supply here is terrible. I would be worried that we wouldn't get it filled in time.if we cant find the right safe option, that is what we will do though.

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Caitni · 08/03/2010 23:53

I'm using a birthworks pool and am happy with the water maintainence provided by them as it's chlorine and bromine free and they have years of experience. Just need baby to show up now - 41 weeks tomorrow - so I can hopefully have the home water birth we've been planning...

Not sure why people are being negative TomFM, as this seems a perfectly sensible thing to ask on here. Also didn't realise I wasn't a "normal" person for choosing to a different route than a BPIAB/la bassine

bumpybecky · 09/03/2010 00:13

the best bit about having the birth pools set up before hand was the wallowing that went on before the actual births!

I was overdue with all of them and loved having a pool ready and waiting every evening. It was absolute heaven

any negativity from me was due to the stress involved in the diy-birthpool we ended up using for #4! it was an inflatable home spa thing and it was the chemicals that let us down.

If you can get a system that works for you, heated filtered pools are the absolute most fantastic thing ever nothing like the experience you get with a fill it as needed pool (we had that for dc1). It made being so overdue almost a positive thing!

bumpybecky · 09/03/2010 00:15

oh and it was the birthworks hexagonal ones we had for #2 and #3 that were so fantastic (they were all hired out for #4 )

Original poster

TomFM · 09/03/2010 08:38

thanks bumpybecky and caitni. I really appreciate your kind words. I was starting to get really worried. Feel much better now. I know what to do and what to get.

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