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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Birthing ball - advice needed

23 replies

geewaf · 22/01/2011 08:47

Have been looking at these recently - do I need to get a special pregnancy one (which seem to be double the price) or is a regular gym ball exactly the same?

Just wondering if its another one of these pregnancy things where they stick the word "pregnancy" on as an excuse to charge crazy money from gullible people like me!

Thanks
x

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debka · 22/01/2011 09:09

no, they'll all do the same thing. I got a gym ball from a charity shop for £5!

Original poster

geewaf · 22/01/2011 09:18

I thought so! Really can't see how they can be any different...

OP posts:

EauRouge · 22/01/2011 09:20

There was a thread the other day saying that Tesco were selling gym balls for £3. I got one in Argos the other day for a fiver. Yes, think it is defo a case of adding the word 'pregnancy' and charging 3 times as much!

Freecycle might be worth a go as well.

MoChan · 22/01/2011 09:25

I got mine from Argos for a fiver too. It worked fine. It has since entertained my step-children in the garden to great effect so £5 well spent...

EauRouge · 22/01/2011 09:37

Glad to hear it worked, I had an awful nightmare the other night that I went into labour and inflated the ball only to find it was the size of a netball! Damn pregnancy dreams

muslimah28 · 22/01/2011 10:40

well there may be some truth in your dream eaurouge but i hope not! basically, a gym ball is fine but you must make sure you get a decent size, as some can be quite small. i got one fromfreecycle, took it to my pregnancy yoga class and my teacher said it was too small so i had to buy another one. they sell them by size so check the diameter i cant remember what size i got in the end but just get the largest you can!

Muser · 22/01/2011 11:04

You need at least a 65cm one. Gym balls come in 55cm, but for pregnancy you need a bit bigger. If you're tall then a 75cm one.

I have the cheapo Argos one as well, it's grand. The pump it comes with is rubbish though. If you know anyone with a decent bike pump (the type that sit on the floor and have a t bar to pump down) borrow that. I have one and got the ball inflated in about 5 minutes after sitting there for ages with the stupid handheld thing.

gallicgirl · 22/01/2011 11:10

Apparently the pregnancy ones won't burst and they come in different sizes. try this website for a reasonable price but it's your choice if you want to risk the gym ball. It might give you some idea of the right size to buy at least if you do get a gym ball.

Muser · 22/01/2011 11:12

Gym balls don't burst either. Seriously, they don't. If you've ever tried to deflate a gym ball it takes about a bazillion years and you end up swearing and stamping on it trying to get the last of the air out. If somehow it did get a puncture, even me at my most hippo like could roll off it before I ended up dumped on the floor.

There's no difference, just marketing.

Original poster

geewaf · 22/01/2011 11:40

Thanks for all your posts ladies! Off shopping now. :)

OP posts:

SarahScot · 22/01/2011 13:04

I've only ever once heard of a pregnancy ball bursting, and I assume it wasn't a gym ball because it was in the maternity unit. When I went in to have DS they'd removed them all because one had burst the day before and the lady who'd been on it broke her tailbone.

I think as long as you buy as new one you'd be fine. The rubber of an older one might be stressed/perished and that could make it burst.

I bought a 75cm one fro Argos last week for £6.99. BUT, I'm not actually sure why I need it. Can someone enlighten me?

EauRouge · 22/01/2011 13:13

I think it's to throw at your DH when you're in transition.

A netball would probably do for me actually, I'm quite short petite.

EauRouge · 22/01/2011 13:14

Some useful tips here.

Mahraih · 22/01/2011 14:59

Double check whether your hospital has some in supply before you go out and buy one - I'm with Kings (London) and they have one in every room, as well as a mat.

They assured me they're all very clean, despite having been used before! We tried them out in an antenatal class - very comfortable, relieved back pain slightly.

happycamel · 22/01/2011 20:36

I sit on mine (Sainsburys, £5, awful pink colour) in the evenings. I find it relieves the back pain I get in the office because I can keep my hips gently moving. It also encourages me to tilt my pelvis forward which is supposed to encourage the baby to face my back. Apparently sitting back on the sofa makes a nice hammock shape for them to go spine to spine, which makes for a more painful labour.

NotAnotherNewNappy · 22/01/2011 22:15

A gym one will be fine. I used to sit on mine and bounce while holding DD1 afterwards to rock her to sleep

shangrila · 22/01/2011 23:33

I loved rocking on the hospital's ball in early labour and I believe that using it really speeded things up and got me into established labour. DH kept on muttering about how grubby it was. You can imagine what I muttered back to him in return!

MummySerendipity · 23/01/2011 00:25

Hi, just wanted to give a positive vote for the gym ball. I bought a gym ball for £7.14 last Sunday from Argos, I went into labour that night after sitting and bouncing on the ball and gave birth Monday at 3.45pm. I really do believe the gym ball helped bring my labour on. It also relieved my back pain. The reason I'd bought it was because my midwife had told me a few days previously that my baby was back to back and that a gym/pregnancy ball will help bring the baby into optimum position. I thought it would be worth a try.

My due date was 19th Jan, had DC3 last Monday 17th Jan. My baby was in the right position for birth and I had a relatively good labour after having had a previous 3rd degree tear, episiotomy and forceps delivery (only a year ago!) This time round I had very minor tears that hardly required any stitches.

NotAnotherNewNappy · 23/01/2011 09:22

MummySerendipity - Wow, that sounds like £7.14 well spent! Congrats

homebirthmummy · 23/01/2011 15:13

Gym balls are amazing...birthing ball, pregnancy ball, gym ball, all the same thing.

Just make sure they are anti burst (most are) but worth checking just for safety reasons.

Brilliant at helping the baby into the optimum position and for labour. Also you can lie baby face down on the top (whilst gently supporting baby so they don't fall off!) and you can gently rock the ball from side to side. This can help relieve colic and great for helping the inner ear develop.

Oneof4 · 23/01/2011 18:51

My lovely DH bought me one today (£3.99 from Tesco). Really, really like it. :)

pettyprudence · 23/01/2011 19:10

i just picked up a 65cm Gym ball from tesco today on offer for £3.32 and straight away its has eased up my lower back/pelivs pain. Just trying very hard not to bounce on it

Muser · 23/01/2011 20:23

Bounce away! Just not too high in case you fall off. Bouncing is good.

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