Birth pool for home birth - worth the hassle?

[malvinandhobbes]

Here is my background. I have had two very straightforward hospital births that went quickly (about 5 hours each). I used gas and air and had a bit of tearing with each. DH has VERY reluctantly agreed to support me for a home birth for number three. He is risk averse, mess averse, and would much prefer me to be in the hospital but has agreed to try home birth.

I actually don't care where I give birth, as in my experience it is a deeply unpleasant, nearly out-of-body experience that results in a lovely baby. I have no romantic ideas about the actual birth. I really hated being in the hospital after birth (even if only for 5 hours, I hated it). I want to be home right away.

Given that DH is agreeable but not keen, is a birth pool really worth the fuss? It sounds great, but someone (DH) will need to set it up, fill it up, clean it up, and send it back. I can totally push him on this and he will agree but I'm not sure it is worth the bother.

If you had a birth pool at home, was it definitely worth it? and, do you have carpets?

Bumping because I'd really like to know this, too

Had home birth 12 weeks ago. DH had reservations. We wanted a pool but in tje end didn't. Glad we didn't as it would have been a real hassle filling up and keeping warm.

We got some decorating sheets from in excess to cover the lounge. I had a warm birth early labour.

Had two horrible hospital births and this one was no picnic either but it was fab being at home. Plus you get two midwives all to yourself!

Gorgeous cuddles with new baby DS, DH, DS1 and DD after.

Good luck xx

Warm bath!

I've had two home water births - both birth pool in a box second hand from eBay. No hassle at all really. Inflating and filling is as straight forward as a paddling pool. We did a couple of practice runs in the weeks beforehand - really soothing on those late pregnancy aches! Came with a water pump to drain the pool.

I used a sheet on top of a shower curtain to protect the floor around the pool and the same on the sofa. There was hardly any mess though really.

And water is a really effective form of pain relief..!

My dd used a birth pool and said it really helped with the pain.

Used a birth pool at home twice and about to use one again. In my experience, it's great natural pain relief and provides an intimate buffer between you and everyone else - I think helping you get in the birthy 'zone'.. Oxytocin up and all that. In early labour, my DH came in with me, which was really special and nice, but otherwise I was isolated in the water and really liked that. I can't imagine not having it, but you've had two 'dry' births, right? So maybe you wouldn't need/want it. Did you have the urge to be in water at all?

I would really recommend hiring a pool and buying a liner and clean hose. The liner will mean your DP won't need to scrub out the pool after, just pump out the water and chuck out the lining. Cheap shower curtains and or tarp are a good shout to protect the floor - again, just chuck away after. The only other thing you need is lots of towels, but you'd want those anyway! If anything I found it kind of contains the mess to one cleanable space, so suits my (also) mess averse DH.

Good luck either way. I totally loved my births - miserable pregnancies but redemptive empowering main event. I hope that this one is lovely for you.

I have had 2 homebirths (after 2 previoushospital births) One of them was a waterbirth. Honestly it was amazing. If it is possible to enjoy labour and birth then that is how I would describe my waterbirth. I loved it. We didn't have carpets but put cheap shower curtains down everywhere.

Thanks everyone. I will start to slowly bring DH around to the idea.

I had 2 home births and spent a lot of time in the bath - very nice! Also much less hassle than getting a pool.

But with a pool it is deeper than a bath and you have room to move around and change positions as it suits you. Or you can have someone get in with you if you want (I didn't, I wanted that space just for me)

I hired a birth pool with DC1 (so they delivered it & collected by courier, so it was no fuss). It wasn't that much fuss. We got it all set up before and then DH filled it up when the MWs arrived. It only took about an hour to sort out afterwards, in between drinking tea.

I had two water births at home, they were fabulous. Disposable liners mean all you need to do is pump out the water and chuck the liner. No mess at all. I had a corner set up with a beanbag covered with inco pads (from the midwives) to deliver the placenta. The midwives got rid of all the inco pads, no cleaning up to do.
They were both really lovely, peaceful experiences. My DH was worried beforehand about a home birth but was an absolute convert afterwards.

I would definitely go for it.i had a hospital water birth on Dd1 and it was fantastic except for the stay in hospital afterwards,had my heart set on a home water birth for Dd2,if you can i really don't think you'd regret it.

I had a home water birth 3 yrs ago and would definitely recommend! We hired the pool and put it up a couple of days before, it had a cover and regulated the temp so no hassle there! It can with a pump to empty so was really easy. It came in the Monday and we had my son in the Wednesday, my husband emptied and the company picked it up on the Saturday! We just out sheets underneath but it really wasn't messy!

We are lucky to have a separate room we could put it in so it wasn't in the way.

It was amazing during labour a really restful experience.

Just in case you do hire one, the government says that ones filled in advance shouldn't be used as there is a risk of legionella.

www.gov.uk/government/news/public-health-england-advice-on-home-birthing-pools

"PHE recommends that heated birthing pools (incorporating both a re-circulation pump and heater), filled in advance of labour, should no longer used for labour or birth, in the home setting."

Are you particularly keen on the water element? As you can have a home birth on dry land, of course (this is what I did, and a I learned that in a lot of minds home birth = pool). If your DH is mess averse and you aren;t 100% definite on the pool idea might be an option? I can't offer any advice on the pool, but for a home birth without one the mess was really minimal: midwives took most of it away and DH just had to shove some towels on a hot wash.

It was lovely being at home and not having to go anywhere. I had the best shower of my entire life and then snuggled up on the sofa with DD and sent DH out for a takeaway curry! (the timing of the birth meant I'd missed lunch and tea and I was ravenous!)

I think it depends how quickly you labour. I had a wonderful home birth 6 weeks ago, I didn't bother with a pool as my first labour was very quick and I didn't think we'd get it filled in time. I was right, baby almost came before the midwives.

Am having home birth but can't be bothered with a pool - finding the right space, filling up, clearing up etc. I just want to be at home, be able to walk around, use the bath if I feel like it and the 1-2-1 care of midwives. Only person in real life I know that has also had a home birth didn't bother and didn't feel like she'd missed out...

I didn't have DD2 at home but I did have a water birth in hospital with no pain relief at all - and the birthing pool made such a huge difference to my pain levels, it was dramatic. I suppose it depends if you're a 'warm bath in early labour' sort of person. If you are then I'd say it was worth it.