Are all birthing balls created equally?

[BettyButterknife]

Sat on an enormous one in my antenatal yoga class tonight and really loved it

Going to get myself one (and never get off). But do I just buy any old cheapo one or should I be looking for anything in particular?

my antenatal yoga teacher said any old gym ball would do - I got mine from TK Maxx for £6.99! She said just get the right one for your height - I am 5'6 and got the 65cm one.

Perfect! That's my height too. Did you get it from TK Maxx recently? May have to pay them a visit...

Any sports shop should have them.

Got mine from Argus.

In fact, it's deflated somewhere in the loft.

If you can heave yourself up the loftladder, you're very welcome to it.

The Reebok ones from Argos (9.99) blow up bigger and better than the tesco ones. My physio says the 65cm does for people up to 6' tall. I'm 5'10 and it seems fine.

Mine was argos too, I love it! it was my fav thing whilst pregnant with my DS and I laboured sat on one in the hospital whilst clinging to my gas and air!
Great for any type of back pain too

Yay, I got the Reebok one from Argos yesterday and it's brilliant - I love it! Thanks all.

Think I might not have quite inflated it enough though... can you take the stopper out and give it a bit more puff? Was put off by the instruction DO NOT OVER-INFLATE!

I'm intruiged. I've seen these before so know what they look like - but what do you DO with them??

Bouncy vibes to Betty Butter.

(Ella - like lots of things in labour - nobody knows if they are actually any scientific use, but they cause a marvellous distraction!)

im only 5'4" so what size do i get?? i saw a woman using one on one born every minute it seemed to help alot and looked really comfy...i want one!!

I've been getting lower back pain during pregnancy and it's really helped just to sit on the ball while watching TV or lie over it (knees on floor, chest on ball) - just relieves some of the weight a bit.

During my last labour I had a bounce on it whilst monitoring my contractions and eating a croissant. Miraculously my waters broke then, think the ball was partly responsible!

My DH thought it would be hilarious to start a game of catch in the delivery room with the birthing ball so thoughtfully provided...

So go for a smallish one.

hmm, i had such a sore back at 38 weeks that I spent all day rotating my pelvis on one...helped a bit but my waters broke the next day! Probably a coincidence but my dh swears it was the ball that sent me into labour fwiw I had grand plans of using it during the birth, but it never made it out of the boot of the car at the hospital...it was good for the period type pain at the latent stage of labour however. Good luck!