birthing ball - should I buy one?

[tassis]

Considering buying a birthing ball. Worth the money? Did anyone use one much?

TIA

I never used one, but if you decide to buy one, you might try investigating sports shops for exercise/swiss balls - a friend did this, and found it cheaper than the actual birthing balls. Once she'd finished with it she sold it on ebay for more than she'd paid for it. Might want to check that they really are exactly the same thing first (but it worked for her!).

yes, I just bought an exercise ball, sat on it for the last two weeks of pregnancy (only place I could get comfy) I delivered dd(9lb 1oz) on due date, 2.5 hours after first contraction and only 45 mins in hospital with only gas and air.

I got one recently from Argos - £3.99. No idea if it is any different to the "proper" birthing balls, but it does make a difference

I got one recently from Argos - £3.99. No idea if it is any different to the "proper" birthing balls, but it does make a difference

I want to get one this time round, a friend has just used one with her first baby, she had a fab labour, reasonbly short with only gas and air. Sounds blissful.
I would suppose a swiss ball does the same job

yes, I've found it really useful too (used an ancient exercise ball), both during labour and in the 3rd trimester. :) It's so versatile - even when you're huge it can help you get comfy somehow (be it leaning on it whilst you're kneeling on the floor!).

I used one as a chair at my desk from about 5 months onwards - it was a lot more comfortable than a chair and I didn't get cramp so much (I guess because you're always moving a bit).

Had planned caesareans so not much use there!

I used to sit on it afterwards whilst holding small baby and watching tv - they get rocked with little effort on my part.

When they were a bit bigger I used to lie them on their tummies on it and rock them - they thought it was hilarious.

We get it out every so often and dd plays with it for ages (she is 4).

The best use so far - at Easter it went to church and was the stone in front of the tomb. Well, we needed a big round grey thing.

Quite good to sit on in last few weeks of pregnancy, and supposedly helps with optimal foetal positioning. I say supposedly because I bounced around on mine every evening for weeks and ds still wasn't in the greatest position.

Take it into hospital with you if you want to use it during labour. I was induced so had early stage labour in hospital, and could really have done with the birthing ball in there. Hospital told me not to bring it as they said they had balls in hospital, but in fact they only had a couple, both of which which were being used, so I never got to use one.

The downside of birthing balls is that they take up a lot of room in your living room and are really ugly! If you decide to get one, definitely go for the cheapest option, eg tescos, as they are all the same.

ditto all the positive feedback here - I used to love leaning over the ball while kneeling in the last weeks of pregnancy - it really helped my lower back. Also really helped in labour - I too had to pester for a ball in the hospital and wished I"d bought mine.

Also helped with exhausted back muscles after the birth, and made me feel as if I was exercising!! I wasn't I was just wiggling on a ball but hey!

Crumpet, I have been searching the Argos website for these. I cant find them, what are do they call them?

\link{http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3023792/Trail/C%24cip%3D36237.Sports%2Band%2Bleisure%3EC%24cip%3D36317.Home%2Bgym%2Bequipment%3EC%24cip%3D36320.Fitness%2Baccesssories.htm\Hope this link works!}

Search for 'fitness ball' or look under fitness accessories, it's called "Pro Fitness Gym Ball". Worth every penny of 3.99!

Thanks everyone!

Fruitful, I love the idea of it being the stone at Easter!!

Re the £3.99 argos one, I was under the impression that birthing ones were the way to go not exercis ones in case they burst because the birthing ones deflate slowly. Do you think this is just marketing hype??

Other question - how do you inflate them?

i used a 7.99 (i think) one from argos. it worked fine. i couldnt find the pump so i blew it up like a balloon! it went up enough to satisfy, so to speak.

My birthing one burst - so sounds like marketing hype. Now have a cheap exercise one and I'm not even pregnant. I find them really comfy to sit on occasionally (eases lower back pain when I have it). The rest of the time it blows around our house like tumbleweed, but noone seems to notice.

mine was a cheap £3.99 one and its been through me and two friends births now, admittedly I only used it in early labour as i was made to be on bed with drip, but it worked fine. In fact friend gave it me back the other day I must try and sell it on ebay or even here.

Thanks, I will go get one today.