What type of birth pool should I choose?
This article from The Good Birth Company is remarkably objective about the pros and cons of different options, and is reproduced here with their permission.
There are now many choices for birth pools on the market. Although price is one factor that helps people decide, there are good reasons that birth pools are priced very differently. To help you better understand the full range of birth pools, we've spelled out three tiers of the birth pool market for you to help you make a good decision about which pool is best for you:
Premium Market
At the high end of the market are heated, self-cleaning pools. These pools come with a built-in heater and water cleaning system so you fill the pool once and it stays heated and clean for the duration of your pool hire.
Pros:
- You don't need to worry about filling the pool when you go into labour
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You can enjoy the relaxation benefits of essentially a hot tub for the duration of your pool hire
- You don't need to worry about keeping the pool at a constant temperature
- There has never been a flood.
- The sides of these pools are very sturdy-you will be able to sit and lean against them without any worries of flooding.
Cons:
- Heated pools require chemicals to be added to them to keep the water from growing bacteria. Some people do not care for chemicals to be in the water they labour or give birth in.
- Heated pools require a systemic filtration system which can arguably harbour bacteria either from this pool hire period or from previous hires. You need to confident that the standards the pool hire company has drawn up have been followed.
- These tend to be the most expensive pools on the market ranging from £290-£400 for a hire period plus delivery charges.
- Once you receive the pool, even if you don't use it, you will be charged for the pool use
- These pools tend to take a longer time to assemble and are more complex in their systems.
- You will need to be confident that the cleaning standards are adequate and have been followed if a new liner is not provided.
- If this is an inflatable heated pool, you will want to be sure you have a puncture kit ready to go-keep scissors and cats away!
Questions to ask of these companies:
- How can you guarantee the filtration system has been adequately cleaned to prevent infection in my newborn baby?
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Does your pool come with a lockable cover to keep small children or pets from having an unsupervised swim?
- Do you want to have chemicals in the water in which you labour or give birth?
Companies that offer this service:
Gentlewater (www.gentlewater.com);
BirthWorks (www.birthworks.com)
Crescendo (www.crescendopools.co.uk )(inflatable so slightly less expensive).
Middle Market:
At the middle market range, simple structure pools are offered which allow the customer to easily set up a birth pool and fill it with hot/warm water when labour begins. These pools can also be used prior to labour for relaxation and would be topped up just like a bath would be topped up. The temperature of these pools does not drop dramatically like it would in a bath, as it is such a large body of water, so topping up every 20-30 minutes with a kettle or two or from the tap should be fine for a comfortable evening soak or for labour. These pools come with an industrial solids waste emptying pump which empties the pools in about 20 minutes to the last inch of water.
Pros:
- There is very little infection risk if your pool hire companies provide brand new liners, filling hoses, tap connectors, thermometers and heat retention covers to be used while filling. There is no filtration system required. If you are in the pool more than 24 hours, you should change the water.
- Filling and emptying are easy.
- The sturdy sides and rims of these pools are favoured among woman in strong labour.
- There has never been a flood with rigid sided pools!
- Delivery and collection are to/from your door or from a local agent to avoid delivery costs.
- Delivery can be overnight if necessary.
- These are much less expensive than heated pools--£165-£350 for a four week hire.
- There are no chemicals involved so the mother and baby are enjoying pure water!
Cons:
- You will want to fill the pool with fresh water when you go into labour. This can take anywhere from 90 minutes to 4 hours depending on the size of your water tank and hot water heater. If you time how long it takes to fill 4 bathtubs, this will give you an indication of timing.
- These are more expensive than inflatable paddling-type pools used for birth.
- Your midwife will monitor the temperature during labour to best suit the mother's comfort. If the woman chooses to give birth to her baby in water, she will want the water heated up with a couple kettles to 37 degrees.
- Once you receive the pool, even if you don't use it, you will be charged for the pool use (although some companies give you some money back if the pool is returned unused or returned early).
Questions to ask of these companies:
- Make sure your pool hire company uses brand new consumable items that come in contact with the water and the woman prior to giving birth such as liners, filling hoses, tap connectors, thermometers and heat retention covers to be used while filling.
- Note reusable heat retention covers have bubble-wrap like texture which is very difficult to keep clean, and if a bubble bursts and water goes inside, bacteria from a previous hire will inevitably grow! Be sure your pool hire company uses a brand new heat retention cover for each hire!
- Ask if there are any charges beyond the typical 4-week hire. Some companies have clever pricing where the daily price of the pool hire can mean a very expensive service by the time you have gone a couple weeks overdue.
- Ask if there is an early return bonus.
- Ask if you cancel your pool after the deposit and full amount have been paid, but learn you need to cancel your pool for a medical reason, is there a refund?
- Is there after-hours and weekend customer service? You do not want to be getting an answer machine at 2 a.m. when you need some advice filling your pool!
- Does your pool hire company respond quickly to your phone calls or emails about information and booking?
- Can you pencil-in a pool rather than paying a deposit to reserve it?
Companies that offer this service:
www.thegoodbirth.co.uk;
www.activebirthcentre;
www.birthworks.co.uk;
Low-end Market
At the low-end of the market, some paddling pools have now been deemed suitable to be used for birth. Some are even designed for birth. At the end of the day, these are just paddling pools, mass produced in China and you will get what you pay for! Many women are thrilled to be able to spend so little for the luxury of water for labour and birth. A few precautions can minimise the issues that may be a part of using a plastic inflatable pool for birth.
Pros:
- These are by far the least expensive option for birth, starting at £39.95.
- You own the pool so there is nothing to send back!
- Your children can enjoy the pool in the garden or some people clean it out and save it for another birth.
- There is very little infection risk if you use a brand new filling hose, tap connector, thermometer and heat retention cover to be used while filling. There is no filtration system required. If you are in the pool more than 24 hours, you should change the water.
- Filling the pool with water is easy.
- Inflating the pool is easy if you are not in a hurry and if you have a good inflating pump.
- Delivery can be overnight if necessary.
- There are no chemicals involved so the mother and baby are enjoying pure water!
- The cushioned sides of the inflatable pools are enjoyed by mothers and labour companions/midwives.
- If you don't use the pool, you still have purchased a great paddling pool!
- When used as a paddling pool, if the chambers are horizontal, only one or two chambers can be inflated to make a much shallower and safer paddling pool for small children.
Cons:
- There are no sturdy sides or rims to grip on to during labour in strong labour. Some companies do have handles on the pool but pulling against these in the pool makes the pool feel unstable. Also, heavy strain on the handles can cause the seams around these handle to compromise the ability for the pool to not burst.
- If one of the chambers pops, some of the water will go on the floor. If it is a single chamber pool, all of the water can go on the floor!!! You can help prevent this by inflating the pool beforehand to ensure there are no leaks and the seams are strong.
- Emptying the pool can be a chore. You can either purchase a drill-pump for around £15 from either a DIY store or from some of the birth pool companies; you can bail with a bucket; you can create a siphon with the filling hose; or you can hire a heavy duty emptying waste pump for around £25.
Questions to ask of these companies:
- How many chambers of air does the pool have? If one is popped, how much water will be lost? If it is a single chamber pool, all the water will go on the floor!
- Can you sit and/or lean heavily on the sides of the pool?
- How deep is the pool? We recommend a 22 inch high pool not be used for a woman over 5'4". A 25"or deeper pool is suitable as long as the pool has length to it to allow a woman to extend her legs out behind her when she is leaning against the side of the pool. She will want her bump and lower back to be underwater during labour.
- Is there enough space for a partner to be in the pool with the woman? Ask what the INTERIOR dimensions are of the pool to find out how much space is inside the pool. For a woman to comfortably extend herself in the pool, the interior dimension should be at least 48".
- What is the history of these pools? Do you have access to stories of satisfied customers?
- What is the thickness of the PVC? Is it thicker than other inflatable pools on the market?
Companies that offer this service:
www.birthpoolinabox.co.uk;
www.madeinwater.co.uk
This article was written by The Good Birth Company.
The Good Birth Company
Specialists in affordable birth pool hire. Local agents around the
country. Rigid sided birth pool hire from £165. Very liberal
cancellation policy--100% refund of deposit and full payment if
cancelling for a medical reason prior to collecting the pool. Money
back for early return and no charge for going beyond 4 week hire period
if baby is not yet born! www.thegoodbirth.co.uk
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