Birth pools, to hire, to buy?

RoxieW

Just a note to say that I planned a water birth with all three of my children but for various reasons it never happened. Twice due to complications with the baby and once due to staffing issues. So definately get something that can be sold to recoup cost if you end up not using it.

Also, have you confirmed with your midwife that you can have a home birth. In my area (derbyshire) they have stopped offering them due to midwife shortages and I would imagine this is a national thing? Also if you have any issues/complications then you will not be able to have a home birth. I tried to compromise with a birthing centre on my third child and ended up being transferred to hosp by ambulance. For the best really as had I had them at home two of my three children would have been unlikely to survive the birth.

I dont want to burst your bubble. just beware spending a lot of money on something that may not get used and fixing your plans in your head when it may not be able to happen that way.

All the best!

Chakani

Hi Roxie, thanks, I know that where I had DS, a home birth would have been discouraged, but here I am very lucky and they are extremely supportive of home births - in fact it was the midwife who first suggested it, and I've been booked for a home birth from 8 weeks.

I'm actually pretty calm about the back up plan of hospital, I know we are close to the local ambulance station and I've seen the labour ward, which I'm happy about - I'm just being a bit of a fruitloop about the bit I'm supposed to be organising :rotfl:

Ms_Piggy_2

I think even if you don't birth at home, having a spa-type pool you can use it in the run-up to labour and in early labour even if you then transfer. And afterwards too off course - and then sell it on.

WRT 2nd hand pools - well, it's no different to hiring really - especially as your mum knows how to sterlize it.

And as for whether or not you are 'allowed' a home birth - well, to be honest, there is a lot of misinformation out there. I've heard loads of rot as to why a mum can't too old 35+, too fat, too overdue, VBAC etc etc - none on their own are any real reason.

This site is great fo myth busting - and also for providing advice/info/research to allow mums to make an informed choice:
http://www.homebirth.org.uk/

cclarke12

Good luck with it all. We were also at home with another child. Luckily my mum was around to amuse him (and he went to bed anyway). DH was given the job of filling up the birthing pool. The thing with the home birth is that you get real one-to-one midwife support and to be honest she was more helpful in coaching me through it than him anyway. I think having a job to do made him feel less of a spare part. It is great to have supportive midwives. I am in North Herts and the team here are just so supportive and encouraging.

Volupturaptor

I've had two home births, the first was with a large, bolt together fibreglass pool. I was already pushing by the time the pool was ready enough to get into, and was still being filled while I was in there. It was full enough, and warm enough for my daughter to be born into, but only just. I didn't get to have any of that nice relaxing labour stuff that you hear about though! (labour recorded as being 4 hrs)
Second time, I wanted a pool again, but wasn't sure I'd have it ready in time as second time around it's supposed to be faster. I'd have liked to hire a heated, filtered pool, but couldn't afford it. Instead I opted to have a small inflatable pool, as it doesn't hold too much water, so quicker to fill I hoped! Well, it was all ready but I just needed to nip up to the loo first... Went to the loo, found myself unable to move from the landing upstairs afterwards though, and my son was born there a few minutes later!
I have no plans to have any more children, but if ever I were to do it again, it would be the heated pool, or no pool.

Chakani

Volupturaptor wrote: »

Well, it was all ready but I just needed to nip up to the loo first... Went to the loo, found myself unable to move from the landing upstairs afterwards though, and my son was born there a few minutes later!

Oh dear, maybe I should add "don't go wandering around the house" to my birth plan :rotfl:

I think you've just convinced me, as your first labour sounds similar to mine. If there is going to be a pool, it's going to be a ready warm one. If it's not a quick one this time, it doesn't matter, but if it is, at least there will be no messing about.

The spa ones on Ebay are the same price as a new birth pool in a box, and we can always sell it on later, if we don't want to keep it.

Volupturaptor

Sounds like a plan!