are birthing balls any different from a normal gym ball?

[Nickij]

Just wondering as I can pick up a gym ball at sainsbury for about £6, but the "birthing balls" on the internet seem to be about £15-£20?

 

[wishing4ababy]

hi hun. I got a gym ball rather than a birthing one for that very reason - they were half the price. my mw said they were the same.

 

[mer01]

Thanks for asking this, i had wondered myself cool off to the sports shop in the morning. I wasnt going to get one they are £40 in mothercare

 

[jojo2605]

Cool! i did wonder this myself! might get myself one now! thanks

 

[xkirstyx]

i got a gym ball from tesco for about £5 x

 

[pinkbow]

Hey!! i just use my own gym ball i had...i was NOT paying £40 from mothercare or that...how dear is that!!! does the same thing anyways, def worth just gettin gym ball hehe

xx

 

[jojo2605]

Seriously though can you believe the exploitation of these places; as soon as anything is deemed 'maternity' it's practically tripled in price... it's so annoying!

 

[sam's mum]

I've just got a gym ball too - don't think there's any difference. It looks exactly the same as the ones they had at the hospital when I had Sam x

 

[Vici]

I think alot of places try and sell "birthing balls" as unpoppable to scare women in to buying them. Imagine if gym balls popped all the time, they get far more stick. Mine was about £5 from Argos

 

[kaygeebee]

Just one thing to check - if you do get a gym ball, get one at the right height for you. When you are sitting on it, your hips have to be at least 5 - 10cm higher than your knees to bring baby into the right position. eg a 55am gym ball would be too small for me to do any good, I have a 65cm one, and that's just OK for me as long as it's fully pumped up (and you actually need to measure the circumference -I'm 5 ft 7 and 65cm just raises me by about 8 cm) if I was any taller I'd have to order a 75cm birth one, as I've not seen any gym ones that big.

Gym ones are made exactly the same way, but if it's too small, it just won't be doing what it's meant to in terms of foetal positioning.

HTH xx

 

[Maffie]

Some gym balls do pop. My brother popped mine a few years ago and it didnt deflate slowly shouldn't laugh but was funny.
I've been looking at balls ad wondering if they were any tougher than the cheap gym balls. I know soem gym balls can be expensive.