Birth Pool Expense?

[birdiex]

Hi All - I'm a little worried about being able to afford a birthpool whatsoever. Our bath is WAYYY to small to act as one, and we can't really afford £100 on a pool. All the rentals we've looked at come in at around £100 as well, so getting ourselves a pool might not be an option

Do any of you girls have an idea of what I could possibly do, or where I could get one from nearer the end of my pregnancy?

 

[Blah11]

Ive been looking on ebay and expect to spend about £60 including a new liner They do have a resale value so remember youll get money back when you sell on.

 

[lesbianlove]

hi hun i was also put off by the price of birth pools :O but i would suggest talking to your midwife bout getting one as all midwives coming out to do a homebirth with you have ones to rent out and i think its only like 50 quid or cheaper? depending how many weeks u rent, iv not spoken to my mw bout renting one as im still not entirely sure id need it if its the bath i end up in so be it lol

 

[cranberry987]

the mw in my area dont rent them out. im going for ebay too, theres some unused or maybe just blown up and never birthed in. im not sure if Id get a used one, but might be ok with a new liner

 

[Blah11]

id buy a used one.. its just the same as renting anyway? not as if theyll be brand new and the pools in hosp are obv used many many times too.

 

[cranberry987]

I just wouldn't know how to clean one and I assume the rented ones are cleaned properly. If you can clean it then fine I just wouldn't know what to do

 

[lynnikins]

id imagine if you email a hire firm they will tell you what they use to clean it and how its done hunni. if i get one it will most definately be secondhand and i'll just get a new kit for it and liner but with our small house theres no place to have it blown up ahead of time even if we had it empty it would have to happen once im in labour lol

 

[birdiex]

Thanks everyone - I'll look in to that, and if not, would one of the outdoor family pools do the same job? I'm sure I could get an inflatable cushion or something for inside the pool!

Thanks for all the replies x

 

[Mervs Mum]

Also check on freecycle. They come upon there for time to time. Often local homebirth support groups have them to loan too. We have a few we loan and you just have to your own liner

 

[birdiex]

https://www.bgstores.co.uk/pool-amp...9/bestway-multi-coloured-rainbow-pool-p-18781

Do you all think that this'd be fine?

 

[birdiex]

https://www.bgstores.co.uk/pool-amp...9/bestway-multi-coloured-rainbow-pool-p-18781

Do you all think that this'd be fine?

 

[lynnikins]

i would worry about the depth but women have birthed in bathtubs fine so you would just have to be careful about positioning and of course it has no padded bottom so thats something you might want to consider as well and most birthpools are designed with flat seams so they dont annoy you too. personally id rather buy one secondhand on ebay or find out from the local homebirth group if they have one to loan or talk to someone in the group with one and convince them to let me borrow it than go with one thats not made for the job but thats me , there are videos on youtube of waterbirths using non birth pool pools

 

[birdiex]

i would worry about the depth but women have birthed in bathtubs fine so you would just have to be careful about positioning and of course it has no padded bottom so thats something you might want to consider as well and most birthpools are designed with flat seams so they dont annoy you too. personally id rather buy one secondhand on ebay or find out from the local homebirth group if they have one to loan or talk to someone in the group with one and convince them to let me borrow it than go with one thats not made for the job but thats me , there are videos on youtube of waterbirths using non birth pool pools

Yeah, the padded bottom was really the only worry - we wanted to be able to use a pool that we could keep for the garden, but I suppose a trip to the local swimming pool would be fine - I'd just worry about the strange looks when swimming with a tiny baby! We'd use birth pool in a box eco regular if we were to buy a proper one, but all the ones on ebay are either pick-up only or there's one that can be posted but it all comes to £70, plus accessories (pump, hose, seive). I'll have to ask my MW at the next visit if she knows of anywhere else we can get one!

 

[lynnikins]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-Ne...regnancy_MJ&hash=item3f0c711f4d#ht_500wt_1156

if you watch this auction close there might be a bargin, some sellers will post for you if theres none local going for cheap ive found 3 under £5 local to me that i could pick up of course with open auction i'll have to be quick but still got time to score one before im gonna need it lol

 

[birdiex]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Brand-Ne...regnancy_MJ&hash=item3f0c711f4d#ht_500wt_1156

if you watch this auction close there might be a bargin, some sellers will post for you if theres none local going for cheap ive found 3 under £5 local to me that i could pick up of course with open auction i'll have to be quick but still got time to score one before im gonna need it lol

Thank you so much for finding that for me! If it came to it and paying £70-£100 was the only option then we'd find the money from somewhere, even if it meant borrowing it from someone - but I look at the prices and think, I might be able to get a better deal, kwim? I'm a big bargain hunter and we can't afford the pools at full price by ourselves, haha x

 

[lynnikins]

i always ask ppl if they would mind if i arranged collection or postage etc... if im to far to pick it up or get a friend who lives in the area to pick it up and post it to me lol hopefully we will have a car again soon so pickups wont be so much of a pain but i find alot of sellers will co-operate on things if your nice about it

 

[ambreen359]

hi we were put off by the 100 pounds as well but i kept saying to friends that that's what i was doing and i ended up speaking to my husbands friends wife who's sister had bought one she is letting us use it we just need to buy a liner which is 20+ ask around if someone knows of someone who has one? Good luck

 

[mistyscott]

We ummed and aahed about buying vs hiring - and have decided to hire which will cost £80 incl all accessories and delivery/collection for 5wks hire. I looked on ebay but right at the end of the auction the price always shoots up.... Midwife didn't know of any places that lend them either.

 

[madasa]

Sorry if any of this has already been suggested! Haven't had chance to read all the replies but I didn't want to read and run

- you could consider a hospy birth, if your hospy has birth pools and is positive about you using them?

- you could buy a second hand one from ebay or freecycle. there are also cycle/swap/ groups on Facebook, you might be able to find one there.

- you could ask around in your area and on forums etc. to see if you can get one cheaply, or just borrow one.

- you could look into having a doula - some doulas loan you a pool as part of the service (they will probably deliver it, help you set it up, help monitor the temp of the water, empty it, clean it, pick it up etc. as well, leaving your OH free to be WITH YOU and your new baby...) Trainee doulas usually work for a lot less, and some might even help for free if it counts towards their recognition. lots are willing to negotiate, or allow to pay over a stretch of time so you don't have to cough up all at once.

Re: cleaning it - we just used Milton to clean ours.

FTR, it was second hand and it cost about £40. Frankly, as skint as we were at that point, I;d have spent that money four times over for that relief! Knowing now how helpful it was, I'd have spent the money on THAT rather than on any of the new "stuff" that everyone tries to convince you that babies need You can't put a price on a positive, comfortable birthing experience IMO

I'd also be upfront with people that want to buy you or the baby something. Tell them that vests and cute outfits are two a penny, but what you would REALLY like is a little bit towards the pool....