Birthing Pool (home) recommendations

[Jenegade]

Hi,

I'm planning a home water birth. However I can't decide whether it's best to buy or hire a pool. Hiring seems quite expensive and I can't find a huge choice of places to hire from in Scotland. Buying an inflatable pool seems cheaper, but not sure how good the pools are, I've also noticed that quite a few people have been selling them on Ebay...

Any advice?

Thanks!

 

[Feronia]

I can personally attest for the Intex fishy pool!
https://i00.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/253597714/birth_pool_Intex_Aquarium_60_Pool.jpg_250x250.jpg
It was fabulous for my homebirth. It had enough water, a nice inflatable bottom, sturdy sides, and it stayed hot for a very long time with a plastic shower curtain over it.

 

[MindUtopia]

Do you have a local home birth group? Usually they have pools for hire for nearly nothing (cost of a liner). Also, join the Home Birthers and Hopefuls FB group or contact Lisa here: https://homebirthersandhopefuls.com/contact/

I believe they now have pools for hire for just the cost of a liner (usually 40 quid) or you may find someone who will loan you theirs. I wouldn't buy one though. You may find you don't use it (say, if you have a fast labour) or that you don't like it (I didn't, only spent about 20 minutes in the pool). And some of them are quite expensive unless you can find one for the same as it would cost you to hire.

 

[xxVickyxx]

I bought one from eBay for £70 but you can get them much cheaper. It was the best decision for me tho as I got my wonderful home water birth and although I wasnt in the water that long as I had a fast labour, I did get to give birth in it and have skin to skin for quite some time in there and I managed it all natural! So for me it was a good buy but for some it can be a waste of money if they don't get to have a home birth after all xx

 

[Feronia]

I think it depends on where you're located, too. I couldn't find one to rent out for under $200 and I looked quite extensively... hence the kiddie pool!

 

[MrsSmartie]

I got mine on eBay, I used it for my birth and hopefully will next time so worth it for me! Would make a great pool for kids in summer too so I am happy spending the money. Also, you can usually sell it for what you paid for it if it was 2nd hand anyway even if you don't use it but you won't get the hire money back.

 

[lynnikins]

i got mine via gumtree and have brought a fill/empty kit from Waterbaby birthing pool hire since i already have a spare liner from last time. they dont hire the kits alone anymore but do hire pool+kit sets

 

[beetroot]

I bought the La Bassine pool and kit. It was brand new but only because we couldn't find any second hand for sale nearby. Would highly recommend this pool. I'll be selling mine on, I'm done making babies now.
Good luck!

 

[Jenegade]

Thanks everyone! I've just bought a second hand one for £40, need to get a liner and filling/emptying kit plus thermometer though. x

 

[MandaAnda]

Liners are around £25. Filling is just an air pump if you want it up quicker (got mine off Argos), a hose and adaptor. Pool thermometers can be picked up at the pound shop - just look for the floating baby bath ones. You might like a sieve. For emptying, I got an aquarium water pump off eBay really cheap and some Milton to run through the how after and wipe the pool down after I'd emptied it and binned the liner.

 

[CatStorey]

Liners are around £25. Filling is just an air pump if you want it up quicker (got mine off Argos), a hose and adaptor. Pool thermometers can be picked up at the pound shop - just look for the floating baby bath ones. You might like a sieve. For emptying, I got an aquarium water pump off eBay really cheap and some Milton to run through the how after and wipe the pool down after I'd emptied it and binned the liner.

What type of hose did you use hun? I don't know if I should order the special hose they have on the Birth Pool website or if I can just pick one up from the DIY shop tomorrow.

Also, do you have a link to the Aquarium Pump? The pumps on the website are about £25 and I'm trying to find cheaper alternatives! I got the pool for free but all the other extra bits needed seem to really add up!

Thanks xxx

 

[MandaAnda]

I loaned my friend a cheap hose that'd come with it, but the warm and hot water made it kink, which was very annoying. So, I'm going to get a more robust one from Wilkos or something for my birth. I don't feel the need for it to be food grade. I can run the Milton through it before hand with the pump, if I feel the need. The aquarium pump was odd eBay. I'll see if I can find one. I'm sure it was under £15.

Edited to add: mine is like this, pretty sure it's this brand, but can't remember the rate on mine. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jebao-75...6?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item19e0041c6e