inflatable birthing pools - any good??? advice needed

[petchy]

as i'm completely hospital phobic (they freak me out completely and i totally lose control - don't know why..) i'm thinking about a home waterbirth even though this is my first baby.

i have been appalled by the cost of hiring a birthing pool though! I was just wondering if anyone has given birth in one of the inflatable birthing pools (like http://www.madeinwater.co.uk/pool.html ) and if so what experiences people have had with them? (i'm just a bit concerned that the look like big paddling pools - do they do their job??!!)

obviously it will need topping up with hot water as there is no heating element, but i figure that will keep dad-to-be occupied!!

any advice would be greatly appreciated - i know i'm only just over 6 weeks pregnant but i'm really trying to look into all my options as early as possible.

 

[Layla]

wow, they look great!

my midwife sugested for me to have a home birth this time, as its my 3rd and going by the docs, it will be a very quick labour, how they can predict i will never know tho!

i wanted a water birth also but could not afford the pool hire, so these are great!

 

[petchy]

i know they look ok don't they? but my only concern is are they sturdy enough to support my weight when leaning onto the sides for support? hiring a "proper" pool is just too expensive! there's another type as well but they look hideous, just like an oversized paddling pool with childish fishes on and stuff ( https://www.birthpoolinabox.co.uk/ ) so i think the previous one looks a lot better.

if anyone has used one of these it would be good to hear your experiences with them!

 

[Layla]

eww no, i dont like that one lol the first one is much better

 

[petchy]

lol, yeah i'd feel like i was 6 years old in that other one!

 

[Layla]

me and my other half are moving in a couple of weeks, we went to see a house today and fell totaly in love with it, so i would love to give birth there to make it a real family home, im defo thinking of getting one of those pools now

 

[petchy]

well, i've yet to see my midwife (seeing her next week) but i hope she will be supportive of a home birth even though this is my first. after all if there were any concerns i'm sure they'd transfer me to hospital quicker than i can say "baby"! (i only live 5 mins from the hospital anyway!)

if you find out any more info about those pools or hear from someone who has used them, please let me know! you can PM me for my e-mail address if you want.

 

[Layla]

im sure if your pregnancy goes fine then they will let you birth at home, if you live that close like you said you can be taken in hospital if needed, i hope it goes well for you

if i do get any info on the pools i will defo let you know

xxx

 

My midwife was quite keen for me to have a home birth if i wanted - even though it;s my first. As long as no complications show up later of course. I am a bit hopsital-a-phobic butI'm gonna do it the hospital way so that's it's a bit more routine for the first one. The second baby will hopefully be a home birth (planning number 2 already!) x

 

[Layla]

the only thing i dont like about a home birth is that i cant have drugs!!! lol

i would have to survive on gas and air only, not sure i could do that but i want to give it a ago and try.

my midwife and docs said that this laubour will be under 3 hours, fingers crossed they are right

 

I don't want drugs ideally, just the pool, but then I guess I've not got that far yet! I may be screaming for the epidural after 30minutes in reality!! hence the hospital birth

 

[Layla]

lol epidurals are the best thing ever made!!!

i admire those who can do it without pain relife, i wish i could, but im to much of a wimp lol

 

[petchy]

well the way i see it: if i book a home birth i can always change my mind and ask to transfer if i can't bear it! i'm very stubborn though (just ask my partner! lol!) so hoping sheer stubbornness will get me through it! still, i've no way of knowing until i've been in the situation myself!

 

[Nikki2003]

Have ou ever watched "A Baby Story"? They have them usualy having the baby at the hospital but other times they've had the mom to be give birth in a bath tub some how.

 

[-Cat-]

Hi Petchy,
Have you checked out the maternety ward at your hospital, cause a lot of them try to make them homely unstead of a typical strile hospital atmosphere. I know mine has no hospital bads in the delivery room, its all chairs and beanbags and a birthing pool and stuff. Or alternativly a birthing centre? that way its a homely atmosphere but if you find it more unbearable then predicted you have the option of drugs? Especially if its your first and you don't really know what to expect.

 

[petchy]

the local maternity ward only has one pool apparently - and it's first come first serve so you can't "book" it. the nearest birthing centre is about 30 miles away so tghat's a NO (i'd be closer to a hospital if i give birth at home! it's a 5 min drive from my house)

also it's not so much the "homely" feel thing - it's the fact that i'd know i'm in a hospital and that alone is enough for me to freak out. it's not something i can do anything about although it is a completely irrational fear. even when i just went to my gp to inform them that i'm pregnant (and i knew it would be a in and out in 5 mins job) i coul feel myself tensing up and my pulse racing as i was walking towards the building. when i got in there i nearly fainted. i have normal bloodpressure on a day to day basis (checked it at home before) but on that day it was up to 164 over something (can't remember the other value)! i feel really silly about this but i can't help it.

obviously i'd go to hospital if something was in the slightest wrong with me or baby during pregnancy or labour - but i just feel being all worked up just because of being in hospital is likely to be the worst thing i could possibly do. i phoned the midwife the other day (haven't had my booking in yet) and she was very suportive of a home birth if all is well even if it is my first baby, so i'll discuss it further with her next week at my booking appointment.

 

[-Cat-]

Thats sounds all okay then, if you had your baby in hopital feeling like that it would probably make it even worse! Its handy that you have your hospital so close at least you know that should an emergency arrise you can nip over there.
I don't have the option, my hospital is about 30 miles away, and I really don't want to risk a home birth with my first with the nearest hospital being that far away.