Chance of getting an infection from rented birth pool

[sophi4ka]

The midwife I had for my first baby cautioned me against renting a birth pool because of a danger of getting an infection. She claimed that she has seen a case of it and thus recommended always buying a new pool.

My current midwife says that in all her 30 years of practice she has never seen a case of a woman getting an infection from a birth pool she rents, and that sanitizing the pool with Benidine before and after use by each client should be enough.

Any thoughts? I kind of want to rent the pool from my midwife for the second baby's birth, but the previous midwife scarred me.

[Juvysen]

My midwife rents her pool out, I think... I suspect the chances are pretty slim. Just wash it well...

[MsBlack]

You can always buy a fresh plastic liner for a rented pool. I don't know as I would be as trusting as your mw about just washing it--but you sure can't go wrong if you get a new liner of the sort that lines the entire inside AND drapes well over the outside of the tub walls. I believe this is how it's handled in the city near me, where a handful of doulas make part of their income renting a birth pool to families.

[mbhf]

Hmm. One of my midwives rented pools, and just gave us a (disposable) liner to go in it. I forgot to put the liner in and she did ask that I get out unless I really wanted to be in the water. I didn't, so I got out. I think using a disposable liner is pretty standard with rented tubs.

[xixstar]

Regardless of using a liner or not, I'd clean a rented pool myself and then not worry about a possible infection. It seems like an infection would be such a small possibility anyways, unless of course, it gets dropped off wet from the last birth and you're jumping right in - but even then....

[jenmidwife2b]

I have three birth pools that I rent out to clients. After each birth, the client disposes of the liner and then wipes down the inside of the pool with either a bleach, or a betadine, or chlorhexidine solution and rinses well. The next client then also is to rinse down the sides with one of the above solutions and then line the pool with plastic sheeting so that there is less chance of any cross contamination.

Think about it logically now, how many birth centers, hospitals, and homebirth midwives reuse their pools? Most do, and don't have infections passed on to other clients from previous pool use. If the pool is sanitized, there is no risk. Adding a liner just lessens that risk even further.

[cathicog]

[sophi4ka]

Where do you get a liner? From the pictures of her clients I've seen, the pool didn't have one

[cchrissyy]

We rent pools too and send each one out with a liner automatically. It is a thick plastic(?) latex-free sheet that covers the whole pool and you dispose of it after the birth.

Also, we have the tubs professionally cleaned after every birth.

so yeah, not worried about infection.

[IAMommy]

We rented a pool from a birth pool rental business. No problems at all. He sanitizes the pools, and he also uses some sort of pool chemicals to keep the water clean while it's sitting in your house, waiting for you to use it.

[Juvysen]

Huh... what about a birth pool that is mine from last time... that I expect to use again?