Which birth pool? - Page 2

[nashvillemidwife]

It's going to look bulky around the sides but the comfort is going to depend on how much care you take to keep the wrinkles smoothed out as the pool begins to fill.

[Earthylady]

Last homebirth we used the large fishy pool. Personally, it wasn't deep enough for my preference. It didn't cover my belly and when i leaned on the sides, my whole back was exposed..and I really wanted warm water on my back.

This time we got the large Birth Pool in a Box and it goes about 3 inches deeper than the large fishy. Plus it has handles and a seat that either you or your partner can sit on to support you, and it has the inflatable bottom just like the fishy pool. I LOVED it when I blew it up on a test run. It was super fast to blow up too cause it had larger holes for the electic pump, where as with the fishy it was the small holes that used the small attachment and it took about twice as long to inflate.

I'm not really too concerned about the uncomfortable level for the mw. I mean, yeah, I love my mw and all...but I'm looking for my own comfort here and if she REALLY needs to get at me, she will. I'm kinda hoping this will be a pretty hands off birth though.

[Ilaria]

We used a fishy pool and it was perfect!

[ryansma]

Originally Posted by Ilaria

We used a fishy pool and it was perfect!

Me too - loved it and it was only about $70.00 total which is good b/c I had a really fast labor and was only in there for about 40 minutes.

[Pyrodjm]

I got a La Bassine for free from another MDC mama and it was great! I had also done a trial run in a fishy pool that we got for $20. It would have been just fine also.

[Earthylady]

We used the Birth Pool in a Box on Wednesday and it was fabulous! I loved it so much more than the fishy pool! Then afterwards, I gave it to my mw and she knocked a hundred bucks off my bill. Here's a pic:

[Greeneyes0506]

I used the Electra and it was great!

[knitted_in_the_wom]

We used the Birth Pool in a Box on Wednesday and it was fabulous! I loved it so much more than the fishy pool! Then afterwards, I gave it to my mw and she knocked a hundred bucks off my bill.

So...anyone have one they would sell to me? ;-) Or, alternately, since I'm due in a month...anyone want to commit to buying mine from me if I get one for my birth, and then ship it to you when I'm done? I'd go ahead and purchase an extra liner right up front to save on shipping costs for the next user.

I'd love to have the regular sized Birth Pool in a Box...but not sure that I can justify the cost right now. ....I'd buy yours and promise to send it to your midwife when I'm done!

I used an Aqua Doula for my first two homebirths and loved it...but cost is the issue behind my not getting it this time. I would note that with the births being in January and February, even with our bedroom being over the garage and poorly insulated (we needed to have a space heater in there because the forced air heat alone was not enough), we did NOT need the heater. Actually, with the second time around the pool was 110 degrees when initially filled, and it was STILL 110 degrees 5 or more hours later when I got into it--I needed my hubby to get ice to cool it down. That insulated cover really keeps the heat in!

Jenn

[Earthylady]

Originally Posted by knitted_in_the_wom

I'd love to have the regular sized Birth Pool in a Box...but not sure that I can justify the cost right now. ....I'd buy yours and promise to send it to your midwife when I'm done!

She took it when she left my house after the birth. It was a breeze for DH to have drained and put away! The liner came in very handy! I almost didn't want to use it cause I thought it would be distracting and crinkly sounding and stuff in labor and it wasn't...but it made the clean up a total dream and it was literally no time flat to have it drained, deflated, and put back in the carrying case! MW was totally impressed with the design and really liked it!

[TefferTWH]

I am looking to get one to take to the hospital, but there is a space requirement: it has to be 60" or less, which puts the La Bassine right out. Since I'm going to have it on a hard tile floor, I need some cushion. I was thinking about doing a fishy pool with some of those foam tiles underneath, but then I saw the Electra, which has an inflatable bottom. Can anyone comment on the difference between those two options in terms of comfort and ease of takedown?

Sorry for the thread jack Omgirl, but I know you won't mind since you're in my DDC!

[essnce629]

I had the fishy pool with my son's birth and loved it. I bought it online for less than $25 shipped! The inflatable sides and bottom made it extremely comfortable. I'm glad I didn't spend a ton of money on my birthing pool since my birth was so fast that I only had about 15 minutes total in the tub and it was only half-full with water by the time my son was born! I've thought about getting a more expensive tub for this next birth, but I keep having feelings that the birth will be so fast that I never even get to get in it! So I'm thinking I'll just go the fishy pool route again.

[ryansma]

Originally Posted by TefferTWH

I am looking to get one to take to the hospital, but there is a space requirement: it has to be 60" or less, which puts the La Bassine right out. Since I'm going to have it on a hard tile floor, I need some cushion. I was thinking about doing a fishy pool with some of those foam tiles underneath, but then I saw the Electra, which has an inflatable bottom. Can anyone comment on the difference between those two options in terms of comfort and ease of takedown?

I think you would be fine with just the fishy pool - the bottom is cushy enough on it's own. Mine was set up in our basement that is cement floor with just Berber carpet which is thin not plush and it was comfortable enough.

The only thing I wish the fishy pool had was handles but I didn't miss it enough to spend another $200.

[Romana]

I think the Birth Pool in a Box is by far the best. Supportive sides to lean over, plenty of room and depth, and a supportive seat if you want to use it. Handles in good locations.

It's $150.

I felt the La Bassine wasn't quite deep enough for me (I'm tall) and I wanted more supportive sides (without them being stiff sides).

[tamagotchi]

I used the BPIAB for DD and loved it! I got it for the extra depth and I think the depth was really helpful. I got the mini size since I am only 5'2" and it was a perfect size for me. I really liked leaning on the nice big round sides and hanging onto the handles, it helped so much in labor. It was also easy to resell after the birth to another homebirth family.

I used the aquadoula for my first, and compared to that, the BPIAB was so much more pleasant to birth in because of the comfy, supportive, big round sides.

[Erlaine]

I was pretty sure about the aquadoula until reading this thread. The thing that stops me is that I heard one friend's birth story where she said when she tried to birth in a pool without a heater, everyone was obsessed with the temp of the tub and not paying enough attention to her. My sense is that the heater isn't so much for making the water hotter but for maintaining temp so that no one has to think about it too much. Any thoughts on this?

[ryansma]

Originally Posted by Erlaine

I was pretty sure about the aquadoula until reading this thread. The thing that stops me is that I heard one friend's birth story where she said when she tried to birth in a pool without a heater, everyone was obsessed with the temp of the tub and not paying enough attention to her. My sense is that the heater isn't so much for making the water hotter but for maintaining temp so that no one has to think about it too much. Any thoughts on this?

I birthed in the fishy pool - no heater. When I was in labor and filled the pool we forgot to even check the temp of the water.
We had bought a flannel backed tablecloth to cover the pool to keep the heat in, in case I was in and out but I didn't need it.

[Earthylady]

Originally Posted by Erlaine

I was pretty sure about the aquadoula until reading this thread. The thing that stops me is that I heard one friend's birth story where she said when she tried to birth in a pool without a heater, everyone was obsessed with the temp of the tub and not paying enough attention to her. My sense is that the heater isn't so much for making the water hotter but for maintaining temp so that no one has to think about it too much. Any thoughts on this?

It wasn't an issue for us either. DH did check the temp a couple of times and once when I was getting close to pushing he added some more warm water. (because of the depth of the BPIAB, he never needed to remove water before adding any like we had with the fishy pool) When he had origially filled the pool when I was in the early zone but not ready to get in yet, he'd just taken a sheet and put it over the top of the pool. A couple hours later he took off the sheet and the water was still 104 degrees.