Birthing Pool hire?

Moyi

Anybody know where i can hire a birthing pool??i have already looked at the home birth website and cant seem to find any numbers for hiring one out..i dont want to buy as i will only be using it the once and seems kinda pointless..thanks

lonestargirl

Ok, take a breath. You've only just found out you are pregnant. As you want a home birth the most important things right now are to find a midwife and sort out your prenatal care (you don't even know yet if you are suitable for a home birth). Once you have sorted a midwife I'm sure she will have the contacts to help you sort out the practical details.

Squiggler

As lonestargirl said the birthing pool is something you really don't need to worry about until much closer to the birth. I had originally thought I would get one but after talking to friends who did I changed my mind.

Get the midwife sorted first... that is the most important thing, after taking good care of yourself and the baby.

Congratulations and best of luck.

crazy cat lady

Water births currently aren't allowed in Ireland but the use of a pool would be great for coping with labour pains. A cheaper alternative would be sitting in the bath!

It is very early to be organising anything but if a birthing pool is what you want then its never too early to start looking!

I do think it would be a waste of funds if you're not actually going to be 'birthing' in it tho.

SanFran07

Congratulations!

Honestly it's as cheap to buy them these days. Have a look at La Bassine (Made in Water) pools or Birth Pool in a Box. There's a woman in Cork who sells them. With all the bits it costs around 125 Euro (and makes a great ball pit for a toddler

The birth pool is a fantastic tool to have. I'd be sure to have as many options open to me as possible. I just about lived in mine (and used it quite a bit in the weeks before my son's birth just to relax and take the weight off). Don't rule anything out Some Mums decide to get out before the baby arrives so just see how you go on the day. You really can't compare it to the bath.....you are completely weightless in the pool and it comes up to your chest....you can change positions so easily and just float (which is exactly what I did for the last hour of my son's birth)

Waterbirths are only restricted in hospitals not at homebirths as long as your Midwife is ok with it. The Rotunda and CUMH have fantastic pools that are not open to labour in yet (nothing to do with the HSE it's the hosp policy). The waterbirth ban in hospital was lifted in July 2009..... CUMH are due to open theirs in 2011 but the Roto has no plans to open theirs despite the evidence around water immersion for labour.

Best of luck!

Moyi

Thanks to all who replied to my thread..
I have already found out that i am eligible for home birth and have already contacted midwife but she said i should be able to hire one online....
Its not illegal to have water bath any more, i know it was put on hold for a while due to the death of the poor little boy up in Cavan a few years ago but has since then been brought back..
I have looked at La Bassine and its €150 so thats why i was wondering if i could get it cheaper by hiring it..
Was just wondering SanFran07 if you have that lady's number who sells the birthing pools in Cork? Good idea in regards to making it a toddler pool!!!
Also looked at my own bath but i know has to be the right temp ect to actually give birth in it...
Also this is my second baby and i am doing college at the same time so thats why im trying to sort out everything early so i have everything ready before the end...just saying that for the people who think i may be rushing into things bit early?I have my reasons so dont worry..;)

SanFran07

Moyi you could always post on some of the other Irish birth/parenting boards on their homebirth threads and borrow La Bassine - then you'd just have to buy a liner for it and I think they're about 30 Euro.

A regular bath is harder to keep warm if you're in and out of it - with the pool you can just throw a shower curtain or bubble wrap on top of it to keep the heat in but they're really well insulated anyway. My pool was filled and used over a 12 hour period and we only needed to top it up a couple of times.

Great to hear you've sorted out a MW already - enjoy your pregnancy!