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A solid floor is preferable, or
putting the pool in the corner of a room with joists
that are rot-free, where there is more support. We
cannot guarantee that your floor will support the weight
of the birth pool. You may want to get a free inspection
of your joists and floorboards from a wood preservation
company, particularly if your house is old and you have
not had such an inspection recently. How long does it take to inflate a Birth-Pool-in-a-Box? It takes 10-12 minutes to
inflate a BPIAB using the hand pump provided FREE with
the pool. Using the optional electric pump takes 8-10
minutes. The new second-generation pool takes
considerably less time than the first generation BPIAB
because of the addition of new large valves which both
ease and speed inflation/deflation. What is the risk of puncturing the pool?Each pool has been inflated at the factory and left standing for 24 hours before a comprehensive inspection to weed out pools with defects. You can take common sense precautions to minimise the risk of puncturing BPIAB. These include:
In the unlikely event of a
puncture, BPIAB is designed with 3 independent air
chambers so that if one chamber punctures, 2/3 of the
height of the sides remains, causing considerably less
problems than if a single-chambered pool is punctured. Are the sides of Birth-Pool-in-a-Box firm enough?The new second-generation BPIAB
has been designed specifically to be firm enough to
allow the mother, midwife or partner (max 15 stone or
95kg) to sit on the sides while entering/exiting the
pool or supporting the birth. The material used is
0.38mm PVC and the seams are bonded using a
high-frequency welding process that fuses the two piece
of material together as one. How do I get in and out of the Pool?There are two main methods for the mother to enter and exit the pool:
For either method, the handles
can be used for support. The Optional Kit includes a
plastic step to aid stepping into or out of the pool. In
addition, the top chamber may be partially deflated to
make it easier for women with shorter legs to step over
the sides. This can be done without significant loss of
height of pool sides. Is Birth-Pool-in-a-Box deep enough for a safe birth?The depth of water in your
birth pool is an important consideration, especially if
you are planning on giving birth to your baby in the
pool. A woman needs at least 18" of water in order for
the buoyancy effect of water to benefit her labour. For
birth in the pool, it is critical that the baby remain
completely underwater until its head is deliberately
brought to the surface, hence minimising the potential
for the breathe reflex to be stimulated underwater. Both
the Regular and Mini size BPIAB pools are 26" deep
internally (28" externally with a 2" cushioned internal
floor), deep enough for a safe birth for most women. The
water can be within 3" of the rim of the pool with the
mother in it therefore the water depth will be 23"
(granted there will be some spills with this much water,
so get the towels ready). Hired birth pools in the UK
are generally 25-28" deep externally, with floor padding
reducing this internally and hence comparable to BPIAB. How do I choose between the two Pool sizes? Both pools are the same depth,
so the choice comes down to length/width. For women over
5'6" the Mini pool is likely to be too small to
comfortably assume positions conducive to labour and
birth, such as leaning on the sides facing out with legs
extended out behind. If your partner wants to join you
in the pool, then whatever your height, the Regular pool
is more likely to enable that comfortably. On the other
hand, if you have limited space in the room you plan to
use, you may be better off with the Mini pool even if
you are over 5'6". What if my midwife is uncomfortable using Birth-Pool-in-a-Box for water birth?The main issue for a midwife is likely to be the depth of the pool as she will want to ensure there is enough water to safely birth the baby. A baby born under water needs to be completely under the water as it is born, so the woman's lower body needs to be completely submerged when birthing the baby. If your midwife expresses reservations about using your pool, you have a few options:
Note that the clinical judgment of the midwife on the day of your labour should be recognised as she may not be the same midwife who you originally spoke to, so be sure to cover as many bases as you can prior to your labour. Of course, the benefits of using water for labour alone are worth the investment, even if the midwife requests that you get out for the actual birth. Water is proven to shorten labour and reduce the need for interventions, regardless if there is a water birth or a land birth at the end of the labour! The other issue for midwives
may be the risk of puncture. Sensible precautions are
covered in this FAQ under
"What is the risk of puncturing
the pool?". How do I fill Birth-Pool-in-a-Box?Fill your pool with a 1/2" NEW
garden hose pipe (to ensure safety in hygiene) which is
connected to your tap with a NEW tap connector. Filling
time varies widely according to the water supply. It can
be as little as 30 minutes from a high pressure
continuous-flow "combi" boiler or up to 3 hours from a
small tank that takes an hour to refill via a boiler.
Always place the heat retention cover (from the Optional
Kit) on top of the water during filling. You can use
kettles of hot water and boil pans of water on your
stove if you have small water tank or slow hot water
system. Take care to never pour boiling water near the
sides or near a person in the pool. When do I fill Birth-Pool-in-a-Box?For a first-time mother, a good
guideline is to begin filling when contractions are
regular and between 3-4 minutes apart for one hour. For
subsequent births, begin filling the birthing pool when
contractions are 5 minutes apart. If you have a small
water tank that takes a long time to refill, you may
want to begin filling as soon as contractions start. If
they progress slowly or stop, you can stop filling and
leave the heat retention cover on. When do I get in the birthing pool? If you are using the birthing
pool in your own home, you may get in the birthing pool
whenever you like. It may help ease early labour pains.
In some cases, however, it might even stop your labour
altogether. For the maximum pain relief, get in the
birthing pool when you are in active labour: when your
contractions are coming every 3-4 minutes and building
in intensity (around 5-6 cm dilation). Prior to getting
into the pool, many women find that a TENS machine
provides effective pain relief. Water is not pain relief
per se, but it will help you manage the pain better as
it enables you to easily move into different positions,
thus helping you relax more. For added benefits of
water, get out of the pool every 90 minutes or so for a
few contractions on land. Then get back in the pool for
an extra burst of oxytocin-the hormone that powers
labour contractions. How do I keep the water warm? When you are in the birthing pool, you should feel comfortable, but not too warm. In labour, the water should be maintained according to your comfort between 32°C - 36°C. The latest evidence cites that the best gauge for temperature of the water is maternal comfort. If she is too hot or too cold, adjust the water accordingly and don't mind so much what the thermometer says (Note that your NHS Trust may have more rigid guidelines or policy than this, despite recent evidence). However, for water birth, the temperature should be 36°C - 37°C or the same temperature as the woman. You will want to use a clean thermometer to measure the water temperature. Note that temperature measurement is an inexact science and most inexpensive thermometers are accurate at best to +/- 0.5°C regardless of the number of decimal places they display. If you use the optional
heat-retention cover, the heat loss will be minimised to
0.5-1°C per hour, depending on the temperature, humidity
and air flow in the room. A cover also reduces humidity
when the birth pool is not in use. Temperature
monitoring every hour and adjusting temperature by
removing & adding water can be attended to effectively
by the woman's partner without great difficulty. We
recommend that you keep a clean bucket handy to empty
water before topping up, if the water level is already
at the recommended maximum. Can I use a heater in Birth-Pool-in-a-Box?We do not provide heaters with
our birthing pools as we believe it is simpler and safer
for water birth to be without them. It does not take
much effort to top up with hot water from the tap or
kettle to keep a comfortable temperature in the birthing
pool. There are several safety issues to bear in mind
with respect to heaters. In order to use a heater with
your birthing pool, you will need to add chemicals to
the water to help preserve its freshness and prevent
build-up of potentially harmful bacteria. For many
people, chemicals are inconsistent with the philosophy
of natural birth.
How do I use Birth-Pool-in-a-Box for labour and birth?You can use the pool to find the most comfortable positions to labour and/or give birth. Having a birth pool does not mean that you will need to or want to have a water birth. The benefits of labour in water alone are worth the investment. You may want to lean up against the side of the birthing pool holding the handles on the outside walls with your legs behind you for contractions, or you may want to lean back with your legs in front of you. Your partner or birthing companion may get in the pool to help support you, or provide support/massage from outside the pool according to preference. Some women like to hold onto
something solid when they are in the pool. The sturdy
handles are designed for this purpose. How do I empty the pool?This is a question of convenience versus cost. With BPIAB you can choose according to your preference. If you take BPIAB into a hospital or birth centre, you may need to empty and remove the pool from the room quickly to make it available for others. Check with your hospital for their requirements and any equipment they may already have.
Back to top Eco Regular with Pattern Eco Regular Eco Mini with Pattern Eco Mini What accessories will I receive with the Birth-Pool-in-a-Box?Birth-Pool-in-a-Box comes with
the pool, one disposable liner and a hand
inflate-deflate pump. Choice of kits to suit your
needs
Additional optional items
available
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