Birth Pool in a Box Review

Do you know what a water birth is? If not, I encourage you to check out my article - Water birth: An Informational Article, which discusses what water birth is, the history, the pros/cons, and more!  Have you heard of the Birth Pool in a Box and do you know how it comes into play during a water birth? If not, check out my introduction article on the Birth Pool in a Box, which I will be discussing in this review. If you answered yes to both of these questions, please continue reading!

The Birth Pool in a Box (BPIAB) is a popular birth pool made specifically for women to use during labour and childbirth. It has been rated #1 by Waterbirth International and is used by an estimated 8,000 mothers worldwide each year! 

After reading so much about this birth pool, I was so excited to find out that I would be trying it out during my daughter's birth.  We received the Birth Pool in a Box a few weeks before my daughter's 'guess date' (the term I prefer over 'due date'). My husband and I took the opportunity to try out the birth pool twice to make sure we (or he mostly) knew what to do and what to expect when the time came. It also gave us the opportunity to troubleshoot any issues. 

Trial #1 

Birth Pool in a Box, bottom & seat inflated, sides not inflated.

We found that during both trial set-ups it took about 15-20 minutes to set up; that included getting the area ready, spreading out the pool, and blowing it up with air.  During the 1st trial we ended up running out of hot water before the minimum line. We hadn't turned up our hot water tank and figure that this is why that happened. During this trial, we also noticed that we had sediment in our water (probably from work they had been doing on the water system in our neighbour good), and this is not good news for the water birth! Over the next week or so, we worked hard to get the water clear again and the sediment out of our water tank (not an easy task!). We also discovered that the special water hose (25') that we had ordered was too short. We had even measured before hand but didn't account for lag that we might need in the hose during set-up or draining.  Besides purchasing a special lead-free drinking water rated hose, we had to purchase a host to tap/shower adapter, a thermometer for the pool, an individual liner, a ClearFit cover (to help keep some of the heat in when the pool is not in use) and make sure that we had a air pump that would work well to fill the pool with air. When you rent a birth pool, sometimes these items (or some of these items are included) are included, other times you are responsible for purchasing them yourself.

Me in the Birth Pool in a Box (trial set-up), waiting for the water!

Trial #2

During our 2nd trial we turned up water heater and managed to fill the pool up completely to nearly the minimum line.  We topped it up with hot water that was heated on the stove. The second run was much easier. 

Given the issues that we ran into, I highly recommend that people planning a water birth take the time to do a trial run with their birth pool. This helps with planning and to make sure that any issues are dealt with before labour begins. 

The Birth Pool in a Box set up with the ClearFit Cover prior to getting in during labour.

In labour...

When I was in labour, I don't remember much about the actual Birth Pool in a Box being set-up since I was in the other room, and my labour support people and midwife we're busy setting it up while I was busy working through contractions. Although, the set-up for the 3rd time (after the first two trials) went much smoother and faster. We set it up in our living room on top of a old rug, since we anticipated that there was a chance the floor could get wet.  We also cleared an area around the pool to make sure that my support people and the midwives could have easy access to me.

Relaxing in the Birth Pool in a Box between contractions.

I entered the tub when I was at about 6cm open and I remained in the tub for approximately 3 hours (looking back, the time went by so fast). Upon exiting the Birth Pool in a Box, my midwife realized that my cervix had not really opened much more although my baby had descended and was facing occipital posterior (OP), which was likely the reason the progression was taking a bit longer than she anticipated. 

While I was in the pool, I found that using the Birth Pool in a Box for hydrotherapy was very useful for providing comfort during my contractions. I had heard from my midwife previously that they consider water 'natural's epidural' during labour. So, I figured if contractions feel like 'this' when I was in the pool, how will they feel when I was out of it?!  At one point I mentioned I was afraid to leave the pool to go to the washroom because I didn't know how bad the contractions would get! Looking back, I know that the fear was also in part due to knowing that I had to sit on the toilet, which I called the 'contraction inducer' during labour; I later learned that this may have had to do with the position my daughter was in during her descent. 

After being out of the pool for awhile, I did notice that it was more comfortable when I was in the water. Once transition started, I was eager to get back in.

I re-entered the pool around 8cm open and remained there until the birth of my daughter. Once I was back in the water, I progressed quickly and I think I surprised my midwife that things happened as fast as they did.  I found that at this stage the water was definitely welcomed. It was a dream of mine to birth my daughter in the water (I had always imagined that this was the way I'd have babies since I was very young).

And, the experience was amazing!  I felt very much like I was in control of the situation and that I was able to move along intuitively with the way my body felt. I always thought it was amazing when women were able to 'catch' their own babies and I was excited when I found out during my prenatal visits with my midwives that they are 'hands-off' during water births - that meant I would be catching my own baby. I did end up catching my daughter and that was the most amazing moment - pulling her up on my chest and meeting her for the first time was so awesome!

During labour, because water was being added on a regular basis (I was in the pool quite a bit and therefore didn't use the ClearFit Cover all that much), it did reach the maximum line and my support people had to empty water in order to add more. In terms of draining the water, it did take some trial and error to figure out how to drain it efficiently. We found it easiest and fastest to syphon the water from the pool into our downstairs toilet. You can also get a water pump so that you don't have to use the syphon method. For the extra money, we figured it wasn't necessary for us.

What I liked about the Birth Pool in a Box:

• -I found that the handles were placed appropriately and came in handy particularly for the pushing phase of labour; I appreciated that there were some on every side of the birth pool.
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• -Because the bottom of the birth pool is also inflated with air, it was very comfortable to move around in during labour; in labour I found myself on my hands and knees most of the time so this was very important to me. Also, since the sides were also inflated and quite wide, it was very comfortable when I chose to lean against the sides during and between contractions.  
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• -The sides of the pool proved to be very strong, which allowed my support people and midwives to lean/sit on them.
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• -The size of the tub was great because it allowed me to move around and not feel confined. There was even enough room for another person, although, I didn't try that out during my labour/birth.
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• -My midwife agreed that the white at the bottom of the pool was helpful for seeing what was happening.
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• -The shape of the pool was nice since there was a bigger side and a smaller side (egg-shaped). At different points in labour, I felt like I needed either more room or a more cozy feel and it was nice that I could alternate which side I was on.
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• -The seat in the pool really came in handy once my daughter was born. It turned out that her umbilical cord was quite short so the extra boost from the seat was vital to keep her at the right height.

What we had problems with:

• -Since I am a petite person, I found that the height of the pool was too tall for me. Although the instructions state that you can adjust the height by taking air out of the center or top tube, when we did so, we thought it affected the stability (for people to lean on, etc.) and it took extra time, so we kept it as is. To make it work, we had a step stool on the outside, and my support people and midwives helped me in and out. This probably isn't 'recommended' but it is what worked for us.  Having the extra support getting in and out was vital because of this!
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• -My midwife also had some difficulty reaching me to do checks (cervical and my baby's heart rate) because of the width of the pool and because she is a very petite person as well.  I can imagine that it would have been a bit easier if I had the Birth Pool in a Box Mini.

The Verdict?

I frequently recommend the Birth Pool in a Box to anyone I know who is planning on using hydrotherapy for either labour or give birth in. This is an excellent pool that is well designed. The price of both purchasing or renting this pool is very economical and at a more affordable price point compared to the other birth pool that is available for rent in our area.  If everything goes as I hope, I plan to use the Birth Pool in a Box again with subsequent children. The experience was great and I felt that it really helped me during labour. I enjoyed this pool so much that I am considering adding a Birth Pool in a Box Professional Grade rental to my doula services in the near future so that other parents can experience the benefits of this great birth pool.

I am so grateful to Choices Childbirth Services, the exclusive distributor of the Birth Pool in a Box in Canada, who gave me the opportunity to use the Birth Pool in a Box for my daughter's birth. Without them, the experience would not have been the same!

**Disclaimer** Choices Childbirth Services provided me with a Birth Pool in a Box Eco Regular free of charge, although, I did purchase accessories from them for this birth pool.  Receiving this item did not in anyway alter the information which I discussed in this article; this review is 100% my own opinion.  I did not receive any other type of compensation for this review. If you are planning a water birth, please consult your health care provider. This review is a reflection of my experience with the product. I cannot be held liable for your chosen use of the Birth Pool in a Box.