Aquaborn Eco Birth Pools ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED to be used width ways and length ways and supports improved manual handling for midwives.

 

MIDWIFERY, Health and Safety & Ergonomics.

 

The Aquaborn Pools have been designed so that a midwife is able to more easily assess a mother in the water with out putting themselves at risk of back and shoulder injury.

 

Although in many cases the use of water in labour and birth facillitates a hands-off approach , it is essential to have easy and quick access to a mother when she is in the pool and regular assessments whilst in the water may be necessary. The Aquaborn pools have been designed so that their occupant uses them predominantly width ways, allowing the midwife to be closer and not to excessively bend or twist.. The handles are placed on the long sides of the pool allowing the midwife to be on the opposite side with the mother directly infront (at at the shortest distance away from the midwife). Whether the mother is kneeling, forward leaning or squatting, the midwife will always be able to assess from an A/P (anterio/posterior) or P/A view. At no time should the midwife need to bend or twist through 90 degrees to achieve this view. The pool is used length ways for reclining and using the water for bouyancy and ease of movment duriing labour rather than the 3rd stage of labour, when assistance and assessment may be required.

 

With the midwife kneeing at one side of the pool and the mother directly opposite, the midwife can reach a mother of average height (168cm) by allowing only 25 degrees flexion at the hips whilst keeping the back straight and maintaing a 30 degree bend in the elbow for optimal handling. Pools with lower sides traditionally facilitate unwanted lumbar spine flexion in order to reach further forwards to the mother in the water.

 

To enable such positioning as descibed here, The Aquaborn Pool vastly reduces the occurrance of low back injury and shoulder injury.

 

The pools should be set up in a space which allows a 70cm cleared perimiter around the footprint of the pool.

 

ENTRY AND EXIT TO THE POOL:

The sit and swing method should be used by the mother and one of the top handles be held during this manouver. The mother should sit on the side of the pool, holding a top handle, then bring one leg at a time around into the pool so that she is now sitting on the upper ring on the pool with her legs in the water. From this position she can lower herself into the water. If the mother has any difficulty with this manoever, the top ring can be partially deflated so that the mother sits on the firm lower chamber and does the same manoever with assistance.

 

More on Ergomonic Use of Aquaborn Pools..... click here.

 

 

 

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS...

Is the Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool right for me?

If you and you baby are healthy, and your midwife has not raised any concerns about the suitability of waterbirth, an Eco Birth Pool can provide you with a perfect solution for home waterbirthing. If you want a partner to join you in the pool, they can, It's easy to set up. Our emptying solution is far better than any of our competitors, and we are best on price.

What is the temperature of the water?

Water should be monitored at a temperature that is comfortable for the mother, usually between 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperature should not exceed 101 degrees Fahrenheit as it could lead to an increase in the mother's body temperature which could cause the baby's heart rate to increase. It is a good idea to have plenty of water to drink and cold cloths for the mother's face and neck. A cool facial mist from a spray bottle is a welcome relief for some mothers as well.

Do I need a liner?

In short, No you don't need a liner. The use of liners is mis-leading and it doesn't provide a better solution for hygiene, unless using the pool multiple times, and even then, there is a simpler method! The liners are also an expensive addition to your birth pool costing between £20 and £30 extra. We do recommend liners for Professional pools.

A liner does not provide a sterile enviroment. It is no different to the pool itself. both will have residues of oils from the manufacturer, and so there is no benifit of having a liner.We suggest, to obtain a true sterile enviroment, you should use a diluted sterilising solution, such as milton, to wash the insides of the pool before filling with water.

Liners also inhibit the use of internal handles and form uncomfortable and unsightly creases detracting from the calm pool enviroment.

The argument of a liner providing an extra barrier between the water and your room, is poor, as a liner could not contain the water in the eventuality of a puncture in the pool. The Aquaborn Eco birth pool is thicker and stronger than other inflatable birth pools, so you are not likely to get any sort of puncture anyway. In the remote instance that the pool did puncture, due to its unique design of slow deflate chambers, it would contain the water giving you plenty of time to exit and drain the pool.

 

How long does it take to inflate the Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool?

It takes 4 minutes to inflate the Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool using the electric inflate pump which is a standard addition to all of our pools. The pool is also super quick to inflate due to having two large chambers and extra big inflation valves.

 

My friend has said I can use her Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool. What are the issues in doing this?

When an Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool is sold, the warranty is valid for one year and the first purchaser only. If you choose to use an Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool which has been used before, you do so at your own risk. In this eventuality we strongly suggest you sterilise the pool and check for any deterioration in the materials (particualy if it has been stored for a long time). How many chambers does the pool have?

The Eco birth pool has two main chambers and a floor chamber. The upper ring can be easily deflated and inflated in the event of a mother finding it difficult to enter and exit the pool. The lower chamber has vertical struts which give it emense strength and dramatically slow deflation in the unlikely event of a puncture.

How strong is the pool?

We pride ourselves on developing the strongest inflatable birthing pool available. It is made out of 0.42mm thick eco vinyl, and the unique structure of the pool adds to its strength. The vertical inflation struts makes it possible for a 15 stone person to stand on the side of the pool without the structure giving or spilling water. Due to the thickness of the material, a puncture is highly unlikely.

How long will it take to fill?

It depends on your hot water system. Anywhere between 40 minutes and 2 hours ( if you have a very small hot water tank).

What temperature should the water be?

This is largely down to personal choice. During labour,some women would prefer the water warmer, but in later stages may require it to be cooler. It is gererally felt that 37.5 degrees is best for birth. Someone should always be on hand to make adjustments to water temperature.

How do i keep the water warm?

Using an inflatable birth pool has many benifits over a solid contruction hire pool, one of the benifits is that the air filled chambers insulate the warm water. The Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool range comes with an inflatable lid which further insulates the water, leaving it significantly warm for 24 hrs!

AFTER 36 HRS IF YOU HAVE NOT USED YOUR POOL, WE RECCOMMEND THAT YOU REFIL YOUR POOL WITH FRESH WARM WATER.

How deep is the pool?

The pool is 68 inches deep, allowing the pool to be filled to 64 inches. This gives you slightly deeper water than other birth pools brands. The reason for this is so that mothers can more easily kneel in the pool whilst keeping their pelvis submerged, and the midwife does not have to bend as much when assisting during the 3rd stage of labour. Also, we want to keep all of the water in the pool. The last thing you need, is to worry about water spillages in labour, so slightly higher sides can avoid spills and keep mum less stressed.

How many handles does it have?

We have provided 6 large and strong handles. Two on top, two on the outer side and two inside. These can assist you in many different labour and birthing positions, including on your knees, which is common and effective, yet not catered for by other birthing pools.

Will I need extra padding/cusioning?

No. The pool floor is 8.5cm deep and so is extremely comfortable. The pool sides are also comfortable and warm.

How do I get in and out of the pool?

The best method is to sit on the side of the pool and swing your legs over one at a time. A handle can be used to assist with this. We only suggest a foot stool is used if the mother uses it in congunction with the 'sit and swing' method, not to stand and step, as this may be dangerous.

Can you put a heater in the pool?

You should not put a pool heater in the birth pool.

All of our solutions and products are eco friendly! We've gone out of our way to bring you this service, because mums are so much more awear of their own health and their baby's health throughout their pregnancy, and want to give their baby the best possible start. Everything we sell is either Non Toxic, Organic or Natural

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