About the Birth Pool in a Box

  • Internal depth of 26" - water depth of 23"
  • Two sizes available: the Regular, which is big enough for two people, and the Mini
  • Three independent wall chambers for increased safety & adjustable height
  • Patented form-fitting disposable liners
  • One of the only inflatable pools made without phthalates, which have been linked to fertility problems
  • Better for the environment, better for you and your baby.
  • Includes disposable liner for enhanced safety
    BirthPool Midwives advise that a new liner for the birth is a necessity from a hygiene perspective, and are a must when mothers want to be able to do trial-runs before the birth. One disposable liner is included with each pool and additional liners are available for just $30 each. Using a liner also means two "containers" for the water, giving added protection against the unlikely event of a water leak.
  • Deep enough to give buoyancy without compromising midwife support
    The minimum recommended depth of water to provide buoyancy for a mother in labor is 20". Birth-Pool-in-a-Box has an internal depth of 26" and since the sides are stiff when inflated, you can fill water to a depth of 23".
  • Three independent chambers for improved safety
    The sides of Birth-Pool-in-a-Box are made of 3 independent tubular chambers stacked on top of each other. If one of them should puncture by accident, only 1/3 of the wall height will be lost. This is safer for mother and baby and results in little to no water on your floor than a puncture into a single-chambered inflatable pool.
  • Comfortable and welcoming
    This doesn't look like a medical device! It is welcoming and the inflated sides are comfortable to rest upon. This is conducive to your relaxation, which will enhance the production of the hormone oxytocin, speeding up your labor.
  • Adjustable Height
    By deflating the middle chamber to the appropriate height once a woman is in the filled pool, the height of the pool can be adjusted for safe and comfortable access to the woman by her caregivers. Not every woman needs 28" high sides. Smaller woman or smaller midwives may find that by lowering the sides of the pool by several inches, they feel more comfortable. By adjusting this on the middle chamber, the rigidity and stability of the pool is maintained by the fully inflated top and bottom chamber.
  • Double-reinforced handles
    Mothers requested strong handles on the outside of the pool for use when leaning on the side facing out. They are angled at 30 degrees for comfort and secure the form-fitted disposable liner in place.
  • Sturdy enough for birth partner and midwives to support from any position
    Once the pool is filled, the sides are sturdy enough for a 210 lb (95.5kg) person to sit on the side without collapsing it. There is also plenty of room in the Regular pool for the partner to join the mother.
  • Every one factory-tested
    Every single pool is inflated and left for 24 hours before testing and packing. That means structural integrity you can depend on.
  • Fast to inflate and fill
    With the fast hand pump provided free with the pool, it takes only 10 minutes to inflate the pool. Your mattress foot-pump or electric-pump may not be powerful enough to inflate the pool to full pressure. Water filling time depends on your hot-water system. This Regular pool holds the equivalent of approximately 3 1/4 bathtubs of water.
  • Proven in the field
    Birth-Pool-in-a-Box has been used successfully for labor and birth by over 1,200 women in Britain, and is now quickly gaining popularity in the US. For more information on its history, please visit The Good Birth Company's website.
  • Approximate time to inflate - 15-25 minutes
  • Approximate filling time - 40 minutes to 3 hours (depending on your water pressure and the size of your hot water tank.)
  • Why "Eco"?
    Birth Pool in a Box is made from PVC. PVC needs softening additives ("plasticisers") to make it flexible and the plasticisers historically used - compounds called phthalates - have been linked to fertility problems in animals and, by extension, people. Alternative plasticisers have been developed whose performance is close to that of phthalates and we have specified these for use in the new versions of Birth Pool in a Box. Hence the name Eco highlights the reduced impact on health and the environment.
  • Is there an Eco liner as well?
    Yes! An Eco liner comes with each Eco pool and additional liners are available separately.