A birthing pool is a specially designed tub used during labour and birth. It allows you to give birth in warm water or to use the water for relaxation during the dilation phase. Many people find that a birthing tub helps them feel calm, safe, and in control during labour.

We choose to offer only the Birth Pool in a Box because it’s the most trusted and widely used birth pool by midwives and hospitals worldwide. It’s:

• Designed by experienced midwives
• The most used mobile birthing pool globally
• Safe, hygienic, and user-friendly
  

The only portable birth pool with a product guarantee

Want to learn more about the Birth Pool in a Box? Read more here.

Yes. For permanent installations in clinics or hospitals, we offer the FP3 birth tub. This birthing tub is built from a single piece, no seams, rubber seals, or loose parts, making it extremely hygienic. It includes an integrated seat, hand grips, and custom cut-outs to allow midwives easy access for monitoring. More about the FP3 tub here.

The calming blue colour creates the most natural appearance of water and enhances the relaxing effect for the birthing person. It’s not just about aesthetics, it supports a soothing environment during labour.

And good to know: the blue colour doesn’t affect underwater photography. The transparent sides and white base ensure clear, bright images. That’s why many birth photographers choose our birthing pools.

Our birthing pool is developed as a medical-grade tool. The white base and clear sides provide excellent visibility for midwives to monitor things like blood loss. A darker base would distort the view and compromise clarity.

From a photographic perspective, the white base combined with the blue wall and transparent liner offers a clean and crisp water image. Ideal for documenting water births.

Using a birthing pool during labour and birth can offer several advantages:

• The warm water helps relieve pain naturally.
• It promotes relaxation and can support cervical dilation.
• It allows for greater freedom of movement during contractions.
• It creates a calm environment, supporting a gentle transition for the baby.

You can enter the birthing pool once your labour is well underway, typically when you’re around 4–5 cm dilated and contractions are regular. Always check with your midwife to determine the right moment for you.

The birth pool must be placed on a solid, stable surface that can support the full weight of the filled tub. Access to a water source and drainage is also essential. A nearby tap and a place to empty the pool afterward make setup much easier.

Yes, in most cases it can. For the larger model, the filled birthing tub weighs approximately 660 kg (including water), plus the person in labour (+/– 80 kg). This weight is distributed evenly over 1.6 m², which equals about 460 kg per square meter—well within the limits of a standard residential floor.

Although we can’t offer guarantees for specific floors, our experience, including installations in historic canal houses in Amsterdam and Amersfoort, has shown that this has never posed a problem. When in doubt, consult building plans or a structural engineer.

Absolutely. The birth pool comes with an electric pump and is fully inflatable in under 10 minutes. Filling the birthing tub with warm water takes about 30–40 minutes. You’re welcome to get in while it’s still filling, as long as the temperature is comfortable and your midwife agrees.

You can easily drain the birthing pool using the included submersible pump. Simply connect the hose to a suitable drain or sink, and the pump will remove the water efficiently. Want to see how it works? Check out our instructional video.

Both options are possible. You can purchase a birth pool directly from our online shop, or rent one through one of our trusted rental partners. Whatever suits your needs best.

• Regular birth pool: Minimum of 550 litres
• Mini birth pool: Minimum of 400 litres
  

These volumes ensure there's enough water for full immersion and comfort during labour and delivery.

In most cases, yes, especially if you're using a 1-person birthing tub. Here's how to estimate your available volume of 37°C water:

With a heat pump or boiler set at ±60°C:

Multiply the total capacity of your boiler by 3. This gives a rough estimate of how much 37°C water you’ll have after mixing with cold water.

With a boiler set at ±90°C:

Multiply the capacity by 4 for an even larger yield of warm water.

For the mini birthing pool, you'll need at least 400 litres, and no more than 480 litres for full use. Also consider:

• How fast your system reheats
• Whether other warm water sources are needed (e.g. for showering postpartum)
  

Since every heat pump system is different, it’s a good idea to check the technical specifications of your boiler before the birth.

The water should be kept between 36°C and 37.5°C. This temperature range ensures comfort and safety. Water that’s too hot can be dangerous for both mother and baby, so it's important to monitor it carefully—ideally with a birth pool thermometer.

No. At Birthpools, we follow established health and safety guidelines from the UK and the US, which advise against the use of heating elements in birthing pools. Continuous heating of water increases the risk of Legionella bacteria growth, especially if the water is kept warm over long periods without being refreshed.

Instead, we recommend topping up with fresh warm water when needed. This approach significantly reduces infection risks. These guidelines are supported by public health authorities like the UK Government and CDC Arizona. We prefer prevention over cure, and all our hygiene and infection prevention protocols are scientifically backed.

In practice, our birth pools retain heat well. It’s easy to maintain the right temperature by occasionally adding warm water. You’ll find full instructions in our detailed manual.

Maintaining the correct water temperature can be done by a birth partner or assistant. Our birthing tubs are designed to retain heat effectively, especially when used with the thermal pool cover.

Here are a few practical tips:

• Start with the minimum fill line (as shown on the birth pool liner). This makes it easier to add warm water later, if needed.
• To adjust the temperature: Use a clean bucket to remove some water and refill with warm or cool water via the hose.
• Using a thermal pool cover (available in rental and purchase kits) will help maintain temperature. On average, the water cools by just 0.5°C per hour—depending on room temperature, humidity, and air circulation.
  

Planning to use the pool later? Consider filling it slightly warmer to compensate for cooling over time.

Choosing the right birth pool size depends on both practical and personal preferences.

Practical considerations:

• The amount of space in the room
• Whether there’s access on at least two sides for the midwife
• Do you want your partner to join you in the pool? (Only possible with the Regular size, not the Mini)
• Water supply: Check your boiler or hot water system capacity
  (Mini holds up to 480 litres, Regular up to 650 litres)
  

Personal preferences:

• The Mini birthing pool offers a more enclosed, cocoon-like feeling
• The Regular birthing pool provides greater freedom of movement
  

Need help deciding? Watch our comparison guide for more detailed information.

We offer two sizes of birthing pools, both designed to allow free movement during labour:

• Regular: approx. 165 cm long, 145 cm wide, and 76 cm high
• Mini: approx. 145 cm long, 145 cm wide, and 66 cm high
  

Both birth pool models provide enough space to support different birthing positions while ensuring comfort and mobility.

We supply one birth pool hose, which is always new, non-toxic, and safe for warm water use. The hose is first used to fill the birthing tub with clean water, and later reused to empty the tub after birth.

For hygiene reasons, we advise against reusing hoses across births or using multiple hoses for filling and draining. Even when rinsed, a hose can never be fully dried or disinfected, posing a risk of bacterial contamination for both mother and baby.

Our infection prevention guidelines are science-based and follow international standards. We prioritise safety by reducing any possible risk.

Yes, the birth pool is easy to inflate and set up in under 15 minutes. No tools, no complicated instructions, just plug in the included electric pump and follow the simple steps.

A clear manual is included with each birthing pool, and we also offer a step-by-step guide on our website. Still need help? Feel free to reach out to our team.

We strongly advise against using second-hand birth pools. Most birthing tubs are designed for single use, and with pre-owned products, there’s no way to verify how the tub was handled or whether it has weakened over time.

For safety and hygiene, we recommend purchasing a new birth pool or renting a professional-grade tub through a certified provider. If you buy your own pool new and use it solely under your care, you can safely reuse it for a future birth.

If you're planning to buy or rent a birthing pool from us, you can choose between a Premium and a Standard Water Birth Kit. Both options include new, single-use items. The key difference? The Standard kit contains only the essential supplies, while the Premium kit offers a more complete setup with extra accessories to support a fully prepared birth pool experience.

Premium Water Birth Kit 

The Premium kit combines a professional-grade birth pool with everything you need for a safe and comfortable water birth—plus extra accessories for added convenience and comfort.

Birthing pool

• Birth Pool in a Box (Mini or Regular)
  

Essential items

• Electric air pump
  Multiple universal tap connector fittings
  Quooker tap adapter (included with rental; sold separately with purchase)
• New hygienic birth pool liner
• New submersible water pump (1500 l/h,  empties pool in approx. 30 minutes)
• New 10-metre non-toxic birth pool hose
  

Additional accessories

• New debris net
• New floor protection sheet
• New small anti-slip mat
• New water thermometer
• Set of gynecological gloves
  

After the water birth, all single-use items (excluding the pump and connectors) can be disposed of, or kept for future personal use if you prefer.

Standard Water Birth Kit 

The Standard kit includes the birthing tub and essential single-use items for a safe pool birth, without the additional accessories. It's a practical choice for minimal setups.

Birthing pool

• Birth Pool in a Box (Mini or Regular)

Essential items

• Electric air pump
• Multiple universal tap connector fittings
• Quooker tap adapter (included with rental; sold separately with purchase)
• New hygienic birth pool liner
• New submersible water pump (1500 l/h, empties pool in approx. 30 minutes)
• New 10-metre non-toxic birth pool hose

Want the extra accessories later? That’s possible.

You can order additional accessories separately at any time. Or consider using everyday household items as alternatives:

• Use a bucket instead of a debris net
• Place towels under the birthing tub instead of a floor sheet
• Lay down a folded towel instead of an anti-slip mat
• Use your own bath thermometer if available
  

No matter which kit you choose, our birthing pools are designed to support a safe, hygienic, and empowering water birth. Ready to explore your options? Reach out to our team or browse the full range of kits in our shop.