We ship to all countries across Europe. 

If your birthing pool or water birth kit remains unopened and in its original packaging, you can return it to us at any time. For full return instructions, please visit our returns page.

If you place your order before 8:00 PM, we ship it the same business day.
Delivery times vary depending on your country, but we always aim for fast and reliable service, so your birth pool or birthing tub arrives well in time for your due date.

Absolutely. We’re happy to visit your facility with one of our birthing pools to assess the space and explore how a birth pool can be integrated into your unit. With our special hospital concept, your department can begin offering water births with little to no upfront investment.

Our approach is fully aligned with the needs of care teams, HIP requirements, and technical services (TD). We provide detailed protocols, guidelines, and technical specs. Get in touch to schedule a free, no-obligation demonstration on site.

Our birthing tub concept has been specifically developed to meet the strict hygiene and safety protocols of hospitals and birth centres. With our complete system, designed for clinical use, you can support safe, hygienic water births for both clients and care providers.

Looking to introduce or expand water birth services in your facility? Contact us to discuss tailored options for your team.

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, each facility is different. The right choice depends on your available space, budget, flexibility needs, and preferences around comfort or setup.

In many cases, a combination of a fixed birthing tub and a mobile birth pool proves ideal. We’d be happy to walk you through the pros and cons of each option and help find the best solution for your specific setting.

At Birthpools, we’re fully aware of the environmental impact associated with single-use items used during water births. Our priority is always the health and safety of both the birthing person and the care provider, but we’re equally committed to minimizing our ecological footprint.

We work continuously to strike the right balance between hygiene, safety, and sustainability. This includes responsible sourcing, partnerships aimed at reducing waste, and ongoing efforts to improve our environmental practices. Read more about our commitment to sustainability on our dedicated page.

Yes, in most cases standard hospital flooring can easily support a filled birthing pool. Let’s break it down:

• The largest birth pool model, when filled with water, weighs approximately 660 kg.
• Adding the weight of a birthing person (approx. 80 kg), the total load is spread over a 1.6 m² footprint.
• That equals around 460 kg per m², evenly distributed (not point-loaded).
  

This distribution is within the safe load-bearing capacity of most standard hospital floors. While we can’t guarantee suitability for every specific structure, our experience (even in older buildings like historic hospitals in Amsterdam) shows this setup rarely causes issues. If in doubt, consult your technical department or review architectural floor plans for confirmation.

You can choose between the Mini and Regular birthing pool. These are also referred to as the 1-person and 2-person models. Your choice depends on several factors:

• The available space in your client’s home or birth location
• Access to warm water (e.g. if using a boiler)
• Personal preference for a more enclosed or spacious feeling
• Whether the partner would like to join in the birthing tub
  

Want more details to help decide? Visit our birthing pool size guide or contact us.

The birthing pool inflates fully in under 10 minutes using the electric pump provided. No tools, no hassle. Filling the birth pool with warm water usually takes about 40 minutes, depending on water pressure and temperature. We’ve included a detailed manual, and you’ll also find a step-by-step setup guide on our website.

Yes. For maternity care professionals, we offer clear protocols and usage instructions—covering both client use and post-birth cleaning procedures. These materials are designed to support safe, hygienic, and evidence-based care in every setting.

At Birthpools, we’ve developed a range of practical service models to help you introduce water birth in your practice, quickly and professionally. Whether you’re just starting out or expanding your services, we make it easy to offer birthing pools safely and hygienically, with full support for both you and your clients.

To ensure the highest standards of hygiene and safety, for both the birthing person and the care provider, we use single-use (disposable) items with every birthing pool. This prevents cross-contamination and supports a clean birth environment.

For those seeking a more sustainable option, we also offer a Standard water birth kit, which includes only the essential disposable items. This is our most environmentally conscious choice.

We are fully aware of the environmental impact of disposables and work daily to find the right balance between safety and sustainability. Birthpools is committed to minimizing its footprint and actively collaborates with partners to practice socially responsible entrepreneurship. Learn more on our sustainability page.

A birthing pool is suitable for healthy pregnant individuals experiencing a low-risk pregnancy and spontaneous labour.

It is not recommended in cases of:

• Meconium-stained amniotic fluid
• Preterm labour (before 37 weeks)
• Active infections
• Any medical indications requiring close monitoring or intervention
  

Always consult with your midwife or healthcare provider to determine suitability.

Using a birth pool or birthing tub during labour offers several proven benefits:

• Natural pain relief through warm water immersion
• Shorter dilation phase due to enhanced relaxation
• Greater freedom of movement and choice of birthing position
• Reduced need for medical pain relief interventions
  

Water birth can offer a calm, empowering environment, when used safely and under proper guidance.

Safe use of a birthing pool or birthing tub requires attention to a few key factors:

• Water temperature: Maintain between 36°C and 37.5°C (96.8–99.5°F).
• Monitoring: Regularly check the baby’s heart rate as advised by your midwife or provider.
• Safe access: Ensure there is enough space and safe entry and exit points.
  

Hygiene: Always use a clean, single-use liner and fresh water for each birth.

If complications occur, such as fetal distress, heavy bleeding, or stalled labour, the birthing person must leave the birth pool immediately. Medical interventions can then be initiated safely outside the water.

Use a reliable water thermometer to regularly check the temperature, especially during longer labours. If the water gets too warm (above 37.5°C), there's a risk of overheating (hyperthermia) for both the birthing person and the baby. Adjust the temperature as needed by adding cooler or warmer water.

Good hygiene is essential for every water birth. Here’s how you ensure a clean environment:

• Use a new, single-use liner (such as those for Birth Pool in a Box).
• Fill the birthing pool with clean, drinkable water.
• Use a debris net to remove any particles during labour.
• After the birth, thoroughly clean and disinfect the birth pool before reuse.

Planning a home birth with a birth pool involves a few extra steps. Key considerations include:

• Ensuring enough hot water is available.
• Making sure the pool is placed on a stable surface with access to a drain.
• Setting up and testing the birthing pool in advance.

Preparing the birthing team and client well to avoid last-minute surprises.

That depends on the type of medication. If the birthing person receives an epidural or strong opioid-based pain relief, they must exit the birthing pool. These medications affect sensation and movement, increasing the risk of complications in water. Always consult your midwife or doctor before planning pain relief with a birthing tub.

Yes, a baby can safely be born underwater in a birthing pool or birthing tub. As long as the baby remains fully submerged, the breathing reflex is not triggered. The moment the baby's head reaches the surface, they will instinctively take their first breath.

To ensure a gentle transition, lift the baby slowly and calmly out of the water once the head has emerged.

Monitoring during a water birth is essential to ensure the safety of both the mother and baby. Key recommendations include:

• Regular fetal heart monitoring using a waterproof Doppler or wireless CTG.
• Observing for signs of maternal fatigue or changes in labour progression.

Maintaining open communication with the birthing person to assess comfort, wellbeing, and sense of control.

If the placenta does not detach shortly after birth, it’s important for the birthing person to exit the birth pool. This allows for:

• Better monitoring of blood loss.
• A safer environment for third-stage management.

Reduced risk of complications such as postpartum haemorrhage (PPH).

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.

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.