Born Doula Services

More on the AquaBorn Eco Birth Pool - Calgary, Alberta - Waterbirth, Water Birth, Homebirth, Low Cost Rental

2010-08-16T21:42:00.013-06:00

I've had lots of inquiries about renting my birth pool. I'm so excited to be offering this service and, after preparing for my first few rentals, I'm even more in love with the high quality and easy set up of the Aquaborn Eco Professional Birth Pool.

Some common questions I've been asked so far about the rental are below.

How much room do I need to set up the pool? The Aquaborn Eco Professional Birth Pool is roughly 5' x 6'. Add into this adequate room for your care provider to work around the pool and you'll need at least 8' x 10'.

How long does the pool take to set up? With the electrical air pump included in the rental, inflation of the pool takes less than 5 minutes! The time it takes to fill the pool depends upon the capacity and temperature of your water heating system. Larger hot water tanks or tankless systems can fill the pool in only 35 minutes. It can take up to two hours if you have a smaller system that needs time to reheat in between fillings. Even if you fill in stages, using the included heat retaining lid keeps the water nice and warm, for up to 24 hours.

Should I turn up the temperature on my hot water tank to prepare for filling the pool? Some care providers suggest that you turn up the temperature of your water heater before the birth, to aide in filling the birth pool. If your water is hotter, then you'll use less of it because you use more cold water to cool the temperature down to 36 or 37 degrees. While this is true, please remember to use extreme caution when increasing your hot water tank temperature as it also increases the risk of burns for anyone using your household water.

How heavy is the pool when it's filled with water? When filled to maximum capacity (560 L or 170 gallons), the pool weighs 560 Kg plus the weight of the people getting in the pool. While 560 Kg sounds like a lot of weight, to put it in perspective think of it this way: 6 adults sitting around a small table would put the same load on the area. If you're concerned about the structural capacity of your location, please consult a professional.

How is the pool cleaned in between customers? Each rental includes a new single use disposable pool liner, that fits over the pool when in use. The liner keeps the pool free from contact with any bodily fluids. In between rentals, the pool is cleaned with a 1:10 bleach to water solution, as per Alberta Health Services recommendations for handling surfaces exposed to body fluids. Once sanitized, the pool is thoroughly rinsed again to remove any remaining bleach.

And to show you just how easy the Aquaborn Eco Professional Birth Pool is to set up, I've taken a few pictures of the process.

Unrolled and uninflated:

Partially inflated (around 2 minutes):

Fully inflated (4.5 minutes):

With the heat retaining lid:

Demonstrating a resting pose:

Why I No Longer Write Birth Stories

2010-07-13T13:59:00.008-06:00

As a new doula, straight out of training, one of the basic services that I was told to offer my clients were written birth stories. I loved writing my own birth stories and looked forward to this aspect of my doula work. After a few births, I began to dread writing these stories. Not because I didn't enjoy retelling the beautiful births I had attended, but because it didn't feel right. These were not my stories to tell.

Writing my own birth stories when my sons were born was how I processed their births and owned my power in the experience. Only I knew what I was feeling during certain moments. I didn't need someone else to interpret the situation for me or make assumptions about how I was feeling. Going over every memory, checking them against my midwives labour charting, and talking about them with my husband was a delicious part of how I welcomed my sons into the world. I recognize that not everyone feels the need to rehash every minutiae of their labour or wants a birth story. But, for me, I was the only person who could tell the story of my labours.

I worried about colouring my clients' experience with my own perspective. This story may affect how a client remembers her child's birth for years to come. That's a huge responsibility. And there's a fine line between retelling things honestly and sugar-coating events that may have been disappointing to them. Similarly, an event that I might have seen as disappointing or upsetting might not have seemed that way to the client and her partner. How awful to have the memory of your child's birth reshaped based on someone else's perspective. If you were happy with the experience until someone else pointed out the things that were negative, did that person do you a service or a disservice?

So, what do I offer now? Detailed labour notes. I write down who was there, when things happened, and notable things that were said. I try to keep them objective. It's a reference for the client to clarify time lines and things that stood out to me as unique and beautiful. How her partner stroked her hair. The comment she made after a contraction that caught us all off-guard and filled the room with laughter. What music was playing when the baby was born. Things that she may not remember, but might like to. This is what seems right to me.

AquaBorn Eco Birth Pool Rental - Calgary, Alberta - Waterbirth, Water Birth, Homebirth, Low Cost

2010-04-07T05:03:00.010-06:00

After much thought and deliberation, I have decided to buy a professional birth pool which will be available for rental in Calgary in May 2010. This pool is recommended by Waterbirth International and all components are pthalate free. I'm still working out the details, but rental will be $125 with a $50 non-refundable deposit. This reserves the pool for 1 week before and 2 weeks after your due date.

Rental includes the Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool, heat retaining lid, pool liner, tap adapter, two hoses (one to fill, another to empty), debris net, electric air pump, sump pump, and a large tarp. Clients are responsible for filling and emptying the pool, although for an extra $75 we can take care of emptying it for you. Within 12 hours of having your baby, just call us to come pick it up!

Details:
6 handles (2 internal, 4 external)
72" x 59" x 30" - external measurements
55" x 44" x 27" - internal measurements
0.60 mm thickness
Holds 170 gallons
Filling time approx. 35 minutes

Designed by People Who Know
The Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool has been designed with needs of the expectant mother, baby and midwife in mind. It’s the strongest inflatable birth pool available for home use. It’s ideal for anyone looking for a super strong, comfortable, ergonomically designed pool.

A Little Deeper!
To achieve buoyancy in water and allow easy movement between positions, 21" of water depth is required. We know you will want to move around and assume positions which bring your body out of the water. To aid this we have made the Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool a little deeper so that your waist can stay in the water even when you want to lean over the pool. This is perfect for a birth position where it is important to keep your pelvis in the water.

The six handles provide assistance in ALL birth Positions
The Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool has six handles that are optimally placed to assist in all birth positions. The two on top allow backward leaning, squatting and pushing positions while allowing the midwife to get closer to the expectant mother if needed. The two on the sides provide assistance in forward leaning and bracing. The two internal handles provide assistance in moving from one position to another, reclining and forward leaning.

The vertical anti-deflate beams
The Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool has unique beams that will deflate very slowly and equally, in the unlikely event of a puncture. This gives the mother plenty of time to exit the pool safely and the water to be removed before any spillage occurs.

The top deflation ring
The top ring is inflated and deflated in seconds to allow easier access to the pool if required.

Eco, Calm and Green
The pool is made from environmentally friendly eco vinyl which is safe for everyone, even when heated. It’s comfortable and no extra padding is required. The Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool provides the perfect calm and safe environment to help you through your labor and birth. Being calm is an important part of helping your labor progress more quickly.

The Strongest Inflatable Birth Pool
We have tested some other brands of inflatable birth pools for strength, resilience and functional use, and the Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool wins hands down. The walls are strong enough to support both you and your partner, and the the unique placement of handles and extra comfort means this is the most diverse pool available for water birth.

Fast Inflating, Fast Filling!
The pool can be inflated in just 6 minutes with A/C inflator. Filling the pool with water will of course depend on you water pressure and availability of hot water. It takes on average 35 – 45 mins to fill the pool.

Tried and Tested!
The Aquaborn Eco Birth Pool has had excellent feedback from midwives and the people that have used it.

Historic Photos & Prints of Breastfeeding

2010-03-19T23:15:00.007-06:00

I'm fixated on breastfeeding today because I've reached a personal breastfeeding goal: to breastfeed my second child longer than I did my first.

I found the Historic Photos & Prints of Breastfeeding group today on Facebook. I'm always very moved by these historic images. It reminds me that breastfeeding was the norm not even sixty years ago.

photo by Orin Crooker, Hoopeston, Ill.

A Beautiful Breastfeeding Video

2010-03-19T13:47:00.003-06:00

Dou-la-la shared this video from the Holistic Moms Network about breastfeeding and I thought I would post it here as well.

Why did the Holistic Moms Network make the video?

"A recent article published in Australia's Herald Sun indicated that many Generation-Y women polled would not nurse their babies because of fear of embarrassment over public breastfeeding. As much as 75 percent of these young women felt that nursing in public was uncomfortable and few understood the benefits of breastfeeding for themselves or their babies.

Inspired by the article in the Herald Sun (Australia), the Holistic Moms Network has launched a new project to highlight the beauty and confidence of breastfeeding women. HMN members from across North America submitted photos of themselves proudly breastfeeding their children - everywhere from the Eiffel Tower to the Brooklyn Bridge - for the Nursing Our Future video.

Empowering mothers is a cornerstone of the Holistic Moms Network's mission and through the non-profit organization's Chapters, parents gather to offer one another support and advice while also learning about holistic living options from local practitioners and guest speakers.

"One of the barriers for many young mothers is a lack of awareness about breastfeeding as well as a culture that is not particularly breastfeeding friendly," argues Dr. Massotto. The Holistic Moms Network hopes to raise awareness by showing young women images of breastfeeding and to help them find the support and encouragement they need to continue."

a big week...

2010-03-05T20:54:00.003-07:00

In the past week, a lot has happened. I attended my doula training. I sent away for my DONA International birth doula certification package. I've launched my website. I've ordered business cards. I've written and edited my client handouts. I created a Facebook page for the business. All in all, I'm so excited to begin this journey.

As it stands, I have 4 clients lined up: 2 in June; 2 in October. But I'm really hoping to find at least 2 for March and/or April. Know any pregnant ladies in the Calgary area? Send them my way for free doula services.

Welcome!

2009-10-17T22:37:00.002-06:00

Hello and welcome to Born Doula Services. Please bear with me as I put this site together. I promise to be back really soon.