Empowered Births, Parents and Families. Since 1999.
With your decision to have a home birth you have joined thousands of people around the globe who have opted to be in charge of their own birth experience. You will find that your midwife ensures safe, personalized care, in a friendly, supportive and familiar environment.
A water birth is a very gentle and an exceptionally safe way of bringing the baby out of the womb. Water is a baby's natural environment so the transition to our world will probably be less stressful.
OUR WATER BIRTH POOLS
are designed by Global Maternal Child Care from Portland, Oregon, a non profit organization that has promoted water birth in North America for the last 23 years.
QUICK FACTS
The rental period is for four (4) weeks. We deliver and set up tubs in your home two weeks prior to your due date.
You keep the tub for two weeks after your due date or as long as you need it with no additional charge (we have found that one additional week is usually sufficient).
You are not expected to purchase any of the parts such as hoses, adapters, pumps, or disposable liners. Our kits contain them all.
By coming into your home we ensure that your dwelling and its water supply will meet the demands of the installation while also giving the opportunity for us to walk you through the process first hand. We have first hand experience since our daughter is a water birth baby too.
The unfilled pool weighs 47 pounds, and when it is filled to the maximum capacity (18 inches high or 197 gallons of water) it weighs of about 1623 pounds. However, it is an evenly distributed weight, safe to be placed on any floor even in a very old house.
The pool is 60 inches in diameter (24 inches high).
It takes an experienced person about 15-20 minutes to install.
It takes about 55 minutes to fill the pool, depending on your water pressure and supply of hot water. If the supply is not sufficient, start with hot water first, add cold water while the hot water is warming up, and then change again to the hot.
Women and birth attendants can get into the tub before it is completely filled, and let the warm water pour on them.
The pool comes with a three- prong plug (grounded) waterbed- type heater, and it has its own thermostat that switches on and off when needed.You should feel comfortable, but not too warm.
During the labour, the water is usually around 37-38 degrees Celsius. Constant monitoring of the temperature is very important.
Your midwife will let you know the appropriate time is to get into the tub (ideally you should be at least 5cm dilated). If you are dilated less than five centimeters you may relax too much too soon, and unnecessarily prolong the labour.
As always, your inner feelings, your instincts and your midwife’s experience will be your best guides.
But more than anything else, let your body speak for you. There is no right or wrong --it is only a magnificent process, a transition on the path of becoming a mother.
The True Blue Water Birth Kit Includes:
one permanent liner (heavy duty vinyl)
one individual disposable liner (3.5 mm thick)
an insulation layer (2 sheets of highly resistant foam)
a dual heater (UL approved) with thermometer that maintains the temperature of the water
a submersible drain pump
a floor support (floor padding)
a fishing net for debris and a floating thermometer
a universal faucet adapter (a high quality brass fitting --we install it if needed)
an antibacterial cleaning liquid
a heavy- duty tub cover that will keep the temperature of the water stabilized for up to 8 hours
To read further Frequently Asked Questions about GMCH Gentle Pools please click here.
The Rental Charge Includes:
a four to five-week rental period (includes two weeks after the expected due date, with no extra charge for an additional week following -- no hidden fees!)
free delivery within the City of Toronto
free setup (assembling, installing adapter to your tap, positioning the tub)
free pickup within the City of Toronto (outside of the City of Toronto please ad an additional $45.00)
a water birth kit (as described above)
and also, an ongoing support (24- hour on-call support in the GTA). If you experience problems in filling, resetting or emptying your tub, you can call us any time, and we will help you either over the phone or by showing up at your door.
To rent the pool please click here. Or, send us an e-mail.
Total Rental Charge:$300.00 in the City of Toronto, $345.00 outside the City .There is no extra charge for extra help: we just love doing what we do, and we are committed to supporting our home birthing community.
At this time we are looking for agents (doulas, childbirth educators or just enthusiastic moms) in the Montreal and Ottawa area who would be willing to store, clean and distribute a few pools in their neighbourhoods.
We also ship pools to other cities in Ontario, or, if you live outside of the GTA, you have the choice of collecting them and dropping them back at our location at no extra charge.Please call or e-mail to find out more -- we would love to talk to you!
"Thank you so much for the wonderful service we received with the birthing pool. Having the pool made the birth of my daughter a wonderful experience. Your husband is a wonderful man, and he was so kind and helpful when setting up and picking up the tub. I am sorry for the late note. I am scatterbrain on the best of days. Motherhood has only scattered my brain more. Thank you again for everything. Sincerely-Jennifer, Aaron and Ava"
Dear Slaven, thank you so much for emptying out and disassembling our birthing tub at no extra charge after the birth of our son back in November. It was great to arrive home and not have to deal with the tub on top of everything else. You will be glad to hear that our son Adam is doing really well..smiling, moving, chatting...Thank you for your service-we really appreciate having the tub.Pamela and Graham
