What To Wear In A Birthing Pool - Hospital Bag Essentials
Image © x-reflexnaja via iStock.
Considering a water birth? Spending some time in a birthing pool has been shown to relax mothers during labour, and can reduce pain in childbirth.
No wonder then that so many mums-to-be are interested in the possibility of giving birth in the water - according to the NCT, 10% of women give birth in the pool, while 20% use water at some stage of labour.
Numerous hospitals around the country offer pools on wards, so labouring and giving birth in a pool is increasing in popularity, even for those who don't want to have a home birth.
It's not quite as relaxing as a dip in an actual pool... but it is rather lovely (I've done it four times myself). Here's what you need to know - and what you need to wear. For more on what to wear during labour, check out our top tips here.
[rebelmouse-image 50368159 expand=1 dam=1 alt="Newborn baby girl's legs and feet as she lies in the cot." site_id=26332962 is_animated_gif=false original_size="799x534" crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rbl.ms/50368159/origin.webp%22%2C%20%22thumbnails%22%3A%20%7B%22origin%22%3A%20%22https%3A//assets.rbl.ms/50368159/origin.webp%22%2C%20%22300x300%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D300%26height%3D300%26coordinates%3D132%252C0%252C133%252C0%22%2C%20%22980x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D980%22%2C%20%221200x600%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D600%26coordinates%3D0%252C67%252C0%252C68%22%2C%20%221000x750%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D1000%26height%3D750%26coordinates%3D43%252C0%252C44%252C0%22%2C%20%221245x700%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D1245%26height%3D700%26coordinates%3D0%252C42%252C0%252C43%22%2C%20%22700x1245%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D700%26height%3D1245%26coordinates%3D249%252C0%252C249%252C0%22%2C%20%22600x400%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D600%26height%3D400%26coordinates%3D0%252C1%252C0%252C1%22%2C%20%22600x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D600%22%2C%20%22750x1000%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D750%26height%3D1000%26coordinates%3D199%252C0%252C199%252C0%22%2C%20%222000x1500%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D2000%26height%3D1500%26coordinates%3D43%252C0%252C44%252C0%22%2C%20%22600x300%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D600%26height%3D300%26coordinates%3D0%252C67%252C0%252C68%22%2C%20%221500x2000%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D1500%26height%3D2000%26coordinates%3D199%252C0%252C199%252C0%22%2C%20%221200x800%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D800%26coordinates%3D0%252C1%252C0%252C1%22%2C%20%221200x400%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D1200%26height%3D400%26coordinates%3D0%252C134%252C0%252C134%22%2C%20%22300x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D300%22%2C%20%2235x35%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D35%26height%3D35%22%2C%20%22210x%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D210%22%2C%20%22600x600%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D600%26height%3D600%26coordinates%3D132%252C0%252C133%252C0%22%2C%20%22600x200%22%3A%20%22https%3A//kidadl.rebelmouse.dev/media-library/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy81MDM2ODE1OS9vcmlnaW4ud2VicCIsImV4cGlyZXNfYXQiOjE3MDE4NDk4ODF9.B1f_ILMrot1xOcV8KWuTUEYMj837Nbq5DBldPDEZwbE/image.webp%3Fwidth%3D600%26height%3D200%26coordinates%3D0%252C134%252C0%252C134%22%7D%2C%20%22manual_image_crops%22%3A%20%7B%229x16%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22700x1245%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20534%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20301%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20249%7D%2C%20%22600x300%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22600x300%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%2067%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20399%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20799%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%7D%2C%20%223x1%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x400%22%2C%20%22600x200%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%20134%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20266%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20799%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%7D%2C%20%223x2%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x800%22%2C%20%22600x400%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%201%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20532%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20799%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%7D%2C%20%221x1%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%22600x600%22%2C%20%22300x300%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20534%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20534%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20132%7D%2C%20%223x4%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221500x2000%22%2C%20%22750x1000%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20534%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20401%2C%20%22left%22%3A%20199%7D%2C%20%2216x9%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221245x700%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%2042%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20449%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20799%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%7D%2C%20%224x3%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%222000x1500%22%2C%20%221000x750%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%200%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20534%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20712%2C%20%22left%22%3A%2043%7D%2C%20%222x1%22%3A%20%7B%22sizes%22%3A%20%5B%221200x600%22%2C%20%22600x300%22%5D%2C%20%22top%22%3A%2067%2C%20%22height%22%3A%20399%2C%20%22width%22%3A%20799%2C%20%22left%22%3A%200%7D%7D%7D" caption="" photo_credit="" title="small-baby-legs-feet"]
