FAQs

La Bassine was first created for the birth of my daughter in 2004, to answer a very personal need for comfort and privacy during such event. I believe those needs to be inherent to all birthing women and are unfortunately too often overlooked by some so called birth experts.

My midwife’s enthusiasm for La Bassine encouraged us to work hard on making our birthing pool available to all women in UK.

Today 50% of our customers are recommended by midwives that are passionate about natural birth and 25% are being recommended by people who successfully used La Bassine.

Having sold tens of thousands of La Bassine birthpools worldwide, we know a great deal about the construction of inflatable pools. We put La Bassine through exhaustive testing in order to guarantee that the maximum quality and highest standards were met.

Every single pool is inflated and tested for 24 hours prior to packing. In addition we carry out tests to ensure the pools are not leaking when filled with water. Standards we feel, are essential for the safe birth of your baby.

The main issue when using an inflatable pool is the risk of puncture. La Bassine is made from a very heavy duty and durable, phthalates free vinyl. Common sense precautions will usually prevent accidents from happening; keep scissors and any sharp objects away from the pool. Ensure that the floor beneath the pool is free from sharp edges and nails and of course, ensure your floor will support the weight of the pool when filled with water. If sitting the pool on a wooden floor we recommend using a tarp, which is available on our website or a rug. The major advantage of La Bassine is its I-beam construction, which will prevent any flooding in case of puncture. Even when deflated, the water stays inside the pool, which is held by the upright I-beam structure.

At La Bassine Birth Pools, we are aware that midwives have become concerned by the use of inflatable children’s paddling pools for water birth and the incorrect assumption, that any inflatable can be used. With the introduction of La Bassine, we aim to deliver peace of mind to both mothers and midwives alike.

Inflatable walls and floor provide a very good cushioning and will ensure the comfort needed in all positions, during labor and birth. Our inflatable floor is 7cm (3″) thick. This layer of air provides excellent support much appreciated when kneeling down.

Because La Bassine is a unique product that was designed from a mother’s personal experience, it is much more comfortable than any other birthing pool. You will not need extra padding to place beneath the pool.

Original Regular Birth Pool

Inflated floor: 7.5cm (3″)
External length: 165cm (65″)
External width: 135cm (53″)
External height: 76cm (30″)
Internal length: 125cm (50″)
Internal width: 95cm (38″)
Internal depth: 65cm (26″)
Rim width: 20cm (8″)

Maxi Birth Pool

Inflated floor: 7.5cm (3″)
External length: 191cm (75″)
External width: 164cm (65″)
External height: 71cm (28″)
Internal length: 145cm (57″)
Internal width: 118cm (46″)
Internal depth: 63cm (25″)
Rim width: 23cm (10″)

Original Professional Birth Pool

Inflated floor: 7.5cm (3″)
External length: 165cm (65″)
External width: 135cm (53″)
External height: 76cm (30″)
Internal length: 125cm (50″)
Internal width: 95cm (38″)
Internal depth: 65cm (26″)
Rim width: 20cm (8″)

Maxi Professional Birth Pool

Inflated floor: 7.5cm (3″)
External length: 191cm (75″)
External width: 164cm (65″)
External height: 71cm (28″)
Internal length: 145cm (57″)
Internal width: 118cm (46″)
Internal depth: 63cm (25″)
Rim width: 23cm (10″)

This size is very much appreciated by midwives who can easily reach you or your baby when needed. Larger pools make it harder to assist the laboring/birthing woman.

Tip: Something to think about with bigger pools:

• More hot water needed
• Harder to keep warm
• Less ‘nesty’
• Harder for the midwife to assist

Our pool holds about 450 litres (110 gallons) of water at 80% full which weighs around 450kg (1000lbs). This is about the same as 6 to 9 people standing together.

Regardless of how deep a birthing pool is, the water depth should be enough to support you, so that you can feel the comfort of its buoyancy, but it must never be too deep that you feel insecure.

As a general guidance, the water should be covering your belly just below breast level. Above that level, you are almost guaranteed to lose your stability when relaxing on your back, making it necessary for you to hold too strongly on the side of the pool, (not very secure and not what you may need during labor). Also, too much water depth will greatly reduce your choice of labor positions. La Bassine has an internal depth of 65cm (26″). The recommended water level should be between 46cm (18″) to 51cm (20″).

Most importantly, you can comfortably lean while you are in kneeling down position.

When properly inflated, the sides of the pool are strong enough for an adult to sit on and for you to lean on, heavily, in any position.

La Bassine has a convenient external height to comfortably get in and out of, without the need of a plastic stool.

From personal experience I can only say that a birthing pool should never be so high that it is a struggle to get in and out of, in the middle of your labor.

Use the bigger nozzle that you have on your pump and plug it into the big black valve on the side of your pool.

Inflate until all wrinkles are gone but make sure you don’t over inflate as it will damage the pool. You will have plenty of time to add more pressure later if needed. There is no particular order to inflate the walls or the floor first.

Make sure that the valves are secure. The black valve needs to be screwed as tight as possible to prevent air loss.

We highly recommend the use of a disposable liner. They are not expensive and will not only save exhaustive pool cleaning, but are completely hygienic and safe.

The best way to clean your pool is by using cleaning wipes (Dettol anti-bacterial surface cleaning wipes) found in any supermarket. The upright walls and its compactness make the cleaning and drying very easy, avoiding bacteria to fester in inaccessible damp space. Make sure the pool is completely dry before you store it back in its bag.

The standard garden hose is made with many dangerous chemicals (and technically should not even be used to water a garden). These chemicals not only come out in abundance with the first use (flushed out along with manufacturers “grease” but leach out over time with break down of the hose).

It isn’t vital to use an eco hose, but we like to eliminate all unnecessary chemicals where possible, especially on such an occasion.

Our hoses are selected for their technical properties: non-kink, anti-algae, free from phthalates, lead and cadmium. Just connect to your tap connector with the hose end adapter. It should take around 25-35 minutes to fill La Bassine, according your water flow.

A heat retaining pool cover is available as an option that you can purchase. Please see kit contents of our different kits as at promotion time we include a pool cover as part of the kit. Also, inflatable birthing pools provide a better insulation than a rigid birthing pool and keep the water warm longer.

The delivery room should always be at least 25-28°C (77-82°F) to ensure the thermal protection of the newborn. In a room at 25°C, the temperature of the water will drop by less than a 1°C per hour. Kettles of hot water provide a quick way to increase the temperature in the pool, should it start to cool off.

We do supply a submersible water pump in our kit. You can also purchase one separately. This is, of course the best way to empty the pool. Other options are:

• Using a bucket – this is the physical option; it takes around 45 to 60 minutes to empty the pool. My husband did it that way and I remember him being so excited about his lovely little girl that the water was gone in no time.
• Create a siphon using your hose pipe; you stick one end of the hose into the pool and the other end into the drain of your choice and out goes the water. For this to work the hose needs to be filled with water and it help if the drain is lower than the pool. Sounds complicated but it is really easy.

Ideally you should enter the pool only when you are in the second part of your labor. This is when ‘La Bassine’ would be used at its best. Studies have shown that women who enter in the pool at 5 centimetres or after are more likely to experience a shorter labor and a reduced need for epidural analgesia.

There are many positions that can be tried during the first stage of your labor, which will help you to be patient enough and enter the pool at the right time.

To order your La Bassine online, just add your chosen products to your basket. You will then be directed to select the country/zone. Once you have done this you will enter our shopping cart. If you want to order more products click on continue shopping. Otherwise click on proceed to checkout and you can then enter your details. Once that is done, click on your selected payment method at the bottom and you will be transferred to the secure payment gateway to continue your order.

We are very responsive when it comes to your questions and comments. We will respond to you within a short period of time. Fill out the form on the contact page.

Although your statutory right allows you to return purchases within 7 days of receipt (cooling off period), La Bassine voluntarily extends your return privilege to 28 days. We understand that for peace of mind, you may prefer to order the items well in advance, but occasionally due to unforeseen circumstances, are unable to make use of our products. Therefore, providing the product is returned within 28 days, postage paid, unopened in its original packing, undamaged and in re-saleable condition, your purchase price will be refunded less a 10% fee for restocking and handling. If you need to return an order, please contact us at info@labassinebirthpools.com to obtain approval and instructions for its return.

If a product is received faulty, or damaged in any way, you must contact us immediately. You may then return the product to us. If, after inspection, it is found to be a manufacturing defect, a replacement item will be sent out promptly. Once any item is removed from its original packaging and is unfit for resale, no refund can be given.

Unlike any other inflatable, La Bassine is made in small batches allowing every single pool to be fully inflated for 24 hours before packing. This procedure greatly reduces the number of faulty products.

It is important that you inflate your pool and check and test any accessories, at least 1 weeks prior to planned use. This is so that in the unlikely event that there are defects, you can receive a replacement in good time.

Not testing until the last moment can potentially result in unnecessary stress during labor if something does not work, and we cannot then help you. But please understand that once you have made the decision to test the pool or any accessories, you are NOT then entitled to return for credit as for health and hygiene reasons the kit cannot be resold by us.

This warranty does not cover punctures, cuts and abrasions sustained in careless uses or improper storage.

Over inflation is a major cause of leaks. Do not inflate with a compressor or high pressure pump. Inflating this item to full hardness can damage the seals.

Your La Bassine pool can be returned for refund (within 28 days after date of purchase), provided it has not been opened and is suitable for re-sale, but will be subject to a 10% restock and handling charge.

Due to the purpose for which the products are used, refunds cannot be given if any product carton has been opened.

After filling the pool to 80% of its capacity, open the big valve (used to quickly deflate your pool) to see if the water will go over the edges. After 5 minutes you have enough time to get out safely of the pool. The water is still inside the pool, which is held by the upright I-beams structure.

30 minutes later the pool is not deflating anymore. You will have plenty of time to empty it without any damage to your floor.

You can download a PDF version of the La Bassine instruction manual by clicking the button below.