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Laboring tools

heltonclheltoncl member
in Natural Birth
I have toured the hospital I will be giving birth at, and although it isn't a birthing center as I originally had hoped to find it does have the lowest rate of FTM cesarean for the area. They do not offer any sort of laboring tools (birthing ball, tub (although they do have a shower), birth bar, etc.) and I'm wondering if this is pretty standard? Should I prepare to bring my own tools? Do doula's ever have these available (of course I will discuss this with the doula when I interview)? First time mom! Lots of questions! :)
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Re: Laboring tools

  • connielouwhoconnielouwho member
    I delivered with a midwife at the hospital. Our hospital had a birthing ball but I didn't use it that much. Our doula would have brought one if needed. The birthing bars are awesome. Our doula brought a long scarf to wrap around the bar so I could get into different positions. I was pretty much on all fours the entire 3 hours I pushed. Best of luck to you. It was no where near as hard and painful as everyone described to me. I can't wait to try it again in a few months. Pushing is the easy part. Even though I pushed for that long it never really hurt that bad.
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  • ThewizardofrhythmThewizardofrhythm member
    Every hospital is different. You can usually bring your own ball if they do not have them. Your doula can advise you more on what tools you'll need and should bring. If it is not a birthing center, just make sure its policies and practices are compatible with your birth vision. Most importantly though, is picking a provider that supports a birthing center style birth. The hospital will typically defer to your doctor's orders. 


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  • JCWhiteyJCWhitey member
    I'd bring a ball if they don't offer one.  I brought mine even though the hospital had one because using a ball someone else had used weirded me out.  I'm sure they clean them very well, but still, I wanted to use my own.  A tub you probably can't bring.  Talk to your doctor, but I'm guessing they won't allow it.

    B born 7/15/13, C born 3/2/15, #3 on the way May '17


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  • MsMacualMsMacual member
    I agree that you could bring in your own ball.  The shower also can be a good place to labor- I've heard that the pressure from the shower head really helps so definitely keep that in mind as an option. 
    BabyFruit Ticker
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  • heltonclheltoncl member
    Great thank you! Are laboring balls the same as a standard yoga ball?
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  • JCWhiteyJCWhitey member
    heltoncl said:
    Great thank you! Are laboring balls the same as a standard yoga ball?
    That's all mine was.  

    B born 7/15/13, C born 3/2/15, #3 on the way May '17


    I’m a modern man, a man for the millennium. Digital and smoke free. A diversified multi-cultural, post-modern deconstruction that is anatomically and ecologically incorrect. I’ve been up linked and downloaded, I’ve been inputted and outsourced, I know the upside of downsizing, I know the downside of upgrading. I’m a high-tech low-life. A cutting edge, state-of-the-art bi-coastal multi-tasker and I can give you a gigabyte in a nanosecond! I’m new wave, but I’m old school and my inner child is outward bound. I’m a hot-wired, heat seeking, warm-hearted cool customer, voice activated and bio-degradable. I interface with my database, my database is in cyberspace, so I’m interactive, I’m hyperactive and from time to time I’m radioactive.

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  • jennypolkadotsjennypolkadots member
    A lot of doulas have these tools and bring them to births. One we interviewed brings a large exercise mat so you can labor in many positions on the floor, a birthing stool, and a birthing ball along with stuff like aromatherapy, cd player, massage oil, etc. 

    If you have all these tools with you it would be definitely be best to be in a LDRP room, or at least a LDR room so that you aren't changing rooms just before delivery which is the norm in many smaller hospitals. 

    If you buy your own, maybe you would be interested in donating to the hospital after your birth? I bet a lot of women would be really grateful! 
    BabyFetus Ticker
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  • jennypolkadotsjennypolkadots member
    Laboring balls are the same as yoga balls but you want to figure out what size will work best for you through labor. My midwife mentioned she has 3 different sizes because many times a woman needs a different size during labor than she does for exercise. Usually smaller. 
    BabyFetus Ticker
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  • wolfkatwolfkat member
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  • honeybeee3honeybeee3 member
    I delivered in a hospital with a midwife as well. The hospital had birthing balls but I chose to bring my own. I also brought my own birthing bar. Unfortunately I wasn't able to bring in a tub but like PP said, every hospital is different so you may be able to. It's great that they have a shower, the warm water helps tremendously and IMO it is the one of the best "labor tools".

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  • heltonclheltoncl member
    Thank you all! Where might I find these sort of tools for purchase if the doula does not have them available? More specifically a birthing bar and maybe stool?
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  • LilTiger15LilTiger15 member

    The hospital I delivered at had several birthing balls and birthing bars that could attach to the hospital bed.  I didn't use any of the birthing balls because I had back labor and I found that sitting on the birthing ball actually made the pain worse.  The birthing bar did come in handy though because my baby was posterior and sitting on my butt, bearing down on the bar, was the only way he was coming out. 

    For this pregnancy, I'm going for a homebirth.  Although the hospital appeared to be 'natural birth friendly'...they really weren't, or at least not up to my standard.  One of the nurses actually left the room at shift change when she found out I wasn't on any meds.  Apparently that freaked her out...really?!

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