Category: Active Birth Pools

Back in the mid-80s, we embarked on a journey alongside midwives, mothers, obstetricians, infection control specialists, and manual handling experts.

Together, we crafted the world’s very first hospital-grade water birth pool with meticulous attention to every detail.

Since then, we’ve continued to refine our designs, enhance our materials, and elevate our manufacturing and engineering capabilities.

This evolution has given rise to water birth pools that not only prioritize safety but also align perfectly with the desires of both mothers and midwives.

The Building Better Healthcare Awards judges put it succinctly, stating that the harmonious blend of evidence-based, user-centric, ergonomic design, specialized materials, and custom manufacturing has resulted in water birth pools that stand in a class of their own.

Our unwavering dedication lies in offering intelligently designed birthing pools that deliver unparalleled safety, remarkable value, and outstanding performance, all while remaining incredibly practical, cost-effective, and environmentally sustainable.

At our core is a genuine passion for design and quality, fueled by an unwavering commitment to enhance the experience of labor and birth for midwives, mothers, and babies alike.

We’re proud to have supplied countless water birth pools to hospitals across the globe.

Our collaborations with end-users, specialists, and manufacturers have driven us to continuously develop and improve our capabilities.

Every Active Birth Pool is meticulously handcrafted to order in England by highly skilled artisans who take immense pride in their work and hold themselves to the highest standards of excellence.

Our design process takes into account the delicate interplay between mothers, midwives, and the birth pool.

We’ve embraced evidence-based, user-centric, ergonomic design principles to create water birth pools that are not only supremely comfortable but also effortlessly practical and user-friendly.

The intricate and inviting forms of our pools are designed to captivate both the senses and emotions.

Each curve, each contour serves a purpose, where form elegantly merges with aesthetic utility.

Through the seamless, one-piece fabrication process in Ficore®, we’ve revolutionized the concept of the birth pool.

This innovation has given birth to pools that seamlessly combine elegance, practicality, and ease of use.

The exceptional qualities of Ficore® empower us to produce water birth pools that excel in performance, value, and safety beyond measure.

Our deep understanding of the childbirth process and our commitment to midwives’ needs have driven us to design birthing pools that actively protect midwives and mothers from the potential risks associated with water birth.

We’re acutely aware of the potential for birth pools to harbor harmful bacteria.

In response, we’ve introduced a range of innovative features that not only mitigate risk but also amplify safety to the highest degree.

Your peace of mind and safety are at the heart of everything we do.

Active Birth Pools from a midwives perspective

Active Birth Pools from a mothers perspective

Safety First

At the ‘Building Better Healthcare’ awards ceremony the Active Birth Pool was highly commended in the award for best internal building product.

In their comments the judges praised the quality of  our design and manufacturing process and went on to say that they found the Active Birth Pool very appealing.

All aspects of design, engineering and manufacture were focused on develop a water birth pool of unparalleled beauty, quality, functionality and durability that is backed by an extraordinary life-time year guarantee.

Foremost consideration was given to how mothers and midwives relate to and interact with the pool employing ergonomic principles to design for the interaction and dynamic at play.

Mothers have the space to move freely and comfortably and are supported in the postures natural to a physiological labour and birth.

The “signature” extra-wide rims with broad “bull-nosed” shaped edges flowing into the skirting panel and down to the floor are an important feature of the Active Birth Pool that sets it apart.

The wide flat rim allows mothers to lean forward, resting on their forearms in comfort – one of the most natural and effective positions during labour.

It provides secure, safe, stable support for women to enter and leave the pool and for midwives and partners to lean or rest on while attending the mother.

The handrails, which are set into the profile of the rim, provide perfect support for the mother in upright positions.

The critical issue of emergency evacuation has been resolved by incorporating features into the pool to give midwives several options for evacuating the mother that are in compliance with Health & Safety and Manual Handling regulations.

The Labour Support and Safety Seats are distinguishing features of the Active Birth Pool

1) This physiologically designed labour support seat has proven to help the mother’s pelvis and birth canal open in preparation for a natural, physiological birth.

2) The distinctive rim level safety seat provides a wide comfortable platform for the mother to lean on, a safe means for emergency evacuation and is ideal for midwives to monitor the mother without her having to stand up or leave the pool.

The unique seamless one-piece construction incorporates a deeply sculpted concave skirting panel to allow midwives to work in comfort with their legs well under the pool.

The new Active Birth Pool is fabricated in Ficore® composite, a proprietary material that was specially developed for baths and designed to negate the risk of problems associated with other materials.

Ficore is 50% harder than acrylic and fibreglass (which other birth pools are made from) and highly resistant to chemicals.

Despite the rigidity and hardness of the surface it is extremely smooth, tactile and warm to the touch.

Its high insulation factor enables the Active Birth Pool to maintain its temperature up to six times longer than standard acrylic or fibreglass birth pools.

To help mothers control, define and personalise the delivery room, the Active Birth Pool is equipped with multi-colour chromotherapy LED lighting and integral bluetooth sound.

Our ingenious Integral Bluetooth Sound System allows the mother to wirelessly connect her phone and listen to the music of her choice.

Two integral speakers turn the birth pool into a highly refined audio loudspeaker.

When you examine the new Active Birth Pool you’ll immediately notice the superior finish and signature design elements.

Look a little closer and the quality of the components such as the drainage system, the support structure that underpins the pool, the fittings on the access panel, the lighting system, handrails and metal work becomes apparent.

If you are looking for a water birth pool to install in a maternity unit the incomparable new Active Birth Pool should be your first choice.

Handmade and custom built to order by a team who together have over 85 years experience in the design and production of high-end baths the new Active Birth Pool will provide decades of service and be an invaluable aid to mothers who want to have a natural birth.

The Active Birth Pool conforms to regulations issued by the Department of Health and the guidelines set forth in the Water Birth Safety Initiative.

(The new Active II Water Birth Pool takes the original design to new levels of comfort and performance)

Note: this article taken from “Building Better Healthcare” magazine – November 2015

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The combination of evidence based, user-centred, ergonomic design, specialised materials and bespoke manufacturing result in water birth pools that are in a class of their own.

Active Birth Pools Catalogue 

Client List 1987 – 2023 

Photos, plans, 3D models and data sheets

Winner – Building Better Healthcare Awards – Building Better Healthcare Magazine

Improving Birthing Pool Design – Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors

Find out why you should choose Active Birth Pools 

This short video with almost 12,000,000 views shows how mothers move naturally to find the most beneficial positions.

The videos below were made in 2015 when we began fabricating our birthing pools in Ficore® composite.

Though slightly dated they contain a plenitude of information and clearly convey why mothers and midwives love our water birth pools.

We have published information about our water birth pools in these languages:

• Nederlands
• Italiano
• Français
• Español
• عربي
• Deutsch
• Norsk
• Português
• Suomalainen
• Svenska
• Dansk
• हिंदो

Visit our Blog to find out more about our range of award winning water birth pools

Please contact us if you would  like to receive a quote.

When it comes to water birth pools there is nothing more important then safety.

There are important manual handling, water safety and infection control issues that must be considered and taken into account.

There are water birth pools available that meet the accepted regulatory guidelines, but unfortunately many water birth pools on the market fail to meet these requirements.

These water birth pools are equipped with features that at first might seem safe or even an advantage, but in reality present risks!

When we started in 1987  we knew that no matter how beneficial water birth pools were, if health and safety risks could not be overcome the use of water for labour and birth would not be a reality

Our abiding interest and unparalleled experience over the past 36 years qualifies us as one of the world’s leading experts on the Health & Safety issues that affect water birth facilities.

To find about these safety issues and how we’ve resolved them see below:

Active Birth Pools: Water Safety and Infection Control

Active Birth Pools: Manual Handling

Ficore® composite – an extraordinary material

It’s easy for mothers to get into our pools

Dealing with emergencies

Water Birth Safety Initiative

Cleaning and Care

While the importance of designing water birth pools for mothers is evident, the importance of designing for midwives is paramount.

Mothers may use the pools a few times but midwives use them continually.

Midwives tell us that our water birth pools are the most comfortable and easy-to-use.

They appreciate the fact that they are safeguarded from risk of injury and benefit from the unparalleled level of comfort and support they receive.

Midwives report better results, and say that our pools are fabulous and a pleasure to use.

And that is why given a choice, midwives prefer Active Birth Pools.

In 1995 we worked with Health Service Ergonomist Sue Hignett and the midwives at Nottingham City Hospital to look at ways in which the design of our water birth pools could be improved.

We discovered that our pools could be made dramatically safer, more comfortable and user-friendly.

The results appear in this article, “Improving Birthing Pool Design” published in the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors.

If you look at our birthing pools from the early 1990’s (above) you’ll immediately notice the vertical skirting panels and narrow rims.

The problem is that midwives cannot sit in comfort, close to the mother.

The pool becomes and obstacle between the mother and the midwife.

Midwives are forced to sit away from the pool with their legs splayed apart to make room and then lean forward.

This creates the ideal physical dynamic that causes lower back pain (a common complaint from midwives attending water births).

To make matters worse, the narrow rims are not comfortable for resting on as pressure is concentrated in a small area of the forearm.

The photos above show how with our water birth pools midwives can sit close to the mother in complete comfort.

The concave skirting panel is contoured to the shape of the pool which gives midwives plenty of room under rim for their legs.

She sits with her arms resting on the extra-wide bull-nosed shape rim just like you would at a desk or table.

Furthermore – the rim is not obstructed with taps and fittings which enables midwives to easily move around the circumference of the pool as need be.

Partners play a important role in labour and birth.

Our pools allow couples to get close and be intimate without the need for the partner to get in the water.

This support (both physical and psychological) can make all the difference in helping mothers experience a physiological labour and natural birth.

Active Birth Pools give midwives safe, practical options for facilitating emergency evacuations – with or without a hoist.

Monitoring can be easily performed without the mother having to leave the pool

Mothers can easily get into our pools without climbing up large, cumbersome step units which put both mothers and midwives at risk.

It’s easy for mothers to get into our pools

Dealing with emergencies

Active Birth Pools from a mothers perspective

We’ve spent decades observing the way that mothers move in our pools and considered how to best serve their needs.

Our passion for excellence has led us to study ergonomic design theory and to work closely with mothers, midwives, health and safety and manual handling experts.

This has enabled us to design water birth pools that are incredibly comfortable, practical and easy-to-use.

Mothers simply tell us that, ‘they love our pools’.

They are actively encouraged to move freely and naturally.

They instinctively interact with the pool and find comfort and support wherever they are.

They benefit from complete freedom of movement and unparalleled comfort and therefore have better births.

Freedom of movement combined with the relaxing effects of warm water and release of oxytocin significantly increases the possibility of physiological labour and birth.

Active Birth Pools provide optimum support for mothers in the range of upright positions natural to labour and birth.

The can hold onto the recessed handgrips or use the wrap around, bullnose-shape rim for support as the they move around the pool to explore and find the most beneficial upright positions.

Features such as the Labour Support Seat, Safety Seat and Lumbar Support create additional possibilities for mothers to explore and find the most comfortable and beneficial positions.

Ficore composite, the extra-ordinary material that we use to fabricate our pools has a highly polished, ultra-smooth finish that is less slippery, tactile and warm-to-the-touch.

This makes our pools more appealing physically and approachable psychologically which helps mothers relax and feel more at ease.

The unique properties of Ficore combine with the curvaceous forms and design elements to make Active Birth Pools the most comfortable water birth pools on the market.

The design of our pools allows partners to sit in comfort and get really close to the mother.

The intimacy that couples experience with our pools is unique. No other pools allow partners to be so close without actually getting in the water.

The support thats provided both physically and emotionally has many benefits, and is key to helping mothers cope with pain and progress to experiencing physiological labour and natural birth.

All women no matter what their shape or size will find it exceptionally easy to get into our pools.

The distinctive extra-wide, bull-nosed shaped rim is relatively low making it perfect for mothers to sit on and gently swivel into the water.

Mothers don’t even think about it – they move instinctively and naturally lower themselves into the water.

There is no climbing – mothers are grounded at all times and safeguarded from risk.

When comparing Active Birth Pools with others on the market we refer to an excerpt from ‘The Clock, the Bed, the Chair’, an article that childbirth author and activist Sheila Kitzinger published in 2003:

“Even a recent innovation, the birth pool, does not always permit free movement.

In theory, a pool allows a woman, supported by water, to move unencumbered. Or so it might be thought.

Though published research often refers to mobility as an advantage of being in a pool, some pools are elaborate constructions with seats, handgrips and foot-rests, and movement in them is restricted.”

The pool dictates the position the mother should be in by placing her in a semi-recumbent posture with hand holds and foot rests to fix the arms and legs.

Mothers are positioned in the classic lying back with legs wide-open position but happen to be immersed in water.

The seats in these water birth pools are typically tilted backwards.

The mother is immobilised in a position with her pelvis tilted upwards resulting in her  pelvic outlet being up to 30% smaller.

This puts pressure on the sacrum which flexes upward, into a curved position that restricts the diameter of the pelvic outlet inhibiting the baby’s descent.

The birth canal is placed in an “uphill” orientation, forcing the mother to push upward against gravity to give birth to her  baby.

These seats and moulded fittings greatly reduce the space the mother has to move in and restricts her ability to use the positions most beneficial.

The benefits of labouring in water are largely negated.

The possibility of a physiological labour and natural birth is greatly reduced.”

Sheila Kitzinger MBE (29 March 1929 – 11 April 2015) was a British natural childbirth activist and author on childbirth and pregnancy.

She wrote more than 20 books and had a worldwide reputation as a passionate and committed advocate for change.

Sheila was a big fan Active Birth Pools – in fact her granddaughter was born at home in one of our water birth pools!

A way to make labour shorter, easier and more comfortable

Freedom of Movement – a YouTube Sensation!

It’s easy for mothers to get into our pools

There are manual handling issues and risks associated with water birth pools that affect both mothers and midwives.

Most of the risks stem from the design and equipping of the water birth pools themselves and this is where this article will focus.

These issues concern rim mounted fixtures and fittings, emergency evacuations, midwives comfort and support, and mothers getting in and out of the pool.

If you look at our birthing pools from the early 1990’s (above) you’ll notice the vertical skirting panels and narrow rims.

This design has serious manual handling issues which we resolved in 1995 with the help of Health Service Ergonomist Sue Hignett and the midwives at Nottingham City Hospital.

The problem is that the pool forms an obstacle between the mother and the midwife. Midwives are not supported or safeguarded and cannot sit closely to the mother in comfort.

They are forced to sit away from the pool with their legs splayed apart and then lean forward to be closer to the mother.

This creates the ideal physical dynamic that causes lower back pain (a common complaint from midwives attending water births).

In addition, the narrow rims are not comfortable for resting on as pressure is concentrated in a small area of the forearm.

To make matters worse these birthing pools:

–  make it more difficult for mothers to get into the pool necessitating  the need for large step units which put both mothers and midwives at risk.

– and more difficult for midwives to facilitate emergency evacuations.

The photo above tells a completely different story and clearly demonstrates why midwives say that our water birth pools are the most comfortable and user-friendly.

The concave skirting panel is contoured to the shape of the pool to maximise space under the rim.

The extra-wide rim has a bull-nosed shape edge for added comfort and support.

Midwives sit, fully supported in comfort with their legs well under the pool and forearms resting gently on the broad rim.

The unobstructed rim allows the midwives to move easily around the circumference of the pool.

Getting into the pool

The simple act of getting into the pool is one of the most misunderstood aspects relating to the use water birth pools.

The truth is that multi-step units are dangerous and in the case of Active Birth Pools unnecessary as the photos below clearly demonstrate.

With the help of Manual Handling  and Ergonomic Design  experts we designed a simple, safe way for mothers to get into our pools.

The distinctive extra-wide, bull-nosed shaped rim is relatively low making it perfect for mothers to sit on and gently swivel into the water.

There is no climbing – mothers are grounded at all times and safeguarded from risk.

All women no matter what their shape or size will find it exceptionally easy to get into our pools.

Mothers don’t even think about it – they move instinctively and naturally lower themselves into the water.

And midwives will be safeguarded from the risk associated with physically supporting mothers as they climbs up the steps .

To put this in perspective:

The average height of our pools is 75cm – about the same height as a desk or dining table.

Our 15cm high single step makes the height of the pool  60cm – the same height as an ordinary bathtub.

You don’t need a big step unit to get into your bath at home, do you?

For full details and a video showing how easy it is for mothers to get into our pools please go to this page.

Emergency Evacuations

Active Birth Pools give midwives safe, practical options for dealing with emergencies.

The extra-wide rim and internal seats of our pools allow midwives to facilitate emergency evacuations in a way that is birth practical and safe.

Midwives can situate the mother an internal seat and gently raise her with the help of the buoyancy that water provides up to the rim and onto a trolley.

Or, use a net that is specifically designed for this purpose.

Manual Handling advisors may insist that women are evacuated from the birth pool with a hoist and that this facility is provided for.

Active Birth Pools are the only pools on the market designed to accommodate portable hoists should the need arise.

For full details about how Active Birth Pools enable midwives to facilitate safe emergency evacuations including protocols from NHS Hospitals please go to this page.

Rim Mounted Fixtures and Fittings

Many water birth pools have an array of rim mounted fixtures and fittings including taps, spouts, handheld showers and hand grips (similar to those shown on the whirlpool bath below).

Not only do these fittings present an unacceptable infection control risk, but a signifiant health & safety and manual handling risk as well.

They form an obstruction that denies midwives freedom of movement and unencumbered access around the perimeter of the pool.

Most importantly there is a considerable risk of mothers hitting their head on the spout or injuring themselves on the protruding metal work.

If you look at our new Venus II Water Birth Pool (above) you’ll notice how the rim is free of potentially dangerous fixtures and fittings.

The handgrips are set into a recess in line with the rim and bonded into the fabric of the pool to deny bacteria the environment they need to grow.

The taps are mounted on an IPS panel with the spout 25cm above the rim of the pool

The distinctive ‘keyhole’ shape channel at the back of the pool contains the plumbing making it impossible for the mother to hit her head on the spout.

Dealing with emergencies

It’s easy for mothers to get into our pools

Manual handling risks to midwives associated with birthing pools: literature review and incident analysis

When it comes to the creation and care of water birth facilities nothing is more important then Health and Safety.

Micro-organisms breed freely in warm moist environments and must be prevented from propagating.

The potential for water birth pools to be both a habitat and a delivery medium for harmful bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Legionella is well known.

We completely understand this and engineered our water birth pools to optimise safety, negate risk and deliver safer birthing environments.

Seamless one-piece construction in Ficore combined with the minimum of fittings result in water birth pools of unparalleled hygiene and water safety.

Active Birth Pools are fabricated from proprietary material with unique qualities called Ficore®  composite.

Ficore has much higher degree of strength, durability and resistance to bacteria when compared to fibreglass or acrylic.

Seamless, one-piece construction in Ficore® improves hygiene by denying bacteria the environment to grow.

The ultra-hard surface makes our water birth pools easier to clean and more resistant to bacteria.

With Health Department Regulations as a guideline we have utilised intelligent design and a range of innovations to negate risk and maximise water safety.

In addition to the advantages that Ficore give our pools from a material perspective we need to look at the advantages it provides from an engineering and manufacturing perspective.

Ficore’s unique properties allow us to design our pools with flowing, organic forms that improve hygiene by facilitating more effective cleaning.

The super smooth finish and flowing contours optimise drainage and eliminate “dirt traps”.

Active Birth Pools: Fittings and Fittings

Hand grips

Our stainless steel hand grips, supplied by renown brassware manufacturer Samuel Heath are bonded directly into the pool

They are not surface mounted like on other birthing pools.

The bar is solidly sealed into the fabric of the pool with Ficore.

There are no gaps – there is no movement.

This make it impossible for moisture penetrate and for bacteria to breed

Drainage System

Our drainage is purpose designed and manufactured to the highest standards.

It has been a subject of interest of numerous investigations by infection control specialists, all of them who came back to use to give their approval.

The waste sits in a recess and is double sealed in with silicone for a water tight, bacteria resistant seal.

The stainless steel fittings are made from solid brass and won’t be damaged from use of of chlorides and other disinfectants.

The plug can be taken out and soaked in hypochlorite in between births.

The rim mounted control wheel can be easily removed for cleaning.

Multi-Colour LED Underwater Lighting

The internal light fitting fits flush to the sidewall, has a stainless steel bezel and is sealed in with silicone.

Due to the fact that the fittings are water tights and vertically mounted water cannot penetrate or build up.

The control switch on the rim is is also water tight and fully sealed.

Taps and Showers

We do not supply taps but recommend 3/4″ thermostatic bath or bath/shower mixers like the Rada T3.

Taps are never mounted on the rim but on the wall or water column as shown above.

Spouts should be 25cm above the rim to prevent contact from pool water and to protect the mother from hitting her head.

Handheld showers are very useful for cleaning the pool but must be detachable so they can be removed while the pool is in use.

The Water Column

Freestanding water birth pools are becoming increasingly popular.

These installations typically present significant water safety and hygiene risks as rim mounted plumbing and fixtures provides the perfect breeding ground for micro-organisms to thrive.

For wall mounted installations the thermostatic taps, spout, handheld shower and grab rail are fixed to an IPS Panel in accordance with health department regulations.

For freestanding birthing pools a solution needed to be found.

To solve this problem we developed the Water Column – a bespoke design concept that separates the plumbing from the pool to optimise hygiene and water safety and provide crucial support for mothers and midwives.

It’s highly utilitarian, sleek ergonomic design complements the look and usability of our pools .

Unsafe Fittings and Features Commonly Found on Water Birth Pools

Because they are mounted on the pool, close to the water the potential for pool mounted fixtures and fittings to become contaminated with bacteria and cross infect is greatly increased.

This whirlpool bath clearly shows a large number of unsafe fittings and systems as applied to water birth pools.
Note the overflow drain, recirculating water system, Swan neck tap, integral shower, rim mounted plumbing and controls

There are other manufacturers who produce water birth pools that are safe but, many water birth pools are equipped with features that at first might seem safe or even an advantage, but in reality present risks or breach regulations.

These water birth pools (mainly produced in Europe) are over engineered and equipped with a profusion of fittings and features that put mothers and midwives at risk.

Please note: the images of fittings and features shown in this section are for illustrative purposes and do not show actual birthing pools.

Rim Mounted Taps and Spouts

Rim mounted taps, spouts and showers are one the biggest Health and Safety risks

These fittings present a serious infection control risk as the space between the surface of the pool and the fitting is a suitable breeding ground for bacteria.

Remember – bacteria are microscopic – even though the fitting may appear flush to the surface of the pool there is space for micro-organisms to establish themselves.

The risk that bacteria will propagate in the moisture between the plate and the rim is unacceptable.

There is also a risk that rim mounted taps could be contaminated with water from the pool and flow back into the tap.

There is the potential for back contamination of the tap, with bacterial colonisation into the system in contravention of water fitting regulations

Taps and spouts for water birth pools should be wall mounted 25cm above the pool and fitted with backflow protection.

There is also a significant risk that mothers could seriously hurt themselves by hitting their heads on these taps.

Swan Neck Taps

Swan neck taps are often seen mounted on the rims of water birth pools. Though attractive this type of tap presents a significant infection control risk.

Swan neck taps retain larger volumes of water which then stagnates and HFN 30 and HPSC recommends that swan-neck taps should not be used.

This is because they do not empty after use and could be prone to microbial biofouling with microorganisms including Legionella and P. aeruginosa the latter of which was associated with a swan neck tap during the neonatal outbreak in Northern Ireland  (HPSC, 2015).

Surface Mounted Hand Grips (internal and rim mounted)

Surface mounted handgrips are a serious infection control and manual handling risk.

Some water birth pools feature surface mounted hand grips similar to the ones shown above.

The is great potential for bacteria to become established between the fitting and the pool which makes these fittings an unacceptable infection control risk.

The risk of cross-infection is dramatically increased with surface mounted metalwork that is inside the pool as they come into direct contact with the water while the mother is using the pool.

From a manual handling perspective these handgrips are dangerous as they form an obstruction that mothers can hurt themselves on and they interfere with movement around the pool.

Overflow drains

Overflow drains harbour bacteria and can serve as a conduit for cross infection.

Regulations are very clear on this point.

Overflow drains should not be fitted to water birth pools as they constitute a constant infection control risk.

Re-circulating water systems

Re-circulating or pumped systems with jets such as whirlpools and  jacuzzi present the perfect conditions for the growth of micro-organisms.

Water systems like these present the highest levels of risk as they produce aerosols.

Aerosols are generated when the water surface is broken – for example, by falling water droplets, splashing, or by bubbles breaking at the surface.

Once introduced to these systems, Legionella and Pseudomonas thrive and can become aerosolised and then inhaled.

Integral Plumbing Systems

Plumbing systems like these utilise flexible and non-flexible piping, overflow drains, handheld showers, pumps, hoses, heaters, surface mounted fittings and filters.

These systems are impossible to clean, disinfect or monitor and therefore present an extremely high Infection Control Risk.

Stagnant water within the system is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria.

UK regulations state that water birth pools should be filled with wall mounted, thermostatically controlled mixer taps plumbed directly into the hospitals water supply.

Hand held showers

Handheld showers present a significant infection control risk.

If the shower head falls in the pool it may be contaminated with bacteria that could breed and be passed on next time the shower is used.

Department of Health regulations clearly stipulate that handheld showers and bath/shower mixers are not installed for use with water birth pools as they present a Fluid Category 5 risk to the mains water supply.

N.B. There are systems available that enable you to detach the hose and shower head from the tap. These are permissible as long as the shower fittings are detached when the pool is in use and only employed afterwards for cleaning.

Pumped heating systems

Heating systems for water birth pools are not necessary and present unacceptable infection control risks.

Water is pumped through a heat exchanger and then back into the pool creating the ideal environment for bacteria to breed.

These systems present one of the highest infection control risks and should not be utilised.

Bacteria filters and disinfection systems

Some water birth pools are equipped with these devices in an attempt to mitigate the risk of infection and bacteria infestation that are inherent in built-in plumbing systems.

Bacteria filters and disinfection systems can not be relied upon and will not guarantee adequate hygiene standards.

Doors

There is no reason for a water birth pool to have a door and many reasons why they should not.

Doors are mistakenly used for two reasons:

1. To facilitate emergency evacuations
2. To help mothers get in and out of the pool

Doors present an extremely high risk of infection and should be banned from use in water birth pools for this reason alone.

The door seal (typically foam or rubberised material) is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.

From manual handling perspective doors are not practical or fit for purpose. They actually complicate emergency evacuations and put mothers and midwives at risk.

Ficore® composite – an extraordinary material

Winner – Building Better Healthcare Awards

Water Birth Safety Initiative

Active Birth Pools deliver superior value, better results and unrivalled long term satisfaction.

They outperform all others all others in the market in terms of safety, hygiene and end user satisfaction.

Our water birth pools are built to last for decades and guaranteed for life.

Midwives at the Royal Berkshire Hospital celebrate the 25th anniversary of their water birth facility.
This early model supplied in 1992 is still going strong.

Other birthing pools have a life span of 7-10 years and are not guaranteed for life.

Over time they’ll cost far more as you’ll end up replacing them 3 – 4 times before you need to think about replacing an Active Birth Pool.

This yields significant savings  – up to £20,000 over the life of the pool!

And, you’ll also not have to experience the disruption, disturbance and additional cost that refurbishment brings.

Midwives at the `Bronte Birth Centre celebrate the opening of their water birth facility in their new Venus Pool

As our water birth pools have such a long life span you will not need to think about replacing them for 25 years or more.

Along with the cost of replacing the birthing pools you’ll need to consider the amount of waste material that will be generated by refurbishing the room and the impact its disposal will have on the environment.

Active Birth Pools are also easier to maintain (less chemicals) and more energy efficient (less hot water) which results in additional savings on labour, energy and materials.

When taken together as whole all of these factors demonstrate why Active Birth Pools are the most sustainable on the market -by far!

The use of water for labour and birth is often promoted as a means of empowering women and is consistent with the current agenda of normalising birth

When an Active Birth Pool is installed in a maternity unit it becomes the focus of attention. Mothers have been known to choose a unit with one of our pools over units that have competitors pools.

Midwives tell us that our pools are fab and a pleasure to use. They say that Active Birth Pools are the most comfortable and safest to work with.

When compared to other birthing pools mothers who use our birthing pools have a  greater possibility of experiencing physiological labour and natural birth.

Hospitals report that mothers who use our pools have easier, more straightforward births and  spend less time in hospital which translates into savings both economically and environmentally.

Click here to find out more about our range of award winning water birth pools.

Superior material results in superior performance.

Choice of material is fundamental to the success of a water birth pool.

Active Birth Pools are fabricated in Ficore® composite, a proprietary material of extraordinary properties that was developed to minimise problems associated with other materials.

A cross section of FICORE® composite

Ficore® composite data and specification

If you compare Ficore with Acrylic or Fibreglass you’ll notice the difference.

Ficore is a composite of eight different elements chemically fused during manufacturing, then heat cured at high temperature to create a material that is light in weight but ‘heavy’ in performance.

 Ficore® composite has many advantages:

1. Superior heat retention
2. Much higher degree of strength and durability
3. Less slippery
4. More tactile
5. Warm to the touch
6. Easily repaired if damaged
7. More resistant to bacteria

Warm to the touch

You’ll notice a significant difference in temperature between Ficore  and the other materials.

Ficore is warmer due to the fact that it is composite resin that is much denser than acrylic and fibreglass.

Due to Ficore’s high insulation factor and double-wall construction Active Birth Pools maintain water temperature up to 7 x longer.

Structural and engineering advantages

If you hold two equivalent size samples of commonly used material in your hands and compared them you’d notice that the sample of Ficore is heavier, harder and much more rigid.

The surface of Ficore is isophthalic neo-pentyl-glycol that is 50% harder (stronger) than the materials other birth pools are made from.

Active Birth Pools fabricated in Ficore have an extremely high degree of structural integrity and will not flex, buckle, bow, or change shape under pressure.

Ficore’s unique qualities allow us to manufacture intricately shaped pools that fully serve the needs of mothers and midwives.

Extremely smooth and tactile 

The finish of our pools is highly polished, ultra-smooth, tactile and very pleasant to touch.

This makes them more appealing physically and approachable psychologically which  helps mothers relax and feel more at ease.

Incredibly high adhesion factor

When we talk about adhesion factor we are referring to slip resistance.

Run your fingers across the surface of an Active Birth Pool and you’ll immediately be impressed with how ‘sticky’ it is.

Compared to other materials Ficore® has a significantly higher adhesion factor.

Given the circumstances and environment this gives our water birth pools a crucial advantage.

Durability

Ficore is more impervious to damage than other bath materials.

However, if it is damaged, it can be completely repaired as new – unlike many alternative materials.

Ficore is able to withstand both continuous heat or hot water and thermal shock of alternating hot and cold water.

An Active Birth Pool manufactured in Ficore meets or exceeds all relevant regulations and will withstand the rigours of heavy hospital use and disinfection with caustic chemicals.

Ficore® composite data and specification

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We’ve been dedicated to designing highly specialised pools for labour and birth since 1987.

We helped pioneer the use of water for labour and birth by providing the pools that made this revolution in maternity care possible.

We’ve achieved success by keeping things simple and focusing on our core principles of Safety, Value and Performance.

A passion for excellence and commitment to supporting midwives and helping mothers have a better experience of labour and birth defines our approach.

We’ve supplied 1,000’s of pools over the past 35 years and worked with end-users, specialists and manufacturers to develop and improve our capabilities.

Our unrivalled knowledge and wealth of experience enable us to provide water birth pools that minimise risk, optimise results and maximise value.

Mothers and midwives love our water birth pools.

Mothers benefit from complete freedom of movement and unparalleled comfort and support .

Midwives report better results, and say that our pools are fabulous and a pleasure to use.

Buyers like the fact that they’re the safest on the market, built to last for decades and guaranteed for life.

We have achieved success by caring about every detail and keeping things simple.

The combination of highly specialised design and superior materials make Active Birth Pools the No.1 choice world-wide.

Our pools are packed in sturdy wooden crates in accordance with international shipping regulations and always arrive in perfect condition.

Over the decades we have developed the ability to provide first class after sales service world-wide.

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Light and sound have a profound affect on the atmosphere and ambiance of the birth room.

Our new light and sound systems provide you with a simple way of transforming the environment, making it more conducive for physiological labour and natural birth.

Our multi-colour LED allows users to cycle through a range of colours to find the colour most that they find most appealing.

Our bluetooth sound system enables users to connect their phones and listen to the music of their choice.

Two integral speakers turn the birth pool into a highly refined audio loudspeaker.

The extra-wide rim and step unit make easy and safe for mothers to get in and out of our water birth pools.

Provision of a compact, single step gives the mother a height advantage.

She can step up – sit on the extra-wide rim and swivel into the water.

There is no climbing – she is grounded at all times and safeguarded from risk.

To find out more about how simple and safe it is for mothers to get in and out of our water birth pools please click here.

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Would you like to see how our water birth pools would look in your delivery room?

Simply use your phone or tablet and click on this link:

Hint: its best to clear the space of all movable objects before using the 3D Viewer to get a realistic image of what it will look like in situ.

Fixing the column to the floor

1. Remove the access panel using a hex key and place it off to one side
2. Locate the water column in the centre of the pool at least 25mm away from the back rim
3. Mark the four anchor points on the floor and take the column away
4. Drill four holes suitable for the hardware you will be using to anchor the pool to the floor. We recommend expansion bolts or similar fixings.
5. If you are using expansion bolts place them in the holes and align the water column accordingly.
6. Before tightening the bolts apply a generous amount of silicone to the underside of the flange.
7. Tighten the bolts fully.

Fixtures and Fittings

The Water Column is designed to accept a variety of plumbing fixtures and associated fittings such as hand rails.

Installers will find that there is plenty of room inside to accommodate valves and pipework.

The front and sides of the column have been reinforced with 18mm thick plywood.

Ficore is an extremely hard material that is easy to drill provided you place strip of masking tape on the surface and use an HSS drill bit or wood hole saw to make the hole.

We suggest that you use a 120mm spout and fix it to the column at least 150mm above the rim of the pool.

The tap can  be fixed above the spout as shown in the image above.

Handrails and/or handheld showers can be fixed to the sides of the column on the flat sections.

Tap shown is a Rada Sense Bath/Shower  T3 DMV

Keith Brainin, the visionary founder and director of Active Birth Pools, renowned as the global leader in water birth pool design and supply, is thrilled to introduce the innovative “Active Birth Pool.” This groundbreaking birth pool represents a quantum leap forward in terms of design, engineering, and manufacturing, promising exceptional benefits for both mothers and midwives while offering hospitals an outstanding lifetime value.

Brainin and his dedicated team embarked on an exhaustive journey to create a water birth pool that excels in beauty, quality, functionality, and durability. Remarkably, this pool comes with an extraordinary lifetime guarantee. The driving force behind the pool’s development was the consideration of how mothers and midwives would engage with it, emphasizing ergonomic principles to optimize their interaction and dynamics during childbirth.

In this reimagined birth pool, mothers enjoy ample space for unrestricted and comfortable movement, aligning seamlessly with the natural postures of physiological labor and birth. A standout feature of the Active Birth Pool is its signature extra-wide rims, boasting broad “bull-nosed” shaped edges that gracefully extend into the skirting panel and reach the floor.

This design allows mothers to lean forward comfortably, a position known to be both natural and effective during labor. Moreover, it ensures secure and stable support for women entering and exiting the pool, as well as for midwives and partners assisting the mother. Ingeniously, handrails integrated into the rim profile provide additional support for mothers in upright positions, contributing to their comfort and safety.

Notably, the pool addresses the critical issue of emergency evacuation by incorporating features that offer midwives several compliant options in line with Health & Safety and Manual Handling regulations.

Two distinctive features of the new Active Birth Pool are the Labor Support and Safety Seats:

1. The physiologically designed labor support seat has been proven to facilitate the opening of the mother’s pelvis and birth canal in preparation for a natural, physiological birth.
2. The rim-level safety seat, with its ample and comfortable platform, allows the mother to lean securely, serves as a safe means for emergency evacuation, and is ideal for midwives to monitor the mother without necessitating her departure from the pool.

What sets this birth pool apart is its unique seamless one-piece construction, featuring a deeply sculpted concave skirting panel that accommodates midwives’ comfort, enabling them to work effectively with their legs positioned comfortably beneath the pool.

Crafted from Ficore® composite, a proprietary material specially developed for baths, the new Active Birth Pool mitigates the problems associated with other materials. Notably, Ficore is 50% harder than traditional acrylic and fiberglass materials commonly used in birth pools and highly resistant to chemicals. Despite its surface’s rigidity and hardness, it offers a remarkably smooth, tactile, and warm feel.

Thanks to its exceptional insulation properties, the Active Birth Pool maintains its temperature up to six times longer than standard acrylic or fiberglass birth pools.

To provide women with control, customization, and a personal touch in the delivery room, the pool offers multi-color chromotherapy LED lighting and integral Bluetooth sound. This system can display a single color or cycle through a succession of seven different hues. The ingenious Integral Bluetooth Sound System allows the mother to wirelessly connect her phone and enjoy her chosen music through two integral speakers, transforming the birth pool into a refined audio loudspeaker.

Upon closer inspection, the Active Birth Pool reveals its superior finish and signature design elements, showcasing the high-quality components, including the drainage system, support structure, access panel fittings, lighting system, handrails, and metalwork.

If you are seeking a water birth pool for your maternity unit, the new Active Birth Pool stands as an unparalleled choice. Handmade and custom-built to order by a team with a combined 90 years of experience in high-end bath design and production, this birth pool promises decades of service and invaluable support for mothers aiming for a natural birth.

Importantly, the Active Birth Pool complies with regulations set forth by the Department of Health and adheres to the guidelines of the Water Birth Safety Initiative. Active Birth Pools, with 37 years of experience, have been instrumental in pioneering the use of water for labor and birth, working closely with midwives, engineers, and manufacturers to reshape the landscape of maternity care. Their passion and expertise are evident in the remarkable new Active Birth Pool, which promises to redefine the birthing experience for mothers and midwives alike.

Why Active Birth Pools are the No. 1 choice world-wide

Active Birth Pools from a midwives perspective

Active Birth Pools from a mothers perspective