Category: Active Birth Pools

A personal message from Founder
 and Director Keith Brainin

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

Dear Buyer, Midwife, Procurement Lead, Architect, Planner or Project Manager,

Choosing a water birth pool is an important decision. It should never be based on appearance or price alone.

A birth pool is a long-term clinical asset. It influences safety, hygiene, infection control, workflow, maternal comfort, midwife confidence, maintenance, installation and the overall quality of the birthing environment.

That is why proper due diligence is essential.

When you compare birth pools carefully – not simply by their initial cost, but by their design, materials, safety, usability, cleaning requirements, durability, installation process, service life and real-world performance – the right choice becomes clear.

Active Birth Pools are designed specifically for hospitals, birth centres and maternity units.

Every detail has been developed with the needs of mothers, midwives, infection control teams, manual handling teams, estates departments, procurement teams, architects and planners in mind.

When assessing any water birth pool, I encourage you to ask the questions that truly matter.

  • Is the pool easy and safe for women to enter and leave?
  • Does it support upright, active and instinctive positions during labour and birth?
  • Can midwives work comfortably around the pool without unnecessary strain?
  • Is the internal shape designed to support movement, buoyancy, rest and security?
  • Are the surfaces smooth, durable and easy to clean?
  • Are there unnecessary fittings, joints, seams or recesses that could make infection control more difficult?
  • Is the material robust enough for repeated clinical use?
  • Will the pool continue to look professional after years of service?
  • Is installation straightforward for estates teams and contractors?
  • Does the supplier have genuine experience in hospital and birth centre projects?
  • Will support be available before, during and after installation?

These are the questions that reveal the real value of a water birth pool.

A lower initial price can quickly become expensive if the product is difficult to clean, uncomfortable to use, awkward to install, poorly supported or not properly suited to the demands of a busy maternity unit.

Active Birth Pools are designed to avoid those compromises.

They combine elegant design with clinical practicality. They are comfortable for mothers, accessible for midwives, appropriate for healthcare environments and built to withstand the realities of repeated professional use.

For procurement teams, they offer long-term value.

For architects and planners, they provide a proven, attractive and practical solution for maternity room design.

For midwives, they support safe, confident, hands-on care.

For mothers, they create a calm, spacious and supportive environment for labour and birth.

Due diligence is not about choosing the cheapest option. It is about choosing the right one.

When you look closely at the design details, the materials, the user experience, the supplier’s expertise and the needs of everyone who will interact with the pool, Active Birth Pools stand apart.

I invite you to compare carefully because when you carry out proper due diligence, I believe you will see why Active Birth Pools are the logical choice.

I am always happy to help, answer questions or provide guidance at any stage of your project.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Keith Brainin
Founder and Director
Active Birth Pools
Established 1987

Active Birth Pools Information Hub

Why Birth Pool Design Matters: Sheila Kitzinger’s Advice Still Holds True

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

“Even a recent innovation, the birth pool, does not always permit free movement.” — Sheila Kitzinger OBE

Sheila Kitzinger was one of the most influential voices in modern childbirth. As an author, social anthropologist and birth activist, she spent decades challenging the assumption that women should labour and give birth in positions chosen for the convenience of the institution rather than the needs of the body.

In her 2003 article The Clock, the Bed, the Chair, the Pool, Kitzinger made a point that remains highly relevant for maternity units today: a birth pool should support freedom of movement — but not every pool does. [1][2]

A birth pool should not become a bed filled with water

Water immersion is often valued because it can help women feel lighter, more private, more comfortable and more able to move instinctively during labour. Evidence reviews have found that labouring in water may reduce the use of epidural analgesia, without evidence of increased adverse outcomes for mothers or babies in the studies reviewed. [3]

NICE also recognises water immersion as an option for pain relief in labour, while noting that evidence on actual birth in water continues to be assessed separately. [4]

But the benefits of water depend on the environment created by the pool itself.

A poorly designed birth pool can reproduce the same problem Kitzinger identified in beds and chairs: it can direct the mother into a fixed, semi-recumbent position. Built-in seats, moulded supports, foot rests and rigid hand grips may look reassuring, but they can also restrict the very mobility that makes water valuable in labour.

The problem with fixed seating

When a pool contains a fixed seat, it subtly instructs the mother how to use it.

Instead of inviting upright, forward-leaning, kneeling, squatting or all-fours positions, it can encourage the mother to lean back with her legs forward. In effect, the pool becomes a reclined chair under water.

That matters because maternal position affects how freely the pelvis can move. Upright and flexible positions are associated with several possible advantages in the second stage of labour when compared with supine or lithotomy positions, although the evidence varies in certainty and each position has its own benefits and considerations. [5]

Research and reviews of maternal positioning also describe how positions such as squatting, kneeling and upright postures can increase or optimise pelvic outlet dimensions compared with more horizontal positions. [6][7]

The design question is therefore simple:

Does the pool allow the mother to move — or does it decide her position for her?

Water birth works best when the mother can respond to her body

Labour is dynamic. A woman may want to lean forward during one contraction, kneel during the next, rest between contractions, hold the pool edge, float, turn, squat, or change position quickly as the baby descends.

A pool designed around freedom of movement should make these changes easy.

It should provide:

  • open internal space, rather than restrictive moulded seating;
  • comfortable support points that can be used in different positions;
  • sufficient room for the mother to turn, kneel, lean, squat and rest;
  • safe access for the midwife without compromising the mother’s privacy;
  • a design that supports physiological labour rather than imposing a posture.

The best birth pool is not simply a vessel for warm water. It is part of the clinical environment, part of the mother’s support system, and part of the midwife’s working space.

Kitzinger’s insight is still a design standard

Sheila Kitzinger’s observation was not an objection to birth pools. It was a challenge to design them properly.

A pool that restricts movement can undermine the reasons for using water in the first place. A pool that supports movement can help create the conditions that many women seek from water birth: comfort, autonomy, privacy, buoyancy and the ability to follow instinctive positions in labour.

For hospitals, architects, maternity planners and midwives, this is the key lesson:

A birth pool should never dictate the birth position. It should make movement possible.

That principle has guided the development of Active Birth Pools for decades. Our designs avoid restrictive internal mouldings and fixed birth seats because freedom of movement is not an optional feature. It is central to the purpose of water birth.

When choosing a birth pool, ask not only how it looks, but how it behaves in use.

Does it support the mother?

Does it support the midwife?

Does it preserve space, mobility and dignity?

And most importantly:

Does it allow the woman in labour to move as her body needs?

References used

[1] Your current page quotes Kitzinger and frames the issue around how some pools restrict movement with seats, handgrips and footrests.
[2] Sheila Kitzinger’s article is listed as Sheila Kitzinger’s Letter from Europe: The Clock, the Bed, the Chair, the Pool, published in Birth in March 2003.
[3] Cochrane’s review on immersion in water during labour found that labouring in water may reduce epidural use and found no evidence of increased adverse outcomes in the reviewed studies.
[4] NICE’s intrapartum care guidance covers care during labour and includes recommendations relating to water immersion for pain relief.
[5] The Cochrane review on positions in the second stage of labour reports possible benefits of upright positions compared with supine positions for women without epidural anaesthesia, while also noting uncertainties and possible trade-offs.
[6] A 2019 review of common maternal positions notes, for example, that squatting can increase the pelvic outlet by approximately 20%.
[7] A 2021 MRI-based study reports that maternal birthing position may influence pelvic capacity, with upright positions potentially optimising capacity through freer pelvic movement.
[8] The 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis in BMJ Open found that water immersion during labour and birth was associated with several maternal benefits and no increase in adverse neonatal outcomes in the included evidence.

The History of Water Birth and the Development of Specially Designed Water Birth Pools

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

The history of water birth and the development of specialised water birth pools is a remarkable story of innovation and transformation in childbirth practices, driven by the insights of obstetrician Michel Odent and the design expertise of Keith Brainin.

Michel Odent’s groundbreaking work in the field of water birth began in the late 1970s at a state hospital near Paris.

Odent believed that childbirth had become overly medicalized and sought a more natural approach.

He introduced a pool in the hospital to ease the pain of labor, leading to some babies being born in the water.

Michel Odent with his pool in the maternity unit in Pithiviers, France

This innovative approach offered a more comfortable and less stressful birthing experience for mothers, with warm water helping to relax muscles, reduce stress, and enhance blood circulation.

Odent’s work demonstrated a reduction in the need for interventions like epidurals and episiotomies, aligning with many parents’ desires for a minimally invasive childbirth experience.

His observations and clinical experiences suggested that water birth provided a gentle transition for babies, mirroring the amniotic fluid environment​​.

“When asked about the history of birthing pools in hospitals, I mention the day when Keith Brainin realised that special bath tubs might be designed and commercialised to meet the needs of labouring women.”   Michel Odent

1989 – Sheila Kitzinger and Ethel Burns raise money to have the first specially designed water birth pool installed in an NHS Hospital at the John Radcliffe, Oxford

Building on Odent’s pioneering work, Keith Brainin, founder and director of Active Birth Pools, developed the world’s first specially designed water birth pools.

Starting in 1987, Brainin and his team focused on design, engineering, and manufacture to develop a water birth pool that excelled in quality, functionality, and durability.

Judges at the Building Better Healthcare Awards said that, “Active Birth Pools are the pinnacle of water birth pool design and development – an incomparable combination of design, materials and manufacturing” 

The Active Birth Pool was designed with ergonomic principles to support natural childbirth postures and provide comfort for the mother.

Features like extra-wide rims, integrated handrails, and specially designed labor support and safety seats were included to enhance safety and functionality.

The use of Ficore composite for construction ensured a harder, more chemical-resistant, and warm-to-the-touch surface that retains heat efficiently.

Keith Brainin with Sheena Byrom and midwives in the Lotus Birth Centre, Royal London Hospital 2018

Additionally, the pools were equipped with features like chromotherapy LED lighting and Bluetooth sound systems, allowing mothers to personalize their birthing environment.

These innovations in water birth pool design have significantly contributed to the safety, comfort, and natural approach to childbirth​​.

Both Michel Odent’s clinical insights and Keith Brainin’s design innovations have played a crucial role in transforming childbirth practices, emphasizing the importance of a natural, holistic approach to labor and delivery.

Their contributions have been instrumental in making water birth a viable and increasingly popular option for expectant mothers worldwide.

Fluid modernities: the birthing pool in late twentieth-century Britain

Active Birth Pools: Ethos and Values Statement

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

Active Birth Pools, established in 1987, has played a pioneering role in the use of water for labour and birth.

Their values and approach can be comprehensively understood by examining various aspects of their operations and products.

Innovation and Pioneering Spirit:

Active Birth Pools helped pioneer the use of water in labour and birth, working closely with midwives, mothers, obstetricians, and experts in infection control and manual handling.

This collaborative approach led to the development of the world’s first specially designed hospital-grade water birth pool, demonstrating their commitment to innovation and improvement in maternity care​​​​.

Safety, Value, and Performance:

The company emphasizes these core principles in their products.

They focus on producing birthing pools that are safe, offer great value, and perform exceptionally.

This focus is evident in their use of specialized materials like Ficore®, a proprietary material known for its durability, practicality, and safety features.

Ficore® pools, for example, retain heat efficiently and are resistant to bacteria and harsh disinfectants, ensuring high standards of hygiene​​​​​​.

Ergonomic Design:

Active Birth Pools employs evidence-based, user-centred ergonomic design principles.

Their pools are crafted to meet the comfort needs of both mothers and midwives, featuring designs that support various positions like sitting, kneeling, and squatting.

The wide rims of the pools allow midwives to rest comfortably, akin to sitting at a desk, which showcases their consideration for both the users’ comfort and practicality​​.

Customer Feedback and Endorsements:

The company values customer feedback and has received numerous positive testimonials from healthcare professionals and mothers.

These testimonials often highlight the comfort, ease of use, safety, and practicality of the pools, reflecting the company’s dedication to quality and user satisfaction​​.

Build Quality and Guarantee:

Active Birth Pools are hand-made to order in England by highly skilled craftsmen who take great pride in their work and are dedicated to excellence.

Active Birth Pools offers a lifetime guarantee on their water birth pools, which reflects their commitment to quality and durability.

This lifetime guarantee is a testament to the trust the company places in its design, materials and manufacturing processes.

Sustainability and Longevity:

Active Birth Pools places importance on sustainability.

Their pools have a life expectancy exceeding 25 years, making them a sustainable choice in comparison to other birthing pools with shorter lifespans.

This longevity not only provides value for money but also aligns with environmental sustainability principles​​.

Global Reach and Experience:

With a history spanning several decades, Active Birth Pools has supplied thousands of water birth pools worldwide.

Their extensive experience and knowledge in the field have made them a leading choice for hospitals and midwives globally.

This worldwide reach underlines their commitment to improving maternity care on a global scale​​.

In summary, Active Birth Pools’ values are centred around innovation, safety, ergonomic design, customer satisfaction, sustainability, and a global perspective in improving maternity care.

These values have guided their operations and product development, positioning them as a leader in the water birth pool market.

Winner – Building Better Healthcare Awards

 

Catalogue, information, videos and plans

 

The Design Philosophy Behind Active Birth Pools

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

In the world of industrial design, few principles have stood the test of time like those set forth by Dieter Rams. Among his “Ten Principles of Good Design,” one stands out for its quiet power and enduring relevance: “Good design is as little design as possible.” This idea champions simplicity, honesty, and restraint—a philosophy that aligns perfectly with the ethos behind Active Birth Pools.

At Active Birth Pools, we design water birth pools not just as products, but as environments. Our pools support one of life’s most natural and transformative events: childbirth. This is not a time or place for gimmicks, clutter, or over-engineering. Instead, our focus is on creating objects that are intuitive, purposeful, and deeply respectful of the experience they’re designed to serve.

Form Follows Function—And Empathy

When we say “as little design as possible,” we’re not talking about doing less. We’re talking about doing only what’s essential—and doing it beautifully. Every curve, surface, and contour of an Active Birth Pool is there for a reason. There is no ornamentation, no unnecessary elements added to make a statement. The pool’s elegant, organic form is shaped entirely by the physiological needs of women in labour and the practical requirements of midwives and clinical staff.

The result is a design that feels as natural as the process it supports. It invites instinctive use and makes sense without explanation. This is design that understands the moment and quietly serves it.

Design That Disappears Into the Experience

Our goal is not to impress with visible complexity but to enable a powerful experience through simplicity. When a woman enters an Active Birth Pool, she shouldn’t be thinking about the product; she should be free to focus entirely on herself and her baby. The pool becomes part of the background—supportive, safe, unobtrusive. It’s not a showpiece; it’s a silent partner in birth.

This kind of “invisible” design is only possible when everything unnecessary is stripped away. What remains is the essence—a sculptural yet practical space that feels calm, grounded, and purposeful.

Integrated, Not Added-On

Good design does not bolt on features. It integrates them. At Active Birth Pools, every element—whether it’s a hand grip, step, or recessed area for medical access—is part of the form itself. There are no visible seams, fixtures, or accessories that suggest improvisation. Everything flows together in a unified whole, contributing to both safety and aesthetics.

This seamless integration also supports infection control and long-term durability—crucial factors in hospital environments. But more than that, it’s a commitment to clarity and coherence in design.

Material Honesty and Tactile Comfort

We select materials not just for their performance but for their sensory qualities. The finish of our pools is smooth, warm, and inviting to the touch. It’s easy to clean, gentle against the skin, and psychologically comforting—a key consideration for women in labour.

This is another way we practice “as little design as possible.” We let the materials speak for themselves, choosing those that support the function and the feeling without the need for artificial textures or decorative layering.

Quiet Confidence in a Clinical World

In hospital settings, design can often be sterile or overbearing. By contrast, Active Birth Pools offer a quiet confidence. Their presence in a room is understated yet reassuring. They don’t try to dominate the space; they help define it with dignity and grace.

This sense of calm and order is not just aesthetic—it’s functional. A well-designed pool reduces stress, supports natural movement, and allows midwives to work more effectively. In this way, minimal design becomes a powerful tool for improving outcomes.

Conclusion: Less, But Better

At its core, “good design is as little design as possible” is about restraint, intention, and clarity. It’s about stripping away the noise to let the true purpose shine through. This philosophy is not a style—it’s a discipline. And it’s one we practice daily at Active Birth Pools.

By honouring the principle of minimal design, we’ve created birth pools that are not only clinically superior and user-friendly, but emotionally supportive and deeply human. In a world of overdesigned solutions, our pools stand as a quiet reminder: sometimes, the best design is the one you don’t notice at all.

Active Birth Pools Information Hub

Key performance metrics for hospital grade water birth pools

Water birth pools specially designed to give midwives superior safety, comfort and support

2016 – Launch of the Water Birth Safety Initiative

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

Hospitals in the United Kingdom began allowing women to use specially designed pools of water for labour and birth during the 1980’s.

The wide-spread popularity and acceptance of water birth pools as a standard part of the maternity care package necessitated the development of guidelines & regulations to define standards and ensure they’re met.

The United Kingdom Department of Health has published a panoply of water safety directives that apply to water birth pools.

Policies and recommendations set forth in the Water Birth Safety Initiative are based upon these publications.

The Water Birth Safety Initiative (WBSI) calls for development of international standards modelled on the UK’s so that women the world over can benefit from the use of water for labour and birth safeguarded from risk.

The WBSI calls for the implementation of stricter protocols and sets forth recommendations for equipment standards.

The guidelines set forth in the WBSI are intended to serve as a framework of standards for birth pool suppliers, hospitals and midwives to work with to establish  safe codes of practice.

Guidelines for Water Birth Pools Installed in Hospital

Water is more prone to bacteria growth after it leaves the public water distribution system and enters a building’s plumbing.

There it finds warmer temperatures, stagnation, and smaller pipes, valves and fittings.

Biofilm that forms on valves and fittings and pipe walls not only feeds bacteria but also protects them from the hot water and chlorine that typically would kill free-floating organisms.

Large systems with complex piping networks — like those found in hospitals, hotels and large apartment buildings — are especially prone to bacteria growth.15

Water Birth Pools that are installed in hospitals have the benefit of being maintained by staff to ensure that protocols are established, met and maintained.

Consideration and due diligence with regard to the prospective purchase of water birth pools and the assessment of pools already in use needs to be taken to ensure that the associated plumbing and electrical systems meet relevant safety standards.

The United Kingdom’s Department of Health and National Health Service has an exemplary safety record achieved by establishing rigorous sets of guidelines and regulations for the design, installation, use and maintenance (cleaning/disinfection) of water birth pools.

In the UK water birth pools are classed as a Category Fluid 5 water risk which represents a serious health hazard due to the concentration of pathogenic organisms, radioactive or very toxic substances, e.g. containing faecal material or other human waste; butchery or other animal waste or pathogens.

Water Birth Pools must be installed in compliance with water regulations as set forth in The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.11

The 7 sins of water safety

To ensure high standards are met it is strongly advised that you do not use a water birth pool that has any of these features:

  1. Overflow drains
  2. Internal water inlets
  3. Hand-held showers
  4. Systems with flexible hoses or extended pipes
  5. Integral or secondary plumbing systems
  6. Any type of recirculating or pumped water systems such as whirlpool, jacuzzi, spa, bubbling, filtering etc
  7. Heating systems

1) 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 installed on water birth pools as they constitute a constant infection control risk much more significant than the possible risk of damage due to water overflowing.11,12

Some digital taps on the market can be set for filling time thus obviating the risk of the pool overflowing.

2) Internal water inlets

Internal water inlets act in place of taps to fill the pool.

They are installed on the inside of the pool just above the water line and connected with pipework to a thermostatic valve.

If the water level rises there is a high risk of back flow enabling bacteria to enter the system creating a risk of cross infection.7

3) Handheld showers

Handheld showers present a significant infection control risk due to the fact that they can fall in the pool and 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. 13

Handheld showers present a Fluid Category 5 risk to the mains water supply.

It must not be possible to submerge the showerhead in the water due to risk of cross infection.

In order to comply with category 5 water regulations covering back siphonage, a class AUK3 air gap would be required, which generally prevents the use of handsets, unless there is a separate break tank installed in the hospital plumbing system.

4) Systems with flexible hoses or extended pipes

Systems that employ flexible piping, have branch pipes or hold stagnant water present a potential hazard and must not be used with water birth pools.

It is impossible to clean, disinfect or monitor these systems.

They have been proven to be a source of Legionella and Pseudomonas. 14

Weekly flushing recommendations recommended by the department of health cannot be executed with such systems, and the effectiveness of this cannot be monitored due to the inacessibility of the closed system.

5) Integral or secondary plumbing systems

Integral, secondary or proprietary plumbing systems are fitted to some water birth pools.

As these systems can employ flexible and non-flexible piping, overflow drains, handheld showers and are often pumped or recirculating they present a significant infection control risk and should be banned from use.

Regulations stipulate that water birth pools are filled from thermostatically controlled wall mounted mixer taps plumbed directly into the hospitals water supply with the minimum of pipework.

Not only do secondary or integral plumbing systems present unacceptable risks, they are impossible to clean, disinfect or monitor and therefore present an extremely high and unacceptable infection control risk.

They must not be present on pools used for labour and birth. 10

6) Recirculating or pumped water systems

Recirculating or pumped water systems such as whirlpool, jacuzzi, spa, bubbling, filtering etc. have the perfect environmental conditions to be a potential source for the growth of microorganisms, including legionella bacteria and must not be installed on water birth pools.

Water systems that are able produce aerosols represent the highest levels of risk.

Aerosols can be generated very easily when the water surface is broken -for example, by falling water droplets, splashing, or by bubbles breaking at the surface.

Once introduced to artificial water systems, Legionella can thrive in warm water (30 – 35 °C) and has been shown to be present on flexible seals and metal surfaces within plumbing systems used in domestic potable water supplies.

Inadequately maintained spa pools (birth pools with pumped or recirculating systems) provide ideal conditions to support the growth of legionellae and other microorganisms, which may then become aerosolised and subsequently inhaled.15


7) Heating systems

Heating systems for water birth pools are not necessary and present unacceptable infection control risks.7

There are two types of heating systems in use:

1. Recirculating system with a heat exchanger

Water is pumped out of the pool and through a heat exchanger and then flows back into the pool.

These systems present one of the highest infection control risks and should not be installed on a water birth pool under any circumstances. (covered by points 4, 5 and 6 above).

2. Electric heating systems

Similar to under floor heating found in homes do not present an infection control risk.

But, they do present an unacceptable health and safety risk and should therefore not be installed in water birth pools.

These systems consist of a network of cables embedded in the fabric of the birth pool that are attached to the power supply through a thermostat.

The heat is transmitted from the cables through the floor of the pool and then transferred to the water.

The inherent problem with these systems is that the water is relied on to take the heat away from the material.

If a woman remains motionless the heat becomes concentrated and a “hotspot” develops which can result in the woman being burned.

Recommendations

Plumbing for filling and emptying water birth pools should be simple, straight forward and kept to the minimum.

A set of taps (see below) mounted on the wall 15cm above the rim and a drainage system similar to that of a normal bath is all that is required.

Rim mounted taps present two areas of risk:

1. Women may hit their head on taps that are mounted on the rim of the pool causing injury.

In the throes of labour a woman is not as cognisant of her surroundings as she normally is.

She needs to be protected from the potential harm that could result from hitting her head or other part of her body on the spout.

2. Risk to the taps and pool caused by the labouring woman grabbing onto the spout for support could easily cause damage to the fitting or fabric of the pool.

Filling the birth pool

Water Birth Pools should be filled directly from the hospitals main water supply through a ¾ Thermostatic Mixing Valve (TMV).

To comply with UK National Health Service regulations the valve must have TMV3 approval for use in Healthcare and Commercial situations and certify that it conforms to the performance requirements of the Department of Health.16

To kill legionella and other bacteria, water in hospitals systems is heated to 60 – 80 °C.

Water temperature entering the birth pool should be limited by the TMV to 44 °C to prevent scalding.

The added benefit of using a TMV connected directly to the hospitals main water supply is that it can be set to automatically flush itself of stagnant water twice a day and be thermally disinfected periodically.

dsc_2965

The use of a TMV ensures a safe water supply.

Digital thermostatic mixing valves with enhanced thermal performance that incorporate these features are ideal:

1) Programmable control to accurately mix and maintain the temperature of the water flowing into the birth pool and limit the temperature of the water to 44 °C to prevent scalding.17

2) Programmable fill duration to fill the pool to the desired depth and then turn off.

This is important as water birth pools are not allowed to have overflow drains installed and this feature will prevent the pool from overflowing when unattended.

3) Programmable duty flushing to ensure that water does not stagnate within the tap and associated pipe work, effectively controlling the multiplication of legionella & other bacteria in infrequently used outlets.

Flushing duration is in line with HSE L8 recommendations.18

4) Programmable high-temperature thermal disinfection to destroy the proteins in viruses and bacteria and render them as dead or inert.

Thermal disinfection works by achieving a moist heat which is set at a specific temperature for a set amount of time.

Viruses and bacteria are very sensitive to heat and they will die if exposed to higher temperatures. 19

Emptying the Pool

Water from a birth pool needs to be treated as Fluid category 5 waste representing a serious health hazard due to the concentration of pathogenic organisms derived from fecal material or other human waste and emptied directly into the hospital’s waste water system.20

The pipework needs to have a trap or U bend fit as close to the waste/drain as possible.

The drainage fitting or waste should seal neatly into the drain.

The drainage fitting should be cleaned and flushed through with disinfectant and then dried as part of the cleaning protocol.

The waste should be kept closed when the pool is not in use.

There should be NO flexible pipe used in the drainage pipework.21

The waste should be remotely operated (i.e. pop up waste with rim mounted control) and of the best quality, preferably high-grade brass, to resist the corrosive action of chlorides and other disinfectants.

DSC_2915

End notes

The Water Birth Safety Initiative was conceived by Keith Brainin to motivate and enable birth pool suppliers and health care professionals to raise standards and implement protocols to make water birth safe.

References

[1] Healio – Infectious Disease News. (2014, December 26). Legionellosis death after water birth sparks call for stricter infection control protocols. http://www.healio.com/infectious-disease/practice management/news/online/%7Bfe352169-755d-4d21-9bb2-abb8ae209f89%7D/legionellosis-death-after-water-birth-sparks-call-for-stricter-infection-control-protocols

[2] Inquisitr. (2015, January 16). Oregon Water Birth Leaves Baby Disabled, Lawsuit Wants Labor Options Banned. http://www.inquisitr.com/1761136/oregon-water-birth-leaves-baby-disabled-lawsuits-wants-labor-options-banned/

[3] GOV.UK. Alert after Legionnaires’ disease case in baby, 2014. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/alert-after-legionnaires-disease-case-in-baby

[4] The Guardian. Legionnaires’ disease in baby is linked to heated birthing pool, June 17, 2014.http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/17/legionnaires-disease-heated-birthing-pool-baby-public-health

[5] Guidance from the  Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) https://www.wras.co.uk/consumers/advice_for_consumers/what_are_the_water_regulations_/

[6] M.W. LeChevallier, 2003 World Health Organization (WHO). Conditions favouring coliform and HPC bacterial growth in drinking- water and on water contact surfaces. Heterotrophic Plate Counts and Drinking-water Safety. Edited by J. Bartram, J. Cotruvo, M. Exner, C. Fricker, A. Glasmacher. Published by IWA Publishing, London, UK. ISBN: 1 84339 025 6.

[7] www.gov.uk. Public Health England advice on home birthing pools, 2014.  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-health-england-advice-on-home-birthing-pools

[8] Health and Safety Executive. (2013). Legionnaires’ disease: Technical guidance [3.4], 2013. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg274part3.pdf

[9] United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust UK. Cleaning, Disinfection and Sterilization Guidelines for Re-Usable Medical Devices 2010.
http://www.activebirthpools.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Lincolnshire-CLEANING-DISINFECTION-AND-STERILIZATION-GUIDELINES-FOR-RE-USABLE-MEDICAL-DEVICES.pdf

[10] http://www.eurosurveillance.org. Case of legionnaires’ disease in a neonate following an home birth in a heated birthing pool. England, June 2014 http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20857

[11] Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS). Fluid Categories. https://www.wras.co.uk/consumers/resources/glossary/fluid_categories/

[12] WHBN 00-10 Welsh Health Building Note. Part C: Sanitary assemblies2014, http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/documents/254/WHBN%2000-10%20Part%20C.pdf

[13] Department of Health, Children, young people and maternity services. Health Building Note 09-02: Maternity care facilities, 2009.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/147876/HBN_09-02_Final.pdf

[14] Freije, Matthew R. Some waterborne bacteria are tough, 2010. http://www.watertechonline.com/articles/some-waterborne-bacteria-are-tough

[15] Woolnough, Kevin. Legionella Expert Calls for Greater Vigilance, 2014. http://www.eurofins.co.uk/news-archive/legionella-expert-calls-for-greater-vigilance.aspx

[16] BEAMA. TMV Standards and regulations, 2013. http://www.beama.org.uk/en/product-areas/heating-hot-water–air-movement/thermostatic-mixing-valves/tmva-faqs-on-thermostatic-mixing-valves/tmv-standards-and-regulations.cfm

[17] Health and Safety Executive. Managing the risks from hot water and surfaces in health and social care, 2012. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsis6.pdf

[18] Health and Safety Executive. Legionnaires’ disease The control of legionella bacteria in water systems, 2013. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l8.pdf

[19] Health and Safety Executive. Managing legionella in hot and cold water systems. http://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/legionella.htm

[20] SMS Environmental – the water experts. Fluid Categories. http://www.sms-environmental.co.uk/fluid_categories.html.

[21] Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Legionella Management and Control Procedures, 2014.

Bibliography

  • Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals, Women’s Health and Paediatrics Division (Abbey Birth Centre). Operational Policy and Clinical Guide, 2014.
  • BASINGSTOKE AND NORTH HAMPSHIRE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST . CLEANING, DISINFECTION AND STERILISATION POLICY. Prod. Helen Campbell. BASINGSTOKE AND NORTH HAMPSHIRE, BASINGSTOKE AND NORTH HAMPSHIRE, 2010.
  • BEAMA. TMV Standards and regulations. 2013. http://www.beama.org.uk/en/product-areas/heating-hot-water–air-movement/thermostatic-mixing-valves/tmva-faqs-on-thermostatic-mixing-valves/tmv-standards-and-regulations.cfm (accessed 2014 йил 24-09).
  • Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust. Water birth and use of water in labour guideline. Prod. Miss G Tasker and Audrey Warren. 2013.
  •  Dekker, Rebecca. “Evidence on the Safety of Water Birth.” http://evidencebasedbirth.com/. 2014. http://evidencebasedbirth.com/waterbirth/ (accessed 2014 10-09).
  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 Guidance Document relating to Schedule 1: Fluid Categories and Schedule 2: Requirements For Water Fittings. 1999. http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/quality/water/industry/wsregs99/documents/waterregs99-guidance.pdf.
  • Department of Health. Children, young people and maternity services Health Building Note 09-02: Maternity care facilities. 2009.

—. “Health Building Note 00-09: Infection control in the built environment.” www.gov.uk. 2002. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/170705/HBN_00-09_infection_control.pdf (accessed 2014 6-12).

—. “Health Technical Memorandum 64: Sanitary assemblies.”  2006. http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/documents/254/HTM%2064%203rded2006.pdf (accessed 2014 10).

—. “Water systems Health Technical Memorandum 04-01: Addendum” .2013. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/140105/Health_Technical_Memorandum_04-01_Addendum.pdf (accessed 01 2014-10).

 —. “Water systems Health Technical Memorandum 04-01: The control of Legionella , hygiene, “safe” hot water, cold water and drinking water systems”. 2006.

  • DH, Estates & facilities. Water systems Health Technical Memorandum 04-01: Addendum . Department of Health, Department of Health.
  • Elizabeth R Cluett, Ethel Burns. Immersion in water in labour and birth. 2009.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD000111.pub3/abstract (accessed 2013 13-05).
  • Elyse Fritschel, Kay Sanyal, Heidi Threadgill, and Diana Cervantes. Emerging Infectious Diseases.CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC. 2014. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/21/1/14-0846_article (accessed 2015 5-January).
  • Freije, Matthew R. Some waterborne bacteria are tough . 2010. http://www.watertechonline.com/articles/some-waterborne-bacteria-are-tough (accessed 2015 20-01).
  • GOV.UK. Alert after Legionnaires’ disease case in baby. 2014. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/alert-after-legionnaires-disease-case-in-baby (accessed 2014 3-12).
  • GOV.UK. Public Health England advice on home birthing pools. 2014. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/public-health-england-advice-on-home-birthing-pools (accessed 2014 03-August).
  • Healio – Infectious Disease News. Legionellosis death after water birth sparks call for stricter infection control protocols. 2014. http://www.healio.com/infectious-disease/practice-management/news/online/%7Bfe352169-755d-4d21-9bb2-abb8ae209f89%7D/legionellosis-death-after-water-birth-sparks-call-for-stricter-infection-control-protocols (accessed 2015 07-01).
  • Health and Safety Executive. Legionnaires’ disease The control of legionella bacteria in water systems. 2013. (accessed 2014 07-07).

—. “Legionnaires’ disease: Technical guidance.”  2013. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg274part3.pdf (accessed 2014 20-10).

—. Managing legionella in hot and cold water systems. http://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/legionella.htm (accessed 2015 07-01).

—. “Managing the risks from hot water and surfaces in health and social care.”  2012. http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsis6.pdf (accessed 2014 20-11).

  •  Health Facilities Scotland. Consultation draft of SHTM 04-01 Water Safety for Healthcare Premises Part G: Operational Procedures and exemplar Written Scheme 2013. Health Facilities Scotland.
  •  Inquisitr. Oregon Water Birth Leaves Baby Disabled, Lawsuit Wants Labor Options Banned. 2015.http://www.inquisitr.com/1761136/oregon-water-birth-leaves-baby-disabled-lawsuits-wants-labor-options-banned/ (accessed 2015 16-01).
  •  Laura Franzin, Carlo Scolfaro, Daniela Cabodi, Mariangela Valera, and Pier Angelo Tovo. Legionella pneumophila Pneumonia in a Newborn after Water Birth: A New Mode of Transmission. Oxford Journals, November 2001: 104.
  • Legionella Control. Birthing Pool Death Linked To Legionnaires disease. https://legionellacontrol.com/blog/166-birthing-pool-death-linked-to-legionnaires-disease (accessed 2014 27-11).
  •  Legislation.gov.uk. The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999.The National Archives. 1999. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1999/1148/contents/made (accessed 2015 05-01).
  •  M.W. LeChevallier, World Health Organisation. Conditions favouring coliform and HPC bacterial growth in drinkingwater and on water contact surfaces . 2003.
  •  N Phin, T Cresswell, F Parry-Ford on behalf of the Incident Control Team. CASE OF LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE IN A NEONATE FOLLOWING A HOME BIRTH IN A HEATED BIRTHING POOL, ENGLAND, JUNE 2014.http://www.eurosurveillance.org. 2014. http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=20857 (accessed 2015 10-01).
  •  Nottingham University Hospitals. LEGIONELLA MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL PROCEDURES. May 8, 2014.
  • Rosanna A. Zanetti-Daellenbach, Sibil Tschudin, Xiao Yan Zhong, Wolfgang Holzgreve, Olav Lapaire, Irene Ho ̈sli. Maternal and neonatal infections and obstetrical outcome in water birth . Prod. Women’s University Hospital Basel. Spitalstrasse, Basel: European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology , 2006 28-August.
  • SMS Environmental – the water experts. Fluid Categories. http://www.sms-environmental.co.uk/fluid_categories.html.
  • Takuhito Nagai, Hisanori Sobajima, and Mitsuji Iwasa. A fatal newborn case of Legionella pneumophila pneumonia occurring after water birth in a bathtub with an all day circulating system, June 1999 – Nagoya City.http://idsc.nih.go.jp/. 2000. http://idsc.nih.go.jp/iasr/21/247/de2474.html (accessed 2014 17-06).
  • Takuhito Nagai, Hisanori Sobajima, Mitsuji Iwasa, Toyonori Tsuzuki, Fumiaki Kura, Junko Amemura-Maekawa, and Haruo Watanabe. Neonatal Sudden Death Due to Legionella Pneumonia Associated with Water Birth in a Domestic Spa Bath. 2002.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC154682/ (accessed 2014 3-12).
  • The Guardian. Legionnaires’ disease in baby is linked to heated birthing pool . 2014. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jun/17/legionnaires-disease-heated-birthing-pool-baby-public-health (accessed 2014 18-June).
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta, GA 30333. Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities . 2003.
  • UNITED LINCOLNSHIRE HOSPITALS NHS TRUST. CLEANING, DISINFECTION AND STERILIZATION GUIDELINES FOR RE-USABLE MEDICAL DEVICES. Lincolnshire, 2010 January.
  • Water Regulations Advisory Scheme. Fluid Categories . https://www.wras.co.uk/consumers/resources/glossary/fluid_categories/ (accessed 2014 3-12).
  • which.co.uk. Having a water birth and using birth pools. http://www.which.co.uk/birth-choice/articles/using-water-in-labour.
  • Woolnough, Kevin. Legionella Expert Calls for Greater Vigilance. http://www.eurofins.co.uk/news-archive/legionella-expert-calls-for-greater-vigilance.aspx (accessed 2015 17-01).

Please feel free to distribute and share this document crediting  © K. D. Brainin (Active Birth Pools) 2015

Design Guide – Birthing Pool Units Hospital Development Magazine November 1993

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

By Janet Balaskas and Keith Brainin

Hospital Development Magazine November 1993

Fluid modernities: the birthing pool in late twentieth-century Britain

Improving Birthing Pool Design: Case Study 18 – Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors

The history of water birth and development of specialised water birth pools

Active Birth Pools: Cleaning and Care

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

When it comes to water birth pools, hygiene and water safety are paramount.

Active Birth Pools are designed to meet the highest standards for water safety, hygiene and infection control.

This begins with Ficore®, the exceptionally durable material used to manufacture our pools.

Ficore® is five times harder than conventional materials and is unaffected by disinfection with 10,000 ppm hypochlorite when used correctly.

The seamless, one-piece construction and absence of surface-mounted metalwork remove the joints, gaps and fixings where micro-organisms can collect and propagate.

Active Birth Pools Cleaning and Disinfection Guidelines

This is a two-step procedure – first cleaning of the pool and surround, then disinfection of the pool and surround.

  1. Prior to emptying the pool remove debris and larger particles from the water with a sieve to prevent it from blocking or obstructing the outlet.
  1. Use the standard infection control precautions (plastic apron, disposable gloves and eye protection) when cleaning the pool. Ensure the area is well ventilated.
  1. Cleaning – use a non-abrasive detergeant with non-abrasive sponge or cloth to thoroughly clean the pool. Ensure the tap is cleaned first, so as not to transfer micro-organisms from the “dirty” pool area to the cleaner tap region. Rinse well with warm water.
  1. Disinfecting – use an approved hypochlorite disinfectant listed in the table below following the directions on the packet for mixing the solution to the correct concentration for disinfecting the birth pool and surround.
  1. Apply the solution to the tap and spout prior to disinfecting the pool.
  1. There are 3 methods for disinfecting the pool that are commonly used in hospitals:

1) Fill the pool with cold water and add the requisite amount of disinfectant – leave for ten minutes.

The advantage of this method is that it is 100% effective but wasteful of water, time consuming and uses a large amount of disinfectant

2) Make up 2-3 litres of solution and pour it around the inside of the rim. Then use a new disposable mop or cloth to spread the disinfectant over the surface of the pool. Leave for ten minutes.

The advantage of this method is that it is economic in terms of time and cost but relies upon the person carrying out the task to ensure that 100% of the pools surface is disinfected.

3) Fill a spray bottle with disinfectant and thoroughly spray the surface of the pool and surround. Then use a new disposable mop or cloth to spread the disinfectant over the surface of the pool. Leave for ten minutes.

The advantage of this method is that it is economic in terms of time and cost but relies upon the person carrying out the task to ensure that 100% of the pools surface is disinfected

  1. Open the drain outlet and empty the pool of the disinfectant.
  1. Using cold water, rinse the tap then the pool to remove all traces of the disinfectant, to prevent any residue being left on the pool surface.
  2. Dry the entire surface of the pool using a new cloth or disposable mop head.
  3. Keep the drain outlet closed when not in use.

Damage resulting from exposure to higher water temperatures, or steam cleaning or will not be covered by our guarantee.

If you are duty flushing the taps with hot water/steam add 10cm of cold water to the pool first.

Do not use hydrogen chloride (bleach) or hydrogen peroxide as they are highly corrosive and will cause the metal fittings to rust and may damage the surface of the pool.

If you want to use another product please contact us for approval as damage resulting from unapproved products will not be covered by our guarantee.

Warning: Copper/Silver Orca Disinfection Systems

Hospitals worldwide are starting to use Copper/Silver orca disinfection systems in an effort to combat bacterial issues and improve water safety. We have discovered that there is great potential for staining with the Copper/Silver orca disinfection system

Copper-silver ionization systems introduce trace amounts of copper into the pool water. In some cases, exposure to elevated copper levels can lead to staining of the sanitary ware and other surfaces, such as walls, floors, or fixtures.

This study goes into great detail – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7384302/

Please note that staining caused by these systems is NOT covered by our guarantee.

If your hospital is using one of these water treatment systems we suggest that you contact the department responsible for water safety as regular monitoring and appropriate copper levels are essential to mitigate the risk of staining.

Hospital Water Birth Pools

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

Create a calm, clinically appropriate water birth environment with hospital-grade birth pools designed around mothers, midwives and the realities of modern maternity care.

Why hospitals choose Active Birth Pools

For nearly four decades, Active Birth Pools have helped maternity services provide water birth facilities that are safer, stronger and more practical to use.

Our pools are hand-built to order in England from Ficore® composite and designed specifically for professional maternity settings. Every curve, rim, seat, handhold and access point has a purpose: to support mothers, protect midwives and help hospitals maintain a clean, efficient birth environment.

Built around five priorities

Safety – Designed to reduce avoidable risks, support secure movement and allow midwives to remain close, observant and ready to assist.

Hygiene –  Designed to reduce avoidable risks, support secure movement and allow midwives to remain close, observant and ready to assist

Midwife comfort and support – Ergonomic rims, practical working height and clear access help midwives provide care without unnecessary bending, reaching or strain.

 Maternal comfort –  Generous depth, supportive contours and intuitive handholds help mothers relax, move freely and find comfortable positions during labour and birth.

Long-term value – Durable construction, proven performance and a lifetime guarantee make Active Birth Pools a practical investment for maternity services.

Designed for mothers

A birth pool should help a mother feel secure, supported and free to move.

Active Birth Pools provide space, depth and internal support for upright, forward-leaning, kneeling, sitting and resting positions. Mothers can use the rim, internal handholds and contoured surfaces instinctively, without needing complicated instructions or additional equipment.

The result is a pool that supports physiological labour, maternal confidence and dignity.

Designed for midwives

A hospital birth pool is also a workplace.

Midwives need safe access, clear sightlines and a comfortable working position. Poorly designed pools can force midwives to bend, kneel, reach or twist for long periods. Active Birth Pools are designed to support better posture, closer access and more effective hands-on care.

The aim is simple: better comfort for midwives, better support for mothers and a safer working environment for the whole maternity team.

Designed for hospitals

Hospitals need water birth facilities that are safe to specify, straightforward to clean and reliable over many years of service.

Active Birth Pools are designed for the practical demands of maternity units, including infection prevention, manual-handling awareness, emergency access, room layout, plumbing integration and long-term lifecycle value.

Whether you are planning a new maternity unit, refurbishing an existing birth room or replacing an older pool, we can provide product guidance, technical information and specification support.

Hospital-grade construction

Active Birth Pools are hand-built from Ficore® composite, a specialist material chosen for strength, warmth, durability and hygiene.

Unlike standard baths or domestic-style tubs, our pools are designed for repeated clinical use in demanding maternity environments. The material, form and finish work together to create a pool that feels calm and inviting while meeting the practical needs of hospitals and birth centres.

Evidence-aware water birth facilities

Water immersion is widely recognised as an important option in maternity care. Current guidance and research support the availability of water during labour and birth for appropriate women and birthing people, with local clinical assessment, infection-control procedures and safety protocols in place.

The pool itself matters. A well-designed hospital water birth pool can help maternity teams offer water birth with greater confidence by supporting access, hygiene, comfort, observation and emergency response.

What makes Active Birth Pools different?

  • Specialist water birth pool design since 1987
  • Thousands of pools installed worldwide
  • Hand-built in England
  • Ficore® composite construction
  • Lifetime guarantee
  • Award-winning ergonomic design
  • Comfortable for mothers
  • Safer working conditions for midwives
  • Practical specification support for hospitals, architects and project teams

Plan your hospital water birth facility

Choosing a birth pool is a clinical, practical and financial decision. The right pool should support safe care, clean efficiently, protect staff, fit the room properly and deliver reliable performance for decades.

Request specifications and pricing

Download the buyers’ guide

References and source notes

These references support the landing page claims and should be used to ground external-facing content. Claims in final published copy should remain proportionate and should not promise specific clinical outcomes.

  1. Active Birth Pools homepage. Used for company positioning including hospital-grade focus, long specialist experience, award-winning design, Ficore® composite, hygiene, durability and lifetime value. https://activebirthpools.com/
  2. Active Birth Pools Venus / 360 product information. Used for product positioning around 360° access, Water Column plumbing design and unobstructed rim access. https://activebirthpools.com/products/venus-birth-pools/
  3. NICE NG235: Intrapartum care recommendations. Supports careful wording around access to water during labour and birth, individualised assessment and reasonable adjustments. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng235/chapter/Recommendations
  4. Royal College of Midwives news summary on Oxford Brookes water birth research. Supports cautious evidence-aware copy around benefits associated with water birth, including reduced interventions and increased satisfaction. https://rcm.org.uk/news/2022/07/water-births-provide-clear-benefits-and-a-positive-birth-experience-to-mother-and-baby/

 

If Sir Jony Ive Designed a Water Birth Pool, He Would Have Designed an Active Birth Pool

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

Sir Jony Ive is the British industrial designer best known for shaping the look and feel of the modern world. As the former Chief Design Officer at Apple, he led the design of iconic products including the iPhone, iMac and MacBook.

His philosophy is simple yet demanding: remove the unnecessary, refine the essential, and create objects that feel inevitable — as though they could never have been designed any other way.

If Jony Ive had turned his attention to maternity care and set out to design a water birth pool, it’s hard to imagine he would have created anything other than an Active Birth Pool.

Design That Begins With Purpose

At Active Birth Pools, design does not start with aesthetics. It starts with mothers, midwives, and clinical safety. Every curve, every surface, every fitting exists for a reason.

The pools are instantly recognisable — soft flowing internal lines, no harsh edges, no visual clutter. They look calm. Reassuring. Considered.

But like the best Apple products, the beauty is a by-product of rigorous function.

The distinctive rim is not just elegant; it is ergonomically profiled to support a woman in multiple birthing positions. The integrated handholds are placed exactly where instinct takes over.

The depth is carefully calculated to provide optimal buoyancy, supporting physiological birth while allowing midwives clear access when needed.

This is design that respects the user — both the mother and the clinician.

Simplicity That Conceals Complexity

One hallmark of Ive’s work is making the complex appear simple. The same is true here.

Behind the seamless surfaces lies serious engineering. Active Birth Pools are built for hospitals, designed to meet demanding infection control standards.

The one-piece, solid surface construction eliminates dirt traps and joints where bacteria can hide. The integrated waste systems, pipework, and access panels are engineered for reliability and longevity in high-use clinical environments.

Nothing is decorative. Nothing is arbitrary.

The result is a product that feels intuitive to use — because every detail has been thought through.

Human-Centred Innovation

Jony Ive often spoke about creating products that feel humane, that enhance experience rather than dominate it. Water birth pools are not simply clinical equipment; they are environments in which families meet for the first time.

Active Birth Pools understands this profoundly.

The pools create a sense of sanctuary within the birthing room. The soft geometry, the tactile materials, the quiet confidence of the design all contribute to a calmer atmosphere.

At the same time, midwives benefit from 360-degree access, carefully considered rim heights, and practical features developed through decades of collaboration with NHS maternity units and international hospitals.

This balance — emotional sensitivity combined with clinical precision — is rare.

Enduring, Not Disposable

Another parallel with Ive’s philosophy is longevity. Active Birth Pools are not temporary solutions.

They are capital investments for hospitals, designed to last for many years with minimal maintenance. Robust materials, precision fabrication, and thoughtful engineering reduce lifetime costs while maintaining performance.

They are not trends. They are standards.

Design That Feels Inevitable

The highest compliment often paid to an Apple product is that it feels obvious — as though it could not have been otherwise.

That same inevitability defines an Active Birth Pool.

When you see one installed in a maternity suite, it does not feel like equipment that has been added to the room. It feels like it belongs there. Like it was always meant to be there.

If Jony Ive had designed a water birth pool, it would not shout. It would not be ornate. It would not compromise.

It would be calm. Intelligent. Purposeful. Beautifully engineered.

It would be an Active Birth Pool.

Active Birth Pools and the Enduring Relevance of the “Ten Principles of Good Design”

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

In the world of design, few voices have resonated more deeply or enduringly than that of Dieter Rams. Known for his iconic work with Braun and Vitsoe, Rams articulated Ten Principles of Good Design—a framework that has influenced generations of designers across disciplines. His philosophy is rooted in clarity, functionality, sustainability, and the idea that design should exist in harmony with the user and the environment.

At Active Birth Pools, these principles are not just admired—they are intrinsically embedded into the company’s design ethos, guiding every aspect of product development, from material selection to user interaction. Here’s how each of Rams’ principles finds clear expression in the design and manufacture of Active Birth Pools:

  1. Good Design is Innovative

Innovation in Active Birth Pools is not about novelty for its own sake—it’s about continuous improvement in service of mothers and midwives. These pools integrate cutting-edge composite materials and ergonomic sculpting to meet the evolving needs of modern maternity care. Innovations such as integrated support features and seamless construction enhance both comfort and hygiene, setting new standards in birthing pool design.

  1. Good Design Makes a Product Useful

The primary purpose of a birthing pool is to support women through the physical and emotional journey of childbirth. Active Birth Pools are designed to enhance natural birth by promoting freedom of movement, buoyancy, and pain relief. Every contour, shape, and feature is purpose-built to serve both the mother’s needs and the midwife’s functionality requirements. Usefulness is paramount, with nothing superfluous or merely decorative.

  1. Good Design is Aesthetic

While functionality leads, aesthetics are not ignored. The organic shapes and flowing lines of Active Birth Pools evoke calm, safety, and softness. The visual harmony of the pools reflects the emotional atmosphere needed in a birthing environment—serene, supportive, and nurturing. Their presence in a room transforms a clinical setting into a place of dignity and intimacy.

  1. Good Design Makes a Product Understandable

An Active Birth Pool communicates its function intuitively. Without the need for instructions, women and birth professionals can immediately understand how to use its features. Thoughtful design—like strategically placed handholds and specially designed seats—ensures that interaction with the pool is natural and self-explanatory.

  1. Good Design is Unobtrusive

Active Birth Pools do not dominate the birth space; they complement it. With their minimalist, sculptural appearance, they create a quiet sense of readiness. The design does not impose itself but respects the primacy of the birth experience, providing a gentle, supportive presence that encourages empowerment and privacy.

  1. Good Design is Honest

There is no deception in an Active Birth Pool. Its form follows its function, and its materials are authentic and appropriate. The integrity of the design is reflected in visible quality and craftsmanship. There are no gimmicks—just a sincere commitment to excellence in support of natural birth.

  1. Good Design is Long-lasting

Active Birth Pools are built to last for decades and guaranteed for life. Using high-performance, medical-grade materials and precision manufacturing, these pools are designed for longevity in high-demand hospital environments. Their timeless design ensures they remain relevant and effective, resisting the ephemerality of trends. They are an investment in sustainable maternity care.

  1. Good Design is Thorough Down to the Last Detail

From the tactile, non-slip surfaces to the ergonomically optimised rim, every detail is meticulously considered. Nothing is left to chance. This attention to detail ensures safety, hygiene, and ease of use—critical aspects in any healthcare setting. It is a level of refinement that shows deep respect for both users and caregivers.

  1. Good Design is Environmentally Friendly

Active Birth Pools are created with sustainability in mind. Their durability reduces waste over time, while efficient manufacturing processes and long product life cycles contribute to lower environmental impact. The choice of materials reflects a commitment to health and environmental safety, aligning with the needs of an increasingly eco-conscious world.

  1. Good Design is as Little Design as Possible

This principle, perhaps more than any other, captures the soul of Active Birth Pools. There is no excess, no ornamentation, no distractions—only what is necessary to create the optimal environment for labour and birth. The purity of form, the clarity of purpose, and the simplicity of use reflect the ethos of “less, but better” in its purest expression.

Conclusion: Design with Integrity, Purpose, and Compassion

Dieter Rams’ principles are more than a manifesto for industrial design—they are a call for ethical, human-centered creation. Active Birth Pools has embraced these principles, not as a marketing tool, but as a core philosophy guiding every product decision.

By aligning with Rams’ Ten Principles, Active Birth Pools has created not only world-class birthing pools but also a legacy of design integrity in the service of life’s most profound moment—birth. In a healthcare landscape often dominated by cold functionality, Active Birth Pools reminds us that good design is compassionate design.

Fluid modernities: the birthing pool in late twentieth-century Britain

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

Original Research
Victoria Bates , Jennifer Crane, Maria Fannin
British Medical Journal
June 2023 

Abstract

Birthing pools are a common feature of maternity units across Europe and North America, and in home birth practice.

Despite their prevalence and popularity water birth pools have received minimal empirical or theoretical analysis.

This article attends to the emergence, design and meaning of such birthing pools, with a focus on the UK in the 1980s and 1990s.

Across spheres of media, political and everyday debate, the pools characterise the paradoxes of ‘modern maternity’: they are ‘fluidly’ timeless and new, natural and medical, homely and unusual, safe and risky.

Beyond exploring the contradictions of ‘modern maternity’, we also make two key interventions.

First, we contend that modern maternity has substantially expanded in recent decades to hold and include additional ideas about comfort and experience.

Second, we flag the culturally specific notions of ‘modernity’ at play in modern births: the popularity of the birthing pool was typically among white, middle-class women.

We argue that birthing pools have had an impact at a critical moment in birthing people’s care, and we map out the uneven and unjust terrains through which they have assumed cultural and medical prominence.

I am pleased to say that I (Keith Brainin) receive honourable mention in this esteemed publication and recommend it highly to anyone interested in the use of water for labour.

Delivery, handling and Installation

Posted on by K.D.Brainin

Delivery, Moving and Handling

Mainland UK Deliveries

Active Birth Pools delivered within the mainland UK are wrapped in protective packaging and placed in double walled boxes with corrugated sides.

The pools are delivered by our dedicated carrier on a week commencing basis.

If you require delivery on a specific date or at a specific time please contact us for a quote.

Box Size and Weight

  • Active Birth Pool:  1880 x 1690 x 790mm 100 kg
  • Venus Birth Pool: 1960 x 1390 x 790mm 90 kg
  • Princess Birth Pool: 1640 x 1140 x 790mm 80 kg

The carrier will deliver your birth pool to the receipt and distribution point.

You’ll be responsible for moving it to the room where it will be installed.

The pool should be moved from the delivery point in its cardboard box by turning it gently on its side onto a movers dolly or two.

This will enable it to be easily moved along corridors and through doorways.  Once the pool is in the room where it will be installed carefully open the cardboard box and remove the protective packaging.

Outside Mainland UK and International Deliveries

Active Birth Pools that are delivered outside the mainland UK are wrapped in protective packaging and placed in timber framed crates with plywood sides that conform to ISPM15 and are stamped accordingly.

Crate Size and Weight

  • Active II Water Birth Pool: 2050 x 1810 x 970mm 220kg
  • Active 360 Water Birth Pool: 2050 x 1810 x 970mm 220kg
  • Active 360 Water Birth Pool with Water Column2050 x 1810 x 970 240kg
  • Venus II Water Birth Pool: 2050 x 1420 x 890mm 205kg
  • Venus 360 Water Birth Pool: 2050 x 1420 x 890mm 205kg
  • Venus 360 Water Birth Pool with Water Column: 2120 x 1450 x 950  205kg
  • Princess II Water Birth Pool: 1670 x 1170 x 890mm 145 kg
  • Princess 360 Water Birth Pool: 1670 x 1170 x 890mm 145 kg
  • Princess 360 Water Birth Pool with Water Column: 1710 x 1170 x 890 165 kg

The birth pool should be unpacked from the timber crate but left in its protective packaging for moving from the delivery point to the room where it will be installed.

The pool should be gently turned on its side onto a padded movers dolly or two to  enable it to be easily moved along corridors and through doorways. It’s best to handle the pool by the rim as this is the strongest point.

Installation

When siting the water birth pool be sure to leave plenty of room around it (at least 80cm on the sides and 150-200cm in front) for midwives and attendants to move freely.

Prior to moving the birth pool into position against the wall the plumbing (taps and drainage) and electrical services should be in place ready for final connection to the pool.

Taps

Fix a 3/4″ thermostatically controlled mixer tap with a short spout on an IPS panel 25 cm above the rim of the pool (rim height 75cm).

We suggest that you consider the Rada T3 or similar as it is a digital tap that not only enables you to programme the water temperature but also the fill time.

A filling time of 20 – 25 minutes is acceptable.

Note: if you are utilising a bath/shower mixer or handheld shower be sure that the shower hose does not dangle in the pool as this is a significant infection control risk

Drainage

The pool is supplied with a bespoke 40mm pop up waste that is operated by a control that is fixed to the rim.

The waste is connected to a P Trap  and a McAlpine T25 adaptor

Height from the floor to the centre of the T25 adaptor is 11cm

From the T25 adaptor you can utilise of a wide variety of commonly available parts to connect to the pipework of the buildings drainage system.

When electrical and plumbing services are in place and ready for the final connection to the pool’s systems the pool should be moved into position and fixed to the floor.

Final connection of services can be carried out through the access panel when the pool is secured in place.

Fixing the birth pool to the floor

All feet MUST be in solid contact with the floor.

If the floor is not level or smooth be sure to adjust the feet or level the floor so that all of the feet are in firm contact with the floor and there is no rocking or movement.

The bottom flange of the outer panel should be in contact with the floor but is not the primary support structure of the pool and must not bear the full weight of the filled birth pool.

The water birth pool is supplied with 3 x 100 mm x 30 mm fixing brackets.

You’ll find the brackets taped to the pool just inside the access panel that can be opened with a 10mm Allen Key.

It is essential these brackets are securely fixed to the floor with suitable hardware to immobilise the pool and prevent it from moving when empty.

Failure to secure the pool to the floor with the fixing brackets will endanger the end user and VOID the guarantee.

Locating and fixing the brackets

Step 1: All Models:

Mark the central position of the water birth pool on the wall that it is being fitted on.

SStep 2:  Active II Water Birth Pool – front fixing bracket

Measure 1330 mm from the centre point on the wall and mark this as the point to locate the bracket so that the long flat piece is projecting away from the wall and the raised short section faces forward into the room.

Fix the bracket to the floor using suitable hardware.

Front bracket right centre – Back bracket lower left and right

Step 2: Venus II Water Birth Pool

– front fixing bracket

Measure 1330 mm from the centre point on the wall and mark this as the point to locate the bracket so that the long flat piece is projecting away from the wall and the raised short section faces forward into the room.

Fix the bracket to the floor using suitable hardware.

Front bracket right centre – Back bracket lower left and rightt

Step 2: Princess II Water Birth Pool – front fixing bracket

Measure 1020 mm from the centre point on the wall and mark this as the point to locate the bracket so that the long flat piece is projecting away from the wall and raised short section faces forward into the room.

Fix the bracket to the floor using suitable hardware.

Front bracket right centre – Back bracket upper left

Step 3: All Models

Place the birth pool at least 60 mm away from the rear wall before moving it onto the bracket and flush against the wall.

Push the birth pool towards the wall so that the flange of the pool slides under the bracket.

This secures the front of the pool to the floor.

Step 4: All Models – back fixing bracket

The 2nd fixing bracket should be fixed in position on the bottom flange of the pool below the access panel as indicated in the images above.

You will see that a hole has been drilled in the flange. Line the bracket up with this hole. You can fix the pool to the floor with a raw plug and suitable hardware to guarantee that it is secure.

The long flat piece should be fixed to the floor with suitable hardware so that the short section is holding the flange securely to the floor.

Step 5: All Models

Seal the water birth pool to the floor and wall using a suitable sealant to prevent ingress of water and dirt.

Installation 360 Models

Place the water birth pool in the exact location and orientation that you want it.

Mark the floor at the centre of the curve at the front of the pool.

Move the pool away.

Measure 6cm away from the mark you made and fix the front bracket in place.

Continue by following instructions above.

Water Column Installation 

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

Multi-Colour LED Lighting

Installation

Connect the light to a circuit breaker, then to the power supply.

The system should be protected by a 6 AMP RCD with 30 -32 MA Sensitivity.

The LED is transformed down to 12 volts and has a power rating of 2.5 watts.

A separate means of Isolation should be provided for future maintenance.

Operating voltage 220/230 volts – 50/60 hertz

Operating instructions

The system is operated by the control pad on the rim of the pool.

To activate the system press the button once.

The white light will come on.

To choose another colour continue to press the button and the system will cycle through the range of colours – light blue, blue, purple, magenta, red, pink, orange, yellow, apple green and green.

To turn the system off press and hold the button down for 2 seconds.

The light should be switched off when the pool is not in use.

Bluetooth Sound System

Connect the factory fitted bluetooth sound system to a circuit breaker and then to the power supply.

The system is always on standby waiting for users to pair and connect.

It’s operated directly from the users mobile phone or bluetooth enabled device and has no controls of its own.

N.B. If there is more than one birth pool with bluetooth sound being installed in the same unit you will need to fit a remote switch to enable the users to turn the system on and off.

This is to prevent people accidentally activating the system instead of the one in their room.

Transducer speaker

  • Frequency Range 20Hz-20KHz.
  • Maximum Power Output 50W at 4 Ohm.

Bluetooth Amplifier

  • Transmission Range 5m to 10m.
  • Maximum Power Output 2ch X 20W.
  • Operating voltage 220/230 volts – 50/60 hertz
  • Transformed Voltage 12 Volt DC / 3 amp.
  • Waterproof Rating IP67.

Cleaning and Care:

Safety comes 1st!

Active Birth Pools are Rated No.1 for water safety and infection control standards.

This is because the material we use (Ficore) is 5 x harder than other materials and is immune to the effects of disinfection with 10,000ppm hypo-chlorite.

Seamless one-piece construction and the absence of surface mounted metal work deny micro-organisms the environment they need to propagate.

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