The steady increase of UK home births has led to Made in Water (www.madeinwater.co.uk) launching its first eco friendly birthing pool.

The concept of the La Bassine birthing pool is to combine style, comfort and privacy with optimum practicality. The pool, released in February 2007, will be highly durable and made with Vinyl that does not contain, what are believed to be, harmful chemicals called phthalates, so often used in plastics production. These chemicals are not only harmful to the environment, but a study in 2005 demonstrated a highly significant relationship between pregnant women’s exposure to phthalates and the reduced development of their male offspring’s genital development. The European Union has demanded that by 2007 all children’s toys and baby products will be developed with PVC free from phthalates, but this ruling does not include birthing products. However Made in Water are following their lead in producing the only birthing pool available on the market free from such chemicals.

Health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, recently announced that more women will be encouraged to have home births if that is their preferred option. Water births in particular are becoming increasingly popular as water is considered to be one of the most effective sources of natural pain relief due to the relaxing effect it produces. Water also gives mothers the support that is needed during labour, and allows easier movement when changing positions.

The floor and the sides of the pool are inflated, providing cushioning to give maximum comfort for the mother during labour. The pool comes in a deep relaxing blue and enhances the sense of privacy. At 135cm in width and 65cm in height the oval shaped pool allows ease of movement in and out of the pool whilst at the same time allowing the midwife easy access to mother and baby when needed.

“La Bassine was first created for the birth of my daughter. Having already experienced a waterbirth in hospital, I wanted to enjoy the relaxing effect of water in the comfort of my own home. The desire for home water births is growing, as is the need for socially and economically aware products. The new phthalates-free La Bassine will allow women to make a more ethical choice about the environment. The chemicals used during production in other plastic products can be dangerous for the production workers and the environment. We feel this eco-friendly approach to birth and childcare is of significant importance in the world in which we live, and at Made in Water we want to promote awareness of products containing possibly harmful chemicals and provide an alternative