When to purchase your birth poolUpdated a day ago
🛁 When Should I Order My Birth Pool?
One of the most common questions we receive is when to order your birth pool in preparation for your upcoming birth. Timing depends on your gestational age and how far your pool needs to be shipped.
✅ Recommended Timing
We recommend that you have your birth pool on hand by 37 weeks gestation. This ensures you're ready in case you go into labour early. Earlier than that is typically not necessary—if labour begins before 37 weeks, it’s considered premature, and a home or water birth may not be advised by your care provider. Ordering at 36 weeks will usually ensure delivery by 37 weeks.
If you're waiting for your midwife’s approval for a homebirth, it’s fine to hold off until 36–37 weeks when that decision is confirmed. In most pregnancies, the odds of labour beginning before 38 weeks are low.
🚚 How Long Will It Take to Receive My Pool?
Once your order is placed, most pools ship the same day or next business day, unless clearly marked sold out or pre-sale on our website.
At checkout, you’ll see several shipping options:
- Economy Shipping: 1–7 business days within Canada
- Xpresspost & Priority: Faster options, including overnight, are available
We ship from Alberta, so delivery times will vary based on your location.
🎈 When Should I Inflate the Pool?
We recommend inflating your pool once your midwife has confirmed your home/water birth will go ahead—usually around 37 weeks.
This allows you to:
- Inspect the pool for any rare manufacturing defects
- Address any concerns with time to spare before labour
- Ensure you're familiar with setup
⚠️ Please note: Once a birth pool is opened, it is no longer returnable unless there is a confirmed defect. For this reason, we recommend waiting to open it until your birth is more certain. If unused, it can always be saved for a future birth or resold (via your midwife’s Facebook page, Marketplace, Kijiji, etc.).
🩹 What If I Wait and There’s a Defect?
If you wait until labour to open the pool and discover a defect (e.g., a slow leak), don’t worry—this is rare (less than 2%), as all pools are tested during manufacturing.
Most defects are minor and patchable. Pools come with a basic patch kit, but we highly recommend our [Emergency Pool Patch Kit] for faster, stronger repairs—even underwater.
Pro Tips:
- Read instructions before inflating
- Do not overinflate
- Never use an air compressor
🔄 Can I Return the Pool If I Never Open It?
Yes! If the pool is unopened and unused, you're welcome to return it.
- You’ll be responsible for return shipping
- Once received and inspected to confirm it was never opened, we’ll refund the pool
- Original shipping fees are non-refundable