The way that women give birth at the hospital is changing. Where once it was common for women to rely on heavy sedation in order to give birth, now many prefer to give birth in a more natural manner. Furthermore, hospital suites are becoming more comfortable and personalized, especially now that it’s completely normal and even expected for fathers to be in the delivery room when their children are being born. But as much as many things have changed about the way that women give birth in hospitals, one thing has remained consistent. When women visit the hospital to give birth, they need to have high-quality birthing beds available.

But at times, providing women with the best equipment for giving birth can be difficult for hospitals working off of a limited budget. Hospitals must not only maintain enough birthing beds for all of their patients (which can become complicated, as there is no way to predict exactly when a woman will give birth and maternity wards can overload) but beds of a consistent quality level. This is why many hospitals now invest in refurbished birthing beds. If you don’t know much about refurbished hospital beds, this could alarm you. But as we’ll explore below, this is a great option that allows hospitals to fully accommodate all of their patients as needed.

What Is Required of a Birthing Bed?

There is a reason why a birthing bed is differentiated from other hospital beds. Giving birth is not equivalent to being injured or sick. It’s a very active process, even when the woman giving birth seems to be lying still. Women need certain things from a birthing bed in order to not only be comfortable but to safely give birth to a healthy child.

A birthing bed does need to be comfortable, and therefore should easily adjust so that a mother may sit up or recline as she wishes. The less complicated these adjustments are, the better; it’s not ideal for a laboring mother to require a nurse’s assistance to adjust her bed every time. Therefore, many birthing beds are electronically operated, with mothers able to adjust them with the touch of a button.

Part of the reason why birthing beds need to be adjustable is that laboring mothers often need to change positions over time as they give birth. Some laboring mothers prefer to lay down; and if they receive epidurals or other types of pain relief, they may need to do so throughout the birth. Other women like to assume different positions, like crouching, getting on all fours, or moving sideways. Therefore, the birthing bed should easily roll and be able to easily support whatever position the mother chooses.

Why Choose a Refurbished Bed?

There are several advantages of buying refurbished hospital beds. For one thing, they are often less expensive than brand new hospital beds. This allows hospitals to invest in more beds and therefore accommodate more people. At the same time, hospitals are able to actually buy higher quality beds because these beds have been refurbished.

There is also a sustainability factor to consider. Rather than allowing hospital beds to be thrown out and replaced with new models, hospitals are reusing beds and therefore preventing them from going to waste. Refurbished hospital beds are models that remain tried and true. There need be no concern about the bed malfunctioning or failing to perform up to standard. Hospitals know what they’re getting, and as the bed is refurbished they’ll know that it performs excellently.

Where Can Hospitals Source Refurbished Beds?

It’s important that hospitals buy only from the most reputable sellers. Remember that the typical hospital stay is 4.5 days; if a bed is not in perfect condition when it’s bought, it could deteriorate quickly, leaving a lot of opportunity for patients to be harmed in that time. A reputable seller will have a great reputation and answer whatever questions buyers need, offering much needed support.

There is more to a birthing bed than meets the eye. But thankfully, refurbishment allows hospitals to invest in the quality of beds that they need, at a price point that is reasonable.