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Photo from yourwaterbirth.com
Instead of packing my bag for the hospital, I've been buying and organizing supplies for a homebirth. My midwife gave me a list of items to have on hand and I've got everything stacked up in my bathroom (and in my freezer!) ready for the big event.
It's been fascinating to me to learn about homebirthing as I've gone through this process, so I thought I'd share some of the items I'll have on hand to give you a peek behind the scenes if you're new to homebirth, too.
My homebirth inventory:
- 8-10 old towels and a few wash cloths -- ones I don't mind getting messy
- receiving blankets and hat for baby
- a birthing pool, air pump, hose, and disposable liner (This is optional, but I decided to rent one so I can try a water birth.)
- 2 fitted sheets & a shower curtain liner (I'll make the bed with these -- fitted sheet, then shower curtain liner, then another fitted sheet on top -- after the birth we'll remove the top 2 layers and dispose of them leaving me with a made bed to recover in)
- a birth kit that I ordered online (includes underpads, cord ring, sterile gloves, gauze, syringes, flexible straws, tape measure, peri bottle, mesh panties, postpartum pads, and a thermometer)
- maxi pads dipped in witch hazel then frozen (for postpartum recovery)
- arnica montana and Motrin (also for postpartum recovery)
It's quite a different list from what I packed in my hospital bag last time around. How about you -- homebirth or hospital birth -- what are you doing to prepare?
Comments (9)
Thank you! My next birth will be a home birth.
May I recommend also putting a waterproof pad under that lower sheet as well?
Best of luck to you!
I had a homebirth and my kit was very similar to yours although we had a stamp pad included to stamp LO's hands and feet. Also had plenty of juice and things to snack on tucked away in the fridge. No water birth though, but it was so nice just to peel back the top two layers on the bed and be done for the day.
Aah, I wish I were doing a home birth this time. Good luck!
I want a homebirth for my next baby, this is great!
Im thinking of a home birth. Everything you said will be added to my list!
Though, im probably just going to have him in the tub <3
I'm doing the same thing you are, as this time with baby #2 I will be having a home waterbirth. I'm still reading reviews on different birthing pools because if I invest in something, I want to invest in something that will last. I'm also putting together my birthing kit piece by piece, slowly but surely.
I also use a water resistant mattress pad - you can get them at any dept store. They aren't fully waterproof, but just give a little extra peace of mind, for when you have your dripping body -- and that of the baby -- on the bed after because you forgot to dry off....
Also, have gatorade or water on hand thats COLD
extra sheet or blanket for your bed (you might have chills and going looking for it right after is no fun for anyone)
hot tea or other beverage you find calming
fruit to up your blood sugar
a peri bottle for every bathroom you might use
a peri bottle for oil for the baby's butt
a night gown - then you don't have to bend over to put it on immediately postpartum (yeah I screwed that up and almost fell over while waiting as hubby rifled through my drawers)
LOOOOOOOVED my homebirth. It was a waterbirth in an aqua doula tub I rented from my midwife. I wish I would have had homebirths w/ my oldest 2. But I just didn't know. I bought gateraid too, it was on the midwifes list for me to have it on hand. I normally never have that stuff on hand.
What I loved about the water birth was the way it allowed me to push. My first push hands and knees my water broke, 2nd head was out, and the third push my whole body flipped over and she was out. With the depth of the water I could just let go and push as hard as I wanted. And NO TEARING on top of all that! It was awesome!
1) Bendy straws! They make sipping your juice/water so much easier.
2) "Recharge" is a natural alternative to gatorade and not full of dyes and whatnot.
3) If you want to invest in a birthtub tye thing, try a 150 gallon stock trough from your nearest farmstore. Also great for lounging in cool water in the backyard during the summer, raising chicks in the spring, and filling with the fixings for compost tea in the fall! And Really Deep! And hella cheaper than a birthtub - sometimes cheaper than renting one.