What supplies would I need for an emergency homebirth?

[Mommy2Haley]

I've had a recurring dream where I'm so blissfully relaxed (fingers crossed!) during my birthing time that it's suddenly time to push and I'm still at home. The hospital is 25 minutes away and that's assuming there's someone already at the house to watch DD.

I want to labor at home as long as possible and, having had an induction and intervention heavy hospital birth with #1, I'm not sure how long that will be. I know to trust my body but a RECURRING homebirth dream? Of course that IS my ultimate wish ...

Anyways, what basic supplies should I have on hand just in case? I'd like to start a stash just in case...
Thank you!

[Juvysen]

Towels. I'd say that's it. I mean, you probably want to cut the cord... so you might want cord scissors and clips. But pretty much if your labor is going THAT well and it happens THAT fast, baby will almost definitely be fine.

If you're talking supplies for dealing with a real emergency situation, you'd probably want to seek out oxygen and pitocin (for if you bleed out after) and such. It's likely that your doctor/midwife/whoever will want you to come in to be checked (if you don't go in by ambulance)... you probably won't need any of that. Honestly if you feel like it's that emergent, you call 911.

Is there a reason you haven't switched to a homebirth midwife?

[Spark]

I'll echo Juvysen that if you're that relaxed and everything happens so quickly, it's because everything is fine. And... you might want to interveiw a Homebirth MW just to ask some questions.

You don't really NEED anything for an unplanned HB. I mean, if the baby is coming, just get into the bathtub to contain the mess. You don't have to cut the cord or anything since you'd probably call your Dr. & they'd have you transported with baby attached to placenta still or EMS would cut it if need be.

And, you don't need special scissors or clips for a homebirth. You could use clean scissors & a string or piece of yarn if you wanted to. Heck, I cut a cord with an unplanned unassisted homebirth with some Crayola scissors and clamped using a shoe lace.

[greenthumb3]

-Chux pads: the waterproof backed, absorbent pads to catch the birth fluids.

-Something to tie off the cord (sterile string, cord clamp, cord ring, etc)

-Something to catch the placenta in (basin, bowl, etc)

-Warm towels/receiving blankets for baby.

-Sterile bulb syringe to suction out baby's nose and mouth if needed.

-Nice extra: An instruction card for $8 from 1cascade.com for emergency birth and how to deliver a baby (basic for help from partner or if by yourself).

That same company also sells an emergency birth kit for $10.

Hope this is helpful for ya. :-)

[sarahn4639]

the essentials would be:
*towels/blankets to keep baby warm
*phone to call for help if it's needed
*be in a position that you can catch the baby or have someone that can but just catch, don't try to pull the baby out like we often see on birth shows and movies.

The other stuff I'd have on hand are:
*bowl to catch placenta
*chux pads to contain birth fluids (these are handy too just if your water has broken and you aren't ready to go in yet)
*a bulb syringe because it's not uncommon for a baby that comes quickly to have a lot of fluid they may possibly need some help getting out. You can wipe your hand down their nose to help push some out and suck gently with your mouth over their nose/mouth if they need it but I like having a nose syringe on hand for snotty noses anyway.

If you have a surprise homebirth will you still go into the hospital? If so, I would do nothing to the cord until then and just keep it attached to the placenta and keep the bowl next to the babe. If you will stay home and want to cut the cord wait until the placenta is born before you do anything to risk a bleed to the baby if it's not tied well enough. I'd then still tie it off just to be safe and cut it with freshly washed scissors.

But what I'd really do (being a homebirther myself) is talk with homebirth midwife and think about transferring your care since a homebirth is what you really want to do anyway!

[sunfish21]

Reading this made me smile. I had the same dreams--and our daughter arrived quickly at home with our midwife on speaker phone on the bathroom countertop racing to our house. Our doula was present. Midwife arrived about 30 minutes after baby was born. We took down the plastic shower curtain liners, grabbed a few towels, and hung out until she arrived. In a pinch, you might have most of what you need. But I would agree with those suggesting contacting a HB midwife and/or purchasing a home birth kit. If you don't need it don't open it--maybe the midwife will buy it back from you.

[Mommy2Haley]

My reasoning for not speaking to a homebirth midwife would be that there are none in my state. There are very few midwives here at all and most of them are a minimum of 1.5-2 hours away.

[Maggi315]

If you are worried, there are midwives across the country who would be OK with you calling if you have a problem and think the baby is coming fast.

I don't have people cut the cord because I am coming soon, but if there isn't anyone coming, you need to be prepared to do that. Buying a plastic cord clamp is the easiest way to do this and anyone can do it. Towels, and papertowels, lots of them. A bulb syringe in case baby is "junky". Chux pads, lots of them, and something to put the placenta in. I like to have herbs on hand, for postpartum bleeding, but I don't know if that's a necessity.

There is a laminated card that is sold somewhere about what to do if the baby comes before the midwife, I don't know where it is offhand, but I know that people have used this...

[greenthumb3]

Originally Posted by Maggi315

There is a laminated card that is sold somewhere about what to do if the baby comes before the midwife, I don't know where it is offhand, but I know that people have used this...

. I know Cascade sells one.