Unexpectedly going UC

[khaoskat]

My search to find someone to assist with a home birth is going down hill, and so at 25 weeks I am giving up on the idea of finding someone.

As such, I will be a primary VBAC that is going to be a UC, and hopefully in the water.

The only things I have are some left over stuff from my previous birth center births and hospital births (ie a few peri pads, a few waterproof pads, some ice packs, etc).

Where can I find out what all I am going to need and start getting it put together.

And I am doing care with an OB, so I am getting prenatal care, but will opps at home.

[zoebird]

there are a fair number of threads about it.

i found that i didn't need much of anything.

[onyxravnos]

i had a similarly planed UC. I had Everything that a midwife would bring to a birth.

What i actually used:

- a plastic sheet for the floor

- those washable bed pads & disposable pads ( i used about 4 reusable 6 disposable + a few towels)

- cord clamps and metal first aid scissors

- a finger amnihook

- wash cloths

- bendy straws

- plastic hospital bucket (i had intended it to be in case i threw up but ended up using it to catch the placenta in)

I would also have on hand

- nose sucky thing

- gauze

- some herby stuff in case of hemorrhage or retained placenta

- hot / cold packs

[inertia]

bendy straws?? What was that used for?

[AustinMom]

Originally Posted by inertia

bendy straws?? What was that used for?

So who ever is offering you hydration can do so no matter what position you may be in. I don't think they are used for anything "medical".

I hear you can use a shower curtain to cover the bed and then put a sheet over it, if you plan on laboring/birthing in bed. Sounds convenient, you can get them at the $ store too.

[Sheryl1678]

I had a waterproof picnic tablecloth, a few disposable pads on top and a black garbage bag to throw everything in.

I used a regular glass bowl to catch all the blood and placenta to measure (more than 2 cups indicates PPH) and we used a regular, clean scissors to cut the cord long after it was done doing its work so no clamp.

[UCmamaToMany]

My birth supply and post partum supply list:

Chux pads (wally world or other similar store- some suggest the pet pads do the same thing and are cheaper, also check thrift stores as they sometimes carry them for the elderly)

Adult Diapers (I loves this for the first 1-2 days of post partum bleeding- I can also find these at the thrift store, NIP)

Homemade Cord Tie (I braid about 12-18" of yarn together, boil or soak in alcohol & dry then store in airtight container)

Placenta Bowl (cheap $1 bowl from $ store or whatever, or something from thrift store)

Extra Towels (I also thrift store these and get a bunch of used towels and just wash them)

Scissors (Just boil and clean with alcohol and then store in airtight container)

Goldenseal (for cord care, capsules only)

Non Lubricated Condoms (perfect for ice packs. fill with water, freeze, and have on hand for post partum swelling. I wrap them in diaper liners first too)

Peri Bottles

That really is about it I think. I have a waterbirth so clean up is fairly easy. I do usually try to have a vinyl picnic table cloth on hand too, JIC as I did use one for my 4th birth. but I can't think of anything else. If I do I'll add it.

[zoebird]

i had bath mats (with rubber bottoms to protect our mattress and to use as "chux pads"), towels, and a bowl. basically, everything i already had on hand.

we didn't tie the cord, we waited until it was limp and "sealed" before we cut it with boiled kitchen scissors.

that was it.

[rlmueller]

Google Birth Kit

You can order for less that $40 a lot of stuff people have mentioned.

Flexi straws go up your....kidding...makes drinking/hydrating easier.

[zoebird]

seriously, i spent $0.

mixing bowl for placenta from the cupboard;

bath mats and towels from the closet;

scissors from the kitchen.

all free.

[guest8990]

Originally Posted by khaoskat

My search to find someone to assist with a home birth is going down hill, and so at 25 weeks I am giving up on the idea of finding someone.

As such, I will be a primary VBAC that is going to be a UC, and hopefully in the water.

The only things I have are some left over stuff from my previous birth center births and hospital births (ie a few peri pads, a few waterproof pads, some ice packs, etc).

Where can I find out what all I am going to need and start getting it put together.

And I am doing care with an OB, so I am getting prenatal care, but will opps at home.

i am a planner, and this will be lengthy... just a warning

i have a birth pool(yourwaterbirth.com, i ordered the fishy one)
i have every old bathmat i could find, in our camper, house and storage
i went to Dollar Tree(everythings a dollar!) and bought like 15 shower curtains, for under the pool, and birth nests.
i went to our family dollar- they have 30 washcloths for $5, i bought some kitchen ones and bath ones.
i bought a crock pot at a garage sale- $3
i went to our local medical outlet store- 3 peri packs, 10 packs of perineal care wipes, 50 pairs of mesh panties(sorry- thats a lot, but they only came in cases!) some gloves just in case, and i have this fear of pooping on my baby so i got a enema- so its avaliable if i feel i need to use it! - all of that- $8
i sterilized some scissors
we bought some embroidery floss, and made braided cord ties, and a matcing braclet for mom and dad. $4
all of our old towels.
i bought some short, flowy nighties at an outlet store- 3 of them for $8
i bought a ton of candles on %95 off clearance at our dollar general when summer stuff went on sale.
some lavender inscence- $1
a fishscale $4.50
lots of hydrogen peroxide $4
and a bottle of hibelcense $6
i stole a tennis ball from my dog- and washed it- rub on my lower back with it, works wonders
we will be keeping the placenta, and planting it under a tree- so a gallon ziploc for that
two black trashbags for trash, ppl wont think u murdered someone.
a knock off python pump for the pool, it fills up and cyphons out!$11
two non glass bowls- one for placenta, one for if you need to puke
cloth tape measure from my sewing kit
cotton balls $1
fish net for the pool $1.50
two boxes of kleenex- $3
two old receiving blankets(hand me downs)
two new receiving blankets(baby shower)
two new unopened packages of paper towels $1
6 pack of toothbrushes (for birthing attendants incase they forget) $1( dollar tree)
some tucks just in case $6
some coffee and creamer for my BA(birthing attendants) $5 (i dont drink coffee)
a pack of waterproof under pads $5
some foaming bath- chamomile, and lavender- $2
oil$1
3 ink pads from my scrapbooking kit- purple, blue, and black. for feet!
a notepad and pen for BA to take notes- times, and whatnot
6+ large bottles of gatorade $10 (on sale!)
6 packages of overnight pads $15
lavender febreeze plug ins $10
lots of paper towels and toilet paper for the house $20
popcorn, crackers, snacks and whatnot- massive shopping trip-
i have this retarded fear of running out of something we might need, or not having it.. i do this with everything, when we go camping, when we go on vacay, road trip, a hike.. everything.. so its the norm, my husband was expecting it.. i need to have every possible thing we might maybe possibly use, i need it avaliable.. i also dont want to have to run to the store for ANYTHING once this process has begun.. i bought a ton of meat and vegtables and froze them, and whole slew of new tupperware, incase we ran out- my mom wants to cook and clean while i labor, my sister is the note taker, and my grandma- well shes just gonna freak regardless i will probably give her something to crochet

i also need to concentrate to deal with pain.. so thats what all the lavender and smell good crap is.. a constant pleasant smell.. somethin to zone out on with the commotion all around me. i over plan everything, i know

also! i ordered herbs from luckyvitamin.com- raspberry tea- happy uterus!, shepherds purse- stops bleeding, scull cap- helps you relax and deal with pain, rescue remedy- (mostly for family) helps calm total panic and fear, clary sage- aromatic- helps calm. $40 with shipping
i also made raspberry tea- and then froze it into ice cubes.. so i can suck on it during labor if i want

feel free to email me with any questions! [e-mail]

[amberskyfire]

I didn't spend anything at all. Here's what I used:

-mixing bowl from the kitchen to catch placenta
-hemp twine to tie cord
-two towels to give birth on and one towel to catch baby in
-kitchen scissors to cut cord