Homebirthers Prep

[100%mom]

So what is everyone doing to prepare for the birth? Do you have your birth kits ordered yet? With my first homebirth I had everything ready by 32 weeks. With my second I started gathering supplies at 30 weeks. This time I've thought about it but haven't done anything. I was 30 weeks on Monday.

[MaerynPearl]

30 weeks yesterday... will be doing it all by 35 weeks...

right now more focused on things we need in case baby comes... like diapers.

[aloneinid]

Haven't even started. I got my list last week at my 28 week appointment. I am trying to prepare my house first (nesting, nesting, and more nesting!) and was thinking of waiting until 34-36 weeks to get my supplies. My midwife has a very short list and nothing I can't find locally (they bring everything like rubber gloves, cord clamps, etc.). If baby comes before 37 weeks I have to go to the hospital anyway and guess I could have my mom wash the baby clothes and diapers for me (I don't even want to think about that option, though!).

[DoulaLMT]

Yeah, since my MW can't do a homebirth before 36 weeks, I'm not feeling in a rush yet. (I'm only 28.5 weeks, so lots of time.)

[dachshundqueen]

I'm at about the 28.5 week mark too, and I'm doing nothing.

This is my third kid so I'm a bit lax.

At some point I need to order my kit from Cascade, but I'll probably wait until 34-5 weeks to do that.

I have just gotten to the halfway payment part with the midwife, and only have to 36 weeks to hit payment in full......so yeah. I'm slow this go around. Reeeaaalllly slow.

Liz

[foodmachine]

I was 31 weeks on Monday. Like Mae, I've started with stuff for baby. I have DH assigned to finishing what needs to be done in the house. I've read the entire "what you wished you knew before" thread over at the homebirth forum and have my list of things to do/buy. I've also started freezing in food, began hypnobabies and DH and I have started talking about how to prepare.

[LEAW]

I've done nothing. Matter of fact, all my NB/infant clothing is for cold cold COLD weather, so I should probably do something about that, it's as likely to be 96 here as 56 when I'm due. I should probably find the tubs that have the baby clothes and see what I have. DS was born into 3-6 mo clothes, DD wore 0-3 for 6 weeks, but never fit in NB. I imagine this one won't be any smaller than they were.

We have a lot of supplies left from ds's birth (chux, medical supplies, etc.) so I do have very little birth stuff to order. It's all in a storage bucket downstairs. A friend who had a repeat c/s also dropped off the big bag of vag birth supplies her hospital sent home with her - ice packs, postpartum pads, mesh undies.

I do need to order the herbs to make the sitz bath I loved having in the peri bottle last time. I'd make a teapot at a time of strong stuff, and then water it down as I needed it.

I do need to decide if I'm using the neighbors tub (she is due in 3 weeks) or ordering my own, or renting one, and if I'm using hers, I need to order liners for it. Lots of time to do that though!

[darkblue0729]

Pretty well set on stuff for when the babe is actually here (cloth diapers, boobies, clothes, etc. lol) and I have quite a few things already that are on the supply list, but I still have to finish getting the stuff from the supply list, buy a space heater, and get my birth kit-my MW *just* changed the birth kit she is using so it kind of worked out that I didn't get the other one yet...but now that I am over 29 weeks I feel like I need to get my butt in gear!

[Chloe'sMama]

My MW asked that I have all supplies by our 36 week home visit. I have just about everything together, just a few things left.

What are your favorite herbs for sitz baths? Did you have 2 different peri bottles, one with just water?

This will be my first HB too, so don't really know what to expect.

[xekomaya]

I'm just getting started on the prep. I got a freezer for out in the garage and am freezing food like crazy with lots of help as my mom is here visiting. Shes finishing a double pot of lentil soup to freeze as I type

I forgot to pick up the birth kit list from the midwife today, but I have almost everything from last time and I'll just place a small order for what I'm missing. Not feeling any rush there. I have to have my BIL get my birth pool from storage and ship it to us. I am getting really nervous about that in case anything happens there isn't much time to make another plan.

I will have everything done by 35 weeks because my inlaws will be coming to stay with us right up to 37 weeks and I'll be too busy cooking for and cleaning up after them to do anything else. Just guess how I feel about that

[mommamisty]

I just bought the last of my NB covers today, so we are set for clothes, dipes and boobs! 32 weeks tomorrow, I'll order my birth kit at 34 weeks that has all the supplies for birth. My MW has pools so I just need to get order a liner. DP can cooks and will have 20 days of paternity leave so I'm not too worried about meals. My babies have all been born on the early side 36-38 weeks, so I want to be ready to go at 36 weeks(which I'm sure will have me waiting anxiously until 40 or more) I need to get my camera fixed or a new one. Ok some of that was an out loud ramble haha. I'll have to keep an eye on this and see if there is anything I am forgetting.

[etsdtm99]

i am just starting and really have no idea what to do as far as actual homebirth prep vs. regular baby prep. this is my first homebirth.. i have an appt. with my midwife friday so i plan to ask her then.. (i'm 30 weeks) i know i need a birth kit, though i don't know what to order, and i haven't even decided yet if i'm going to have a tub or what .. i'm not all that interested in a waterbirth, but i don't want to be in labor and want it and not have it.. hopefully i'll figure that out soon..

for baby prep, i've got a list.. i have all the clothes/diapers/gear etc i just need to get everything washed/organized and i don't really want to wash things for another month or so .. in that month i need to make a place for these clothes/diapers.. so i need to paint one dresser, clean out another, and clean out/organize 2 closets to make room..

i have been freezing food from our garden, but not really in ready-made meals... DH will cook for us as long as the ingredients are available so i should be ok there.. hopefully he will also wash the dishes..

[Illiana]

I haven't gotten anything yet.. I'm still working on figuring out what I need. i've been reading through the hb thread but i'm still uncertain what i need. I just want to get bare necessities. i'm also only 28 weeks though so i think i have time.. I keep seeing the iodine in the birth kits.. does anyone know whats it used for?

[xekomaya]

I had a birthpool in a box - the smaller version and it was the best $200 I spent. I guess some women do it, but I thought the bath tub was totally useless by that point in pregnancy. I was in and out of the tub during the day, but as soon as transition hit you couldn't have pried me out of that tub with a crowbar

We went very minimalist and diy on everything but that tub was soo worth it.

Oh and iodine is used for sterilizing/cleaning. It is gentler than alcohol.

[100%mom]

I ordered a birth pool kit for my first home birth and it was WELL worth it.

Reading through here reminds me that I will have to go through all my newborn clothes too. I'm going to have to start a list of things I will need for this baby. I have newborn diapers already. I got them on sale and with coupons months ago.

My Mom might be in town in a couple weeks so if she is I'm hoping we can make up a bunch of freezer meals while she's here. She's a great help with cooking.

We don't have a dishwasher where we live now, so I guess I'll have to stock up on paper plates too. I'm not going to want to be washing all the dishes by hand and my husband doesn't enjoy washing dishes.

[Lit Chick]

I kind of want a birth pool, but after really thinking about it decided against it. My first labor was too fast, and I feel like this one will be faster. MW said that 2nd babies usually come at night too (usually after big-brother's bedtime), and I do not like the idea of a full tub in my house with my water-loving toddler.

My MWs now bring the birth kit. Guess too many moms forgot them or ordered too late. Baby brain and all.

So, I've done nothing but nest. I'm going to start to prepare my kiddo though, watch some videos with him. And get the phone numbers ready, have my towels and sheets prepped, those little things. From this point, it's going to me mostly mental prep - reading lots of positive birth stories, freshening up on sphincter law, etc. (And if you have not read the sphincter law chapter of Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, DO IT).

[Galatea]

I won't shop for the HB until 36 weeks. I have plenty of old towels and sheets, so I'm just buying depends, chux pads, and maxi pads.

[summermommy2004]

Originally Posted by 100%mom

So what is everyone doing to prepare for the birth? Do you have your birth kits ordered yet? With my first homebirth I had everything ready by 32 weeks. With my second I started gathering supplies at 30 weeks. This time I've thought about it but haven't done anything. I was 30 weeks on Monday.

I'm a procrastinator. I have read through the list from my midwife several times, but haven't actually done anything about BUYING the stuff on the list. lol. I'm 29w4d.

[LEAW]

http://www.yourwaterbirth.com/ has an awesome set of tub choices.

We have to have our supplies all in place by the home visit too. That's sooooo far away in my head.

I'm going to start cooking double dinners to freeze, and if the heat can go away for a few days, some purging of stuff in the house, we just have too much stuff for our little space.

I need to hire a doula to do childcare for my kids, we did this with ds's birth, and it worked out really well, we bartered childcare with a doula who was fairly new and hadn't been to a homebirth, she attended me for the short minutes dh had to be with dd, and she did great with dd when I needed dh.

[aloneinid]

For the sitz bath my midwives recommed 5oz each of:

Shepherd's Purse
Uva Ursi
Lavender
Thyme
Comfrey

I boil these down together in a stock pot and then strain into a gallon jar and put in the fridge (like iced tea- mark it clearly!). This is enough for five days of baths so when I fill the tub I pour roughly 1/5 of the mixture into the tub and add 1/2 cup of sea salt to it.

After my first birth I just made a new batch each day, but I don't have fond memories of standing at the stove leaking everything everywhere and feeling sore while I brewed and strained herbs. The cooked mixture will last about two weeks so if you can get in the ballpark you can have it made ahead of time.