Labor Preparations?

[guatemama1]

Anyone working on a labor playlist of music? Prepping what to bring with if going to hospital or birth center? Home birth preparations?

I was looking on previous boards for music playlist ideas... making a bunch of hours of music although I don't know if I'll actually want to listen to it when the time comes.

Also beginning to get stuff together my MW said to bring (still wrestling with myself about the adult diaper thing, which I posted before on another thread... mmm)...

Any music ideas? Stuff you are going to bring/have at your birth?? Recommendations?

34w 1 day for me!

[serenityjewell]

We seldom use much of what we bring. I have been doing Hypnobabies, so I'm trying to decide how to use the tracks during labor. I think we'll just see how it goes. We have always had lots of great music. Here's what I usually bring.

music

simple snacks

homemade recharge (lemon water with a bit of honey and salt)

a gallon jar of cold RRL tea

coming home outfit (same for all of our kids)

warm blanket

a couple of diapers

That's about it!

Getting excited for us all!!

Sarah*

[guatemama1]

Originally Posted by serenityjewell 

We seldom use much of what we bring. I have been doing Hypnobabies, so I'm trying to decide how to use the tracks during labor. I think we'll just see how it goes. We have always had lots of great music. Here's what I usually bring.

music

simple snacks

homemade recharge (lemon water with a bit of honey and salt)

a gallon jar of cold RRL tea

coming home outfit (same for all of our kids)

warm blanket

a couple of diapers

That's about it!

Getting excited for us all!!

Sarah*

All that is particularly helpful... bring tea and homemade recharge drink

Also - what do "coming home outfits" typically entail?

[~Katie~]

My first was in a hospital and while I remembered all of the necessary things, I didn't anticipate going into labor when I did and forgot a bunch of stuff. I forgot to bring a hat for the baby and diapers. I did bring things like energy drinks, chocolate and other quick snacks for energy, cereal bars, etc. I'm not a music person during labor so I haven't used it during my births. Bring pajamas/lounge clothes that are comfortable and easy to nurse in. I don't like anything with elastic around my midsection for a while after birth. A nursing pillow would be handy.

I didn't see your other post but as far as adult diapers, GET THEM. I am horribly clumsy after birth and have a really terrible time getting underwear on and somehow getting a pad attached to it and need assistance for a while in the bathroom. Those little mesh underwear are worthless and get twisted up and blood ends up on them rendering them useless before I even get them pulled up. Depends or something similar eliminates that. After a couple of days I switch to cloth pads. Black underwear are your friend. One piece footies usually make good coming home outfits, gowns are not always practical in a car seat. I don't like pants or anything tight on a tiny baby until their umbilical cord falls off.

For this time around, I have a lot left over from my last birth. My midwife supplies the birth kit and I have a few things to pick up from the $ store. She also brings the birth pool. I'm going to have some snacks in the freezer like quick bread, but I don't usually end up eating a lot during labor. I don't really have a whole lot to assemble, I'd like to get a nice nightgown for afterward and a tank top to wear in the birth pool but otherwise I don't need a whole lot.

[AnnieA]

I'm taking LED flameless candles to use around the bathtub at the hospital so I don't have to have the annoying overhead lights on. I'm also bringing a sound machine so I can just listen to rain or ocean or white noise. I don't think I'll want music when I'm in active labor. I have a track of birth affirmations from hypnobirthing that I may listen to as well.

Remember to bring chargers for cameras, camcorders, laptops and cell phones.

I'll pack a few snacks but we have a special room on the L&D floor at my hospital filled with snacks especially for the laboring mamas. Things like crackers, breakfast bars, bagels, juices, sodas, popsicles, soup, yogurt, etc.

The babies in my family always have a special white outfit w/smocking as their coming home outfit. Sometimes it's a dress if it is a girl but I asked for Ava's to be a little bubble suit so it snaps at the crotch. My mom already purchased that and I've washed it and it's hanging ready to go.

I'll be bringing some cloth diapers, socks and extra receiving blankets for her as well.

I've already started assembling sample sizes of toiletries so I can pack that stuff ahead of time and not have to worry about something getting missed. The only thing I'll need to make sure goes in will be my glasses if I'm not already wearing them. I'm also packing stuff for DH because I don't want him to have to run home continuously after the baby is born to shower, brush his teeth, etc.

[Gismobabe]

I need wool socks every time. At around 7 cm I get so cold and shaky I desperately need wool socks.

I take snacks for DH and myself and I have ordered sushi in the delivery room before, so bring some cash.

I have downloaded some "Women are strong" type of songs but am not sure that I like them enough to bring.

Bring a book in case your water breaks and you have hours of waiting ahead of you.

Nursing Bras would be helpful.

Prepare an e-mail in your draft folder with all the contacts already in the header.

[mugglesmom]

Good thread!

I'm planning a home birth.  Any suggestions for must haves?  I'll be getting the kit that my midwives suggest but beyond that I don't know what I need.  What kinds of snacks did any of you really like?  Was there anything you wished you had?

I thought about making a playlist for the birth but I just don't know what mood I'll be in.  My calming, happy place visual is the ocean so I think I might just have some waves sounds.

My midwives suggested the adult diapers too. I'm not looking forward to purchasing them but I think I'll be happy once I have them!

[tourist.]

I'm essentially done with the necessary home birth preparations.  I have all my birth kit stuff together with the exception of towels and fresh sheets that I need to move into my bedroom.  I already have my adult diapers on hand, and am quite thrilled that I didn't have to go out any buy them a second time (still have them from my first - they are awesome).  I've stocked the freezer, bought lots of snacks, and have more Gatorade than I hope I can drink (after I had DS1 I was addicted to the stuff).  Baby clothes are washed, sorted, and in the dresser.  Cloth diapers are also washed and stacked waiting for baby. 

Optional stuff that I want to get done:  I really want to make a playlist to listen to during labor.  I honestly didn't miss music during my first birth - at all, but when I listen to some of this music it fills me with such a sense of calm and peace that I imagine having it on in the background could do nothing but good.  In addition to that I'll probably have our white noise machine on as we will have other people in the house (my mom, MIL, DS1) that I really really don't want to hear. 

Final prep will be cleaning but that's just going to be an amped up version of normal weekly cleaning so that's not really adding much to the to-do list. 

Oooh something that I do need to do, and hope I don't forget:  I want to freeze some pads sprayed with witch hazel.  I have everything, I just need to go do it.  Probably in a month I'll get that done. 

[SuburbanHippie]

I'm doing a hospital birth.  *pout*  My list consists of:

going home outfit for baby (a onesie and a pair of socks)

going home outfit for me (maternity clothes- sexy!)

toothbrush/toothpaste/shampoo

makeup (yeah, I'm that vain)

hemorrhoid oil (yeah, I'm that disgusting too LOL)

water bottle

my special labor socks (they've been through every labor, this is #5!)

boppy

I don't do music.  I think I would probably throw my ipod across the room if I had it.  I need complete silence.  I can't eat any snacks I'm sure (GD and all).  If I can, they have plenty in the special L&D kitchen that DH and I can sample from.  I don't like to bring my own clothes because I'm never comfy in them.  I use their pads because they have the ice pack kind that I'll need for the 'roid. 

I'm really going to miss my favorite post-delivery meal.  With every delivery I request some sort of junky fast food meal and DH runs out and gets it for me.  This time I can't have it.    I really hate having GD.

[Curlyfry7]

I totally need to get on this....I've been so slack this time around. However, I will say that I have not used MOST of the stuff I brought with me either time, hospital or birth center, so I may pare it back this time (of course, this is the time I'll have some super-long labor LOL) I actualy LIKE the mesh undies, and adore the little squirty bottle. I have a Dreamsurf CD I may bring with me, since even though I did hypnobabies last time I didn't listen to them IN labor, and this time I have barely cracked them open. As for the rest, I'll have the basics. I also don't like gowns for babies, so something one piece.

But I REALLY need to get stuff together. Or I am guaranteed to go into labor in the next week, LOL.

[SuburbanHippie]

Originally Posted by Curlyfry7 
 I actualy LIKE the mesh undies, and adore the little squirty bottle.

  Me too!  Those little squirt bottles are really handy and the mesh undies are awesome!

I don't actually pack until I'm like 39 weeks 5 days pregnant though.  LOL.  I like to live on the edge!  (Also, my babies always need an eviction notice in order to vacate the cozy womb)

[lovelylisa]

I didn't actually pack last time. I went in for a drs. appointment and came back with a baby!

This time  I will be at the birth center for a few hours so I really don't know what to bring, so I am subbing to steal your brilliant ideas.

[mamahen2coop]

good thread. I have nothing to add since this is my first HB and have no idea what I'm doing! Id love a play list also, in case I wanted it, but I meant to do one with DS and never got around to it. I'm pretty much just hoping to get my house together enough let alone me!! haha

[greenmama66]

I've always just prepped with my homebirth supplies and make sure there is sitz bath herbs, the peri bottles and get the outfit ready for new arrival (it's always the same outfit too- an organic tie neck open sort of shirt good for skin to skin contact and lotus birth or delayed cod clamping) and a few fitted newborn dipes. This time I bought myself some luxurious Hotmilk nursing nighties to feel sexy and glamorous! I've never used any of the mesh underwear but it is in my midwife's birth supply kit so maybe I will try it out. I usually wear black cotton undies the first week so blood doesn't stain those. One birth I used one of those postpartum cold pack/maternity napkin in one and I see it's in my MW's kit so I guess I'll be using that this time too. My birth hypnosis is already on my Ipod so I hope to be using that too- but also have whole house speakers and will also play relaxing music on that so it doesn't matter where I am in house. Oh and my most important item for after birth is after birth herbs for afterpains. Also some liquid calcium/magnesium for the same reason.

[mamahen2coop]

Originally Posted by greenmama66 

I've always just prepped with my homebirth supplies and make sure there is sitz bath herbs, the peri bottles and get the outfit ready for new arrival (it's always the same outfit too- an organic tie neck open sort of shirt good for skin to skin contact and lotus birth or delayed cod clamping) and a few fitted newborn dipes. This time I bought myself some luxurious Hotmilk nursing nighties to feel sexy and glamorous! I've never used any of the mesh underwear but it is in my midwife's birth supply kit so maybe I will try it out. I usually wear black cotton undies the first week so blood doesn't stain those. One birth I used one of those postpartum cold pack/maternity napkin in one and I see it's in my MW's kit so I guess I'll be using that this time too. My birth hypnosis is already on my Ipod so I hope to be using that too- but also have whole house speakers and will also play relaxing music on that so it doesn't matter where I am in house. Oh and my most important item for after birth is after birth herbs for afterpains. Also some liquid calcium/magnesium for the same reason.

Where do you get the little tie neck shirts? I'm just starting to gather supplies too. Im trying to think of what clothes I'll want to be wearing afterwards too. Stocking up on some black undies is a good idea too. and, since my cloth diaper stash is pretty much set, I'm now trying to get a mama cloth stash started too. Anyone use only mama cloth?? I guess that's a whole 'nother thread, but it's as daunting to get started in mama cloth as it was diapers!

[greenmama66]

Here's where I got the cotton one (my other babies were born in winter and I used the silk/wool one's from Engel) http://skandikids.com/cosilana-wrap-over-cotton-shirt

I've not used the mama cloth after birth- mainly because I stay in bed for 5 days and I figure everyone else has enough to deal with washing diapers so I just use the organic disposable one's.

I purchased various types of AIO newborn diapers too just to make it easy on DH whose first baby this is and he has no idea how to use a prefold LOL.

[azzeps]

I just picked up my birth kit on Friday.  It has an assortment of pads, adult diapers, and cold packs.  I also got the sitz bath herbs... so do I really have to take a bath with them, or can I just brew like tea and put it in a peri bottle?  What have others done?  I had a c-section with my first, so I didn't have any perineum healing to deal with.  I hope I do this time!  I put DH in charge of the "first outfit" and he hasn't picked out anything yet, but I think he will.  During my last (3 day ordeal) labor, we listened a lot to Yo Yo Ma, and it was very relaxing, but I can't listen to that anymore.  I figure DH can be in charge of music if needed, and I am also going to try to get through the Hypnobabies course, so maybe I will listen to that.

I think we need to find that thread someone started on freezer meals a while back, because I need to cook and put away some things in the freezer!

[greenmama66]

The herbs aren't meant to take a bath in- you brew it like tea, strain and put in peri bottle- midwives have always done this for me.

[artekah]

Originally Posted by greenmama66 

The herbs aren't meant to take a bath in- you brew it like tea, strain and put in peri bottle- midwives have always done this for me.

You can do both. I had a strong sitz bath brew in a peri bottle by the toilet, to squirt after peeing rather than wiping with TP.

But I also took an actual bath once a day for the first few days. I think we just put a few quarts of sitz bath "tea" into the tub with about 3 inches of warm water and I'd sit in it for awhile--very soothing. They also make little sitz bath bins that fit on top of the toilet seat and you sit on it and sort of submerge your nether regions, but I never used that thing because it just seemed awkward.

[mumofmak]

I'm planning on a homebirth and have my kit stuff ready, herbal bath mix (I do baths once a day too and then in the peribottle every time I use the toilet), I've got some herbal tinctures to use for the cramping after and to help my milk situation.  I've got the diapers ready and baby clothes washed and ready too.

I've been thinking though, it's probably a good idea to have a little bag packed *just in case* we need to transfer so that it's not too crazy at that time. Not expecting it all but I'm sure I'd appreciate having some clothes, toiletries, baby clothes and things with me, not to mention my little herbal stock in the event I do transfer.

My midwives with my other births recommended putting all the needed items into a laundry basket rather than a suitcase or duffle bag. They said it made it easier for them to find things if i would ask for it. I think I'll just pack my supplies and clothes in a basket and that way it's ready for use at home and ready to toss into the car if needed.