Supplies for homebirth « Back to Group Discussions

[Yeeska]

I know it's a little late, but I really just want to be reassured that I am not missing anything important or just really good to have.

So, supplies for a homebirth, including prep tips. Go!

[judybean]

This is the kit I get with my midwife: http://www.birthwithlove.com/categories/bkbuy.asp?KITID=453057407  In addition, she requests: receiving blankets, older towels, a shower curtain on the bed (old sheets on top of bed, then shower curtain, then another clean set of sheets underneath, that way, after birth -- if it's on the bed -- the top sheets can simply be pulled off and a clean set of sheets is already on), a crock pot, an unopened bottle of olive oil, a cookie sheet (to lay out her tools), flashlight with batteries, hand-held mirror, enough gas in your vehicle to get to the hospital should the need arise, and a roasting pan for catching the placenta!  I think that's it... oh, and diapers and clothes for baby ;)

My midwife recommends keeping it all in a big rubbermaid-type container near wherever you're planning on birthing... should she be arriving RIGHT when needed, she can dump out the kit, use the rubbermaid container as a table and the lid to carry things around if needed!

[katt]

Pretty much the same here.  I bought a kit from the person my MW recommended.  If the kit isn't used it can be returned.  :)  I also have a liner for the pool.

Then there's a list of things, let's see what i can remember:

8 recieving blankets

3 newborn hats

unopened olive oil

2 bowls

2 garbage bags

baby clothes

diapers

LOTS of towels and wash clothes

Recharge (or other 'sports' drink)

Food for people and me

Doula for my son and list of things and such for them to do  lol

I do know that my MW asks that the receiving blankets, hats, clothes be washed on hot and put in a paper bag and labeled.

I also need a hose and attachement for the pool, but i'm letting DH worry about those, that is his job.

That's what i can remember for now.  :)

[dmpkmom]

I forgot about the olive oil! The things I wished I had more of were: towels for the coming in/out of the shower, birth tub and shower again and bottles of peroxide. That stuff does wonders on blood stains...I mean wonders! Extra crock pots of water. I used a heating pad during labor...that was like heaven. It was the only time I sat down in 12 hrs. sitz herbs! extra puppy pads (disposable absorbant things)..we burned thru a ton.

[goin' green]

Lots of chux, towels, washcloths (those and the crock pot are for perineum stretching during labor).  all the other stuff mentioned - receviing blankets, hats, olive oil, peroxide, bowl for placenta, cookie sheet (ours uses it not for tools but *just* in case baby needs revived - need a solid, flat surface)....here's a pic of my birthing supplies all ready to go:

Some other things I added:  I lost a lot of blood last time, so I loved having some coconut water (i hate gatorade and all that other sugar-laden stuff) on hand for afterward. I also picked up some chlorophyll this time.  plastic sheet instead of shower curtain (not big enough to cover our king bed - learned that lesson last time!).  

I'll see if I can think of anything else!

[MamanFrancaise]

My midwife sent me home with a whole bunch of chux pads and a peri bottle. I was asked to supply:

two sheets

shower curtain or plastic sheet

towels (there are never enough towels for a water labor/birth)

receiving blankets - they asked for 8

massage tools

peroxide (optional to get stains out)

large bowl for placenta or large ziplock for placenta storage

garbage bags

sports drink

bendy straws

thermometer for pool

camera and batteries

snacking food for birth team (er, I should probably go shopping...)

food for the next few days for family

I have everything in a laundry basket so the midwives don't have to search for anything.

[Lauren82]

Definitely lots of old towels or sheets to protect the floor. During my last home birth, my water broke all over my bedroom carpet. It was a bear to get the stains out. The peroxide came in handy for that.

[judybean]

dmpkmom-- good point about having a lot of hydrogen peroxide on hand!! I'll make sure to get plenty of it! I have just a few more items to get and thatvwil go on the list!!

[Faliciagayle]

Judybean, if you have a Costco they have 2 packs of H2O2 for $3, I think.  I got a couple.  

This time I'm hoping to use aromas so I got oil burners, tea lights, and some scents.  

All my remedies (homeopathic and herbal) are in my kit in their own container for ease of use. 

my birth kit is divided, obstetric (gloves, chux, clamp, etc) in the cardboard box it came in, other items (towels, sitz, blankets, remedies, etc) are in the rubbermaid.  Still don't have a pool!!!

and I don't have food prepared....  

[Princessjules]

Originally Posted by Faliciagayle 

Judybean, if you have a Costco they have 2 packs of H2O2 for $3, I think.  I got a couple.  

This time I'm hoping to use aromas so I got oil burners, tea lights, and some scents.  

All my remedies (homeopathic and herbal) are in my kit in their own container for ease of use. 

my birth kit is divided, obstetric (gloves, chux, clamp, etc) in the cardboard box it came in, other items (towels, sitz, blankets, remedies, etc) are in the rubbermaid.  Still don't have a pool!!!

and I don't have food prepared....  

What type of food are you preparing? I was wondering about that today. I need to have stuff for the midwife and her assistent...but am unsure about what I should have on hand... any ideas?

[help007]

I am so happy to have an electric kettle for this birth- a quart of boiling water every 4 minutes, rather than a stovetop filled with pots which would have to be carried downstairs.

I was asked to get sea salt for the water. Epsom salt can't be used for a birth pool.

Since i am allergic to adhesives, I had to make sure I had appropriate pads and things, so I got some Tema disposable underwear (amazon). I read that it works better for avoiding leaks than depends. I will also use them if my water breaks ahead of time- I was surprised how many pairs of pants and underwear I went through the last two times!

Postpartum stuff:
Motherwort for afterpains
Arnica tablets for bruising
Sitz bath herbs

[Faliciagayle]

Originally Posted by Princessjules 

What type of food are you preparing? I was wondering about that today. I need to have stuff for the midwife and her assistent...but am unsure about what I should have on hand... any ideas?

nothing major - I just want to make sure I have veggies, hummos, cheese sticks, yogurts, etc...  easy food that should last.  I also meant I have no post-partum meals prepared, which really freaks me out. 

the coconut water is a great idea!

[Ava's Mama]

Good idea on the plastic sheet for the bed.  I have a shower curtain but I also have a brand new king size bed.  Is the plastic sheet something you get at home depot or something?

[judybean]

I'm curious on where to get the plastic sheet as well.  We have a king-sized bed, and while it's nowhere near new (we got it as a wedding present from my parents -- and our anniversary is Saturday and we'll have been married ELEVEN YEARS!), I'd still like to keep it unbloodied ;)

I need a few more things that I'm supposed to already have on hand (and don't), so I think I"ll venture out with the girls and get them.  Coconut water is probably a good idea, but I have a guilty pleasure in Gatorade (I don't drink soda ever, so an occasional Gatorade isn't the end of the world, right?!).  I pretty much always drink water, but sometimes a bit more than just water can be kind of nice.  I also need to get some snacky things to have on hand... I feel so far behind on prepping.  Maybe that's why baby is still on the inside?! ;)

[Mittens]

Judybean, how about 2 cheap shower curtains duct taped together?

Lol, i'm so far behind on prepping too that my sister said maybe the reason baby is staying put is because i haven't packed my just in case hospital bag. Better get on that!!
 

[Faliciagayle]

I bought a water resistant bed protector from Target for DSs birth - it was fine for me since I have yet to birth on a bed, but it held up wonderfully through my PPH and whatnot.  It's still usable, tho def more money than shower curtains and the like.  

You can get rolls of plastic sheeting at Home Depot (paint dept) and I also noticed it at the party store today... LOL  

[Carlin]

I think everything on our list has been covered. The only things I've added are a housecoat just in case I want to get in and out of the pool, and a puke bucket. :/

On the Gatorade, I have a can of the powdered stuff, but I also have coconut water and I'm going to experiment over the next few days and see if I can come up with a better labour-ade drink that I can stand. One thing our midwife did point out was to make sure whatever we get has real sugar in it, so no sugar free versions. I know with my last, I started producing ketones about 7 hours in, and really needed the quick dose of glucose. Gatorade was great for that and made a huge difference in my energy level.

As for food - I'm debating on that one still. I have lots of fruit and I'd like a few more things that people can just help themselves to. I was thinking of throwing some chicken soup in the crock pot too, for care providers during, and me after. I've also heard keeping some dark chocolate handy for a quick energy boost is a good idea, but I've yet to figure out how to have chocolate stay in the house long enough to make it to labour!

[judybean]

Carlin-- I totally LOLed at keeping chocolate in the house for any extended period of time!!

I just got back from a trip to the dollar store (we have hardly ANY shopping options in my small town! And while I'm not a Walmart fan, even the nearest one of those is 90 miles away!). I got two vinyl magnetic shower curtain liners I thought I could tape together... they were dirt cheap, so even if I don't think they'll work, I have a lot of PUL downstairs and I could even tape it together in a pinch if needed! I also got a handheld mirror, a disposable roasting pan, extra hydrogen peroxide bottles, some Gatorade, and a few boxes of snacky crackers (I'll get fruit later at the grocery store). So I'm feeling a bit better about my birth prep kit!

[Yeeska]

Originally Posted by judybean 

I'm curious on where to get the plastic sheet as well.  We have a king-sized bed, and while it's nowhere near new (we got it as a wedding present from my parents -- and our anniversary is Saturday and we'll have been married ELEVEN YEARS!), I'd still like to keep it unbloodied ;)

Walmart has them for like $6 for King sized.

[katt]

We don't have food yet, but i'm thinking some snacky items veggies and fruit,  Probably a meal item that can be snacked on as well... pizza, soup, etc...

I did ask if there were any food allergies I should be aware of from my birth team.  I don't want to have to call an ambulance for an allergic reaction you know?