home birthing mamas-- Are you all prepped for d-day?? « Back to Group Discussions

[forumyonly1]

I was just wondering if everyone is getting their birth supplies together yet? do you have everything on your list?  I'm a bit behind most people here because i'm not due until the 27th but I'm still feeling under prepared.. we still have several items on our list we need. :/

[MotherBhaer]

I'm due on the 23rd, and trying to get everything together by Thursday, when my midwives are coming to do their home visit. I still have a bunch of odds and ends to track down, but I've ordered the birth kit, birth pool, hose, and other accessories needed for water birth. Planning a trip to the dollar store tomorrow to get shower curtain liners, hydrogen peroxide, and whatever else I can find.

[Vegan Princess]

I just had my birth team mtg today. So I have everything here and together, just as they specified. I'm due on the 5th. Though they did say I'm like the most prepared client they've ever had. LOL. So I'm guessing not eveyrone manages to get it all together and done by thier 36 week appointment. I'm anal - plus I just wanted everything done so I didn't have to think about it later. And now that baby has dropped and contractions have picked up, I'm really glad to not have a ton to do!

Cindy

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

We're mostly ready.  We had our big meeting today too, but, the midwife's assistant couldn't make it, so she'll go through all of my supplies next week.  I'm not technically 36 weeks quite yet so I guess we have a little wiggle room, but I'm pretty much done anyways. I finished knitting the last little baby hat just last night and it's still blocking, so it needs to be put away, but, it's done!  

The only things I don't have totally ready are meals/snacks for the birth team, DH and myself.  I need to work on that this week and get some things in the freezer. I'm still trying to decide exactly what will be involved there.  I know the foods that I want to have for me, but I'm also working with the dietary needs of five other people (some of whom eat the way I do, and some who distinctly don't)....and I'm crazy and food obsessed and I want everyone to be able to eat well without it getting too complicated.

We also have to do a trial run of our birth pool within the next week and a half, but I think we have everything we need for it.

It's nice to feel like the essentials are all prepared and now I just need to finish a few of my special projects and gather up all of the little things I want to put out during labor in one spot.  My doula and I had a lot of fun talking about that and planning it today.

Things are getting exciting!!!!!

[pregnova]

I thought I was all ready, and then after that first night of having some contracting, I freaked and did my last shopping for pads and some waterproof layering for the bed. We're totally set now for a birth except that I still need to scour (literally) the bathtub and shower wall. And, I need some bleach to do that properly....but other than that, I'm set for the actual birth supplies. Anyone else having like ZERO motivation to clean? it's my biggest sign that labor is NOT right around the corner...lol...how entirely uncaring I am about cleaning the house!

My doula is gluten and dairy free...so I also need to put some thought into food for her while she's attending me. And, I know some specific snack-type foods that I want to have on hand for labor for myself that I'll try to stock up on this week. 

It is REALLY relieving though to have everything this set. 

Oh, one other thing I'd sort of like to have put together before the birth is a gift for my doula...I'm thinking of some birth art necklace or something from Etsy...I'm just afraid if I wait to do it until after the birth, then I won't get to it!

[Amanda1]

Oh man, I have so much to do. I am not at all prepared. I'm not usually any good at being organized

This is my HUGE list

1.)Order birth pool- we are going to use a kiddie pool and cant find one anywhere! So I am going to order it on amazon and get it shipped to a friend who works in the US but lives in Canada.

2.) get the rest of birth kit together- I thought I had almost everything since we had one for DS but he ended up being born in the hospital...apparently quite a few things have been used so I've got some shopping to do

3.) Think about what kind of food I need to have ready- We'll proboaly make a huge pot of chilli and a few other things for the freezer

4.)Clean!!!!!

5.)declutter- I feel like every surface of my house is covered in something and its driving me nuts- DH is very close to being done the construction on the new room. Cant wait for a now closet!!!!!

6.) Figure out who I want to be here for DS when I am in labor....I can not decide, keep going back and forth

All this is on top of the fact that I am working more that I every have before, so I am exhausted when I'm not working

[Amanda1]

oh ya.... one more thing

DH used accupressure on me while I was in labor with DS and it was amazing.

We need to sit down together and go over it again to make sure we remember everything :)

[Angelorum]

Definitely not prepped yet.  I'm not due until the 17.  So far, I've managed to find the tub that I put the leftover supplies in from last time, and I bought a fish net for the birth pool.  Some of the things on the list we have, and I just need to gather into one place, and other things I still need to shop for.  I need to remember to bring the list with me next time I go shopping. 

[forumyonly1]

Sounds like we have a pretty good mix!! I'm glad I'm not the only one not prepared yet, now I'm feeling inspired by you other ladies!

Thanks for the dollar store idea! I'm definitely stealing that one!!

[Vegan Princess]

Oh yeah, we still need to have a dry run with setting up the birth tub. My midwife just bought a brand new one and is letting me use it for free.

I also need to buy some extra food for during labor. Nothing sounds very good to me these days though.

Cindy

[dannic]

I have everything ordered, but not a thing ready.  lol.  I can't do anything for real until the remodeling stuff is complete.  So here I sit, twiddling my thumbs, hehe.

I have always been within 3 days of my edd; except for my last, which came exactly 2 wks early. So I find myself hoping for that and then freaking out that I am so not ready.

Vegan, we had the same EDD!!!

I need to figure out the food.

I need to put my house back together after the dust settles.  Tomorrow????

wash baby clothes, carriers, dipes

put all birth supplies together

figure out food--this is the one stressing me out, lol...my pantry is not stocked; my fridge is completely empty--well, getting there...and we are waiting on a house closing to be paid.  Gotta love real estate.  lol.

But really, aside from the food, the rest is just a matter of (systematically for dh and haphazardly for me) doing it.  It will all be fine.  MY mw is actually out of town til Sunday; and then one of her assistants goes out of town til the 23rd.  I don't mind the assistant not making it if baby comes, but I will not have a baby without my mw, lol.  (With my last birth, she was scheduled to be out of town 2 days after my edd; my babe came uncharacteristically 2 weeks early to ensure her being there. lol.)  So I'm really not worried about that. 

[gratefulmum]

Originally Posted by Amanda1 

1.)Order birth pool- we are going to use a kiddie pool and cant find one anywhere! So I am going to order it on amazon and get it shipped to a friend who works in the US but lives in Canada.

What's up with every single Intex, Seyvlor, and The Wet Set inflatable 3 ring pool in America being discontinued??

Having the hardest time here!! Finally found one although I'm going to have to pay nearly 2/3 of the price of the product just to have it shipped. Grrrrr.

[bostonmummy]

Grateful - is there any chance you could rent from a local midwife? That's what we're doing. Might save some money?

[gratefulmum]

Thanks, bostonmummy. I'll ask my midwife. I did ask her about recommendations on what to buy since I was having a hard time and she didn't volunteer any rental ideas. Hmmm maybe I see a small entrepreneurial opportunity here.

[saraheli]

I'm due Oct 1st and have just about everything ready. I just need to tidy up my bedroom a little bit and put up a few more signs on my wall (I'm taping reminders to my wall: that I have "postpartum popcicles" in the freezer, people to call, signs of postpartum depression).

[Vegan Princess]

What is a post partum popsicle? I'm curious. :-)

I got lucky and my midwife just bought a tub that she is letting us use for free - no one has even used it yet. But I had planned to get a fishy pool bc it's so much cheaper than renting a birth tub - and yeah, so wierd that they have disappeared! We still need to have a practice run at least inflating the tub - I guess tomorrow? We keep putting it off.

[Angelorum]

Bought the RV hose for filling the birth pool today.  Looks like the only thing left on the list that I need to purchase is a shower curtain.  Then, I need to actually gather everything into a box, and go through it with dh so he knows what's in there.  Last time, everyone kept asking me where random birth supplies were while I was in labor, and I was like, "it's in the freaking birth box!" every time, LOL.
 

[saraheli]

My doula gave me a "recipe" for postpartum popsicles. You dip maxi pads in a mixture of witch hazel and arnica tincture, then freeze them.
 

[UnderTheOldOakTree]

We need to do a test run with our birth pool and get it inflated too.Like you Cindy, we keep putting it off.  I think probably we will work on that tonight after DS goes to bed.    I really hope we have the right sink adapter.  My midwife keeps telling me that 's the most important thing to know in advance.

I hadn't thought about going through supplies and such with DH.  That's a really good idea, especially since I have it in two boxes right now.  I also have a box of things that I want to put out for labor/birth that I'm going to go through with my doula this coming week.

I've been trying to get some snacks and things made up for everyone to eat while they are here.I have more to do on that front, but I have a good start on it.  There were a few things I didn't want to do too far in advance, but I guess I should work on this week now that I'm 37 weeks.  I did get paper goods for people to eat off of while I'm in labor.  I don't normally do that, but I found some pretty fall ones and I figured it was just one less thing for everyone to have to worry about cleaning up.

I need to pack up a little overnight bag for DS just in case he's at our friends' house for a while. I'd forgotten all about that.  And I need to email said friend my address/directions to my house.  She's never been here because I don't have much space really and she has three kids, so we always get together at the park or at her house or at a cafe.

Now if I can just keep this house decently clean till the baby gets here we'll be in good shape!

Lots of excitement getting all this ready!

[Vegan Princess]

Ah, I guess I have postpartum popsicles too. LOL. I made up a batch up sitz herbs infusion and dipped 3 pads in it and froze them. I can't imagine using them though I know they are pretty popular in the hospital. I think I can't imagine only bc I was lucky not to tear at all last time so I didn't use any of the comfort measures I'd bought for after.

Cindy