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post #1 of 19
10/25/12 at 10:01am
Thread Starter 

DELETE!


Edited by mamaharrison - 11/14/12 at 7:22pm

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post #2 of 19
10/25/12 at 10:56am

I used a plastic painters drop cloth (bigger and cheaper) under some sheets that we bought on sale and didn't mind if they got ruined. I ended up birthing the bathroom, but I had some of the plastic disposable chucks on the bed in case. I have no idea about the army blanket though. 

 

I think I had 6-8 extra towels and maybe 6 washcloths. I can't really remember though. 

post #3 of 19
10/25/12 at 12:22pm

For my homebirth I covered my bed with one of these mattress protectors from Ikea, they are made of PUL, like many diaper covers, and it was not slippery as the top has a terry cloth feel. It goes on just like a fitted sheet. I had a regular fitted sheet on my bed, then the mattress protector on top, then another old fitted sheet on top of the mattress protector so clean up was easy.

 

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70152783/#/50152779

 

 

Also, my midwife recommended 6-8 towels. I had 7 and wound up using 5 I think.

post #4 of 19
10/25/12 at 1:23pm

We use one of these-

http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/store/jump/productDetail/For_The_Home/Bed_&_Bath/Mattress_Pads_&_Pillows/Waterproof_Fabric_Pad/50582?searchid=7SPFGPLA&feedid=googleproductsearch&jadid=%7Bcreative%7D&jk=%7Bkeyword%7D&jkId=gc:a8a8ae4cd383359600138498540d40518:t%7Bifsearch:1%7D%7Bifcontent:8%7D_%7Bmatchtype%7D_%7Bifmobile:m%7D:k_%7Bkeyword%7D:pl_%7Bplacement%7D&jp=%7Bplacement%7D&js=1&jsid=20123&jt=1&gdftrk=gdfV21961_a_7c336_a_7c4822_a_7c50582_d_FL&gclid=CJaR6az_nLMCFao7Mgodew0A5A

For my son's bed because he still has wets the bed sometimes. They feel just like fabric on both sides. You can not tell there is plastic in there at all. 

post #5 of 19
10/25/12 at 4:31pm
Thread Starter 

Thanks ladies, but I am specifically asking for NOT plastic! haha

So, anything BUT plastic please--not doesn't feel like plastic...actually not plastic! ; )

anyone?!

post #6 of 19
10/25/12 at 4:49pm

If you don't want plastic, I think felted wool would be your best bet.  I'm in the process of making a felted wool quilt and it's been pretty easy--it could easily be adapted for your bed.  There's many tutorials online.

 

First, a local thrift store has 50% off days about once every three months.  I went to two of these and bought as many 100% wool sweaters as I could find.  I prefer men's sweaters--they're bigger.  I paid an average of $3 per sweater.  It was in the summer so demand for wool sweaters was less than it is now.

 

Then, I took those sweaters home and washed them in the washing machine with hot water, high agitation, and high heat in the dryer.  Then I repeated that wash process.  

 

What resulted was beautiful soft felted wool.  I cut the sweaters into squares--and am now stitching it all together.  Felted wool won't fray or ravel, so you don't have to worry about that--just get it all attached to each other.

 

Plus--you probably don't need something big enough to cover both king mattresses.  I bet you could get away with making something the size of one queen or one king bed.

post #7 of 19
10/25/12 at 5:15pm

Ok, just thought I would throw it out there as I don't really think of it as plastic so much as coated fabric. I was unclear if you meant plastic as in a vinyl shower curtain or drop sheet, or anything synthetic. Also, the fabric chux pads usually have a waterproof layer like PUL, that's how they are waterproof. If you don't want anything synthetic wool is probably your only option.

post #8 of 19
10/25/12 at 6:03pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ElaynesMom View Post

Ok, just thought I would throw it out there as I don't really think of it as plastic so much as coated fabric. I was unclear if you meant plastic as in a vinyl shower curtain or drop sheet, or anything synthetic. Also, the fabric chux pads usually have a waterproof layer like PUL, that's how they are waterproof. If you don't want anything synthetic wool is probably your only option.

yes, I thought about that only after posting. 

Thanks for the info though. I do appreciate it ; )

post #9 of 19
10/25/12 at 6:07pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by rnra View Post

If you don't want plastic, I think felted wool would be your best bet.  I'm in the process of making a felted wool quilt and it's been pretty easy--it could easily be adapted for your bed.  There's many tutorials online.

 

First, a local thrift store has 50% off days about once every three months.  I went to two of these and bought as many 100% wool sweaters as I could find.  I prefer men's sweaters--they're bigger.  I paid an average of $3 per sweater.  It was in the summer so demand for wool sweaters was less than it is now.

 

Then, I took those sweaters home and washed them in the washing machine with hot water, high agitation, and high heat in the dryer.  Then I repeated that wash process.  

 

What resulted was beautiful soft felted wool.  I cut the sweaters into squares--and am now stitching it all together.  Felted wool won't fray or ravel, so you don't have to worry about that--just get it all attached to each other.

 

Plus--you probably don't need something big enough to cover both king mattresses.  I bet you could get away with making something the size of one queen or one king bed.

I live in Florida, so, unfortunately there isn't much in the way of wool in our second hand stores. This is ideally what I would like to do, but with an army blanket--just felt it, but they are really expensive IMO at $30 for a twin size :(
I would like something for both mattresses because I sleep on both of them and will be leaking milk again soon...so...not necessarily for the birth, but if I am doing this then I thought may as well DO this haha

SO, tell me this though--with a felted wool blanket I should expect good protection for my mattresses from milk, blood, birthy fluids...? How would you layer it for birthing?

post #10 of 19
10/25/12 at 7:51pm

I honestly don't think wool can hold up to plastic or plastic-like materials for mattress protection.  I don't know how good the protection would be for all those fluids.  Wool's pretty good in that regard, but I could still see some leaking through.  Sorry that I don't know more.

 

This has polyester, but may be closer to what you're hoping for:  http://www.amazon.com/Dusk-Dawn-Organic-Waterproof-Mattress/dp/B007CULJ74

Or this:  http://www.theorganicmattress.com/waterproof_mattress_protector.php

post #11 of 19
10/26/12 at 2:47am

I also don't think that wool would do a good enough job considering the amount of fluid you are planning to dump on one spot. I would at least do a trial run. Place some towels on the bathroom floor, your wool blanket over top and dump one litre (quart) of water on it. Let it sit for like 15 minutes and then check for whether the towels got wet. If you want to get really ambitious you can also use cranberry juice instead of water, just to give it more colour.

If wool doesn't work and you don't want to use plastic, you could simply birth in the bathroom, or on hardwood floor covered with lots of towels and washable blankets.

Sheets, blankets and other washable stuff does not necessarily get ruined in birth. The white sheets that I birthed on came out of the wash (2 cold wash cycles first, then hot wash afterwards) looking as good as new. However a matress is not washable, and an expensive item, so I wouldn't risk it.

post #12 of 19
10/26/12 at 6:23am

Lanolizing the wool blanket might make it more waterproof too.

post #13 of 19
10/26/12 at 6:53am

Wool gets compression leaks too, so it is not just how much it might hold, but if you are putting a lot of weight in one area it is going to be more likely to go through that spot. 

 

You can get the reusable chux here but I am sure the backing is synthetic...  

http://www.babybirthandbeyond.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_new.tpl&product_id=1212&category_id=82&keyword=pad&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

post #14 of 19
10/26/12 at 5:35pm

I have a neat sheet which I put down in my birthing area. http://www.amazon.com/The-Neat-Sheet-Ground-Inches/dp/B005FF3I6I It is water-repellant, not water-proof, so you'd probably want to put towels on top of it. My last two were water births so I didn't need anything on the bed. With my first two I used chux pads on the bed.

 

I keep at least 6 towels on hand and lots of washcloths.

post #15 of 19
10/27/12 at 5:54pm
Thread Starter 

thanks ladies. I've decided to stick with wool. Money is an option for us and wool army blankets are cheapest option. I don't want anything plastic because I am allergic to most chemical smells and plastic is full of them--even plastic that doesn't feel like plastic. So, it just isn't an option for me. So, wool and Lots of towels for me-- beds can be cleaned and dried out, too. 

post #16 of 19
11/4/12 at 12:33pm

I have a dust mite/allergen/waterproof mattress protector with no PVC.  I would NOT use a regular PVC shower curtain-they offgas for ages, and they stink!  However, I think the EVA shower curtains are a good alternative.  They have no detectable odor (to me at least, and I am extremely sensitive to smells) and are much more nontoxic.  I have seen them at stores like Burke's and Marshalls and I know Target carries some.

 

Definitely lanolize the blanket if you stick with wool-but be warned that after time it will absorb moisture, it isn't the same as something that completely repels.  Wool gets compression leaks, and I think even under an absorbant mattress pad, from your weight if the bed is very wet, it would get wet through.  I use wool covers sometimes for CD and compression leaks are very real. :)

post #17 of 19
11/4/12 at 12:37pm

This is what I have on our bed and love it.  It is under a mattress pad.  My husband hated and complained about a EVA shower curtain because he claimed it made him sweat, even through the mattress pad, but we have used this cover without the mattress pad no problem.  It looks and feels like fabric, and is coated with polyurethane (a food safe plastic, like what most foods come wrapped in) but you can't see it, hear it, or feel it, it behaves like fabric.  I'd really recommend it, and it is about the price of the wool blankets:

 

http://www.amazon.com/SLEEP-Malouf-Mattress-Protector-Waterproof-Eliminates/dp/B0035E63WM/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1352061214&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=dust+mite+mattress+cover

post #18 of 19
11/7/12 at 9:59am

lambskin would be an option if you didn't need lots of coverage.

post #19 of 19
11/14/12 at 3:37pm

Shower curtains not made of PVC (toxic, smelly) are widely available now. There is no order and a low risk of toxicity.

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