Unassisted Childbirth labor kit

[zonapellucida]

what would you have on hand for herbs and tinctures????

[TRIBE]

Only thing I had on hand was arnica and rescue remedy as far as herbs/tinctures go.

I have heard of having shephards purse and/or false unicorn among other herbs and tinctures but felt them to be unnecessary for me.

I did buy a kit from www.inhishands.com which had all the other items i would need on hand for birth, altho I found I barely used anything in the kit.

[pamamidwife]

I like using Cinnamon tincture for excessive bleeding, and arnica is always nice for bruising - of mom or baby, but it's not something I use often.

I also really love Motherwort for postpartum emotional highs and lows - plus it's nice for early labor, too. Beautifully calming and soothing, it also has some uterine contractant properties. I love Motherwort as a whole. It's amazing.

I use homeopathic Pulsatilla for positional issues in early labor - like posteriors.

Homeopathic Antimonium Tart is nice for babies that are grunty or breathing really funky.

I don't use things too often, but these are my favorites. I don't feel that any of these are necessary for birth, that's for sure.

[cottonwood]

What about for after-pains?

[pamamidwife]

Motherwort. It's good for all things relating to mothering.

Some people add crampbark to motherwort, but I think motherwort works really well. That and keeping the bladder nice and empty.

[indigolilybear]

we had motherwort (Loved it too PM), skullcap, shep. purse (I tend to bleed a lot), RRL tea for drinking during/after labor, nettles (same as RRL), rescue remedy.
that's it!

[Chandar]

I need to give a shout out to Motherwort!!! She was and still is awesome. Afterpains were totally lessened, and when I am feeling like I might loose it, 10 drops of tincture in a glass of water and half an hour later I am much calmer and can handle most things.

[Kundalini-Mama]

I hope no one minds that I am resurrecting this thread. I'm 33w and getting antsy that I don't know what I need. I've got the herbs down, and I'm trying to get more comfortable w/homeopathy (anyone know of a good book for labor, birth and newborn period), but the basics is where I am lost.

*Blankets & hat for baby---in "the baby catcher" she puts the blankets in the oven to warm them, and probably sterilize them. Is this necessary? Can I just put them in the dryer?

*Cord stuff----I'm going to make a braided embroidery floss thing for the cord. I also need scissors (no plastic). I'll boil them for what, 20 min or so. Can I store them in a ziploc bag?

*Postpartum stuff--mesh underwear (!!!), and cloth for me

*Snot sucker--I have tons of these lying around from my son's birth, being that they are plastic, I'm assuming that they cannot be boiled. Do I need to buy a brand new one if necessary?

*Smoothie ingredients--but that's a whole 'nother thread :LOL

Is there anything else? I'm definately getting Motherwort tincture and Susan Weed has a recipe for afterpain tea which I'm following: black haw or cramp bark, and black cohosh (could be blue though, I have to check before I buy it--get them confused all the time), and hops flowers--but don't know if I'm really going to need them to rest. I'll be nursing a 3 yr old too, so I'm sure I'll be tired enough as it is.

OHHHH, I have a shepard's purse tincture that I made already, and I'm going to make myself a cinnamon tincture. Pamamidwife, I'm just going to take some cinnnamon sticks and put them in a jar w/brandy. Should I break them? Or are they fine as is.

I'm sure I might think of more, but any info is wicked helpful.

[laurata]

Originally Posted by AmyD

*Blankets & hat for baby---in "the baby catcher" she puts the blankets in the oven to warm them, and probably sterilize them. Is this necessary? Can I just put them in the dryer?

You can, but do you want to worry about whether or not they'll be warm of not when you've just given birth? Or thinking about when it's time to throw them into the dryer?

[Kundalini-Mama]

Originally Posted by laurata

You can, but do you want to worry about whether or not they'll be warm of not when you've just given birth? Or thinking about when it's time to throw them into the dryer?

So, it is a nice touch, but not necessary?

[pamamidwife]

For the blankets, I just use a heating pad with folded blankets underneath it and on top of it. I put the little hats in there, too. Really, you don't want your partner leaving you at that incredible moment to run to the dryer or the stove! Some mws really get into "sterilizing" clothing and blankets, but I'm not one of them.

About the scissors, just boil them late in your labor, then cover it with a lid and keep it on the stove. When it's time to cut the cord, just go fetch it out of the pan. It will be sterile enough. You can also do this ahead of time, then place them in a baggie and wipe the blades down with alcohol before you cut. It's not a big deal.

About the snot sucker, I have had the same one in my birth bag for two years. I can't even think of a time that I used it at a birth. Not necessary. If baby is snorkly, just position the head lower than the body and let it drain out. Nursing will help, too.

[Kundalini-Mama]

Thank you for the great advice!!

I'm not planning to cut the cord until late in the game, so we can even put them on the stove once the baby is born and let 'em cook for awhile.

The heating pad is a great idea!!!

And that was my feeling on the snot sucker too. I mean, if I really need to get some goop out (if positioning doesn't help) I can always just suck it out w/my own mouth.

Thanks
Amy

Oh, where can I get an eldon card? Should I search around Cascade?

[pamamidwife]

you can get an Eldoncard a couple places (I don't recommend Cascade, but that's a whole 'nother ball of wax....). I'd definitely get two or three, though, because my experience with them is that they're not exact. I always draw blood out of the cord and then take it into the lab. But, if you had three Eldoncards you could compare the results. Be really EXACT about the directions. Don't vary from it at all!

[sprinkle pocket]

this is all good info! since this is our 1st birth, we're kinda starting from scratch learning what we'll need. i'm keeping this thread around until i'm closer to birth (late march-ish). thanks for reviving it amy.

[Lula's Mom]

Yeah, my procrastinating nature is starting to rear its ugly head again... I'm 33 1/2 wks and I know I need to get some things together.

Pam, I remember you said what you didn't care for about Cascade once before. But I don't remember exactly what it was. :LOL Would you PM me if you don't want to say it here?

[sprinkle pocket]

pamamidwife~while you're here, i wanted to tell you that i loved your idea of laying on your hands to feel the baby. my dh did it, too and got to feel the babe, at about 15(?)wks! he loved it. thanks for sharing that trick!

[pamamidwife]

Originally Posted by sprinkle pocket

pamamidwife~while you're here, i wanted to tell you that i loved your idea of laying on your hands to feel the baby. my dh did it, too and got to feel the babe, at about 15(?)wks! he loved it. thanks for sharing that trick!

cool! it was soooo reassuring to me when I was pregnant and it doesn't hurt the baby. I'm glad you - and your dh! - were able to feel!

[Unoppressed MAMA Q]

i was happy to have a bottle of echinacea tincture on hand after my son's birth. i felt kind of run down, so that and some raw garlic made me feel better, perhaps psychologically...
and second the arnica. i sent my dad and baby's dad out for stuff after the birth, so i didn't spend more than i had to in preparation, but we were close to a health food store and knew the staff, we called ahead and they had the order ready for us so they dould run right in. i was on a tight budget...
rescue remedy is good too, and i have to also add my opinion that snot suckers...well, they suck!! my daughter was waterborn and i just tipped her head gently down, voila!
happy birthing!

[sprinkle pocket]

thought i'd bump this since i see it's being asked about again...good info to share and add to.

[AngelBee]

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