What homebirth supplies were a 'must have' to you?

[LandonsMom]

So I'm trying to gather all the supplies for our homebirth sometime in June (I know, I have some time i'm in planning mode for some reason). So far this is what I've got on my list:

midwife chosen items from Birth With Love (chux pads, herbs, etc)

plastic mattress cover to dress the bed inbetween sheets

birthing ball

cds


Were planning to use our large tub in our bathroom rather than purchase a birthing pool, anyone have experience with this?

What else am I missing? What was your favorite stuff to labor and birth with?

[Patchfire]

I had four towels set aside and I wished I'd had more. I gave birth *above* the water and then we sat down in it... ds got cold and I think if we'd have more towels it would have helped - as it was I felt like I had to get out just five minutes or so after birth.

One thing I had that I didn't need was two bottles of hydrogen peroxide. Apparently you may only need that many if you have carpet. Since I have tile and hardwoods, I have a lot of it still now!

[kerikadi]

I still have my BIG bottle of hydrogen peroxide left over from my first homebirth 4.5 years ago And we have carpet but I birthed in the tub
My MW has us put 10 receiving blankets in a paper bag and in the oven at a low setting to keep the baby warm after the birth. Then we put in a brown bag with 4 large towels to dry off Mama after the herbal bath. It's so nice to step out of an herbal bath and have someone wrap you in a warm towel

I used my birth ball a TON with my first homebirth.
You can never have too much afterease.
Herbal bath of course - mine is furnished by my MW
Bulb syringes are a waste - one comes in my MWs kit but we throw it away
Music
Candles
Two large zip lock bags for the placenta
Roll of papertowels to wipe up any blood/fluids off tile
Large trash bag
Large hand held mirror
Juice, recharge, Emergen-c or whatever you want to drink
Bendy straws
Mesh panties & those pads that fit in them (3)
Cloth Mama pads (8+)
Something for cord care - we use callendula
4X4 gauze squares soaked in comfrey tea and frozen - AWESOME for perinium after birth.

I think that is all I really used. Of course we had more stuff on hand but with two homebirths under my belt those were the necessities for me

Keri

[StacyL]

A peri bottle.

A bath robe.

An herbal sitz bath for afterward.

Depends underwear for PP bleeding - more comfortable than pads.

A bag of crushed ice and some newborn size disposable diapers to make icepacks to put in your underwear for swelling and soreness afterward.

[habibekindheart]

After my last UC, I can honestly say the only thing I 'needed' was my birth pool (which was like $25 at Meijer). We didn't even have cord clamps.

When we got our birth kit with Emma (first time), there was so much stuff we didn't even use. It seemed like such a waste.

Towels are good though. As many as humanly possible, just in case. They're great for mopping up spills, wiping things off, softening surfaces, drying things off, and keeping things warm. I'm probably forgetting a few uses. They're just so ridiculously useful at a birth...

When #9 was born, she was wrapped in a towel for hours...once we counted fingers and toes, we were more interested in keeping her warm and cuddling with her than putting her in clothes.

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by LandonsMom

Were planning to use our large tub in our bathroom rather than purchase a birthing pool, anyone have experience with this?

I would strongly encourage you to rent a pool (no need to purchase). Unless your large tub can seat 4, I doubt it will be up to the task. You need to be able to float freely (I don't mean just floating 1 inch off the bottom of the tub) and be able to let you easily get into a number of positions, including squatting, with the water covering your belly fully. Otherwise it will quickly feel cramped and won't allow you to get into positions you need, and won't have any of the benefits of laboring/birthing in water (including pain management since pain will increase when you can't get into any positions without a lot of support).

[habibekindheart]

That cushy bottom and all that room were a godsend in the birth pool.

[ColoradoMama]

We used our midwife's pool to labor in, and it was AWESOME. I put a big cushy blanket on one side and on the bottom underneath the liner. My bathtub wouldn't have cut it. Actually, I got in my tub during birth #3 for a while, and it was pretty much useless.

I didn't even use my peri bottle after this birth, but I used it a lot for the other three. The herbs for the bath afterward were fabulous. Also having those really big disposable cloth things that went underneath all the chux, etc. were great because you (well not YOU, but someone in your birth team) can just scoop everything up and throw it away.

[LandonsMom]

Thanks for the info! I'll definatly add these items to my lists to gather.

The only thing I was thinking about the seperate birthing pool was the difficulty of getting hot water to it. Is it possible to use a hose to directly put the water into the pool from the faucet?? I'm not sure what people normally do, but it sounds like a small source of stress in birth stories. Like most people, I want everything to be as easy and convienient as possible while still being very functional. It sounds like my tub is out though huh?

Thanks for all the advice!

[kerikadi]

Originally Posted by LandonsMom

It sounds like my tub is out though huh?

Not at all - I missed that part of your post.

I have birthed in my own bathtub twice and will likely again come March. Ours is a garden tub but not huge by any means. I am 5'9" and average size and it suits me just fine. I honestly think a really big tub like an aqua doula would bug me because I would float too much and wouldn't feel as grounded but that's me, I like small spaces when I am in labor. The only downside is that DH cannot get in with me. I don't do a whole lot of laboring in the tub but love it!!! I was in the tub maybe 10-15 minutes with my first homebirth and beginning to end with my last baby but that labor was only 45 minutes.

Keri

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by LandonsMom

The only thing I was thinking about the seperate birthing pool was the difficulty of getting hot water to it. Is it possible to use a hose to directly put the water into the pool from the faucet??

Yup, that's all it requires! You just get a faucet-hose attachment, and you're good to go.

Honestly, I didn't set up the pool or empty it, but my DH did it without complaint (actually, he never told me anything about it at all, just *poof* it was set up, *poof* it was disassembled), so it couldn't have been THAT bad.

[avasmom]

Man I loved my peri bottles the last two births. I made sure to have two one in each bathroom and I would take one with me if we went out.

I really want to order some of that afterease this time. How do you use it?

[kerikadi]

Originally Posted by avasmom

I really want to order some of that afterease this time. How do you use it?

Afterease is a tincture and you can place drops right under your tongue or add to your drink. I got mine from www.gentlemoon.com - they have lots of great stuff!

Keri

[flapjack]

I've never had a waterbirth, but laboured in and out and in and out of the bathtub. It can be done, but you won't get the full benefits of the water.

[ColoradoMama]

Originally Posted by LandonsMom

The only thing I was thinking about the seperate birthing pool was the difficulty of getting hot water to it. Is it possible to use a hose to directly put the water into the pool from the faucet?? I'm not sure what people normally do, but it sounds like a small source of stress in birth stories.

Not stressful at all. Our midwife had an attachment that we got from her ahead of time (I'm sure you can get them at a hardware store). All it required was to unscrew the tip of the faucet and screw on the attachment, then screw then hose onto that. That's it. It was Dh's job to fill the tub. He checked the attachment and hose out beforehand to make sure it fit and he knew what he was doing. He filled the tub up while I was laboring, and the mws emptied it right out the window while I was relaxing with ds. It took no time to empty at all. It was awesome. I've also labored in a garden tub, and it was nice. I, personally, prefer the big tub, but the tub in the house I have now was way too small and uncomfortable. If I ever have an "oops" baby : I will definitely have a big tub for laboring and possibly birthing in.

[kerikadi]

Originally Posted by ColoradoMama

Not stressful at all.

Assuming your labors are long enough to fill the tub and get in it before the baby comes I barely had enough time to fill my regular garden tub before delivering my last baby (45 minute labor). For me, this would be a concern because anything bigger than my bathtub wolud take too long.

Keri

[Full Heart]

At our old house we had a small hot water heater so we had to boil water to add to the cold water in th pool. But now our hot water heater is decent sized and we filled my whole pool the last two times not a problem. Just got a hose from lowes with an attachement hooked it to the sink and voila! We blow up our pool at 36 weeks and keep it my closet till labor but if you have an electric pump you can get it up pretty quick at the time too. DH drains it and its never been a problem. Use the same hose used to fill it but in reverse. Undo it from the sink and stick it in the toliet (or out the window, door, whatever). Till the water gets too low, then you have to tip the pool a little to get the rest out.

One thing I did last time that I was sooooo grateful for was premium prefolds. My water broke at the onset of labor and I put them in my undies for pads (also used them pp) and it was so nice!

[Nora'sMommy]

I was determined to return that fish net but gosh darnit we needed it!

[ColoradoMama]

Originally Posted by kerikadi

Assuming your labors are long enough to fill the tub and get in it before the baby comes I barely had enough time to fill my regular garden tub before delivering my last baby (45 minute labor). For me, this would be a concern because anything bigger than my bathtub wolud take too long.

Keri

Actually, I laid down to slow my labor down, so dh could get it filled! Not a 45 minute labor, but a quick one!

[mamaverdi]

You can also attach a hose to the water heater (if accessible) and empty the water heater into the tub. (If you have a water heater that HOLDS water....that is.)

I would like to find that tape (?) for umbilical cords...
I have liked having salve, peribottle, and lots of clean linens. But that's stuff I like to have on hand regularly.