Not so basic homebirth supplies - Page 3

[mrsalf97]

Great ideas, keep them coming. This is my first homebirth, but if I think of anything I'll post again.

[Sea_Gal]

Originally Posted by MotheringHeart

I always throw up during my Labor

Soooooo I definitely will be putting an aluminum mixing bowl in my pile of homebirth supplies, so that everyone knows where that can be found when the time comes!

I bought a blue bucket for just such an occasion.
I wanted one with some depth so it's about a foot and 1/2 tall.

I also bought a shallow wide green bucket with flowers on it
to catch the placenta.

I found them @ the dollar store.
Although that was probably as bad as going to evil walmart.

[ckhagen]

The way I did my frozen pads was...
My mw gave me a tea mixture full of all kinds of stuff.
I made the tea then used a turkey baster to put the tea onto the pads, curved them into a C, layed them in a pan in the freezer, then moved them to big ziplock bags when they were frozen. I usually use cloth pads, but wasn't sure if they would make a big mess with all the defrosting ice, so I used the biggest thickest Always sposie pads I could find for those first 24 or so hours.

Then, with my second bag of tea, I used it warm in my sitz baths when I switched over to the warm phase.

[Malva]

My midwife suggested I buy some Depend underwear (incontinence products)to wear for the first couple days post birth. It was really nice not to have to worry about leaks and stains while the bleeding was still heavy.

[Mavournin]

*Rescue Remedy cream - made the "ring of fire" go away immediately. I had been holding back the intensity of the pushes because it burned so much, but after this - baby was out in the next push.

*Jojoba oil - I refused to let anyone put anything in my mouth but some rescue remedy mixed in jojoba oil and rubbed into my back and feet really calmed me down during transition.

*I second the seaweed for little tears. Sounds crazy, but works great.

[MotheringHeart]

Originally Posted by Sea_Gal

I bought a blue bucket for just such an occasion.
I wanted one with some depth so it's about a foot and 1/2 tall.

I also bought a shallow wide green bucket with flowers on it
to catch the placenta.

I found them @ the dollar store.
Although that was probably as bad as going to evil walmart.

You know what is funny is that I didn't even think about it before my last two births. I ALWAYS throw up and it never occured to me to have something there to catch the stuff. :

I love the idea about your "placenta bowl".... I just use a big aluminum roaster pan.

Okay, I acutally have a story about that. All the people I tell IRL think this story is disgusting, but you ladies will appreciate it! My mother was a L&D nurse when I was growing up (she subsequently became a CNM) and the hospital where she worked used these really nice blue, circular plastic containers w/lids to catch and hold the placenta. Well, there were always unused ones that were hanging around and rather than see them get thrown away, my mom would bring them home. They were really nice. Well, we always called them "placenta bowls" and whenever people would come over and we'd use one, they would get a horrified look on their faces when we would refer to the "placenta bowl." "Hey, where's the salad?" "Oh, it's in the placenta bowl." They still have some and it still cracks me up.....

[Sea_Gal]

Originally Posted by MotheringHeart

They were really nice. Well, we always called them "placenta bowls" and whenever people would come over and we'd use one, they would get a horrified look on their faces when we would refer to the "placenta bowl." "Hey, where's the salad?" "Oh, it's in the placenta bowl."

O.k. that's awesome! I should reuse mine so I can horrify people too.
Although if you use a roasting pan I wonder if my "bowl" will be to small.
It's like maybe 12 inches in diameter and 4ish inches deep.
It's cute, but perhaps impractical?
Or will it depend on the size of my placenta?

Oh and what kind of paper should I have for the placenta print?

[mwherbs]

we usually just use chux to catch the placenta and cut the cord later---

[avasmom]

Which rescue remedy do you use? The spray, cream, drops and did you just rub it into certain places?

[MotheringHeart]

Originally Posted by Sea_Gal

O.k. that's awesome! I should reuse mine so I can horrify people too.
Although if you use a roasting pan I wonder if my "bowl" will be to small.
It's like maybe 12 inches in diameter and 4ish inches deep.
It's cute, but perhaps impractical?
Or will it depend on the size of my placenta?

Oh and what kind of paper should I have for the placenta print?

I'm not sure about the placenta print, I've never done one but they do sound cool.

I think your "bowl" will be perfect. I just use a roasting pan because it is cheap, easy to find and big enough that the midwife can easily turn the placenta to look at it. It is overkill, I'm sure, but it's what I've got.

[Mavournin]

We used nice watercolor paper for our placenta print.

[kerikadi]

Originally Posted by avasmom

Which rescue remedy do you use? The spray, cream, drops and did you just rub it into certain places?

The spray - I have the purse size

[birthdancedoula]

Originally Posted by Malva

My midwife suggested I buy some Depend underwear (incontinence products)to wear for the first couple days post birth. It was really nice not to have to worry about leaks and stains while the bleeding was still heavy.

~I second the Depend rec. So much easier than messing those leaky mesh undie things, especially if your lochia flow is mod to heavy. While I liked the idea of cloth it really isn't the best idea pp b/c lochia blood grows bacteria like crazy. We actually have a running joke around our house about diapering mama after our babes' births, LOL!

~Recharge

~RRL popsicles

~old shower curtains to protect the floor

~heavy black trash bags (the ones for lawn clippings) to clean up the mess

I'm sure I could think of more...I've had 4 hbs!

[StacyL]

I also recommend the herbal sitz baths. I got the 16 oz. one from In His Hands and it lasted a long time. It was cheap too.

Herbal Afterbirth Bath

[momto l&a]

We just use a cookie sheet for the placenta. After it been looked over it goes into the freezer with the others that are all waiting to be planted.

You know Kotex use to make disposable panties for that time of the month and then they stopped. I loved those things as I am a heavy bleeder come Aunt Flo and of course right after the birth.

Guess I will have to go buy some Depends though I really do love those mesh pantie things as they hold everything firmly.

[kalisis]

Wise Ways Merry Mother or New Mother tincture. It helped SOOO much with the cramping.

I also broke down and wore Depends for the first two days postpartum this time around and boy were they great. No leaking at all and I'm a pretty heavy bleeder. Actually, I still have nearly the whole package left - if anyone wants some, send me a PM and I'll stick a couple in an envelope for you and send them your way.

[annettemarie]

Some of the more interesting items on our midwife's list included:
large bowl or ice cream bucket for the placenta
flashlight with working batteries
wash cloths for compresses
unopened pack of paper towels
one large cookie sheet with sides (I'm not quite clear on what this is for)
crockpot for compresses
mirror, if you want to watch the birth
olive oil
juice or energy drinks
honey
liquid chlorophyll

[Lizzo]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Some of the more interesting items on our midwife's list included:
large bowl or ice cream bucket for the placenta
flashlight with working batteries
wash cloths for compresses
unopened pack of paper towels
one large cookie sheet with sides (I'm not quite clear on what this is for)
crockpot for compresses
mirror, if you want to watch the birth
olive oil
juice or energy drinks
honey
liquid chlorophyll

We set up a birth tray. Everything goes onto it(neatly) and so if you decide you want to move from where you're at while birthing the baby, it can come along with little hassel!
Liquid chlorophyll I think is a huge benefit as well and should be at every homebirth.

[annettemarie]

Oh cool. I thought it was for the placenta, but couldn't figure out why it needed two containers, LOL!

I'm actually trying to order my kit now. I tried to email her before about the kit without the Vit. K and just realized she never emailed me back, so I'm going to try again.

[momto l&a]

The cookie sheet is often used for laying the placenta on to examine it.