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Hi

We are planning ahome birth and wondered if there are any items that you could have done without during one?????

Also having had 2 babies previously I don't remember making any mess but people keep asking me if I am not concerned about this??? Do I have any need to be?

Finally where abouts did you give birth I am struggling to visualise it!

Thanks

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we used 94 p shower curtains from tesco to cover the floor, and the midwives made sure I was on one when I gave birth, plus a few inco pads (they bought many of these with them)
they clean up afterwar4ds, so there is no need to worry about any mess.

I gave birth on my knees, kneeling over the sofa in our front room.
I am sure you will find the place you are most comfortable with and go with it at the time

good luck

oh, and make sure you have ready:
clothes and nappy for baby
somewhere to put baby in if it needs to be put down (bizarre thought with everyone there, but ds2 needed somewhere to go while I was being stitched, second midwife was doing paperwork and dp was making tea )
and we'd forgotten to get the pram/crib ready

Old duvet cover laid over a shower curtain - keeps any mess in one place and is easily disposed. Two clean buckets - one for placenta, one for anything else!!! Couple of clean towels for you and two for baby. Small mirror....ermmmm... unused plant spray filled with clean water to spray face with if you get too hot, fruit juice frozen into small cubes. I think that's about all I had!

I had dd upstairs crammed into the tiniest corner of the house (because it felt right!) and ds was born downstairs in a waterpool in our lounge.

Hope that helps. Hope everything goes well.

I gaffer taped a poundland shower curtain to the back of an old duvet and spread this on the bed. Can't remember any mess, but must have been some!

Def put baby clothes and nappy close by; DH had to rummage in the hospital bag I'd packed just in case to find some!

MW needs a surface to write notes on - eg top of chest of drawers.

Nice warm towel to wrap baby in; on radiator if it is cold weather or fresh out of dryer.

A shower curtain or cheap dust sheet (if you use a shower curtain make sure it's one of the really plasticy ones as some are only water resistant not waterproof. I also had an old sheet on top so I wasn't having to sit or stand on just plastic.

They may ask you for a lamp of some sort so that if they need to do any stitching they have a good light to work with.

Other than that I can't really think of anything you definitely need - midwife

I gave birth in my living room leaning on the sofa. There wasn't any mess left even though we have cream carpets - the midwives cleaned everything up when I was in the shower.

I delivered in a pool in our dining room.
The MW wanted a torch and a mirror to see what was happening.
Dark coloured towels
I'd packed 2 hospital bags anyway (1 my stuff, 1 baby stuff) so that everything was together and DH wasn't running round house looking for things!
Have lots of tea bags and munchy things in cupboard for MWs

ditto the cheap shower sheet - there was no mess really. Its funny that this is always one of the first questions people ask when you say you are having a baby at home - "oh, but what about the mess?"

Both my home births were lovely, calm, low-key, no mess or fuss. Laboured mostly in the bath or sitting on the loo and actually delivered both times on the bed as it was the most comfortable. Hope all goes swimmingly

we didn't have buckets for placenta or anything. midwives must have brought something with them

also re dark coloured towels. despite mine being a bit reluctant to use the white ones (el cheapo from asda) I was actually recommended them by an IM who said that they are best because if your waters go and you're using a towel to mop it up with, or sit on then they can see what colour it is

Is fab to hear such positive stories - most people treat me like I am some kinda of tree hugging nutter!

I was labouring in our bedroom 9big dust sheet on the floor) and landing (nothing on the floor but was ok).I gave birth in our bath (upstairs)

Things I recommend are a TENS machine with extra clear pads (I was going in and out of bath so you will have to use new pads), enough maternity pads plus disposable knickers,lavender oil for bath afterwards plus arnica 40 and of course nappies, baby grows and bed for little one (with extra clean sheets just in case)

Plus stuff to eat for MW's (we also had gifts for them which they really seemed to like)

My top tip is to have fresh bedlinen on your bed then shower curtain/dust sheets (I use the plastic dustsheets from Homebase, pack of 3, cheap as chips) then old sheets/towels over the top. If you are planning to give birth in your bedroom, you just whip the top layer off and snuggle down all lovely and clean in after your shower into fresh bed linen. ooooooohhhhh, lovely

Don't get loads of delicious biscuits in for the MWs, go two weeks over and scoff the lot in a fit of depression

Make sure your PC is up and running so you can do a birthing thread and let us know how its going (VERY important)

Large tarpaulin to omit any lingering worries about the carpets. Lots of cheap shower curtains, plenty of food supplies for yourself, your birth partners and midwives. Clean towels for the baby. Birth pool & wheat bag were also essential for me.

I had both dd's at home in bed. Bought cheap dust sheets from B&Q but there was little mess really and the mw bought inco pads to go on the bed after too. Yes, snacks are fab and LOTS of good pads - you don't want to leak onto your bed afterwards iyswim. Both times, we had a pizza delivery number to hand too, so that afterwards we got pizza delivered and sat in bed eating whilst cooing over our gorgeous baby. We also had a selection of DVD's to watch and an excersize ball to lean on when it got a bit tough. All in all, though, both births were fine and I was so relieved to be at home afterwards

Don't forget to pack a hospital bag. I say that to ALL my homebirth clients. I'm sure you won't need it though.

Hope it all goes well.

yes, I packed a hospital bag full of essentials, which was really handy as everything was in one place and dh didn't have to run around trying to get pads, baby clothes, nappies etc

I was amazed how little mess there was.

My mum was definitely the most useful "item"!!

I laboured on the upstiars landing then in the bath then gave birth in our living room (upstairs) leaning on the sofa.

Good luck!

Thanks for all the tips got my shopping list prepared!