so for a homebirth what is th hot water for??

[mad4mybaby]

I had a quick labour with ds1 and MW rekon this will be even quicker and i should prepare for home birth (have to wait for someone to be with 2 yr old) just in case i dont make it to birth center. So at 37 weeks just thinking about what i need just in case. they say 'hot water and towels' is this an old wifes tale? What do you need hot water for? Im not a cow!

Surely making sure i have towels will do?? Its not THAT likely to happen but still... oh and a plastic sheet? That it really?

[Tee2072]

Hot water can be used to sterilize things.

[mad4mybaby]

oh, what stuff would i need to sterilise?

[belgo]

My midwife wanted hot water in a flask so she could use it to keep a cloth damp and warm to hold against the perineum to try and prevent tearing while the baby is crowning. I also needed ten cloths, all hot washed and hot ironed.

As it happened I gave birth in the birthing pool.

[mad4mybaby]

cloths? As in like kitchen cloths? J cloths do? What do they need so many for? I thought MW bought everything with them they need? She didnt say anything about me getting stuff in....

[belgo]

I mean muslin squares.

[Tortington]

coffee

[belgo]

You don't need to sterilise anything. Midwives and ambulance crews have all the necessary sterile equipment to cut the cord.

[sweetkitty]

I had plastic sheets and a cheap fitted sheet for over the bed.

About 6 old towels

Oh and maternity pads like inco pads they bring in the homebirth pack but have loads they always run out.

[mellyfriedonionsonahotdog]

i used tesco value shower curtains to put over the bed and floor....were fab!

i thought the hot water was to keep the dad out of the way in years gone by!!

my mw brought everything with her, but she did want some hot towels on a radiator to wrap the baby in as soon as it was born...

good luck. home births are great!

[PeachyFizzesLikeADampSquib]

its for the mw to kick over the carpet and then accuse your dh of not getting it

or is that my experience? LOL

I had towels, those pampers baby care mats (was soft and warm to sit on as well as absorbent), soap available and clothes for baby heating on a radiator, as advised by the homebirth book my doula left me.

Oh and buckets lined with carriers to use as bins.

[Tinkerisdead]

Im having a homebirth and evidently hotwater is needed for my birthpool! to wash with, midwife and me afterwards. ive had an extensive list of things that i needed to provide, although midwife has supplied the pool, the baby resus kit, inco pads etc. i have been recommended to provide:

plastic sheets
hot water bottle/wheatbag
old sheets to cover plastic
towels, including hand towel for baby and two hand towels for midwife
tea/coffee/bread/biscuits for midwives
footstool to get in/out of pool
thermometer for pool
snacks for me and dh
tens machine if i want it
lamp for stitching

[mad4mybaby]

the care mat things are they just the dispodable change mats pampers sell for doing babys nappy?

[Tinkerisdead]

8mad4* yes those mats but midwife prob has her own inco pads which look thicker to me.

[Ohforfoxsake]

Hot water was called for to busy the menfolk and keep them out of the way.

[BrightShinySun]

Hi mad4, I'm 37wks too and planning a HB. Midwife has said all I'll need is a plastic sheet, a bucket and some towels, preferably ones that it doesnt matter if they get ruined! I've also got a pack of the pampers bed mats. Good luck...not long now!

[ermintrude13]

Plastic decorator's sheets can cover the entire floor - and boy, did I need that, the place was awash! I had my 1st at a birth centre in a pool so was rather unprepared for the mess on dry land. The midwives arrived just in time to catch my 2nd - one of them was still clanking about with all the gruesome instruments they're supposed to lay out, while the other one got her hands under me just in time! DH had ironed (ironed!) my favourite cotton bedclothes, so while I showered he held babe and midwives cleared up and got the room all ready. I sat in bed bfeeding new DS while DH sat next to me and read to DD and midwives perched on bed doing their notes, all of us drinking tea and eating toast. Bliss! In spite of him being 9.5lbs! Hope it goes as well for you.

[mad4mybaby]

yeah i was going to go and get decorators sheet but i remember using one for painting and i thought it was very thin? yours didnt rip did it? Cant get to my tesco that sells home stuff as too far and i cant drive that far anymore as too painful!

[BrightShinySun]

Google sarahjayne birthing,i got a very good, big thick plastic sheet thing for about £6 from there.

[Star1ightExpress]

DrsWife You mw provided the pool?

[PeachyFizzesLikeADampSquibb]

The MW dod have inco pads (I had my birth pack at 37 weeks so could look LOL) but I used the care pads to line the carpets etc so I could sit and not worry about waters etc- MW didnt come until 20 minutes before delivery so I was very glad of them too I have to say. Worked a treat.

[Ohforfoxsake]

I've used those plastic sheets without a problem - one on my matress before and after the due date, make up bed (not ironed by attentive DP in my case), another plastic sheet over the top, then old sheet and towels. MW will put inco pads down when she examines you or when things get going anyway.

Then, when baby is born, whisk off the first layer and bag it (MW takes it all away), shower, slip into lovely fresh sheets with a cup of tea and hot toast and gaze at your newborn.

Sigh.

I think I want another.

[mad4mybaby]

hmm what if you labour downstairs? Did wonder what sort of postions you can go for? I obv have a sofa, dont have a birth ball and wont be getting one. with ds1 the only place i was happy was sat on toilet with seat up and a hot water bottle under bump. Not enough room to give birth in loo though!

[Ohforfoxsake]

why no birth ball M4MB? I found it very useful, plus helps you to sit in same position as on loo, and keeps you moving when too knackered to walk around.

No too much use afterwards though. Have heard you can use them for exercise or some such nonsense

[mad4mybaby]

because it didnt help me last time and because i have spd and one side of my pelvis joint is out so the sitting with your legs apart for balance is just too painful. The sitting on the loo thing was more to do with the pressure of head down below. The second i got in the car to go hosp i was screaming and had my bum off the seat the whole way there!