Need help planning my 1st homebirth

[mannicmummyhavinaiccy]

I'm 37 weeks, so should start getting ready! not the most organised of people at the best of times, but feel ready to drop any min, so better get my skates on (no that would be a sight!lol) but am having my first homebirth :) (3rd birth), MW was great at home visit, but all she said I need was old towels on radiator and tea and biscuits! sending DP shopping tomorow, what else will I need? or any tips?

Hot water bottle. I'm so glad I had a home birth second time round it was an amazing experience. Good luck xx

Hi, also had a homebirth with my 3rd

I bought loads of cheap shower curtains (£1 I think from Tescos) - put some on the floor and one underneath the sheet on the bed. Saved the bedroom carpet when my waters broke!

An old sheet for the bed which can be binned when finished with.

Clean towels to wrap the baby in.

Those disposable changing mat things to put under your bum afterwards.

Don't forget to pack a hospital bag just in case!

I have just had my first planned homebirth (2nd homebirth 3rd child) and I want to second the disposable (incontinence) mats. I had baby in birth pool but placenta on the sofa crouching down on some towels and afterwards hubby had to do a lot of washing

Some suggestions:

• Definitely disposable changing mats and a shower curtain/waterproof sheet under your sheets/on floor
• Cool flannels
• spare set of bedding so you can climb back into nice clean bed after the birth
• Sieve, torch and mirror if having a birth pool
• Towels
• Fan - incase you get very hot
• Ice in the freezer - great to chew on
• Old cushion to rest your knees on, otherwise they get very red if you're on all fours!
• make sure there's enough hot water in the tank incase you fancy a couple of baths
• massaging aids
• bowl/bucket - incase you feel sick (sorry!)

Or go to hombirth.org.uk or doulakate.com and click on the links page, there are lots of resources

I was given a long list of things to provide for a homebirth by the CMW. as above but also included angle poise lamp or torch so they can see what they are doing if you need any stitches.

Ooh! Good luck!

All the usual stuff is good - lucozade or fruit juice, I bought some fruit purees to eat in labour, which in the end I had just after birth to help me stomach a couple of paracetamol!

We bought plastic 'dust sheets' from a DIY store to protect the floors - they were very cheap, but flimsier than shower curtains which might stay put better.

Definitely pack hospital bags. It's also useful for having things you need in one place when you don't transfer ;)

A bucket (just a cheap one from B&Q) to deliver the placenta in can be a good idea. Mine just sat in the opening of my vagina for a while but as soon as I squated/sat on the bucket it plopped out and all of the mess went straight into the bucket - oh the glamour!

Good luck

I would say with your 3rd one be prepared for a very quick labour! I was so glad I was having a home birth as otherwise I would have probably given birth in the car/ambulance on the way to hospital! I really recommend the pool, by the way, even if you don't give birth in it, it means you can shift postions for each contraction then relax in between.
I did give birth in mine and all the mess was entirely contained.
The midwives supplied all the inco pads, sieves, torches, mirrors etc!
Good luck.

Not necessarily halfcalf!

I had a homebirth because my labour for dc2 was just 2 hours - nearly had him in the car! Was expecting the same for my 3rd but it was 10 hours. The midwife told me that the muscles don't work as efficiently as they do for your second. Something like that anyway!

halfcaff - sorry! Really should get back to my studying

I may change my name to halfcalf as I think this is my 3rd one this week! Someone might think I have large amounts of veal in the freezer though...
Of course, anything could happen. I was going to say also prepare for a long labour, but you have more time to think (or let others think for you) in a long labour whereas I was taken by surprise somewhat! (DH not home from work, nobody sorted to collect dd from school, etc!)

Big, big plastic sheet on bed and floor. A friend had a surprise birth at home and the bed and carpet were totally ruined, had to replace it all.

DVDs and lots of lovely M&S nibbles for relaxing during the early stages.

I spread an old duvet on the floor over a shower curtain. Less slippy and warmer, and easier on the hands and knees.