Any tips for what to have in for a home birth

[bezzyk]

Hello, apologies if this has been covered before. I'm almost 38 weeks pregnant and hope to have a planned home birth.

Does anybody have any pearls of wisdom as to anything I should have in, or anything to make the whole experience a little more special?

I've got the birth pool inflated, the clothes washed and a box of fancy biscuits for the midwives, but that's about it!

Any advice gratefully received!

thanks ever so much everybody! What a great help xx

I am 38 weeks too and home birthing!

I have a box my independant midwife has asked me to prepare with the following: (30 years experience and this is her list)

Shower curtain (builders sheets are noisy)
4 Towels
Angle poise lamp
glucose tablets
lavander oil
Calendula for any tearing (amazing healing tincture)
TENS machine (practised heaps to know how it works!)
Kitchen roll x4
Bin bags (for used kitchen roll)
Hospital bag (just in case)
Soft muslin cloths for baby and a soft baby towel for wrapping her up in (baby not midwife)
Brandy (yes... brandy... brandy and warm milk is very good)
Flannels

Birth ball, bean bags, etc. I have SPD so will be upright and on all 4's.

Also:
Fridge full of innocent smoothies or similar, dried fruit snacks and things like fresh pineapple strips.

Thats it!

Off to do a spot of painting, my baby seems rather happy where she is, reckon it will be another month. All the best!

x

Tena lady pants. Much much more comfie than maternity knickers.

from my recent experience of birth partnering..
relaxing music
lucozade or similar with straw
flannels for fridge
snacks
loads of towels
tens machine
someone who knows accupressure points
being fully prepared to go to hospital if neccessary.

lucazade and a straw was pretty usefull. i had planned to eat but couldnt eat anything! and enough hot water is a good one as we were boiling kettles and stuff when we ran out!haha! chocolate for after! and some soothing bath stuff for after! how exciting!!! my birth was amazing! i would do it a million times over rather than be preggers again! good luck!!xxxxxxxx

bezzyk thanks for asking this question; I too am 38 weeks and have only just opted for home-birth so you asked precisely what I wanted to know!

you're welcome easilydistracted! I'm still astounded as to the good advice these lovely ladies have passed on! I've done a shop in the local tat shop and stocked up on sick bowls, a bucket and a plastic mattress protector!!

Glamorous...

I'm totally freaked out now. I am 38 weeks pg with dc3 and am planning a homebirth - I thought I had everything sorted but am sat here with a notepad frantically making notes! Best go shopping tomorrow!!! Thanks everyone!!

bezzyk no definitely not glamourous
But the nicest thing was the sense of freedom. I had a cup of tea when I felt like it, chatted on the phone, watched tv, and then when it was time for me to get into the pool I had skype on so my Dsis could watch from the other side of the world (not everyones idea of nice but it was fab for me to hear her voice and see her).
Then after the birth I was able to go to my bathroom to clean up. My house was cosy and warm and I sat on the sofa holding DC3, watching the traffic go past the window, just cuddling him. I can't explain it, it was just magical. Then DH came in with a chinese menu and we ordered takeaway
He is my last DC and I felt as though I ended my pregnancy/labour days on an absolute high.
PS don't forget the sieve

Only thing I would add is bread abd honey so you can have honey sandwiches for a quick energy boost. Good luck!

best thing i did was to get some waterproof bed covers for the sofas. (terry towel on plastic)

bit of luck i did, as baby came so fast i did not have a chance to get in the pool

i knelt on sofa, my knee went down the gap in the cushions, my waters went and 3 contractions later baby fell onto sofa.

There is NO WAY the disposable pads, or towels, or anything else at all, would have saved my sofa, but my bed covers did

I would say that the best thing I had in for my home birth in May was a birthday cake :) It's a celebration after all and you're starving afterwards (midwives liked it too). At 38 weeks I had a round fruit iced celebration cake (heavy one with lots of nutrients like Christmas cake) then I cut out an open flower shape with a knife from pre-bought sheet of royal icing with silver balls being the centre to decorate the top. I saw the cake on the stand everytime I was in the kitchen and purposely thought "soon I'm going to naturally open like a blooming flower". I had a labour which was 1.5 hours long, no damage and within half an hour everything was spit spot tidy, I was feeding baby and had a piece of birthday cake in hand whilst the midwives chatted with their cake and cups of tea. I even had my summer maxi dress still on with not a spot on it, if anyone would have come in you would not have guessed that had just happened as everything was just so and calm. I loved that birth :) ( I also had a bag packed which made it easier to find everything for my daughter, just in case alongside an alternative birth plan laminated in the bag)

Home births are fantastic! I've had 3! The midwife brought a 'birthing box', with everything she needed for the birth, about 4 weeks before duedate. She had mirrors, absorbent mats etc... the only suggestion I have is don't worry about stain removal from towels, just get everyone you know to donate their manky old towels, then throw them away!

How long does the pool take to fill...? It might be a good idea to have a trial run!

Oh...and plenty of tea bags!

If you end up birthing on your bed (i did with one of mine) a change of bedding ready for dh/dp to put on while you have your post birth bath!

Nothing beats the feeling of being at home, an hour after birth when the mw has gone and you've had a soak in your bath, not a manky hospital bath, and are in your bed, with your bedding, not a crinkley solid bed, drinking your tea from your mug not polystyrene fake hospital tea! Cuddled up with bb and dp/dh and dc's.....heaven!

Hope it all goes well (I'm a bit jealous actually, but I have 4 kids now and that's enough!)

thanks Brom and everyone else, the reasons you mention are EXACTLY why I'd dearly love this home birth to happen. Good idea re borrowing towels as well as spare bedding in case it gets messed up. Love the birthday cake too! How apt!

You're getting me quite excited now....well about the afterwards bit anyway, there's still the small hurdle of squeezing the little blighter out.....

10 days from EDD.....wonder when it'll happen....

Bezzyk I'm amazing even myself saying this but I enjoyed my home birth. I had my DH rubbing my lower back and a slide show of my most inspiring photos and music on the tele in the background. If I wasn't so knackered I'd want to do it again soon! I hope you make it a celebration :D

What is the sieve for??!!?

To catch the baby

To sieve the poo out of the pool flowerface!

Oh, ha! Thanks! I thought it might be something to do with placentas...

So good to see so many positive home birth experiences on here (and people actually feeling jealous now they have their chosen quota of kids!).

Today, I did a mammoth shop in Boots in preparation for home birth armed with a list of the things on this thread, and now I feel SO ready.

Thanks so much everyone, and "good luck" too to the other up-coming home-birthers on here :)

glad this thread hasn't just assisted me! Good luck to you too Easilydistracted.

Did have a giggle about the sieve, as I learned what THAT was for after my birth pool delivery for DD (in hospital, and don't get me wrong was an amazing experience too) Anyway, with my birth pool in a box, I bought it off Gumtree (unused as poor lady went into labour 2 days before 37 weeks) and it came with all of the accessories including a strainer....the size of a tea strainer I have indulged the midwives / DH with a much larger sieve from the local tat shop.

When is it you're due Easily? Week Wed for me....gulp....

I want another baby now! You're making me broody!

have another, you'll barely notice

Okay, not due until May/June but gosh, this thread is useful. And making me well up (I don't need a reason at the mo, but thinking of being cuddled up in my own bed with a lovely squishy baby... sniff), that's got me.

Did anyone put crappy white bread and salted butter, because there is no way I'm foregoing the NHS toast experience, even in my own home with better stuff available.