mattress for homebirth?

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Booked my homebirth today and seriously hadn't thought about this, assumed I'd labour and birth on my settee/beanbag/chairs/floor/whatever. But today as she was leaving, my midwife asked if I have a single mattress that I can bring down?? I do, but it's on DSs bed!

Any opinions/thoughts??

What I did for my homebirth with DS1 was get a kingsize duvet from the one of the supermarket value ranges. That went on top of a new decorating drop cloth (material one side, waterproof the other). and I had a cheap sheet over the top. I also had a couple of value pillows scattered around for kneeling on, as I ended up in the bathroom which had a tiled floor. It was actually pretty comfy.

Once everything was all over, the midwives scooped the whole lot into hazardous waste bags and took it away for disposal.

You could put a plastic sheet on it but to be honest all the people I know who have had home births just used a big pile of towels with a waterproof sheet and then an old sheet over the top.

I've got a mattress for mine (am intending to have waterbirth though) but only because we were replacing the older ones beds and I thought it would be worth keeping one of the old mattresses just in case.

IME it's not something that midwives usually recommend you have, as other posters have said most women give birth leaning over sofa/beanbag or wherever they feel comfortable.

I've had 2 home births and when it came to the action I retired to my bedroom where the bed had a fitted sheet, decorators polythene dust sheet, finally a fitted sheet on top. A neat pile of old towells at the ready. A bowl to hand if you feel the need to vomit.

Thanks all. I think a duvet will be easiest, I already have a spare one in the attic that can either go in the washing machine after if its not too bad, or the bin. Got millions of old towels already

I had a waterproof mattress protector and an old mattress pad over a shower curtain over my futon mattress (no way was I giving birth lying down - ow!). The MW threw a few inco-pads over the top and only the inco-pads got stained so I didn't even need to wash any of the mattress pad/protectors

Definitely recommend waterproof sheets/old shower curtains to put on top of any mattress or duvet that you use. You really don't need a mattress if you've got bean bag/sofa/chair to rest on. Will be a bit of a hassle lugging it downstairs, especially if DS wants to go to bed! :)

Single mattress?! Crazy midwife :) I had three of mine at home - plastic decorator's sheet and towels on a futon in the sitting room for number 1; 2 was on a towel on the landing floor cos he was rather quick; 3rd in hospital (actually much more positive than I was expecting); 4 standing on a waterproof sheet on my bed. And every time the midwives were just amazing at doing the clearing up, but hardly any of my stuff got dirty anyway. No idea how they do it!

i've had 2 homebirths and no-one ever suggested that I needed to bring a mattress downstairs!
if i'd wanted to be in bed i'd have given birth in my room

i didn't. i laboured in the pool with ds2 and then had him leaning over the sofa

ds2 was born in the pool (just)

I just stuck a waterproof sheet on my bed up stairs and a big sheet of heavy weight PVC on the floor (this was scrap from my Dads work). MW had lotta of pads and I had a stack of old towels.

In the end it was DH who ended up on the bed supporting me crouching beside it to give birth.

The only mess was one slightly blood stained towel used to wrap DD2.

i had a home birth

by the time the pool was in the room there was no where for a mattres even if i wanted one.

in early labour i put a waterproof bed sheet on the sofa. (both sofas)

as it was I did 7cm to transition in 1 contraction....
I only just made it downstairs (nearly gave birth in my bedroom)

birth pool was too hot so i gave birth kneeling on the sofa.... so was a bit of luck i had a waterprrof protector on it.... my waters went on the sofa (my knee was down between the cushions) and i gave birth kneeling on the sofa.... no amount of midwife pads etc would have protected my sofa like the bed sheet did.

(at no point did anyone even mention a mattress, and as i had every intention of giving birth in a pool, it didnt cross my mind either)

You might want something for your knees - but I've had 3 HB and never used a mattress! Or been near a bed.

I have told my midwife I am happy to ruin my sofa, I hate it and want a new one

hahah OP, when I was having my 2 I told them not to worry about the carpet because I hated it and wanted it gone

sadly they were very efficient with the inco pads and there was not even a spot of mess

Lol at the sofa!

I have had 2 hb's and never needed a mattress Admittedly they were water births, but each time I only got in the pool during transition so the majority of my labour was on dry land. I did spend a lot of time on my knees but I don't remember that being a problem - probably because the contractions somewhat distract from sore knees Maybe rolled up towels or a a cheap memory foam cushion for your knees if you think you may need something?

Maybe get a cot mattress on free cycle? You don't need a full size mattress to kneel on. People can't resell cot mattresses, so they do pop up on freecycle quite a bit.
I had one for my last homebirth but didn't use it as I sat on a stool in the bathroom puking for the first few hours then got in the pool