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?

[Thomcat]

The only thing I 'got in' for my home births were old towels and sheets etc and I bought those plastic sheets from Sainsburys homebase used for decorating. I also had an old shower curtain off my dad. Put that down first, then towels and sheets and gave birth.

DD3 was born in pool so didn't need any of that.

Am selling my pool in a box if you live in the Pinner/Harrow area

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

So your DH can make the m/ws cups of tea.

[ermintrude13]

Actually, the point about noise is a good one. I did make a lot of noise both times. The first time, at the birth centre, DH said it sounded like I was singing an aria in an unearthly high soprano. Or being murdered quite slowly. And the second time, at home, despite the fact they'd arried 10 secs before I dropped, the first thing the midwife did was close the windows, because the air outside was turning blue and it was a nice quiet residential street!

[Tinkerisdead]

star1 i have an independant midwife who comes with her own pool

[PeachyFizzesLikeADampSquibb]

'The only thing that put me off having homebirth was if it went through the night i know id wake ds1 up as such a light sleeper and house not very sound proof' my house niether- in fact the night I delieverd was the rirst night I remember them all settling! I think nature has little t5icks LOL

[PeachyFizzesLikeADampSquibb]

I laboured and delivered downstairs- bed didn't even occue to me tbh (plus I have a downstairs bathroom / loo anyhow. So easier).

Deliverered baby on the living room rug and it was fine, in a bloody strange position though, that hurt lots afterwards!

dh says mw used the water to wash her hands, I had more important things on my mind

[mad4mybaby]

because ds1 was so quick i was 8-9cm when i got to hosp and i got stuck on the bed im convinced its why pushing took so long and why he kept sliding back up. apparantly they did ask me ifi wanted to change positions but if i dont remember that then i wasnt in much state to comply!

I am signed in for birth center and theyve already said they dont actively encourage using the bed so that must be good thing! These preparations are if its just too quick to get anywhere which is possibility. The only thing that put me off having homebirth was if it went through the night i know id wake ds1 up as such a light sleeper and house not very sound proof, if it goes on in the day and enough time to get ds1 sorted and away happily then may well reconsider esp as DH prob wont be here

[needmorecoffee]

tea? I had a homebirth and hot water never figured at all. Much to my disappointment.

[ermintrude13]

I ended up kneeling at the side of the bed, leaning on it. Didn't want to go on the bed at all, not sure why. I was upright through almost all the contractions, had a little spell supporting myself in a squat with back to DH ie. my arms resting on his legs, but turned back round for my 2 minute second state (ouch! tiny tear in the same place I'd got one with DC1 but no stitches).
My sister gave birth recently sitting on the edge of a beanbag with DP supporting her and a midwife at each leg!
Just don't let anyone make you lie on your back - agony!

[TheEnormousTurnip]

gosh i didn;t have anything
the only thing we gave any thought to was protecting the floor
i did use a birth ball too
the midwives provided everything else needed - even a little hat for the baby to pop on!

[Ohforfoxsake]

Isn't there something called a birthing stool they use in some hospitals? Bit like a loo seat? Wonder if you could borrow one.

[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!

[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]

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]

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.

[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.

[Star1ightExpress]

DrsWife You mw provided the pool?

[BrightShinySun]

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

[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!

[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.

[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!

[Ohforfoxsake]

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

[Tinkerisdead]

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

[mad4mybaby]

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

[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