Being prepared for home birth? What do I need?

[littleraysofsunshine]

Also having a hospital bag just in case ... (Dc3, first potential hb)

^^ Yes!!!!

Sorry if I sounded a bit negative, I didn't mean to.

I had a hb planned and prepared for etc, and had to transfer, so, you know, best laid plans of mice and men.......

Don't get too hung up on the home aspect of the birth.
The birth of a babe is unpredictable, and I wish you both the best of luck.

If you want music, plan seem ahead of time or you may end up listening to French rap (thanks radio 6)!

Just out of interest what does everyone,or what is medically classed as,a quick labour and birth?

My first 2 were 2 hours and an hour and a half,but my last 2 were 4 hours,it seemed like such a long time to me,buton here i always hear people say 4 hours,wow thats wuick this one will be dleivered on the kitchen floor!

Im sure its not medically classed as a fast labour unless its inder an hour isnt it?IM sure theres a name for it aswell.

Should of proof read that!

Ah google is my friend!

Precipitate labour is a rapid delivery which is classed as anything under 2 hours!

I don't think you were too negative Venus. I planned a homebirth for DC1 - ended up transferring after 18 hrs & having a forceps delivery at 26hrs. I planned a homebirth for DC2, who arrived in 3.5 hrs by the side of the empty pool. Who knows why they were so different (apart from 1st/2nd child thing) - nothing is certain.

We had my mum over to be on duty for DC1, but I went into labour at 8pm after tucking DC1 up in bed so didn't matter.

Good luck - how exciting!

I am sure you will be very well organised but my Top Tip is to tell your DP what you have done and where everything is. I had a hospital bag ready with things for me and the baby but when I was being transferred to hospital to be repaired, the mws told dp what to bring and he dutifully started running about trying to find things that couldn't be found because I had packed them already (my voice was very faint, perhaps). Also I had prepared a million rolls in case of having to go to hospital, dp didn't know about those either and was starving waiting all night and half the morning in the hospital with dd1 while they worked on me.

I loved both of my dd's births, the one thing I regret is that I have never seen a placenta. the mws asked if I wanted it and I said no, now I wish I had asked to see it because I doubt I will get another opportunity!

Ours were due in hospital once we knew it was twins but one came first at home. The midwife said she must remember for next time to bring a long more protective sheets and stuff to clear up as we ended up with one labour at home and then working towards the second one (who came in hospital). However if you only have one I imagine you will have enough floor coverings, plastic etc . There can be an awful lot of mess. Have a good plastic sheet over the bed.

We didn't really need much at all. I think the midwife gave us a list to buy which was things like an empty plastic bucket.

Also take loads of photographs. I never thought we took enough although one midwife took a few of the baby actually emerging which is my favourite shot (although the children think it's disgusting).

I was totally unprepared as ds came a bit early (luckily just a couple of hours after reaching the min threshold for a hb ) All I had ready was a groundsheet and a nightie for me.

It was all fine although the mw did wrap him up in my best towel But it recovered.

The mws were absolutely brilliant at getting rid of all the mess as well.

Not much though it’s nice to have the baby’s clothes and nappy ready to put on (I had ours in a bag in case had to go to hospital). We hired an inflatable pool but if you aren’t doing that you just need shower curtains for floor ( I was in the pool when my waters broke so never used them). I did have a 4 hour long relaxing music playlist on my ipod but didn’t really use it - only (vaguely) heard 30 minutes of it anyway, as LO arrived very quickly. I guess you could make a nice playlist for yourself for listening to at home (or in a hospital).
I used my dressing gown immediately after the birth, then just got dressed in the clothes I’d had on about 45 minutes previously – I guess having your clothes where you can easily put them on help but that’s about it really.. The whole point of being at home to give birth is that you don’t really need anything extra – as it’s all there in your home with you.

We put the pool up as soon as midwife arrived at our house (and checked me and said I was ready to get in). It took 15 minutes to inflate and fill it. I got in and LO was born 30 minutes later. If you are goign to hire a pool I think you need to investigate the types of pools and what will work in your home (measure up etc) beforehand but we chose a quick inflatable one and have combi boiler and pretty good water pressure in our area, so there was no need to have it sitting around taking up space beforehand. It was only £80 to hire for a possible 4 weeks, which isnt bad really. They delivered it 6 days before she was born and took it away the next day after we called to say it had been used and was no longer needed. It took about 30 mins to empty into the outside drain by the back door, but it does that by itself - comes with pump so you dont need to sit there watching it..

I did buy a shower curtain which was not used and was still in the original packaging when I gave it to a charity shop aftewards, and I also bought a small shaving mirror (for midwife to use to see baby's head in the pool) but I dont remember geting anything else in especially. Unless you count the bacon (unheard of in our house) and some nice deli bakery bread that I used to make (and eat) a really tasty bacon and egg buttie between contractions. I had this idea that it would take a really long time so so thought I'd better eat something substantial whilst I could!

I had a hb with dc1 (dc2 and hb2 due in Feb) and it was lovely. The requests from my mw were:
Sheets and towels - a quick wipe up for baby and more to lay on the floor as path to bathroom afterwards

Lamp - for post birth inspection and possible stitches (didn't need stitches - phew!)

Biscuits for MW - they said they might be there a long time and they get peckish! As it happens I laboured over lunch time and the mw's ate their packed lunches on my bed. Which is lucky as I had tucked in to the biscuits in the morning and there was only one left....

I also got a shower curtain to go under my bed sheet. I gave birth on all fours on my bed, dangling on the foot rail and slumped over my birthing ball.

I had all of mine and babies stuff packed in to a hold all in case of hospital transfer but it was useful for my best friend who ended up being my emergency birthing partner (dh missed the birth - my fault!) - it was all on hand for her. I will do the same again as dh hopeless at finding ANYTHING.

Someone will also need to know how to use the heating. The MW requested mine to be put on and baby clothes on the radiator when ds was imminent. I refused to tell anyone how to use the boiler because I was boiling and it would be tantamount to torturing me . Luckily my bff is the practical type and worked out how to do it despite my best efforts to scupper their evil plans. DH doesn't have a clue.....

Some good suggestions here. Having the heating on is something I hadn't thought of. I'm due in March, so heating will more than likely be off by then but our radiators have valves on so in theory I could turn them all down except one which could be used for baby clothes.

I was very hot in labour last time, although I had been hotter than usual throughout pregnancy, so on my list for my home birth is a spray bottle with cold water so DH can make himself useful cooling me down with that :)

Our local cheapy shop has some shower curtains for a pound each, so will get a few of those too.

I'm planning a hb with dc1 so really glad to have found this thread. Will be making a list of things to buy!

Littleray you can always hop in the bath as opposed to a pool especially if labour is quick.

HB1 Laboured and gave birth on toilet, no mess.

HB2 laboured on toilet and sofa and gave birth on the sofa on a couple of towels.

I videoed the HB2 birth (from a distance) and DD2 and I watch it together sometimes she thinks it it smashing. Make sure you have your camera at the ready.

I made no mess and what little there was the MWs cleared up really quickly.

A loaf of bread for toast and some big comfy knickers for afterwards.

Good luck. Pack your bag as well in case you transfer and if you dont then everything is to hand for your DH and MW to get maternity pads, baby clothes, nappies etc

Do the deed in a birthing pool and sit back afterwards while everyone else tidies and spring cleans your house as a love offering. (I have to have a baby to get them to clean to that standard around here).

seff ds was born in a very warm march and still the mw's wanted the heating in for him.

I had frozen flannels on my head and neck which was bliss definitely a perk of hb!

my oh was just reading this piece over my shoulder he wants to know what is sieve for

Remember when assessing risk to avoid lumping all the categories below into the same statistical block, as the levels of risk are very different.

Planned and unplanned homebirths
Home births within an hour's ambulance transfer with those beyond an hour's ambulance transfer
Unattended homebirths (i.e. no medical professional present) vs homebirths with 1 or 2 midwives in attendance
Premature homebirths vs homebirths between 37-42 weeks

and so on.

For well educated and healthy mothers reasonably near good hospitals the outcomes are pretty much comparable statistically.

I wouldn't do it on Orkney though, or if I had a serious medical condition, or if I felt panicky.

to scoop out the poo of course

There will be a floater, I promise.

BoffinMum are you saying Orkney for a reason or did you pick it as a sample Scottish Island? On the main Orkney Island there is a maternity unit so actually I would homebirth there.

Re: biscuits etc - my mum made me a cuppa after my waters went & the midwives were on the way & pointed out we only had 1 tea bag left! I wailed 'I can't have a homebirth without tea!' & ended up getting my neighbour to come round with teabags for us as I didn't want to be left alone while mum went to the shop.

Oooh frozen flannels, need to remember that one too!