Hellobee

I am 38 weeks pregnant and I’m going to have a home birth. I had a home birth with my first child and previously blogged about our decision to do so. Having a positive experience the first time, the choice to birth at home again with the same midwives really was easy. In fact, Missus Scooter and I didn’t even have a discussion; it was just the way it was going to be.

Getting ready for a home birth is a different experience than getting ready for birth at a secondary location (hospital, birthing center, etc.), but in every situation, there is preparation. I have seen many posts on Hellobee about what to pack in your hospital bag. While I won’t have a hospital bag, I have done prep work and thought about what I may need for my birth at home, so I thought I would share.

Our midwives offer a pre-packaged birth kit as part of their midwifery services. They recommend that all of the birth kit supplies be ready by 37 weeks. You can choose to buy these items yourself if you do not opt for the pre-packaged kit. Both times, however, I took advantage of the pre-packaged kit (easy!).

Included in the pre-packaged birth kit are:

• 1 package (18+) of Under Bed Pads (aka “chux” pads). These are large (3’x3’) disposable, absorbent pads. The midwives use them everywhere. They line the bed with them, they put them on the floor, and I remember holding one in between my legs like a large maxi pad when I walked from the living room to the bedroom.
• 1 package of sterile gauze pads.
• 1 package of Kleenex.
• 1 roll paper towels.
• 4 plastic kitchen trash bags. Clean up is key.
• 2 brown grocery bags. They make a sort-of trash can with the brown bags and put the kitchen trash bags in them.
• 4 one-gallon freezer Ziploc bags.
• Drinking straws. Some women find it more comfortable to drink through a straw during labor.
• 2 large bottles of hydrogen peroxide. I know they use this to get blood stains out; they may have other uses as well.
• 1 pound container of sea salt. I think this may go into the birth tub but I am not sure.
• 2 large flannel backed tablecloths. They put these under the birthing tub and on the floor in the birthing room.
• 1 small bottle olive oil. Used for perineal massage and baby bottom care.
• Extra strength Tylenol. This is for after the birth.
• 1 large plastic bowl. Temporarily holds the placenta.
• 1 large fishing net. Helps remove solids from tub if laboring in the water.
• Baby wipes.
• 1 package of overnight maxi pads and regular maxi pads. This is more for after the birth than during labor and delivery.

Other supplies they ask/recommend we have on hand are:

• 2 large pots. They bring various teas. They make a huge batch of mother’s drinking tea and an herbal perineal wash for after birth.
• 3 gallons of distilled water. To make the teas.
• Night gown or nursing gown to change into after baby is born.
• Nursing pads.
• Drinks for the birth. They recommend coconut water, lemon/honey water, high quality electrolyte drink, or ginger ale.
• 6-8 cotton receiving blankets. For baby.
• Newborn diapers, onesies.
• Digital thermometer.
• 2 sets of sheets, freshly washed and dried on hottest settings. The midwives double make the bed with a moisture barrier in between. The top set of sheets can be stripped easily after the birth (if you birth on the bed) and then you have a clean set of sheets already on the bed!
• 4-6 large bath towels and 10 wash cloths. For keeping things wiped up.

In addition to the items above, they have their own kit they bring to a labor. Basically, they bring everything to the home that you would find in a free-standing birth center. I do not have a full inventory, but mainly they bring items related to sterility and safety: oxygen, resuscitative equipment (for mom and baby), amni hooks, catheters, numbing gel, sutures, cord cutting equipment, blood pressure cuff, rubber gloves, stethoscope, infant scale, a doppler and a fetoscope to name a few.

Our midwives provide their patients with a large birthing tub, delivered during a home visit at approximately 38 weeks. They also provide placenta encapsulation services and complimentary photos during the labor/delivery (if you want them) .

Having written all this down, it sounds like a lot, and I suppose it is, when most women really only need to worry about packing a small bag for the hospital with clothing and comfort items. However, the pre-packaged birth kit helps a lot and most of the other items we have at home anyway; it’s just a matter of collecting them in one place and having them ready for the midwives to access.

All in all, I didn’t find getting prepped for the home birth a daunting task. I did it slowly and actually found it soothing to collect items and buy little things I may need or want for the birth.

If you had a home birth, did you have/do you recommend other items on your prep list?