# Home Birth Essentials?



## fingers_cross

has/is anyone having/had a home birth? What do i need to have for it? also if i have a birthing pool, how to u empty it (prob a stupid question lol) and also i was thinking about buying a waterproof tarmolin type material to cover the floor and then get some thick moving blankets (the ones for covering/protect furniture during a house move) over the top and also having a single matress under there somewhere if i need a lie down. also a bean bag, birthing/exericse ball, towels, plastic bags for clothes, dirty stuff, candles, water bottle, incontinence sheets (or whatever they are called!).

im just not sure what the midwife brings with her and what i need to buy!

thanks


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## MissCherry15

Im hoping for a home water birth. well im having one lol just im that crazy i am planning it this early lol.
I am hiring a birthing pool, with it they supply you with a special pump for emptying the pool but i have been told buckets speed up the process lol.
they supply a non slip mat for the floor. Im going to give birth in either the kitchen or the front room so tiled or laminate flooring so is easier to clean. i will be using tesco value shower curtains to cover my sofa or a double/kingsize water proof bed sheet. 
i know i need to make a small emergency hospital bag, need to get loads of second hand/old towels. Bin bags, i got an exercise ball to use a birthing ball last time, it did me no good so im not having one this time. Im going to get something to blackout the windows and make it dark, also some aromatherapy candles and a cd of smoothing music to listen to x 
Midwife will bring everything else that i would need. all i need to make sure is the hospital bag is somewhere easy for OH to get in an emergency, that old nickers, maternity pads and my after birth pjs are to hand, also that babies nappies and first outfit is to hand, aswell as a ready made crib and blankets x
I know i need something to wear in the pool. i was naked last time i gave birth but i would prefer to wear something over my breasts this time and maybe some kind of short skirt for OH not to be able to see what would scar his mind for life xx


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## MindUtopia

What I was planning to do was buy cheap shower curtains (like 1.99) to cover the floor and then lay cheap or old blankets or towels over them. This might be cheaper and easier to find than a tarp or moving blankets, if you can't get a hold of them.


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## LadyM812

If you go to an aquarium store, they have pumps for around $20-$50 that have a vacuum effect, and you just use a hose to poor it into the tub. Much, much easier than buckets and well worth the money so you can focus on spending time with your little one :)
I bought about 6 plastic shower curtains from the dollar store, plastic mattress cover, cheap sheets, extra pillows and pillow cases (put the pillow in a garbage bag and the pillow case over top), massage oils, back massage objects (tennis balls work great too for pain relief), an empty ice cream tub for the placenta (gave me an excuse to eat ice cream lol), lots of cheap towels and washcloths from walmart, snacks, juice, ice and a light summer robe. There are a lot of other things that are useful, but I found these to be major essentials. I didn't include baby stuff in the list, because we packed a separate bag for the baby in case we need to be transfered to the hospital in an emergency.


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## bassdesire

https://www.gentlebirthcare.com/Supply_List.html

We used a lot of the stuff on this list. We ended up having extra towels and chux pads.


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## LadyM812

Now that we've had our home birth, I should probably mention that you should buy two bottles of hydrogen peroxide. lol. One of the shower curtains we had laid on the ground had been pushed slightly aside and I got blood on the carpet. Hydrogen peroxide will get the stain out of fabric pretty quick, so it's good to have just in case.


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## ravenmel

I also wondered about how to drain the birthing pool lol but water just annoys me during labour so I'll use the bath until I want to get out. A friend had a home birth and recommended buying a cheap shower curtain to cover things.
I have a video on youtube of what the midwife brings and leave at your house for the home birth at your chat and pack session at 36 weeks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8DzSyfCgzk&list=UU6a1iwfSDoCMyiTT_v6FpZw&index=2&feature=plcp


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## fingers_cross

my midwife told me that here they dont come to see u in ur house or drop anything off until they come for the birth...i hope they will atleast let me know what they are bringing!

thanks for the video...very helpful! hopefully the midwife is wrong and ill get a nice big bag like that too!:)


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## booflebump

^^ I think you do get a homebirth assessment at 36 weeks here (and drop off a pack) - that's what I've been told is happening for me anyway, but it really does vary from area to area 

xxx


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## LadyM812

booflebump said:


> ^^ I think you do get a homebirth assessment at 36 weeks here (and drop off a pack) - that's what I've been told is happening for me anyway, but it really does vary from area to area
> 
> xxx

We had one scheduled for 38 weeks, but then something happened and it had to be rescheduled when for when I was 39 weeks and one day, but I ended up giving birth the day before it. Mine weren't going to leave a pack, but they were going to come and make sure I had everything I needed, that there was enough table space and floor space, etc.


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## booflebump

LadyM812 said:


> booflebump said:
> 
> 
> ^^ I think you do get a homebirth assessment at 36 weeks here (and drop off a pack) - that's what I've been told is happening for me anyway, but it really does vary from area to area
> 
> xxx
> 
> We had one scheduled for 38 weeks, but then something happened and it had to be rescheduled when for when I was 39 weeks and one day, but I ended up giving birth the day before it. Mine weren't going to leave a pack, but they were going to come and make sure I had everything I needed, that there was enough table space and floor space, etc.Click to expand...

At the end of the day - babies can be born with very little in the way of 'equipment' and the midwives will just bring what they need if it's not already there :thumbup:


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## LadyM812

booflebump said:


> LadyM812 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> booflebump said:
> 
> 
> ^^ I think you do get a homebirth assessment at 36 weeks here (and drop off a pack) - that's what I've been told is happening for me anyway, but it really does vary from area to area
> 
> xxx
> 
> We had one scheduled for 38 weeks, but then something happened and it had to be rescheduled when for when I was 39 weeks and one day, but I ended up giving birth the day before it. Mine weren't going to leave a pack, but they were going to come and make sure I had everything I needed, that there was enough table space and floor space, etc.Click to expand...
> 
> At the end of the day - babies can be born with very little in the way of 'equipment' and the midwives will just bring what they need if it's not already there :thumbup:Click to expand...

Mine arrived very quickly, so I definitely agree. My active labour was only an hour, so the midwife got there _just_ in time. The midwife arrived at 6:05am, and my daughter was out at 6:08am. She didn't even have enough time to get her gloves on.


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## tinytabby

The home birth pack from the MWs has all the drugs and medical equipment they need. At my home assessment they said I'd need:

Some old towels (to mop up mess but also one or two to put on the radiator for the baby)

Shower curtain or plastic decorating sheets to cover furniture/floors

Sieve (for getting - er - debris - out of the bath)

Snacks for me (like yogurts, cereal bars, fruit etc.)

Snacks for MWs and birth partners

Big warm dressing gown for afterwards

...that's about it! I'm also having to collect my own diamorphine as the MWs don't carry it!


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## TheyCallMeMom

I have a kiddie pool set up on a shower curtain where I plan on delivering.
I'll list everything else I have in my "birth area"
-Shower curtain
-9 towels
-4 receiving blankets
-flannel sheet
-pads
-mesh panties
-flashlight and extra batteries
-charged camera
-bowl for placenta
-2 ziploc freezer bags
-2 garbage bags
-sieve for floaties in the pool
-sports bra
-short tank top dress for the pool
-2 diapers
-baby hat
-thermometer
-bleach
-hydrogen peroxide
-vaseline
-paperwork/file from my midwives
Baby stuff
-3 hats
-3 onesies
-3 sleepers
-3 receiving blankets
-3 warm fuzzy blankets
-2 pairs of scratch mittens
-2 pairs of socks
-a bag it can all be put into if we have to transfer

My midwives will bring a pump to empty the pool so I don't have to worry about that.


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## fifi-folle

tinytabby said:


> ...that's about it! I'm also having to collect my own diamorphine as the MWs don't carry it!

Thank you for the reminder, I need to make an appt to get a prescription as there's about a month's wait for a regular GP appt at my surgery!


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## tinytabby

fifi-folle said:


> tinytabby said:
> 
> 
> ...that's about it! I'm also having to collect my own diamorphine as the MWs don't carry it!
> 
> Thank you for the reminder, I need to make an appt to get a prescription as there's about a month's wait for a regular GP appt at my surgery!Click to expand...

Lordy! I get mine from the labour ward. It's quite cloak-and-dagger.


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## fifi-folle

I'll need to double check that tomorrow at m/w appt. It'd be a pain if I have to go to the labour ward, they'll try and convince me to have baby there! :lol:


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## tinytabby

Come to Glasgow! I've never encountered any negativity about my decision to have a home birth, everyone's been so encouraging!


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## fifi-folle

The way it should be! Fife isn't great on HB, but to be fair I didn't expect my midwife to be as positive as she is as mine is a HBAC, only 14/15 months after my EMCS with my son!


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## tinytabby

Ah well, that makes sense. I'm glad you have a supportive MW.


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