What to get for a homebirth without pool

[dreams]

I'm planning a homebirth but i don't want a water birth.

I've thought about getting some waterproof sheets or something similar from b&q but i want to hear what others have used or planning to use? I want it to be as comfortable as possible.

My plan was to give birth on our bed but OH wont let me lol so i'm at a loss how to do this.

 

[Mervs Mum]

Why wont he?!! He didnt mind getting the baby in there in that bed!!
All you need for the bed is some incontinence mats and the MWs tend to come armed with those! You can buy shower curtains from Ikea for £1 and put those under your normal bed sheets. You'd be surprised how little mess there is at a home birth

 

[Jenniflower]

You could also look at getting a birthing stool and plan to either give birth in the bathroom with your OH on the toilet supporting you. Or think about being on all fours leaning up against the couch with the shower curtains and sheets down underneath you.

I would try talking to your OH about the bed again though. If he's afraid of the mess there really is no need for there to be one. You could make more of a mess simply sleeping while your water breaks than giving birth!

 

[Mervs Mum]

Ask your MW if they can bring a birth stool with them - mine brought one from the birth centre to my 3rd baby's home birth. A cheap alternative of you cant borrow one (they can be expensive) is a folding camping toilet.

https://www.1st-harrison.com/shop2/images/uploads/Field-Toilet-200-web.jpg

minus the bag obviously!!

 

[MummyMagoo]

Do you have carpet or wooden flooring/laminate?
I unintentionally had a non water birth leaning on my birth/exericise ball..you can pick them up quite cheap from argos.
I didnt use any plastic sheeting as we had wooden floors just lots of warm towels for afterwards,id also recomment getting some old bed covers/duvets so you can sit on the sofa/bed afterwards
x

 

[dreams]

I have carpet, cream carpet lol.

Random question, do i sew the sheets onto the shower curtains or just leave them on the top?

I'm thinking maybe the living room leaning against the sofa. I have a birth ball too just didn't find it comfortable when in labour last time but granted i wasn't leaning on it.

I could just plan to do this but then i'll ask OH when i'm in labour and he'll see me in pain and let me give birth on the bed lol

 

[Mervs Mum]

no you just put them under a regular sheet like a plastic toddler sheet! protects your matress and then put an old sheet over or a cheapo one with a incontinence mat over it. x

 

[lilprince]

For my previous 2 homebirths my midwife had me put a big piece of plastic on the bed with a light colored sheet (so she could see what color fluids were). They make big absorbant pads you can get at a medical supply shop that you can put on the carpet if you're worried about it. One thing I learned at my last birth was to have an ample amount of pillows. When it came time to push I didnt have enough and I was soooo uncomfortable and couldnt move. I was laying all cock-eyed...lol! I had to rely on people holding me up which wasnt comfortable for anyone..lol!!!!

 

[dreams]

I mean if i was to give birth in the living room. Sorry if i sound stupid, I just can imagine everything getting seperated and then give birth directly onto the carpet!

 

[Jenniflower]

I mean if i was to give birth in the living room. Sorry if i sound stupid, I just can imagine everything getting seperated and then give birth directly onto the carpet!

If you imagine how big a sheet and a shower curtain is though it's not really likely they'll come apart. If anythign the sheet will slip off the shower curtain but either A.) You'll feel you're no longer on a sheet and on sticky plastic or B.) you'll spill some on the shower curtain. Neither of which would get on your carpet.

 

[chuck]

Ask your MW if they can bring a birth stool with them - mine brought one from the birth centre to my 3rd baby's home birth. A cheap alternative of you cant borrow one (they can be expensive) is a folding camping toilet.

https://www.1st-harrison.com/shop2/images/uploads/Field-Toilet-200-web.jpg

minus the bag obviously!!

Oh I dont know surely the bag would make a good baby catcher?! lol

Sorry I couldnt help myself.

I dont think we'll be getting a pool as much as we have an annex part to house (old garage come granny annex) that we could put it in it's another expense I don't think we can justify - I dreamt of my WB at the birthing centre but didn't get it (although he pool was amazing during labour).

I dont want to give birth on the bed, there isnt much room in our bedroom - I'd rather be in the front room using my birth ball and the sofa (I'm trying to discourage myself as much as possible form lying on my back), we'll use a couple cheap shower curtains and some old sheets/towels on top so it s bit more comfy.

 

[snagglepat]

I gave birth at home on my knees over the sofa. I had a shower curtain under me with a sheet just laid on top and the midwife put an inco pad on top of that. The inco pad caught pretty much everything. It was very un-messy. Once she was out they just put an inco pad on the sofa itself for me to sit on while I held her for the first time. Any kind of plastic sheeting will do, a few old sheets/towels to cover them with and a few old towels to dry you and the baby off after the birth and you're sorted.

I was at a birth a couple of days ago where the mother just gave birth on her hands and knees on the bed, on her regular sheet with just an inco pad that the midwife brought under her knees. The midwives usually provide a stash of them but if you wanted to get your own it's cheaper to buy puppy pads from your local pet shop. They're exactly the same but half the price.

Good luck with it!

Gina. x