While having a home birth is definately less stressful in my book (hospitals make me crazy!), there are some things that you have to do and think about, that you wouldn’t otherwise have to do if you were having a hospital birth. While I may not have to worry about packing an overnight bag, I do have to be sure that I have everything on hand that my midwife may need for delivery of my child. More work than packing a robe and some slippers, but no big deal and I certainly have plenty of time to get it together. Anyway, I thought this list of things was fascinating, so I figured I’d share it with you all!
Birth Kit: I order this from an online company that my midwife has a birth kit customized to her needs. (I ordered this on Tuesday). Inside is:
24 underpads
2 plastic sheeting
1 bulb syringe
24 OB pads
3 contour pads
2 sanitary briefs
1 peri bottle
1 tray 4×4 Topper sponges
2 pair sterile gloves
1 cotton baby cap
1 surgical scrub brush in solution
2 plastic cord clamp
4 flex straws
1 blunt scissor
1 sterilization pouch
Then, on my own, I have to have the following items:
- 2 black plastic trash bags (30 gal.)
- 2 tall white plastic kitchen trash bags
- 2 brown paper grocery bags
- 5 large Ziploc baggies (gallon freezer size)
- 1 unopened bottle of each:
almond oil (4 oz.)
rubbing alcohol (16 oz.)
hydrogen peroxide (16 oz.)
Hexol disnifectant 16 oz. (if first baby-2 bottles) - small squeeze bottle of raw, unfiltered honey
- calcium/magnesium supplement
- 8 very old receiving blankets (cleaned and packaged in a plastic bag)
- baby clothes: t-shirt (no snap crotch), cap, diaper, & 2 receiving blankets (in plastic bag)
- 1 package disposable newborn diapers
- 1 set each of clean sheets and towels (in plastic bag)
- mother’s clothing for labor and postpartum
- 2 ready to use bottles of grape juice (reg. or white) labled “for postpartum use only”
- 1 roll paper towels
- 1 box nursing pads
- 1 oral and 1 rectal thermometer (not combination) I can’t believe they even make combo ones! Ick!
- BFI powder 1.25 oz.
- Q-Tips regular size (unopened)
- 1 large pan or bowl (not glass)
- 1 large pan with a tight fitting lid to boil water (2 qt. min.)
- 2 rolls of sterile TP (4 if it is first baby)
- 1 electric heating pad
- plenty of crushed ice
- food prepared for labor, birth and postpartum
- a clean bathroom.
I know it looks like a really long list, but really I already have a bunch of the stuff, and the other things should take one trip to Target and then the health food store for some of the other more random items (unfiltered honey???). Guess what I’ll be doing during my maternity leave right before baby comes?
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okay, some questions. 1. why “very old” receiving blankets? 2. why do you need two Hexol disnifectant bottles if it’s a first birth? 3. i hope the flex straw are for your grape juice! and finally, 4. what’s with the honey???
very interesting lists!! i’m quite excited to hear all about this home birth. i may be a chicken and don’t want to do it myself, but i think it’s a beautiful thing and think it’s wonderful that you are doing it.
I have had 2 homebirths following 2 inductions at hospital and I highly recommend. It was wonderful to be at home, surrounded by my loved ones and to be able to rest in my own bed, bath in my own bath and have my husband by my side and not have him sent home.
After my first evening homebirth we had champagne and a chinese to celebrate. I was worried as I’d had pain relief with my 1st 2 babies but I managed on gas and air without too much trouble. My recovery was super quick and they were memories I will treasure forever.
My hospital births were not such happy memories.
There is NOTHING sexier than those sanitary briefs you have to wear. :)
and going to the bathroom after birth is always such a treat! gotta love the peri bottle!
where do you get a clean bathroom–I need a couple :0)
I was hoping maybe some of you knew how I could get a clean bathroom? Dangit!
Kristen-I actually have no idea what the answers to your questions are. I’m guessing the honey has something to do with raising your blood sugar quickly in case you need it, but that’s a total guess. The “old” blankets…likely because they might get bloody so you want to just throw them away?…don’t even KNOW what Hexol is, and I too hope that the straws are for my juice!
I was also wondering about the honey and almond oil. My mom kept telling me to get almond oil to put on my nipples while starting breastfeeding. I thought it was some crazy throw back hippie thing, but… I used lanolin instead, maybe I should have got the almond oil.
I have a m/w appointment on Wednesday, so I’ll ask her what some of this stuff is for…in the meantime, if any of you have extra icky old receiving blankets you don’t want anymore, throw them my way…I tried thrift stores, but surprisingly, they didn’t have any! If not, I guess I can just buy new ones and throw those away…they’re not THAT expensive.
i’ve got tons, and you can have them.
Nasty Jeannette!
Jacquelyn…what is nasty? I’m confused?