Well, this is starting to get really real, folks! Yesterday after my 29 week midwife appointment, I walked out with all of my bi-weekly appointments scheduled through the home visit at 37 weeks on December 17th. Eek! I also had a list in my hands of everything I should start getting together to have on hand for the birth. The medical items I need to provide I will get with my customized birth kit that I can order online for $63.
My midwife also gave me an additional list of items to get – most of which I already have at my house. Here’s that list for those of you who are curious about what all is good to have on hand in order to birth a baby at home!
*Note – Of course my midwife is providing much of the necessary medical equipment himself, including items like supplemental oxygen setups for both Mom & baby. This would in no way be a comprehensive list for an unassisted home birth.*
Baby Bag:
4-6 receiving blankets & baby clothes (nightie or t-shirt, diaper, socks or boots, 3 hats)
Birth Bag:
1 sheet, 3 towels, 4-6 washcloths
I’ll wash & sterilize these by putting each set of items in its own paper bag, labeling & sealing shut, and storing until needed. Then before the birth we are supposed to put the oven at 200 degrees with a small pan of water in the bottom to provide moist heat. We put the bags in the oven for 2 hours and don’t open the bags until the contents are ready to be used.
Other items to have on hand:
- A couple of extra towels
- 1 large rubber or plastic sheet to cover our mattress
- Alcohol & Q-tips
- Crock pot or large pot to boil ginger & comfrey
- 2 large ginger roots (fresh)
- 2 oz dried Comfrey Leaf (fresh, if available)
- A shallow pan/bowl for placenta
- 2 gallon-size Zip Lock bags to contain the placenta
- 2 plastic garbage bags (large)
- Infant size diapers
- A mirror
- Camera
- Fish Net with long handle (for water births)
Food Suggestions to Have on Hand
- miso, chicken, or vegetable broth (good during labor)
- honey
- lemons for fresh lemonade
- fruit juice (the less acidic the better & frozen in ice trays if desired)
- high protein foods for after the birth (broths, eggs, tofu, miso, protein powder for smoothies with juice/milk/yogurt, cheeses, chicken, and fish)
- Vitamin B complex & Vitamin C capsules
- A birthday cake!
I’m also planning on renting a birthing tub from my midwife (for $200), and they said I can grab it from them at my 35 week appointment or they can bring it to my house at my 37 week appointment. It’s a hard sided tub (5′ diameter I think?) that then has cushy inner liners of course. I guess we just hook it up to the hot water hookup for the washing machine and fill away. He said it will probably take 3-4 cycles of our hot water heater to fill the entire thing. Once it’s filled to the appropriate level, we just plug it in and the heater in the wall of the tub will keep it at temp for days if necessary (with the lid on). I think we’re just setting it up in the middle of the living room, so that’s kind of crazy! Either that or the guest room… I don’t know. Lots to think about. 🙂
I also got a bonus at work yesterday morning that happened to be for the exact amount that I still owed to my midwife in order to get the pre-payment discount. It was the perfect timing to get that paid off and have one more weight off my shoulders. I love it when life works out like that!
Ohhh getting so excited for you!!
That is great that you got that bonus at work. That must have been a nice little surprise.
You are looking fantastic as usual! 🙂
Yeah, I was super excited about the bonus! We normally get them mid-summer at our annual reviews and at Christmas, but we didn’t think we’d get them this year at all with one of the main docs leaving and revenue taking a huge hit. Thankfully the owner decided things weren’t as bad as originally projected, and he decided to give the bonuses now! Yay!
Cool info! Thanks for sharing. Can I ask about the fish net? I like how you will be sterilizing the linens. Wonderful info. I am so excited that you are sharing all of this info.
Just to “fish out any gunk” from the tub if necessary according to Bill. My guess is by gunk he meant my poop. 😉 Hopefully it will be totally NOT needed! LOL
Oh my gosh,I was wondering about the fish net too! Would not have guessed for poop fishing…but it makes sense now that you say it!
Lol, I was secretly really hoping it wasn’t for the baby!!!!! Clearly I know NOTHING about water births!
Wow- great news on your bonus! We just paid off my hospital bill from having Charlotte and it felt SO good! That’s great you can order a kit online and rent a tub- everything sounds like it’s coming together!
Isn’t that part exciting?! I was so excited when my birth kit showed up! I didn’t get to use mine of course but a few things in it came in handy after the hospital birth anyway =) So excited for you!
Yay! Sounds like everything is coming together 🙂 I love that birthday cake is on your list. A cupcake with a 0 candle is one mine!
Having done a home birth I can attest to having extra towels handy. My water broke before I even started contractions and just having plenty of towels handy for that was important, LOL I opted to labor in bed so had the vinyl/plastic waterproof sheet on the matress, with another older sheet on top that I didn’t care if it got bloody and ruined, then when I was sitting in bed I usually had a towel under my butt to catch any blood and fluids that came out. I had really bad back labor though so I didn’t get a chance to move much, I literally was stuck in bed for most of it because it was too painful to move. We just put the placenta in a trash bag and then later in the evening my hubby buried it in the yard (we live way out in the country so no issues with that). I’m not sure if your midwife is one that will do the laundry for you and stuff before he leaves, but if he isn’t, it’s a good idea to have a plan to have your hubby throw all the bloody linens/towels in the washer and explain to him how to wash it so the blood doesn’t stain. I’ve heard many people talk about how they ruined so many towels and sheets because they either forgot to wash them right away or washed them incorrectly so they were stained. If your labor goes quickly like it did last time (I too had a really short labor, from when my water broke to delivery was less than 8 hours and my contractions started several hours after my water broke), everything will be a blur. Hope it goes well for you. I loved my homebirth, it was so peaceful and relaxing and I’m planning to do another one with my next baby that is due about 10 weeks after you.
Great tip about the laundry! Thanks!
Wow! Getting so close! How exciting that you’re getting everything ready. I can’t wait to hear how it all works out!
Wow, how cool! Home births aren’t for me (I want drugs), but I have TOTAL respect for those who do them. I am jealous about the serenity, calmness, and familiarity that they offer over the hospital! I can’t wait to see the set up.
And how crazy that your bonus was for the exact amount!!!!! Good things do happen to good people~!
You look fantastic, and may I add, not like you are 29 weeks along! thanks for sharing the info on the home birth shopping list, I can’t wait to hear how your experience goes. I’m sure it will be fantastic.
Awh, thanks Steph! Some ppl say I look small, some ppl ask if I’m term! Who knows? 🙂 I’m pretty tall, so I think that helps me out.
I’m so excited for the home birth. 🙂
You are sporting a beautiful glow! Things seem to be moving right along for you and I love how your home birth is all coming together. Thanks for sharing your experience with us 🙂
You look great! Sounds like things are coming together. It will be awesome to hear little man’s birth story. He will be here before you know it. It’s amazing how 2nd pregnancies go by so fast!
Holy crap, this is flying! I feel like you just announced you were pregnant! Craziness. I hope your water birth is everything you want it to be! I’ll live vicariously through you on that one. 🙂
Your midwife sounds awesome – like he’s making this all very easy to prepare for. That’s great!!!
Congrats on the bonus! Unexpected free money is always wonderful!!!
Ya, Charlie’s immediate reaction was wanting to blow money on his golf trip this weekend. Um, NO honey. Bills to pay – important bills! You can have fun and golf & drink with your buddy for 4 days without blowing a shit ton of money we don’t have, thankyouverymuch.
Getting so close! How’s Charlie feeling about all the home birth stuff now that you’re really getting into the nitty gritty?
Whiny. Not good. *sigh* That’s a whole ‘nuther post…
Yeah, I kinda thought that’d be the case. At least it would be in our house! Hugs and eye-rolls from the Pacific Northwest 🙂
Ha, thanks! I think he thought I’d change my mind or something, and now it’s seeming more real to him…
you are looking fabulous!
Love hearing about the home birth items. My friend’s sister had 2 home birth’s, the second was much easier she said as her body kind of already “knew what to do.”
I had a c section with my first (his head and neck got stuck after my water broke after I was induced at 42 wks) but I went on to have 2 VBAC’s in the hospital and hope to have another this time around. Last time I had a 3.5 hr labor and delivery, and got to use the tub for awhile, no meds, dim lighting etc. And I had a doula for both VBAC births which helped alot.
I love reading your updates since I am so close behind you! 🙂
I, like your hubby, was freaked out by the thought of home births and the birth mother to my two children does home births so I didn’t have much of a choice. After attending my daughter’s birth at her birth mother’s home I was in awe of how peaceful and unscary it actually was. I personally wouldn’t have done one for myself because I am a giant chicken and would have wanted an epidural placed at viability to term 😉 but attending one and a half (arrived just after my son came out) home births had me convinced of how nice they can be.
I love that you’re having a Homebirth and I’m curious about your Midwife. I haven’t been following since the beginning. Is your midwife really a guy? If so, that’s so cool! I think my husband would make a great midwife. 🙂 Anyway…do you ever read: http://girlevolving.com/ She’s about to have a homebirth too. Best of luck and you look great!!
LOL, yes, he’s a man. 🙂 http://mycheapversionoftherapy.com/2013/07/11/the-midwife/
I haven’t read that blog – off to check it out now!
This is all super exciting! I love the list of foods. Some of them make total sense (the protein and stuff) and others stump me but sound delicious (fresh lemonade?). Also, your outfit is adorable. I love how you’re doing these front/side shots. Very cute.
I have no idea why they suggest lemonade! I’ll definitely ask and let you know. 🙂 I just read your post lady – I am SOOOOOOOOOOO happy for you!!!!
I am seriously SOOOOO behind. I’m trying to catch up on life today. Love you much!!! And can’t believe he’s already here! Let’s catch up soon!!!!!
Clearly that was supposed to say… Can’t believe he’s almost here already! OMG.
Hey, spicy hot Cheetos isn’t on that list of foods! 😉
You KNOW I will have Cheetos in the house. 🙂