We had another appointment with our midwife yesterday where we received a home birth supply list. It's recommended to have these supplies collected & prepared prior to 36 weeks of pregnancy. Although it seems a bit overwhelming at first, for the birth to go smoothly I will likely need most of the items. Also, there is nothing worse than having my husband run to the store for missing supplies in the middle of labor or post-partum when I need him the most.
1) Birth kit
You can probably buy one from your midwife or one of the home birth supply stores on the web (see Your Water Birth or Cascade Healthcare). We bought ours along with the birth tub via the Micronews ad (Microsoft's version of the Craig's List).
Our birth kit contains the following items:
10 - 23x24 underpads (chucks pads)
10 - 23x36 underpads (chucks pads)
2 - 40x72 plastic backed sheets
24 adhesive maternity pads
1 perineal bottle
12 sterile 4x4 gauze packages
15 alcohol prep pads
4 flexible drinking straws
1 paper tape measure
Sterile lubricating jelly
1 cotton baby hat
1 bulb syringe
12 sterile glove singles
1 iodine scrub brush or iodine solution
2 plastic cord clamps
2 stretch briefs
8 oz. herbal sitz bath (made of uva ursi, comfrey leaf, lavender flowers, yarrow flowers & shepherd's purse)
Hand held mirror
25" water hose
Faucet adaptor & "Y"
Water thermometer with a cute plastic rubber duck on top
Debris removal net
Intex Quick-Fill high output electric air pump
Wayne submersible multi-purpose pump
Instructions
The ink-free foot printer & birth certificate were missing, but it's no big deal considering we didn't pay full price for the kit.
2) Birth supplies
Keep them in an easily-accessible clean box or a Rubbermaid bin once gathered & then lay out prior to birth.
- Plastic mattress cover (It may be waterproof mattress cover, old shower curtain, or other large sheet of plastic. You may need to secure the edges of the plastic with duct tape so it doesn't slide around)3) Supplements/remedies
- Plastic sheet for under the birth tub (to keep any water dripping from Mom's body from getting onto the floor/carpet)
- 2 sets of old sheets (ones you don't mind getting bloody)
- 1 flannel sheet (to be put into the dryer in late labor with several towels for warming up Mom after birth)
- 6-8 large and several hand towels (ones you don't mind getting bloody)
- 4 or more cotton receiving blankets
- 1 large heating pad & a pillow case to keep it clean (to heat baby blankets & keep the newborn warm)
- 2 large plastic garbage bags for laundry & garbage
- 2 large cookie sheets with raised edges (to hold instruments)
- Hydrogen peroxide (to take blood stains out of sheets/towels)
- Bleach for clean up (I chose to have Clorox disinfecting wipes instead)
- Portable electric heater (to heat the room quickly when birth is approaching)
- Birth tub supplies
- One large hand mirror (to view birth)
- One good quality flashlight ready with batteries
- A good light source (a portable lamp)
- Baby wipes (unscented)
- Paper towels
- 2 gallon-size ziplock bags
- Oral digital thermometer
- 2-3 medium-sized metal bowls
- Crockpot (for warm compresses if planning a land birth)
- Lots of ice in the freezer
- Homeopathic Arnica Montana (for pain relief)4) Food & drink
- Bach Flower Rescue Remedy (to relieve stress/anxiety during labor)
- Molasses
- Strainer for loose tea
- Unopened small bottle of olive oil (I bought grape seed oil instead)
- Liquid Floradix Iron & Herbs (for blood-building postpartum)
- Lansinoh lanolin cream (for soothing, protecting & healing sore nipples)
These must be high-quality, nutritious foods to be eaten by Mom & the labor support team during & after labor.
- Foods for Mom: easily digestible foods such as fruit, yogurt, whole grain toast with nut butter/honey, nutritious proteins (eggs, turkey sausage, string cheese), & juice popsicles during labor5) Postpartum supplies
- Hydration for Mom: water, diluted juice (half water, half juice), healthy energy drinks, popsickles, coconut water & Laboraide
Laboraide Recipe:- Foods/snacks for the labor support team. I am thinking roasted unsalted nuts, sliced fruit/vegetables, string cheese, chips with hummus, dark chocolate, lentil soup (cooked in the crockpot) with rustic bread (?).
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp salt
2 crushed calcium tablets (or 1/4 tsp calcium powder)
4 cups of water
(This mixture can be made ahead of time & frozen)
- Maxi pads (for heavy flow)6) Rest area for the labor support team (midwife & doula)
- Food for the 1st 3 days prepared & ready to cook
- Ice pack (can be made from crushed ice in a plastic glove, use a small bag of frozen peas or a gel pack)
- Witch hazel pads (to be used for any stitches or hemorrhoids after the birth)
In case they need to rest/sleep during labor or before driving home
7) Optional items
- Abdominal binder (to support abdomen after delivery)
- Ingredients for Comfrey Burn Paste (to heal perineum): 8 oz wheat germ oil, 8 oz liquid (not crystallized) honey, 4 oz comfrey leaf powder
I would also add the following items:
- A pair of warm wool socks
- Birthing ball
- Video camera with a charger & extra film
- Digital camera, fully charged
- CD player (to listen to hypnobirthing) & extra batteries
- Essential oils (to be mixed with grapeseed/almond/olive oil for massage during labor). I included Simpler's Clary Sage (relieves tension & increases contractions), Geranium Rose (believed to decrease inflammation & reduce anxiety & stress) & Rose Absolute (antidepressant, softens ligaments).
I am going to be busy!
Additional Resources:
1) Preparing for a Home Birth by Mama Birth
2) For Your Birth Bag by Birth Faith
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