Supplies Recommended For A Home Birth
Have your list of
emergency phone numbers near the phone. Your doctor, pediatrician,
ambulance, and hospital numbers should all be included. Also include
your address, phone number, and directions to your home.
Miscellaneous Supplies:
-
Extra people
(support for children, gofer, etc.)
-
Clean clothes for
all - who should also be bathed
-
Flashlight with
fresh batteries
-
Heating pad or hot
water bottle
-
Box of trash bags
(at least one bag should be white) for laundry, trash, placenta, pillows, etc.)
-
2 large bowls - 1
for placenta, 1 in case you throw up
-
Crushed ice in 3
or 4 sandwich bags for ice packs (for your bottom)
-
3 or 4 bottles of
Gatorade, Third Wind or Recharge
-
Extra juice -
especially important after the birth
-
Extra food - for
mother, friends, midwives
-
Roll of paper
towels
-
Box of maxi-size
sanitary napkins (preferably not with plastic weave on the inside)
-
Nightgown for
after the birth
-
Diapers
-
2 bottles hydrogen
peroxide
-
1-2 bottles Witch
Hazel (refrigerate for use after the birth)
-
Q-Tips
-
Plastic sheet for
the bed
-
Bottle of oil for
massage, preferably in squirt bottle
-
Thermometer
Optional:
Birth
Kit
(click to see options for ordering)
-
15-20 Large Chux -
disposable underpads
-
1 - 3oz. bulb
(ear) syringe
-
2 - Sanitary
briefs
-
12 -Depends or
Promise post partum pads (or combination)
-
1 - box 4x4
sterile gauze pads or topper sponges (min.20 pads)
-
12 - individually
wrapped sterile gloves (size medium)
-
2 - Flexible
straws
-
2 - cord clamps
-
1 - tube or 6
packets STERILE lubricating jelly (HR, K-Y, etc.)
-
1- empty squirt
bottle-for rinsing perineum after birth
Mothers who are
Rh negative should order 2 Eldon cards for cord blood typing. These can be
ordered with the birth kit under options. All prices on the birth
kit page include shipping and handling.
Bedding
-
1 set of clean
sheets for use after the birth
-
Clean
pillow cases for use after the birth
-
1 plastic mattress
cover or thick polyethylene (at least 1 ml thick)
-
Firm
mattress (place plywood underneath if too soft or have a 6-10 inch stack
of newspapers in a garbage bag)
-
Cover pillows with
plastic bag - then pin or tape case to pillow
The following
supplies should be washed, dried. Run these items through an extra dryer
cycle and immediately place them in plastic bags, using a twist tie to close
the bag. Label the bags. They will be opened as needed.
Or
(if your dryer does not heat well)
Place them in
separate grocery bags, sealed with tape or staples, labeled as to their
contents and placed in the center of the oven (don't let the bag touch the
top or sides of the oven.) Place a pan of water in the bottom of the
oven and bake for 2 hours at 200 - 250 degrees. Watch carefully to
avoid scorching. Do not open the bags. They will be opened as needed.
-
At least 2 sheets
(fitted and top sheet)
-
Pillow cases
-
At least 4 full
size adult bath towels (these are used to cover the baby immediately
after the birth)
-
At
least 4 washcloths
-
At
least 4 receiving blankets
The following items
need not be run through an extra dryer cycle baked, but washed, placed and
labeled in a bag.
When you feel pretty
certain that you are in labor, make up your bed with the clean sheets that
you have for after the birth. Place the plastic sheet over them. Place
the baked/dried sheet on top of the plastic (pinning the corners to prevent
slipping.) Cover the pillows with plastic bags and then put on the pillow
cases. Keep the top sheet folded down so you don’t accidentally birth on
it.
J
After the birth we
will strip your bed and clean up your room while you are showering.
These supplies
should be ready 21 days prior to your due date.
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