Your little one is soon arriving and you are deciding where to deliver your precious bundle of joy. I've experienced it all. My first baby was a C-Section in a hospital, second baby we delivered at a free standing birth center and our third baby was an elective home birth. I'll share the 5 essential items you need for your home birth.
#1 If you are considering a water birth at home, get a Birth Pool! The birth pool I utilized was provided by my Midwife, and I purchased the liner. Both were absolutely essential for relaxation during labor and for easy clean up afterwards.
My husband did not join me in the pool, but was able to support perfectly from the side. Some prefer the saying, "jump in, the water's great" and other birth partners are more comfortable remaining clean and dry.
#2 When electing what to wear, I opted for a swimsuit top, but some prefer a sports bra or nude! Since it's your home and your birth, your comfort is key.
#3 Depends! One of my biggest concerns delivering at home was cleanliness. I wished I had known with my first delivery that once your water breaks, you typically continue leaking until your baby is born. Since I was a first time mom, I had a huge towel rolled up between my legs at home and on the way to the hospital. With my second delivery, I learned that the same postpartum diapers or depends could be worn during delivery. Perfect for those dribbles and drips while in labor - convenient and comfortable.
#4 Towels for you and your baby. Our home birth checklist recommended 8 towels! I know we used at least 5 of them. A few towels stayed warming in my dryer, so once we got out of the tub for the golden hour, it was warm and cozy, and they were traded out often. A standard beach towel or bath towel that are not your expensive everyday option are best!
#5 The last recommendation for your home birth is your selection of music or hypnobirthing scripts to create an atmosphere that suits you. During active labor I listened to a few relaxation techniques, and during the pushing stage I played my favorite music that I could sing along with.
If you want more techniques for an unmedicated labor, or you're a first time mom and would love a Birth 101 course so you feel more prepared, come checkout Made Mindful's website and our Social Media feed!
For an exclusive deal on our new Birth Course, enter takehalfoff for 50% off Birth Made Mindful and/or our Fourth Trimester Made Mindful!
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