February 2013 Moms
homebirth/center birth moms
The last time I gave birth in the hospital and this time around I am giving birth in a center. Packing and getting ready is a completely different process. The hospital has just about everything and I feel like I am packing my home for the center. I had to buy my medical kit, diapers (we are CD'ing from the beginning this time), laboring clothes, cothes for the tub, clothes for H..etc. We have two big bags packed with all of the stuff. I feel like I am going on a week long vacation..lol.
How are you preparing? Do you have your stuff packed or prepared if home birthing?
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
This discussion has been closed.
Re: homebirth/center birth moms
I'm having a HB. I had my home visit last night and had to have my supplies prepared beforehand, so I am finally done and it feels great! My process isn't nearly as difficult as yours, since I'll be home, but there was a lot of prepwork I had to do.
I had to a buy a birth kit that contains all of the "disposable" items the midwives need (they bring their own equipment too). It had stuff like a peri bottle, chux pads, mesh panties, cord clamps, etc.
I had to gather certain linens (2 sets of sheets, 4 towels, 4 washcloths, and 4 cottom receiving blankets) and wash them on hot/dry on high and then seal them in paper bags for the birth. I also had to gather other items from around the house to have ready - flashlight, medium bowl, extra towels, bottle of hydrogen peroxide and alcohol, etc.
Since I'm having a waterbirth, I rented my MWs birth tub. But I had to buy a new hose and an adapter to fit the hose to our sink. We also had to get a new drop cloth to put under the tub and protect the floor.
I think that's about it. Luckily I can just grab whatever I want to wear out of a drawer when I go in labor and pull something out of the drawer for the baby after it is born.
I'm curious about your medical kit. What is in it?
I am doing birthing center, but I am a FTM so I don't realize how much the hospital would give us, but they gave me a checklist. I have three birthing gowns and one nursing gown and bathrobe and a going home outfit for me as far as clothes. For DH I have a change of clothes and a bathing suit. For LO I have a going home outfit, diapers, blankets, hats, and they require me to bring a t-shirt for her. I also was told to pack my birthing music, favorite pillow, some toiletries (but since we will presumably be leaving within 8 hours of the birth I won't need much) and massage items. Then the regular stuff like cameras etc...and definitely some snacks since there is no cafeteria.
We're going shopping for our birthing supplies this weekend. It is a pretty extensive list but not an expensive one. My home visit is a week from tomorrow. From that day forward, my midwives are able to deliver my baby at home. If I had my baby today, I'd have to go to a hospital according to the state of Tennessee.
The hardest part for me is muscling through the intense pelvic pain and fatigue to keep our apartment clean for the coming weeks. My DH is doing all he can to help me maintain cleanliness but he works two jobs, running his own business and helping to run someone else's business. He can't do much.
LOL. I am going to a birth center this time (hospital first time) and I have both DH's and my stuff packed in 1 medium suitcase and then the diaper bag packed for LO. I know what you mean though - it's like, the longest they'll keep me is 12 hours, but if I'm transferred to the hospital, I could be there a couple days! I figure if I need more stuff, DH can always run home and get it (we live about 20 minutes from both BC and hospital) so I really tried to only pack for a short 1/2 day stay. We CD, but even my NB dipes didn't fit LO at first and he was over 8 lbs. We are using sposies probably til the cord stump falls off so I can fit a lot of those in the bag. You are right though - didn't have to take those to the hospital because they provide dipes. On the other hand - if you are only there for 4-12 hours, how many CDs will you really need? Probably only 4 or 5, right? It's definitely different packing this time.
Here is the one that she had set up for purchasing:
Basic Birth Kit- $64.00
20Disposable underpads, 23x36
1 OB pads, nonstrl
1 Peri Bottle
1 Mesh Brief
1 Instant peri cold compress
1 Delee, 8fr argyle
1 Syringe, 1cc 27g x 1/2 in.
3 Flex straws
1 Adtemp II Digital Thermometer
2 Lubricating jelly, 5g
1 Hydrogen Peroxide, pint
1 Cord Ring
1 Gauze, sterile 2pk.
6 Gloves, latex exam pwdr free, sm.
2 Gloves, strl latex sm. singles
2 Gallon Size Freezer Bags
1 Welcome Birth Certificate
1 Neet Feet Footprinter
1 Homeopathic arnica
oh yeah, we have to do snacks and one hearty meal for right after birth.
We're delivering at a birth center and I was actually surprised how short the list is. It's mostly clothes for me and baby. I guess they are going to provide everything else. We're paying $1000 fee to birth at the center (vs. home birth) so maybe that's why?
We're all packed and ready to go!