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Natural Birth
JDLarkin
member
What are/were your home birth must haves?
JDLarkin
member
Do you have a home birth must have list? I would like to see what other have put on their list of things that they want during their home birth experience.
Probably don't need the essentials, like disposable undies. More like CD's, essential oils, things for the baby, hubby/birthing partner, food/drink...what else?
Jenna 
This discussion has been closed.
Re: What are/were your home birth must haves?
Well, besides what was in my birth kit, I found the following things useful:
Lots of food and coffee for my MW team, friends and family
Music
Someone there to cook you an awesome meal immediately after the birth
Someone to watch your older children
Other than that, the list your MW provides usually covers all of the essentials.
Peppermint essential oil (dab under nose for nausea or soak washcloths in COLD water with the oil and place on neck or forehead as desired)
Birth ball covered with towel, place in shower and kneel on another towel while leaning over ball
Sippy style covered cup to drink while in shower
Thermacare heat wraps for low back or "rice bag" type pillow to heat in microwave and apply to low back
At least two support people - may have been necessary for me. (I kept them running) but also called the MW a little too late who arrived maybe 30 minutes prior to babies arrival
Belief that you CAN and WILL rise to the challenge, just trust your body.
HTH, trust yourself!
Gel ice packs.
I know a lot of ladies prefer heat, but I prefer cold compresses. Also, I got really swollen down there, and my midwife skipped hot compresses opting for cold packs instead...all we had was ice cubes, it was not very ideal.
Some great ideas from my midwife (aside from what's in the birth kit):
6 giant maxi pads, squirted with witch hazel and kept in the freezer - she says these are amazingly soothing after the birth
Drinking straws - makes hydrating easier
Prepping the bed, in case that's where you deliver: fitted sheet, then a shower curtain liner, then another fitted sheet
Extra shower curtain liner for under the birth pool, if you have one
Frozen cabbage leaves for breast engorgement
Plenty of electrolyte drinks, ice pops, and light (easy) snacks
Similar to what everyone else said: Aside from the things in my birth kit,
Flexible straws for drinking from a glass (so much easier to have someone hold the cup under my mouth, than for me to tilt my head back)
Coconut water
Food/drinks for MWs, H and me for during and after the birth so everyone could eat
Cold wash clothes for my neck/face
candles
CD of meditative music
elastic and headband
Extra towels for when I was getting in and out of the birthing tub
Sitz bath and herbs for perineum healing (my recovery was only 1.5 weeks and I attribute it to the herbs and the bath).
Washcloths damp and then frozen. These were great for on my forehead while I was in the tub because I kept getting all sweaty.
Frozen pads soaked in witchhazel for after delivery.
Coconut water.
Easy to digest snacks for labor, and other snacks and lots of caffeinated beverages for the birth team.
We made the bed with clean fitted and top sheets, then put on a waterproof sheet, then another fitted sheet, another waterproof sheet, and another fitted one. When all the mess of labor was over we had clean ones, but then post birth was still sorta a bloody mess, so for bed that night we had the full set under it all and it was nice and fresh.
Home Birthing-Breastfeeding-Cloth Diapering-Baby Wearing-CoSleeping-Delayed/Selective Vaccination Mama to Charlie (5yrs) and Madeline (21mos)