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How to Prepare for a Home Birth: Your Essential Checklist
Planning a home birth? Discover a complete checklist of essentials, from medical supplies to comfort items, to help you feel calm, supported and ready for your baby’s arrival.
Opting for a home birth is a great choice for many expectant parents with low-risk pregnancies across the UK and Ireland.
There are so many benefits to choosing a home birth. You are significantly less likely to have an emergency caesarean or instrumental birth.
Being in the comfort and security of your own surroundings lends itself really well to helping your labour hormones flow, which in turn can result in a shorter labour and reduce the likelihood of you requiring strong pain medication.
To ensure both safety and peace of mind on the day, being well prepared is crucial. Your homebirth Midwife is responsible for bringing all the equipment and medications needed. This will include gas and air (Entonox), emergency equipment and medications. Your own preparation will involve making your home ready and safe for the birth.
Medical and Safety Essentials
Your first port of call will be to ensure your maternity records and documentation are readily available for the attending homebirth Midwife.
Next up, you will need to think about protecting your floors and furniture. An old shower curtain or plastic sheets are ideal for protecting them from any spills or mess. Lay old towels and sheets on top of the plastic for comfort and absorption. Absorbent sanitary pads or disposable sheets will also come in really useful.
It will be important that your attending homebirth Midwife has her own personal soap, towel and sink to attend to her hand hygiene
A stock of bin bags will be required for soiled clothing, linen and waste.
Lighting tends to be dimmed during homebirths to promote relaxation, make sure to have a torch with spare batteries to help your midwife see when she is performing observations.
And finally, it’s important to have a hospital bag with essential items for both you and your baby packed, just in case you need to be transferred to the hospital.
Creating a Calm and Comfortable Birth Environment
Labour progresses best when the environment is safe, supportive and secure.
For water births it's important to ensure that your pool is set up properly and in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. This includes using a new liner and having a hose, pump, thermometer and sieve available.
You can help set the mood with dim lighting, airy lights or battery operated candles are a popular choice for achieving this. Make a personalised music playlist, podcast selection or meditation guidance.
Achieving relaxation is done best when you feel comfortable, gather up all your favourite comfort items such as an old t-shirt, lip balm, hair tie, drinks, birthing ball, beanbag or extra cushions.
If you are considering using a TENS machine, practice applying it before the big day and familiarise yourself with the instructions and settings.
And lastly, ensure your home has adequate heating to make sure both you and your baby can be kept warm.
Personal Care for Mum
It will be important that you feel comfortable throughout your labour. Your feet can become cold, having slippers and socks will keep them nice and toasty. Loose fitting clothes such as an old t-shirt or baggy night dress are practical but comfortable choices also.
Stock up on plenty of water, isotonic drinks or energy foods to make sure you stay nourished and hydrated.
For after the birth, have plenty large disposable knickers and maternity pads at the ready. Other comfort items can include lip balm, a hair tie, and your basic toiletries.
Newborn Essentials
After your baby is born, their warmth and comfort are crucial. You will be encouraged to have skin to skin with your baby, this is great for regulating their temperature.
You will need a few sets of newborn clothing such as vests, babygrows and hats, and also a few cellular blankets.
For nappy changes you will need newborn nappies, cotton wool and a little plastic bowl for water.
It's important the baby car seat is ready and properly fitted, in the event you need to be transferred to the hospital.
Aftercare Items
Your recovery and comfort are going to be your focus in the hours and days following the birth of your baby.
Ice packs, a soothing spray or peri bottle are great for relieving any discomfort around your perineum. You will need nursing bras, breast pads, and nipple cream if you are planning on breastfeeding.
Have a clean set of bed linen at the ready to freshen up your bed after the birth.
Having your partner prepare some tea and biscuits for your attending home birth Midwives will be very much appreciated!
Conclusion
While this blog covers the practical necessities, the best preparation involves working closely with your home birth team. Each pregnancy, labour and birth journey is unique, and communicating openly with your home birth team will ensure that the support you receive during your labour and birth experience will be tailored to your specific needs.
FAQs around home birthing
You need three main things:
Midwife Contact: It's crucial your homebirth team is aware of your plan to give birth at home. They should have your complete address with house number and postcode along with a working contact telephone number. They should also be familiar with where the point of entry to your home is located and how to access it.
Protection: You will need to provide plastic sheeting to protect your floors and furniture. An old shower curtain or plastic sheets are ideal for protecting them from any spills or mess. You will need old towels and sheets to lay on top of the plastic for comfort and absorption.
Comfort and Energy: You will need a good supply of energy snacks, drinks, loose clothing, and items which will promote relaxation, such as music, dim lighting, beanbag, a birthing ball, or a TENS machine. Your midwife will provide all the necessary medical equipment and medication.
There a few extra items required if you plan to have a water birth at home:
A birthing pool with a new liner, a hose and pump for filling and emptying the pool, a floating thermometer for checking and maintaining the correct water temperature, a sieve to remove any debris from the pool, extra towels and plastic sheeting to protect the floor around the pool.
No, you do not need to buy special supplies for a home birth. Your midwife will provide all the necessary equipment and medication required. The supplies you will need to have are mostly everyday household items, such as large absorbent pads, plastic sheeting, and plenty of clean towels.
