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preparation
Just wondering really, did you pack a hospital bag separately just in case? Or did you put everyting you might need for a hospital or home birth all together? I'm planning for a home birth, but can't decide if I should prepare everything for the home birth and keep it all in one place for when the time comes, and then have a separate emergency bag, or whether to just have one sort of labour bag and use it for either.
And any tips for preparing to have a dry land home birth? Though I'm sure this will have been asked lopads before x
And any tips for preparing to have a dry land home birth? Though I'm sure this will have been asked lopads before x
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I didn't have a pool for my water birth, and it was absolutely fine. You need to think about where you might want to labour, although you might change your mind on the day! I always planned to be in the bedroom, as we have fantastic views out of the windows over open countryside, and I thought that would be lovely and relaxing. As it happened, I laboured through the night, so it was dark anyway. I did find that I wanted to be in the bedroom, though. I went up there because I wasn't feeling too well (before I knew I was in labour), and didn't move until DS was born the following morning.
We had lots of plastic sheeting to cover the floor, and a waterproof mattress cover for the bed. We had old duets for the floor and bed, as well as clean bedding laid out for afterwards (the midwives changed the bedding for us).
We were also asked to set up a resus area, which we did actually need, as DS didn't breath on his own to start with. Other than that, lots of old towels, and the other things you would take into hospital with you.
We'd also got some croissants in the freezer as a snack, and just after our baby was born, DH whipped them into the oven, and we all (including 2 midwives) sat in the bedroom feasting on croissants and jam, with a 1/2 hour old baby on my chest!
Your midwife will bring most things with them that they need.
xx