This home birth checklist will help you plan your birth at home. The checklist includes everything you need and how to prepare for a water birth.
Are You Planning A Home Birth?
Preparing for a home birth can seem daunting. Many women are unsure of what items are needed. Once you have chosen a midwife they will be able to let you know the basic supplies that they need, this can vary from midwife to midwife.
As well as home birth supplies there are other things you need to think about and decisions to be made.
- If you have other children will they be present at the birth? If not, what childcare arrangements do you need to make.
- Where you are going to give birth. Will you require any special items in there to help make it a calm and peaceful space for you. Is there plenty of space for the midwife to work?
- You need to think about cleaning your home before the birth. Will you hire someone to do a deep clean?
- Do you want to hire a doula?
- Will you be having a birth photographer?
- What tasks you require from your birth partner once labor starts. It’s probably best to write a list.
You will probably want to start preparing your home birth kit as early as possible. As well as the basic medical items required there will be some household supplies as well as personal items for you.
There are also going to be some non essential items you will want to have for your comfort, and peace of mind.
A lot of these items can be borrowed from friends or family, or bought relatively cheaply and if you start preparing early enough it won’t seem so daunting. This home birth checklist is going to help you to prepare.
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Your Home Birth Checklist
Birth Kit
I would recommend ordering your birth kit about 8 weeks before your due date to ensure it arrives in plenty of time. You will also need to check that all the items are included in the kit and that there is nothing missing.
Alternatively you could make up the kit yourself but again make sure you give yourself enough time to get all of the items.
Basic supplies included in the kit are:
- Sterile gloves
- 99% alcohol
- Absorbent underpads
- Lubricant Jelly
- A cord clamp
- Gauze
- Scissors
- Digital thermometer
Other items you will need.
- A plastic covering for your mattress
- 1 large and 1 small mixing bowl
- Cotton balls
- Container for laundry
- 2 large trash bags
- Paper towels
- A box of tissues
- Plenty of toilet paper
- A flashlight
- A hand mirror
- Unscented wipes
- Diapers for baby
- Snacks and drinks for the midwife
Cloth Items
- 6-8 receiving blankets
- 2 sets of bedding
- 2 sets of clothing for mom
- 2 sets of clothing for baby
- 6-8 towels
- Several wash cloths
All of your cloth items should be washed, dried and then sealed in paper bags to ensure they are as sterile as possible.
Label each bag “towels”, “sheets” etc. So that everything can be found easily.
Items For A Water Birth
I would recommend that wherever you plan to give birth that you make up your bed with mattress cover, underpads, clean sheets etc.
Although it may not be needed you never know what is going to happen and things don’t always go to plan. It will save a lot of time if your bed is all ready for you.
That said, there are obviously some extra items needed if you plan on having a water birth.
- Birthing pool
- A large plastic drop cloth
- A roll of masking tape
- A length of heat resistant hose
- A water thermometer
- A gallon of bleach
- A waterbirth fish net
- Enemas
Items For Mom
I recommend getting all of personal items together a few weeks before your due date. Keep them all together in a labelled box or bag so your birthing partner can get to everything easily when labor starts.
- Snacks that are high in protein
- Heating pads or hot water bottle
- Extra underwear
- Hair ties
- Vomit bowl or sick bags
- Chapstick
- Any favourite music
- Camera
- Notebook or journal
- Water bottle
- A bag of ice
- Perineal cold pack
- Electrolyte replacement drinks
- A packed hospital bag, just in case.
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