As an expecting mother, you have a few options when it comes to your child’s delivery. If you prefer to remain at home for childbirth, consider the essential supplies you’ll need for a home birth.
Reasons You May Prefer a Home Birth
Expectant mothers may want to give birth at home for a variety of reasons. If you’re curious about the upsides to a home birth, here are some reasons why some mothers give birth at home or in a familiar setting outside of a hospital.
- You can deliver in a familiar, comfortable, meaningful setting.
- You (with the help of a doctor or midwife) can have more control over the procedure and your delivery experience.
- You may find it more inexpensive than a hospital birth.
- You can prioritize your religious or cultural specifications.
Essential Supplies for a Home Birth
As you await your little one’s arrival, you must assemble the essential supplies you’ll need for a home birth. Gathering quality birth supplies before your due date can help you feel more at ease and ready for labor.
- Sanitary pads or adult absorbency underwear
- Large towels and washcloths
- Receiving blankets
- A digital thermometer
- A pail or bowl
- A reusable water bottle
- An inflatable pool, pool liner, strainer, and floating thermometer (if you prefer water birth)
Prepare a hospital bag with clothing, snacks, diapers, a water bottle, and other basics in case your plans change during labor.
Considerations for a Home Birth
In some cases, a midwife may advise an expectant mother to give birth in a hospital because it’s in the best interests of her and her baby. This recommendation may come before or after labor has begun.
It’s also important to note that midwives are not legally allowed to perform Cesarean sections, should your delivery call for one. We’ve listed a few health complications that may prompt a hospital birth below.
- You want medicinal pain relief.
- Your baby is in a fetal position that complicates birth, such as facing forward or feet first.
- You experience excess vaginal bleeding.
- You can’t deliver the placenta, or you deliver it partially.
- You have hypertension.
Always heed your midwife or at-home doctor’s recommendation to relocate labor to a hospital. Though giving birth at a hospital may not have been part of your initial birthing plan, it can promote the health and safety of you and your baby, should you be experiencing any of these health issues.