Pregnancy - Getting Ready!

Posted by Carri:

So I'm approximately 4 weeks from my "exit date" and I'm starting to make sure I have everything ready. What is an "exit date" you ask? Well my 3 other kids all came exactly 11 days early, so I'm planning on 11 days before my due date for the baby to come. I sure hope this one doesn't decide to hang on longer, because I am very very very uncomfortable and am thanking my lucky stars for every day closer I get to the exit date!

Anyways, after having my 3 other kids at the hospital, this home birth requires a completely different way to get ready. There is no bag to pack, but there are a lot of other things you need to have ready. You need to have a home birth kit (which you can buy online, or from your midwife) that has chucks pads, and other necessities that the midwife needs to attend your birth. I also needed to have a mattress cover, hydrogen peroxide (in case blood goes where we don't want it to), sterilized towels, tea kettle, maxi pads (and I also use Depends because pads always seem to leak as well), baby blankets, first outfit, Recharge energy drink, red raspberry leaf tea, music, birth ball and of course my BINSI outfit!

In 2 weeks I will have my home visit where my midwife, midwife assistant and doula come to my house. They all get familiar with my house and we check to make sure everything is ready, as well as talk about my desires for the birth. I don't think I really have a birth plan this time around, because most of the things I've had on previous birth plans were about medical interventions associated with hospital protocol. All in all, I just want a calm, joyful and beautiful final birth experience.