Homebirth Checklist

 What to do after you’ve decided on homebirth

​How ever you landed on homebirth, here you are and now you’re wondering what’s next. Here’s a comprehensive list of to dos to help the process go smoothly.

Find a Midwife
while some people choose to go unassisted, most will want a medical provider in attendance.
There are several different types of midwives:

• CNM: This type of midwife is first trained as a nurse and then as a midwife. They usually only practice in hospitals but may attend home or free-standing birth center births in some states. In Ohio, this type of midwife generally only works in the hospital setting.

• CPM: This type of midwife is trained either by attending midwifery school or through apprenticeship or a combination of both. The cpm credential is awarded by a non-government run organization called NARM, however many states that regulate midwives require this credential. This type of midwife only attends homebirth and in some states will attend free standing birth center births. In Ohio, midwives are not currently regulated, but many midwives choose to earn these credentials anyways. Here is a list of this type of midwife in the Columbus area.

• CM or LM: This credential is usually in combination with one of the above credentials and is usually an extra license or certification required or offered by the state. Ohio is currently an unregulated state, so you will not see midwives with these credentials unless they practice in Ohio and another state that requires licensing or certification through the state.

• Community or traditional Midwife: This type of midwife may have attended university, and almost certainly has spent a lot of time apprenticing. Ohio has many community midwives that have attended many births and are constantly educating themselves on the latest research regarding normal physiological birth.​

Check out this list of Columbus, Ohio and their Central Ohio area midwives. https://www.birthyourwayservices.com/midwives.html

​​Find a doula
while a midwife will be there to tend to all things medical, your doula will be there to tend to your physical and emotional needs. A doula can provide security and comfort and will be able to focus on you and your needs throughout the whole processes.

The best way to find a great doula is to interview several until you find one you click with. There will be some basic questions that you’ll want to ask, but a big deciding factor should be how the doula makes you feel.

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National Doula Search

Central Ohio Doula

Pick a childbirth education course 
While the age of information has given us access to more than we could ever digest, it can be hard to sift through it all and decide what’s worth knowing, what’s not, and what’s simply not true. A solid childbirth education course will break things down so they are easy to understand and implement.

Here is a great resource for online childbirth classes. The best resources will offer a recorded class that you can do at your own pace, tons of resources to utilize, and access to the instructor for one on one instruction if desired. Birth Your Way offers all of these things along with our variety of class options.

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Suggested Courses

​Gather supplies
Your midwife will likely have a supplies list or even a package of supplies to order that she has put together. These will be items she needs to do her job effectively. In addition you’ll will want to have your own comfort items. Here’s a list of what I recommend.

• 10 towels
  • Make sure you don't mind getting blood or other bodily fluids on them.
• 4 receiving blankets
  • These will be used to dry and cover baby immediately after birth.
• 4 washcloths
  • These can be used as cool cloths for your head during labor.
• 2 fitted sheets for your bed
  • ​You can set up your bed in a shower curtain, chux, sheet, chux, sheet, chux pattern for quick soiled sheet removal if needed.
• 3 tarps, shower curtains, or mattress protectors
  • One for under the pool, one for your bed, and one for wherever you will be immediately after birth (maybe your couch or a favorite chair).
• A box of Chux pads
  • Not puppy pads. Chux pads are bigger and much more absorbent. You’ll use these for getting out of the pool, sitting on and to protect your bed.
• The biggest overnight pads you can find and/or adult diapers.
  • You’ll use these to catch lochia, otherwise known as the blood postpartum. They can also be used to make padsicles that can feel very nice on a swollen perineum.
• Extra toilet paper
  • With the extra bleeding, you’ll want plenty of tp to help clean up during bathroom visits.
• Juice or another electrolyte drink like laboraid
  • This is nice to sip on during and after labor, and can help keep your energy up when eating doesn't sound good.
• Protein that you like that’s fast and easy to prepare
  • Examples are peanut butter, eggs, or bone broth. This will be handy after birth to give your tired body some nourishment.

Your midwife and your doula are going to be your two best resources when it comes to supplies. If you’re wondering if something can be substituted (think 4 flat sheets instead of 2 fitted and 2 flat), they will be able to let you know what’s going to work best for your specific situation.

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Decide who else you do or don’t want at the birth 
Does your mom really want to be there? Maybe your sister is a nurse and you think she could be helpful. No matter what, sit and really think about how many people you want there and what kind of energy they will bring. As Michel Odent, MD, says, the baby comes out the same way it got in. That is to say, giving birth is incredibly intimate. Sometimes it’s even recommended to make out or even have sex (assuming your water hasn’t broken) while in labor to get the oxytocin flowing! Do you really want granny there? When you look at the photos below, which feels better to you? There's no wrong answer here. Only how you feel.

Rest! 
Once you’ve completed this list, relax! Your body is working hard to make a human! Eat good foods. Move around a bit. Dance. Sing. Do whatever fills your cup.

If you're having trouble sleeping, a nice epsom salt bath can infuse your body with muscle and nervous system relaxing magnesium.

For even deeper rest, enjoy a sleep meditation through the free app linked below. These meditations are beginner level, and gradually become more advanced the more you use the app.

Until next time, happy birthy vibes!

ios Free Sleep Meditation App