Home birth - messy?!

[nutcase109]

Hi everyone! Im really keen on the idea of a home water birth, as I would feel more in control, and safe and relaxed etc and my partner wouldnt have to go away after visiting hours etc! But I have one worry - is it really messy?! I dont want my partner traumatised having to clear out that gunk?! Also my frind who had her baby in hospital, said that when she woke up in the morning and sat upright, a load of blood gushed out all over the hospital bed, and I worry that will happen at home? Silly worries... but Im just pondering it all! x

 

[Natural mamma]

Hi i've had 4 home births...and the last and most recent was a home water birth.....no mess no fuss...fantastic.....The midwives tidy up after you.

i made one bit of a blood stain on out bed...( about the same as a period leak when pad goes awry at night) but it washed out.

really it is not messy....xxxx

 

[nutcase109]

Oh! I was picturing a pool full of blood and gunk and a bed that looked like a murder scene?! Do the midwives really help you clean it all up?! Do they take away the placenta and the afterbirth etc?

 

[Sherlock]

My MW provides a box with some goodies for homebirth in once you've registered for homebirth at 36 weeks. Things like the large oblong absorbent pads to go on the bed to catch anything unwanted and a plastic sheet.

If you hope to have a water birth then you need a small metal sieve type thing! For cleaning out the water as you sit in it I am told. I looked into hiring one and buying one and we are going with buying one. Hiring it means we would need it from 37 weeks as no idea when LO will arrive and it works out the same cost wise, if not more.

I'm planning a homebirth with pool and my MW assures me it won't be terrible. If I stay in to birth then it can be cleaned easily enough before being drained. If I decide to get out and birth elsewhere, they are experienced and can help and deal with whatever happens.

If you are worried about bleeding afterwards your MW can explain things. I have some big knickers, pads and a couple of those oblong sheets to go on the bed just in case. Plus I'll use an old sheet for a few days after giving birth and will put a plastic undersheet on as an extra precaution before hand. Other than that, I'm not overly worried.

Why not talk to your MW and find out what they do there with regards to supplying things and what you need to provide yourself and what to expect

 

[Kylie1007]

Oh! I was picturing a pool full of blood and gunk and a bed that looked like a murder scene?! Do the midwives really help you clean it all up?! Do they take away the placenta and the afterbirth etc?

I didn't have a water home birth but I did have a home birth and there was no mess at all!! I thought it would be really messy but it wasn't as we covered the carpet with towels and the mw's had plastic sheets in the car. I also had a maternity pad under me that I'd bought to protect the sheets in case my waters broke in bed (they didn't btw!). They took all the messy stuff away in a yellow biohazard bag after having a poke around in the placenta to see if everything was in tact!

 

[Natural mamma]

you can keep the placenta...i plant a tree on mine in the garden...or they take it away the choice is yours...The midwives are fab, they run you a bath after, get you alll cosy with baby, make sure your settled...and when they leave its like it never happened not a bit of mess...wonderful....

There was no bits in the pool as i gave birth on dry land at the last mo.

 

[GBLiz]

where do you get the pads for the bed from??

 

[Kylie1007]

Boots I think.

 

[Kylie1007]

http://www.boots.com/shop/product_detai ... id=1071700

Yep, here you go - they're called Maternity mats - I couldn't find them as I was looking for maternity pads

 

[trixipaws]

i had a home birth and it was nowhere near as messy as i'd expected. i had planned a water birth too but ended up getting out of the pool coz i wasnt progressing. because i hadnt planned on doing it on the bed i hadnt put any sheets or towels down or anything! the mw's used them hospital sanitary mat thingys which seemed to be sufficient- there was only a lil bit of blood on the bed! afterwards tho they made me go get a shower and when i stood up it was dripping!

 

[Gem & Leland]

only real gush of blood i had was when removng my cathetor !

 

[sunnyday]

The bed mats are also available at mothercare
http://www.mothercare.com/gp/product/B0 ... 1&mcb=core

 

[GBLiz]

thank you!!!