Plastic sheets for bed?

[Rosieroo]

Anyone put anything on their bed incase their waters go in the night?

I am having a home birth and will be getting something to protect the carpet upstairs (will be doing it in my room as have the most floor space in there), guess I should have something for the bed aswell.

 

[Layla]

I was thinking the same, just got a new bed so i dont want it getting ruined, they sell the papery type sheets now dont they? they dont russle like the plastic ones

 

[Kerry]

I have a double size rubber sheet given to me by my mother in law!! which I put under the sheet a few weeks before due date.

The best thing for home births (I have been at a few and am having one too) is plastic dust sheets from B&Q, they are really cheep and huge, you can throw them all over the place with old blankets and sheets on top so you don't end up stuck to the plastic!!

Are you having a birth pool? I can't make my mind up if I can be bothered with the hassel of emtying and filling it!!

 

[Rosieroo]

As I'm having her upstairs I wont be (bathroom is downstairs).

They said that its not a problem having the bathroom downstairs, as long as I've got plastic sheets for the floors, a torch, heating and plenty of towels I'll be fine. Looks like we'll be off to B&Q!

I'd like a water birth but it's just not practical in our home.

 

[Kerry]

Yeah - I plan to have mine downstairs in case the kids are asleep upatairs. I was thinking of getting or hiring a pool but my house is quite small anyway and I would have to move furniture out to get it in. I will probably be just as happy to labour in the bath and then get out to deliver.

The other thing is emtying it!! Filling it is easy but the idea of draining and cleaning a pool after labour isn't appealing to hubby! Probably easier without.

 

[Sarahe]

Hi ,

I hope you dont mind me popping in early to the third tri,

But I am really interested in a water birth and a home birth. can you have this with your first?

or would they prefer you to have your first in the hospital.

I have tried to find some literture on the net about water births and reviews but didnt have much luck.

Sarah
x

 

[Urchin]

You can have a home birth on your first as far as I know, it's your choice there are no "rules" that say you must have a first in hospital.

You midwife will advise you if you get any complications further in your pregnancy that might affect your decision. if you had Eg breech/high blood pressure etc they would advise you to have it in a hospital.

 

[Kerry]

No reason why you can't have it at home providing your midwife is happy and you are a 'low risk' pregnancy.

Some midwives just don't like first babies born at home as the labours tend to be longer and a lady having her first has no idea what to expect and a lot end up going into hospital just for pain relief!!

Ask you midwife but there should be no reason why you can't.

 

[Rosieroo]

My initial MW (who is off on long term sick now) didn't even give us the choice. It was only when we got talking to another midwife in Parentcraft that she said we could have one and to talk to our normal MW about it.

As long as you don't go into labour before 37 weeks, there's no meconium in your waters when they break and you've had an uncomplicated pregnancy then you are fine to have one at home even if it is your first.

A home waterbirth sounds fab, but like Kerry said, I don't fancy the draining and cleaning of a pool (which even if we managed to get one in downstairs after moving the sofa out the way we'd have to move it pretty much immediately after the birth) which seems like too much to worry about.

I'm going to push my bed against the wall which will give us plenty of floor space, get a bean bag, a gym ball, lots of cushions, towels etc and set myself up a nice space upstairs. Better tell the neighbours what's going on (we are in a terraced house!) )

We've been told that I may have to transfer to hospital if it's a long birth and I need extra pain relief (they can only give you gas and air at home, but that's all I want anyway) and the baby has to have vit K drops and can't have the injection (which we were having anyways).

I feel far more relaxed about the whole situation now