The answer to the question “How do I prepare for a home birth?” begins with research and an open discussion and ends with a healthy mom and baby.
The decision to bring your child into this world at home or in a hospital is a highly personal one. When you choose a home birth in Colorado Springs, there are a few things you should know and steps you can take to get yourself physically and emotionally ready for the challenge. If you’re asking yourself, “How do I prepare for a home birth?” You’ll find a quick rundown of information here.
Begin With Research
Delivering a child is one of the most important events in a woman’s life. If you are a healthy mom with a low-risk pregnancy, you might be a great candidate for a home birth. Your Colorado Springs midwife can help you determine if this is a good option for you. Once you’ve made the decision, do your research. Read blogs, get to know the pregnancy, labor, and birthing process, watch videos, and talk with other moms who’ve experienced the joy of giving birth at home.
Talk To Your Partner
You might have always dreamt of a home birth, but that does not mean that your partner is ready to commit to a non-clinical setting. Have an open conversation about the process, and don’t be afraid to talk to your midwife to help assuage any fears or concerns that either of you might have before your baby’s birth day.
Assemble Your Team
A home birth is not a one-woman show. The safest and most supportive way to birth is with a qualified team around you, and that is where a certified nurse-midwife comes in. Your midwife will be with you throughout the entire process, and you must make sure you are comfortable with their knowledge, strategies, and willingness to do things your way. You may also need to have a backup hospital-based provider on call in case of an emergency with some home birth practices. Your birthing team will also be rounded out (at your discretion) with a doula, a photographer, and select friends and family.
Prepare Your Home
Your midwife will likely provide most of the supplies you need for a successful home birth. However, you might want to make sure that you have plenty of extra towels and blankets on hand. You also need to prepare your home. Make sure that you have a clean and comfortable area for the birth to take place. Ideally, you and your partner might also want to find a pet sitter (at your discretion) and prepare a few days’ worth of meals ahead of the big day. Another part of pairing your home means having all of your newborn’s necessities on hand when they arrive. Make sure that clothes, diapers and wipes, swaddling blankets, a car seat, and bottles/formula or nursing supplies are all present and accounted for at least a month before your due date.
Prepare Your Body
To be fair, your body will do most of the work naturally. But you can make the process much more comfortable by keeping yourself well-nourished and hydrated in the days and weeks leading up to your home birth. Stock up on Recharge, Gatorade, crackers, fruit, and other filling snacks you desire to have.
The miracle of childbirth deserves to be experienced in whatever way makes sense for mom and baby. When you choose a home or water birth, Mountain Miracles Midwifery is there every step of the way. Our caring and compassionate midwives walk with you from pregnancy to postpartum and every step in between.
Mountain Miracles Midwifery offers home and water birth services for parents wishing to bring their little one into the world with a gentle transition in a safe and relaxed environment. Our certified nurse-midwives are the best in the industry and have a decade of combined experience in prenatal, newborn, and postpartum care. We know that choosing a certified nurse-midwife for your labor and childbirth experience is a highly personal decision, and we cherish being a part of this process. Mountain Miracles Midwifery is the only service of its kind in the Colorado Springs area that accepts insurance.