If you’re asking yourself, “What do I need for a home water birth?” The answer is more than you might think. A tub and towels are just the beginning.
Many women choose to give birth at home so that they can be in a calming and familiar environment. Having a home water birth allows you to enjoy this intimate moment with many benefits, including greater pain relief. But you might be wondering, “What do I need for a home water birth?”
The Basics
If you’re planning a water birth at your home in Colorado Springs and nearby areas, Mountain Miracles Midwifery will provide most of the supplies. You may need to have a few old towels on hand to keep spills at bay, and you’ll need comfortable clothing or a robe to wear before and after you get into the water. Aside from that, you can expect supplies to include:
- A slip-proof mat
- Bucket or other receptacle for holding towels
- A fishnet to remove solid matter after birth
- Cleaning gloves
- A drop sheet
- A water thermometer
You’ll also want to have something cozy for the baby to wear after birth. Remember, babies can’t regulate their own body temperature, so skin-to-skin with a swaddling blanket over you are musts!
Can I Use My Own Tub?
Yes, but with caveats. Your tub doesn’t have to be any specific shape for water birth. Fortunately, Colorado Springs homes often have garden-style tubs that are both wide and deep enough to accommodate you, your partner, and, most importantly, your belly.
Whether you use your own tab or one provided by your midwife for your home water birth, the pool needs to be at least 24 inches deep. An inflatable might be the most comfortable because it has soft, pliable sides to lean against. Your tub should also be large enough so that your midwife can easily access you as your baby begins to birth.
Safety
Using your home bathtub means that you’ll need to prioritize cleanliness. Your tub should be scrubbed with an abrasive cleaner, rinsed thoroughly, washed with a 10% bleach solution, and rinsed again before the big day. Ideally, you’ll also have a tub liner.
In addition to cleanliness, your water birthing tub should also be accessible and easy to enter and exit. Think grab bars or a tub that’s freestanding in the middle of a room so that you can have someone on either side helping you in and out. Something that’s important to remember here is that you must always be prepared for emergencies, and a bathtub in a confined space makes it more difficult to get you out in the rare circumstance where problems arise.
Water temperature is something else to consider. Ideally, your water will hold anywhere between 95 and 99°. It’s a smart idea to have your hot water heater serviced in the weeks before your home birth. (Colorado Springs has many plumbers that can get you taken care of.) Your midwife should have clearance to get to the drain so that she can drain water as needed before adding warm water to keep the temperature constant. The last thing you want is for your baby to be born into water that’s too hot or too cold. Either situation can result in harm or a medical emergency.
Ultimately, the decision to have a water birth at home is up to you. But you must be prepared, even if that means something as simple as ensuring that your home bathtub is clean and accessible. If you still have questions, contact Mountain Miracles Midwifery today to schedule your consultation with a compassionate and caring midwife.
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.