GUEST BLOG: BY SARAH AT FEARLESS CALM HYPNOBIRTHING
You’ve looked into your options, and you’re thinking of having a home birth. But everyone you know has had their babies in hospital, so you have no idea where to start with your preparations!
Don’t worry, here are my top 4 things to consider when preparing for a home birth.
What do I want my birth environment to be like?
If you’re thinking of having a home birth, it’s likely that you’ve already got an idea in your head of where in your house you want your main birthing space to be set up (although of course, one of the advantages of birthing at home is that you can move between rooms if you wish). However, the birth environment is about much more than just which room you are in.
For example, when birthing, it is important to have low lighting as much as possible to help keep the oxytocin (birth hormone) flowing. You might want to prepare fairy lights or electronic tea lights as well as any lamps you might be using to help to set the mood.
If you are going to want to listen to music or hypnobirthing relaxation tracks, think about how these will be played and make sure your birth partner is aware so they can take charge of this on the day! The smell of the space can also be very important for some people, so you might want to prepare a room spray or essential oils that could help you to relax further.
Do I still need to pack a home birth bag?
This is similar to what would traditionally be called a ‘hospital bag’, although I like to think of it more as a ‘birth kit’. What do you need to help you to have a positive birth? Thinking about your environment, or otherwise? Snacks are always a good idea!
It’s a good idea to get everything together in a bag or box, so that when the time comes for you to birth your baby, your birth partner or midwives can access everything you need quickly and easily. Think home comforts such as your favourite cosy socks and convenience items such as bendy straws and headband headphones!
What equipment might I need?
Thankfully, if you are in the UK, your home birth midwives will provide much of the necessary equipment (and you can always ask them if you are not sure). However, some optional extras you may need to organise yourself, for example a TENS machine. You can usually find these on the high street in Boots or many other pharmacies. They are also sometimes listed on sites such as Facebook Marketplace. Amazon have a good range too - make sure you buy a maternity version with 4 pads instead of 2 - typically used for back pain - such as this one by Baby Care.
Birth pools are another popular choice for managing surges at home. You may be able to access one for free through your local NHS trust, or alternatively there may be a low-cost rental scheme in your area. For example, where I live we are lucky to have access to the Leeds/Wakefield Community Birth Pool Hire Scheme, which is an affordable alternative to purchasing a pool yourself.
What will be my ‘back-up plan’ and how will this make me feel?
If, for whatever reason, plans change and home birth is no longer an option, it is worth having already thought about your options as a back-up plan. Feeling well prepared for any scenario will help you to feel empowered and calm about your upcoming birth. It might help to discuss this with your midwife, as they may know more about local options and suggest something that you haven’t thought of (for example, a local birth centre).
Furthermore, hypnobirthing classes really can help you to prepare for any eventuality, remaining calm and relaxed when things perhaps seem to be going off plan. Don’t forget to invest in your birth preparation as an essential!
Written by Sarah at Fearless Calm Hypnobirthing
Hi, I'm Sarah Horton, certified hypnobirthing teacher and birth enthusiast!
I have been teaching since 2014 when I qualified as a primary school teacher, but after the birth of my daughter in 2019 I was inspired to train as a hypnobirthing teacher. I felt so lucky to have found hypnobirthing for my daughter's birth and I wanted to share it with as many people as possible!
I went from feeling worried and anxious about birth to feeling prepared and even excited to birth my baby. This might sound strange to you if you've not heard much about hypnobirthing before, but there's a lot more to it than just breathing techniques (although you will learn some of those too!)
I offer courses both online and in person (in and around my local area of Fitzwilliam, Pontefract, West Yorkshire). You can find out more about me and the services I offer at www.fearlesscalmhypnobirthing.com