Preparing For A Home Birth 🤱🏻 Pack With Me 🌱 Nursing Caddy & Hospital Bag
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- Опубликовано: 28 мар 2024
- I'm cleared to try a home birth! Come along with me as I go through the preparations. We're going to unbox some medical equipment, get the room ready for labor, pack a nursing caddy and start packing a hospital bag just in case.
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I’m Lucy, nice to meet you.
I’m a creative living in a little house in the Netherlands with my husband.
On this channel I take you along in my creative endeavors; whether that's sewing a dress, renovating a room or trying out historical hairstyles.
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A water bottle with a straw was a life saver during active labour/pushing! My husband would hold it for me to take sips of cold water between pushes ❤
Hospital bag: don't forget underwear. How practical and prepared you are is VERY impressive. In case you don't get to post again before your son arrives, I pray you have a safe labor and delivery.
Agreed - washable period pants are a good choice for extra leak protection
I got some disposable ones of Amazon and they were perfect! I didn't feel bad about ruining them and tossing them. And any leftovers are great to keep in case of emergency in the car or purse!
Pack Mittens for the baby. Some babies are born with long sharp nails and can accidentally scratch their faces. Even at one day old. Also, make sure you have nail clippers specifically for newborns. You got this!
Mittens get lost, I’d say onesies with built ins are better but def on the clippers!
I use a nail file rather than clippers (don’t want to clip their tiny fingers accidentally), so I suggest keeping one in the nursing caddy. The best time to file down baby nails is when they are nursing or asleep in your lap!
Definitely would opt for an electric nail file for the first little while. When babies are new the skin and nails aren't fully separated and trimming nails can hurt babies. Use a nail trimmer after several weeks when you can fully tell the nail beds and nails are separate. Also, I didn't use mits with my babies. My babies like to self sooth with hands and mouthing is important for development. Fun fact that babies may feel as if their hands are cold to the touch but to tell if your baby is too hot or too cold, touch the back of their neck to see.
I found that my daughter pulled the mitts off, so I improvised with socks, might suit some people better than buying mitts 🥰❤️
Newborn nails are so soft you can also just nibble off the ends. Totally agree with sleepsuit with built in mittens, at least for some of the time
Wet wipes for the carry bag!
I had 2 homebirths, i absolutely recommend it for anyone who are not at risk. I wanted a waterbirth but i discovered that warm water relaxes me too much and just slows down my labour that i stop progressing. My eldest son was born while kneeling on my bedroom floor and my youngest was born on my sofa. In the uk we are free to just move around and my midwifes just walk around me. Wishing you all the best best. You will be fine
Suggestion for your caddy (great idea btw, I've never heard of new moms having one, but it makes so much sense): a couple of spare onesies for baby. They spit up so much that it might be convenient to have an extra outfit or two on hand if you don't feel like walking him back to his room, especially if he's feeling fussy 😊 a pair of muttens would be good too. It can be hard to clip their nails, and they're supposed to be good in preventing Baby from scratching his face.
It's so fascinating to see how mothers prepare for birth in your country! I'm in the USA, and we're on our own 😅 I like how compassionate and caring your culture seems.
Something I used constantly postpartum that really helped me the first few weeks of nursing was the silver nip cups, they are like little protective shields for your nips between feeds so that no fabric can rub against them. Plus it allows the cream to stay where it should and absorb into your skin rather than clothes. Praying for a wonderful birth for you!! I bet you guys are so excited to meet your boy!!!
I read on the box that it shouldn't be used with a cream, any thoughts? it seems it turned out just fine for you
1000000% recommend these. Didn't use with any cream, just a drop of breastmilk to help with healing
Yes, totally agree! Even if they are a bit expensive, they are sooo worth it!! The one thing I would recommend as a Must Have if you plan to breastfeed. (I never used them with cream, because breastmilk is very healing anyway…)
A chargeable night light is great to have close by. You don't always turn on the big lights to check or change your baby - or otherwise bump into furniture holding him in the dark. Your packing list is great. I might also add another loose/oversize shirt for your at home bag since sometime the sweating in the first days is weird and the milk stains are unavoidable. It's nice then to quickly change. I had both my baby's at home too, one in the US and one in Germany.
What an amazing healthcare system, I wish my government cared about the citizens like this. So cool to see and I wish you the best luck with labor. I hope it goes smoothly and like everything you imagine ❤❤
I was just saying that to my husband, as I lay on a bench a week post C section, because the staff at the children’s hospital doesn’t think a postpartum mom needs a real bed, in order to stay with their baby. I’ve also been told I can’t go home to sleep, because it isn’t their job to feed or change my preemie. Apparently meeting my son’s basic needs isn’t a requirement… Only in America!
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 That sounds weird for me. I thought all Europe countries and US should be the same. bc we have nothing in our meddle east countries unless you go to private hospital and you pay for everything
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 but it isn't their job...
@@Csr2317 Then maybe they should do their actual job, so I don’t need to be here 24/7. My baby wouldn’t get feed or his diapers changed half the time, when I was still admitted to the hospital myself, even though it’s their job. My husband ended up
having to stay with my baby, so he could have his basic needs met. They have cameras on the babies in the NICU, and my baby was constantly screaming to be fed and changed. They don’t even remember to give him his medication on their own. We have to remind them. If I need to go home to shower, it’s a huge deal finding a nurse or nurses aide to feed my baby. Not all parents are privileged enough to stay in the NICU with their babies for months on end. Many need to go back to work. Many single moms end up in the hospital themselves, after a complicated birth, for months. What do they expect these parents to do. Are their babies supposed to starve and live in dirty diapers? Also, the NICU doctors go on and on saying how much preemies need their moms with them 24/7, and make you feel guilty for leaving at all, but then they don’t provide basic accommodations for moms who just had traumatic births to stay.
I really loved using the tens machine during my labour! I found it really helped. The item I was happiest to have when I was in the hospital was a bit surprising, but it was a small portable electric fan. I purchased one off Amazon, and it had a little clip on the bottom so I could clip it to the bed or the side table. I found myself so hot during labour and after that I used it practically non stop. Because it had the little clip on it, it was very useful for baby all summer too, because I would use it on the car seat or stroller to keep a little cool air flowing! I even used it in the nursery when the weather got warm and nursing him was sweaty work. Good luck with your birth! ❤
This is so interesting to see! I’m currently prepping for my second homebirth but I’m in England.
A great idea is to actually have your partner pack your hospital bag (or do it together) so they know where everything is. It’s more likely that he’ll be grabbing stuff from the bag for you while your in labour and even after the birth, so it’s much easier if he isn’t having to search through the whole suitcase every time you need something ☺️ Good luck, you’ve got this Mama! x
Mini fan in hospital bag, sometimes hospitals can be very warm. Hair ties and lip balm in hospital bag and caddy. Good luck!
Love the caddy, I might add a change of cloths for the baby and at least a change of top for yourself. My boss told me that when her second was born she kept a spare change of cloths for herself in their downstairs bathroom because her baby spit up a lot. A change of cloths for you both may help keep you both happier
I don't know if you mentioned this in another video, but I would also have something to drink and eat during labor! Something really hydrating like coconut water with a bit of salt, also electrolytes, drinkable yogurt or whatever snacks you really like. I would also recommend leaving meals prepared for your postpartum period - even if your husband cooks for you, there might be times where you are both tired and/or overwhelmed and it's nice to have the freezer packed with nutritious meals that are ready to go.
I haven't had a baby myself yet (I'm also pregnant with my first and aiming for a homebirth as well), but that's something my friends and acquantainces have mentioned that was very helpful to them :)
An icepack really helped me post-partum. To ice my vulva/perineum I sat ontop of a round neck pillow with the icepack in the middle. A gamer changer!
You're so well prepared, I'm amazed! I couldn't wrap my head around any of it when I was 8m pregnant. Good luck, I'm sure you'll be just fine. I had a homebirth (UK) and my midwife told me in her experience most homebirths go pretty smoothly (I guess because they've already screened out all the obvious risky ones and because mums are in their home environment and feel less stressed). One thing to add to your hospital bag is postpartum pads (more than you think you might need) (seriously, like double). Also if I were you I'd not bother with them in the nursing caddy, just put them in all the bathrooms in your house. Make sure the postnatal nurse shows you how to breastfeed lying down, it's a lifesaver.
Congratulations and good luck on your upcoming birth! 🎉
I’m 11 weeks postpartum with my first and it was such a whirlwind. If I could do it differently I’d have cleaned my house better before giving birth. I look at my dirty fridge and wish I’d deep cleaned it before baby came. Now I’m too tired from sleep deprivation and baby is too clingy and won’t let me go anywhere without her.
Do your best and savour every moment of your new life with baby! And smell that baby’s head as much as possible because it’s so good! ❤
I would highly recommend a wrap to babywear, so you can get more things done. My baby is super clingy too, and he LOVES when I babywear him. He’s so clingy, he won’t even sleep in his own crib. In the hospital, he screams bloody murder in his own crib. So much so that even the most anti co sleeping doctors finally said, “Take him with you, but sleep sitting up.” So now I sleep sitting up, with a boppy around my waist, and my arms/baby resting on the boppy.
I’m blown away about everything you receive for at home. And a home nurse too! In the US they just send you home with nothing and hope you figure it all out.
After like two days too, it's brutal. I wouldn't have survived without my parents and MIL
I am sooo happy for you! From one Mama to another, you are doing so well. I'm so glad you have so many options and support. I hope you have a calm, easy labor that goes exactly as you wish - and if things need to change, that you'll have all the peace and strength needed. Becoming a parent is not easy for anyone, and none of us knew what to expect, but I have no doubt you will do so well. Give yourself lots of grace and be gentle with yourself in those tough moments. So excited for you to experience all the joy of becoming a mom!!
All first time Moms underestimate the huge number of diapers a baby will need.
they don't live in a middle of nowhere, they are going to be fine :)
So true! I was going to use the washable diapers 😂. Yeah that didn't last very long because there was no way I had the energy to wash dry and fold that much washing on top of the usual. Also discovered the disposables didn't leak unlike cloth.
@@dawn5227 I had 4 children in cloth diapers (I used disposable ones for longer journeys etc.) and they were just fine to handle, once I found a "rhythm" to do so... also modern cloth diapers and covers are quite sophisticated (I'm not sure she has this type, though), they won't leak, if you use them properly. I found the constant need to purchase the one-use diapers and disposing of them at least similarly annoying as a need to wash the cloth ones :D (E.g. when we were in my parents' house for a week.)
@@dawn5227 Disposables leak less because there's this synthetic gel inside that can absorb insane amounts of liquid. It's not biodegradable. Cloth has a learning curve, that's all there is to it. My son, who's just turned 1, has been a heavy wetter since the beginning and we use cloth diapers successfully. When a diaper leaked within half the time that it was supposed to last for, I knew that I needed to choose fibers with better absorbency. Fiber makes all the difference.
I second someones suggestion of having some sort of electrolytes in your tote. It helps a ton in staying hydrated.
Congrats! It’s almost time!! ❤️My son is 8 weeks and I still use the little caddy I set up late in pregnancy! It’s evolved as time’s gone on but the things I’ve consistently used throughout the weeks are: diapers/ wipes, gathre changing mat, nail file, goat’s bristle hair brush (I brush his hair almost every time he nurses to prevent cradle cap), hand sanitizer, burp cloths, spare outfit (spit up happens or breastmilk sprays all over (lol) so an extra sleeper or 2 comes in handy even if there’s not a blowout), and some sort of blanket/ stretchy swaddle. Wishing you a smooth and safe delivery!!
I've worked in an L &D unit in my local hospital and I 100% recommend skipping pads and going straight to adult diapers and to stock up on witch Hazel Pads (in NA the brand that is popular is Tucks) and a peribottle with a spout that bends up for easy washing.
Very similar to my home birth prep here in the US, in the state of Oregon. The shower stool is a fantastic addition though! They did include a sitz bath in my kit though... that was nice 🙂 I really hope you'll be able to achieve the birth you're wanting, I've had two home births, and they're wonderful 😍 nothing like being able to just crawl into your own bed after. And I definitely recommend water birth if you can! I think the thing that helped me most was getting prepared mentally, and also practicing relaxing my muscles consciously for weeks ahead of time. Labor really is something you kind of just have to surrender to the process of, which ends up being a very mental thing. Also, music! Whatever makes you feel happy and relaxed, and maybe even feel like slow dancing. Movement moves babies!
Such an exciting time! In Canada we pay for most of the supplies for home birth, out of pocket. That’s amazing how much they provide in the Netherlands! If you can swing that birth pool you mentioned, I highly recommend it! Going through five labours, my water births were FAR more manageable than my non-water births. Best of luck and hope it goes smoothly for you! You look absolutely beautiful! ❤
At least it's a possibility... In France they want to close you on a psychiatric ward if you want to give birth at home (I exaggerate, but it's not far from that. Only 0.2% of births are at home, they treat it here like a form of suicide...)
How organized you are, I‘m so impressed! And thanks for the overview of birth in NL. I had my two in a Geburtshaus in Germany, which is something of a middle option between a clinical hospital and a home birth. Does NL have those too? I had two dedicated midwives and came home after a few hours to a clean house 😊. One tweak I would recommend for your nursing basket: a drinking bottle that you can open with one hand or even with a straw, rather than a screw top lid. You’ll be holding the baby with one arm so everything needs to be useable one-handed. My experience was that nursing made me really thirsty - presumably a physiological response to replenish liquids. Best of luck with it all!
I also think extra diapers in your suitcase and your tote are a must. Better to be prepared with extra than not enough. I would keep your basket/tote downstairs so its handy. Also have an extra diaper supply in the car. Really, you cannot imagine how much can come out of a tiny baby until you experience it with your own! Also, the little mittens and baby nail clippers is a good idea. Good luck! Get plenty of rest now. I was definitely sleep deprived for 2 straight months after baby was born. But, babies are worth it! ❤
Also an extra long phone charger cable is helpful for hospital and for breastfeeding!
I am a grandma but I remember when I was in labor tennis balls in a sock to use on my sore back was so wonderful. Good luck.
I've had a home birth here in Sweden where I live. In Sweden it is not common and we have to pay for it ourselves (if you want a midwife with you). The health care system is pretty much against it and screw the hell out of people when it comes to home birth. It's ridiculous. Anyway, my birth was FANTASTIC! So easy(no interventions, no disturbing light, medical stuff all around etc) and smooth. Five ours from start to baby in my arms. You and your baby is the birthing team, it will be the best thing you'll ever experience!
It's the same here in France😢 I hate it with passion. I already have horrible experience with french doctors, they never helped me with anything. I always needed to go to other countries in the end with serious health issues, so I really don't trust them at all with birth... I don't want to be cut down there against my will for example (many of my friends). Horrible.
@@shoszannah exactly the same in Sweden, I feel you!
Congratulations on your expanding family! As a first time mom, I drank a lot of coconut water which really helped during and after labor. The electrolytes were heavily needed! 😅 I also meal prepped healthy lactation cookies which were a life saver for my sweet tooth. I wish you the best of luck and hope this comment was helpful!
Such an interesting video, thanks for sharing! I might recommend some bibs in your caddy. They are SO useful for spit up and saving outfits.
It’s wild to see how supportive other countries are of mothers and babies. It would have been incredible to have that help the first week. I felt so clueless and afraid when we were sent home from the hospital as new parents!
Good luck and congratulations! 🥰
Not really much to add but one word of caution in regards to nail clippers, many babies have skin growing up into the upper part of the nail, so if you clip them be very cautious, I did not know this when I had my first child and though I clipped cautiously nipped the skin and well there was a lot of bleeding, no real harm, but a horrific experience in deed! A lot of nurses I have worked suggest mom nibble the nail off rather than use clippers in the beginning. All the patients I have cared for during labor said the tub even just during labor was amazing! Oh, and don't for get breathing exercises, they really help!
I had TENS when I was giving birth to my second. I wanted to do it the first time but the nurses told me that it's only for those contractions that make you feel a backache. The second I got a backache contraction during my second labor I demanded TENS and trust me - it was a lifesaver. It didn't take the pain away but it was just so comforting and relaxing in between the contractions! Fingers crossed for you and the baby!
I used nursing tops with built-in bras for the first couple of months. It's super convenient and comfy enough to sleep in. 👌
I also had two homebirths, both ended up on the couch.😅 We loved the low stress and home comforts that came with it.
I wish you good luck with your homebirth. ❤
So happy for you! We moved the diaper changing table to the living room because it’s where we spent most of our time and it’s next to our bedroom where baby slept for 5 months. I would say don’t wait to get the elvie and go over how to use it. I also think that collecting my colostrum before I gave birth helped establish my breast milk supply because my son had a weak suck and was not good at breast-feeding in the beginning
This was so fascinating as a non-Dutch viewer! Thank you for showing us, and best of luck with birth, wherever and however it ends up happening!! It sounds like you and baby will be well taken care of
I’ve been following you since you were filing in your bedroom with the purple wall, it’s so surreal to see you grow into the woman you’ve become🙂 all the best with labour, delivery and postpartum x
Make a list of everything in your hospital bag. It helps ensure you've repacked everything before going home and/or lets someone else do it for you. Very helpful.
Hi Lopsie! I also had the 22 weeks scan(currently 26 weeks) and told me that i have low placenta as well- i wait for the 32 week scan- i wanted also to try a homebirth if everythings turns out alright- though i am in Greece and the concept is alien here to everybody!The environment of the house is better for us- i don't want to be in a "cold" hospital room full of people i don't know! Wish the best for both of us!!
You should organize your wardrobe in Indyx and make a video of it! I would enjoy seeing you having fun with it. Well, when you get to it. Now you have much more important things ahead! Stay safe!!
Looks like a great setup! I would absolutely recommend the haakaa milk pump or something similar to catch the letdown on one side while you feed on the other! Helps build a great stash of breastmilk in the freezer. Used it a lot with both my boys. Also found it so helpful to relieve the pressure of engorgement when milk comes in. Wishing you all the best for birth. It really is such a special time.
God bless you, your husband and baby! My husband is Dutch and I'm currently 7mo pregnant with my first.
I'm so happy for you that you're cleared to try homebirth! I wish I could try for one with my next baby, but unfortunately I had rare postpartum pre-eclampsia with my first born so I'm disqualified from trying :( Fingers crossed so hard for you it all goes well, so much strength and love to you for bringing your bubba earthside - trust in your body, you've got this! 💪✨
I bought a pack of three nursing T-Shirts (round neck crop top attached on top of a wrap shirt). Wore those for more than three years every night and sometimes day time. Best investment ever
You can get perineal oil to prepare your perineum for labor. It helps with tearing.
I hope all goes well with delivery and baby. So exciting!!
Also, a sleep mask and ear plugs were a lifesaver for me at the hospital! They put me right next to the nurses station both times, so the light was on all the time and people were walking past my room nonstop.
NL healthcare system sounds really great in this area, that's awesome.
Also, I felt like that after one of your previous pregnancy Q&A and I do still, so I must honestly say I am sort of envious. You are very well prepared, and I mean on the psychological/mental level especially. You have a lot of things thought through and you're just realistic about all of it, but also getting ready for all possibilities... I hope and I believe this will help you immensely post partum.
For me the change into motherhood was really harsh mentally and it took me very long to get out of all the bad places it took me.
You are well prepared materially as well. One thing that really helped me healing up after giving birth was the little handy shower thing right at the toilet which they had in the hospital (I spent several days in the hospital both times, I didn't wish for the ambulant version).
What literally saved me, although it was six months after birth with my first one and thankfully only dozens of hours after the birth of the second one, was babywearing. And I regret not doing it sooner with the first, although it was not recommended by physiotherapy professional. I know a bit better now. Elastic or woven wrap, ergonomic carrier (there are even newborn ones), whatever it is (except the non-ergo carriers with frontfacing option and thin fabric portion between the baby's legs) helps so much with going wherever and most importantly soothing the kiddo. It also allows and helps breastfeeding.
Anyways, I bet you already know all that and are well prepared even in this area since especially slovak and czech babywearing community is very active and well educated with many wrap/carrier brands even based here. But if you have any questions about it, I can always answer those.
Wishing you all the best, good health and a smooth labour and all the joy with the little one.
I wouldn’t recommend babywearing while breastfeeding. I know a lady that was babywearing and breastfeeding on a hike, and she tragically smothered the baby. I am a HUGE babywearing advocate though! It’s literally the best “invention” and I’m SO GLAD it’s made a comeback in the west!
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 oh no, that's tragic. With babywearing guidelines closely followed such thing shouldn't happen. It's truly horrible.
Truth be told I always had to be relatively still for it and use my hand for support, so I monitored the baby very closely at those times.
@@CraftsyPenguin You are right, it shouldn’t happen if you are using the wrap correctly. I think I’m just overly paranoid because I personally knew the lady and the baby. However, I do think it’s possible she was a little careless in that moment. She apparently hadn’t checked on the baby in 30 minutes. She thought she had fallen asleep breastfeeding. (If that’s the case, the baby should be unlatched, since most breasts cover babies noses.) The mom didn’t realize anything was wrong until it was time to take the baby out of the wrap. I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m victim blaming. I don’t blame the momma at all. Unfortunately, with infants, it only takes a momentary laps in judgment for things to go very wrong. Now that my baby is home from the NICU, and I have house chores, I’ve been so tempted to BF while baby wearing. Maybe I’ll start by letting him BF while I baby wear sitting down, and I can slowly gain confidence to let him BF while I do chores.
Yay!!! I'm so excited the previa resolved!!!
I'm in the US. We have to provide everything out of pocket for homebirth and pp supplies. Postpartum services vary with homebirth providers, but if you want pp help, you can hire a pp doula, also out of pocket.
Regarding hospital births; generally speaking, we have no postpartum care other than one pp appointment at 6 weeks.
The infant is usually seen at two weeks, but the mom has no professional care once they leave the hospital.
Shockingly (or not) the US has the WORST morbidity and mortality for infants and women/gestational parents in the developed world and now that the conservatives are taking away reproductive rights, many hospitals are closing their maternity services. There are now whole cities/towns without an obstetrician.
I'm so glad you have a great health system. ❤
The U.S. is far from the worst for morbidity and mortality rate in infant births.
@@imaginethat2003in the so called developed world, yes the US has the worst infant mortality and morbidity rates
THANK YOU FOR BEING SENSIBLE ABOUT THIS!! I read WAY too much about people deciding that a “Homebirth” means throwing all modern medicine out and refusing to accept how dangerous giving birth can be! There is a reason it was the most common caulse of death for women and still is in the underdeveloped parts of the world. The most important thing is you and the baby are safe and comfortable! I hope it all goes smoothly and you can give birth like you have planned 😊. Thank you both so much for inviting us along for your newest adventure, your kid is going to be the luckiest little nugget on earth!
Technically, she isn’t being sensible. She is just following the rules and regulations set in place by the Netherlands. If the USA gave women the option to home birth, through our healthcare system, it would be WAY more regulated, and we wouldn’t have these crazy people doing all kinds of unsafe home births. It’s really, really scary how unregulated home births are in the US, when nearly every other developed countries have a whole system. Decades ago, the US thought of these tiny European countries as undeveloped, because their rate of mother/baby mortality was so high. These countries started out way behind us, and now they are light years ahead of us. It’s honestly just embarrassing. Our government spends our money on ridiculous things and doesn’t modernize medicine in any way.
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965the infant mortality rate over the last 70 years in the Netherlands has /never/ been higher than the US. Not quite sure why Americans believe Europe is some backwater, when we have been doing things better for a long time
@@rachela3066 That is what I said. I said DECADES AGO you were behind us, but now you are LIGHT YEARS ahead. I don’t understand how you took that to mean I think Europe is backwards, when I praised Europe in my whole comment. Unfortunately, there was a time, in the 1940’s I believe, where Nordic countries had a high mortality rate for babies and mothers. That is why the baby box was invented. Since then, things have gotten better and better. Now Europe well surpasses the USA, UK, AU, Ca, and all other “developed nations.” Again, I’m not sure how my comment came off as anything other than praising EU, but I apologize for offending you.
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 but my point is we didn’t start behind you! US maternal and neonatal deaths have always been higher than in the Netherlands (which isn’t a Nordic country btw) even decades ago!!
With my last pregnancy I gave birth at a birthing center. It was my only unmedicated delivery, and water relaxed a lot, it also alleviated the discomfort of contractions, but it slowed down the labor so I had to get out. What really really helped was the meditative moaning during contractions lol it made the experience much easier to handle. :) Both delivering at a hospital, and at a birthing center was great, just two very difference experiences.
An angled peri bottle is a must for postpartum care! Also, instant ice pack pads are incredible too! Even if you don't tear, you'll be SO sore. Also, with non-medicated or "natural" births, they tend to go quicker (usually) than medicated births. My first was unintentionally unmedicated, my epidural or spinal didn't work, and it was 13 hours long. My second I wanted unmedicated because I didn't want a failed epidural again, I wanted to be able to move around. It was just over 7 hours 😊 I hope everything goes well and you and baby enjoy the most magical birthing experience
Something my cousin used for her postpartum was a peri bottle, specifically for postpartum, that works like a mini bidet.
She had to use diapers after she gave birth because it's like all the months of menstruation she missed for being pregnant came back at once, and the peri bottle was very useful and she felt cleaner with it. It also soothes the soreness.
I didn’t see it in the box of things they sent you (although they might be sending it later on), so I thought I should mention it.
They actually have a bidet in the bathroom, don't they? I think despite Lucy's ambivalent feelings towards it it might be very useful in the coming weeks.
❤ look up the EPI-no pelvic trainer, you’ve probably heard of it before, reduces tearing and the need for episiotomy in first time moms by over 40% I think
I found it was helpful to have a heating pad for my shoulders to help when sitting to feed so I could relax
Aaah Lucy I'm so excited for you! ❤ Your videos always bring me so much joy, I absolutely adore your slow paced lifestyle, where you just take time and think stuff through. I tend to overthink a lot and your videos are just an oasis of comfort to me. ♥️ It reminds me that things can be done differently and that there's still joy in life, if only I slow down and enjoy everything a bit.
Best of luck to you & the baby, I'm excited to potentially see more of your journey.
Best wishes to you Lucy, what a lovely attitude your country has, so caring. My advice as a Mum is to remember your husband can easily get you anything you forget/didn't know you need after birth, so just prep what you can. Also, every birth and baby is different, so don't worry if your experience is also a bit different, that's normal ❤ xx
Cooling pads!!! My friend gave birth recently, and she was very happy for those!
Rechargeable Fan! Not only was it great during labor, but 2.5 years later, and we still use it for both my child and myself. The one I had had tripod legs that could be moved around.
I've been having a RUclips break and not checked on your channel in a bit, and wow you look so beautiful! I hope motherhood suits you as much as pregnancy :) Best wishes with it all
I know how you feel, Lucy! I'm pregnant with my second and two weeks behind you, I think. The tub was very helpful with my first and helped me cope with back labor. Water is amazing! Prepping mind and heart were important for me as well as facing my feelings about labor and opening myself to labor itself. I'm praying for you to have a good experience. Only think: soon you'll be holding your little son! :)
I used a rented TENS machine for my first birth, which started at home (I'm Dutch too). It's a technique also used by physiotherapists for pain relief. The thing I liked about TENS is that it gives you a certain level of control over the pain of contractions. Especially for a first child it can be very reassuring to know you can do that. But by the time I could start pushing I hardly noticed anymore if the TENS was on or off. I found that distracting myself during a contraction worked almost as well (counting back from 100 in groups of three, or anything that kept my mind busy). So I didn't use TENS for my second birth. But I've heard from other moms that it helped them to cope with contraction pains which radiated to their back.
I didn’t do this for my first, but for my second who is due any day now I decided to try a combination of both a postpartum kit and diaper caddy. My kit stays on top to grab with ease, but underneath it are two thick blankets for baby. The second shelf has his diapers, a pack of wipes, cream and lotion, extra clothes, etc…and the bottom shelf is where I keep diapers and wipes for my oldest who is almost two. I liked the idea because I’m limited in space and I know I will have many moments where I’m not going to want to travel around to find this and that. It frees up space for their shelves in their bedroom as well. Whether this is your one and only child or you have more, it might be something down the road that will be appealing to you. If anything, caddies can be used for a variety of ways for babies. I also learned that when giving babies baths that you should wrap a towel around them while they are being bathed because even with warm water they get cold wicked fast and the towel helps. Give yourself grace for when you can’t get things done and get as much rest now as you can, everything will work out regardless. It’s okay to take a breather and/or ask for help, let people help you. You can buy or make motivational cards to stick around areas of your home you are frequently in so that you can be reminded that you got this, you’re human, everything is going to be okay (because postpartum can be a lot to take in). Praying that you and baby have a safe and successful home birth. Birth is hard but it’s rewarding and you will never have a connection with anyone on earth quite like the little bundle of joy that formed in your womb and knew you from the inside first. ❤️ Much love and prayers.
This was a lifesaver for the hospital (I stayed longer because of a C-section) as well as for feeding at home: a 3m long phone charger! 😄 Sometimes it’s very hard to get up and move while feeding or because baby just fell asleep or for whatever reason..
Apart from that I feel like you don’t need to plan everything ahead (like the caddy), with a baby things change so quickly and you find new things and routines that work best, it’ll all sort itself out somehow.
My little one had quite a few soiled diapers in the beginning, once an hour, if not more often. You might like to have more diapers in your little caddy or plan to use the changing table most of the time 😅 and yes, the muslins ARE lifesavers. We went through so many the first few months, always had at least 2 on hand. Always washing them! Best of luck! So excited for you 😊
Best of luck with your home birth! I did one with my first and am planning another for my second this fall. It is SO worth it! You've got this!
Just gave birth in the hospital in NL 2 months ago. Wash cloth, towels and underwear and pads they have and provide in the hospital. Also any cream that the baby or you will need. Also they will change you in their gown during labor. The pants are good for going home, but in my experience i was more comfortable in the hospital wearing a night gown and changed in the clothes that i went to hospital on the way back. Put also a change of clothes for your husband (if you still want to give birth in a pool in the hospital (if possible) he can get wet, also if he is recording the birth when the baby gets out there will be a tsunami with the rest of the liquid and pants and/or t-shirt may be casualties). Also indeed snacks are good to have, if you have the labor during the night everything is closed in the hospital (at least in mine was) and also i liked the puree bags that you can suck more than anything that needed to be chewed during labor.
I hope that you will be able to give birth at home as you wish.
I confirm that the water bottle with straw is awesome during labor no mater if it will be at home or in the hospital
Also the ice pad i used it for the first 2 days, but for the first 2 weeks disks infused with witch-hazel were really nice to have them on my pad (from amazon) to soothe the stitched area.
For the caddy you may want to add paracetamol 500. I don't know if this is the wide spread practice but for the first 6 weeks i needed to take 2 of them every 6 hours to help with the inflammation so it's good to have it on and when it's time to take it.
This were the things that helped me and made the labor and post-partum period better. Besides that the kram nurse will be the best thing in the pp period and later consultatie birou
This isn't mandatory but your baby's umbilical cord will be healing so you might want to avoid anything too restrictingvin that area like pants and go for all in ones instead (onesie)
Ahhh so excited for you! And muslins are easily the thing I didn't think I needed but could not live without when my daughter was a baby!
Wishing you a happy and speedy labour!
Congratulations! I’m so excited for you ❤😊
I'm so excited for you both
You are so well prepared! Wish you the best of luck 🎉 I invested in the nursing pillow and loved it - so much comfort
i hope things will go well lucy!!
So interesting to see how things are done there. Thank you for sharing! You are going to do great! I had an all natural labor and it wasn't too long, so was lucky. But, man, I am a neat freak and can't stand the thought of even one extra human in my house during birthing time, let alone the insane mess of giving birth. So, good for you for being able to do that. I would not have that in me haha. I loved coming home from hospital to a quiet, clean and ready house. That's my neat freak/organized personality though.
I love these videos so much! I'm also Dutch and seeing how it all works is really nice!
Peri bottle!
I had 3 home births in United States. One in Idaho and two in Pennsylvania. But that was 30-40 yrs ago. I am so excited for you and your husband 💕
Loepsie, I also had placenta praaevia with my 3rd child... all was well and she's now 43 and healthy and a mom of 2 gorgeous children herself... wishing you so much love with your baby. So exciting! XXX
Omg your expecting! Congrats! I haven’t visited your channel is some time! ❤
A small fan might be helpful to have on hand. I brought a small travel one in my hospital bag and it helped immensely with the hot flashes. I also had my husband feeding me ice chips between contractions. 😂
Leuk om je voorbereiding te zien! Ooh ooh die bedklossen… wat een onhandig design hé.. Ik ben zelf nu bijna 38 weken en heb ze er ook onder staan..
Do you have a doula? That is your best bet for sticking to your birth plan! Obviously things often happen that are outside of our control but doulas can usually help you avoid some of them!
I could have easily ended up in the hospital when my water broke early but my doula helped me with labor positions at home to get things moving. On the flip side I did NOT have a doula for my first birth and was having difficulty coping with contractions on my own so we went to the hospital where they pressured me into pitocin (which is an important medication in many situation but it definitely did not need to be pulled out so quickly for my situation).
I took a nursing pillow to the hospital. I had a Boppy. It was really helpful with my first, especially in the beginning as you’re getting used to nursing.
I hope you'll have an easy delivery Lucy ! Hope the baby is born healthy and can't wait for the storytime of the birth. Lots of love :)
Lots of luck for your birth|! so happy for you
If baby becomes very attached to an item like a pacifier or blanket, try to get *at least one duplicate.*
My mom had to overnight our daughter’s “blue blankie” to us because we left it behind (7 hours). That night without BB was horrible!
I loved my heating pad! You can use it in labor and after birth when you may be getting stitched. I was shivering after delivery and it was so nice to have.
Awww ❤exciting 🎉
THIS is how a home birth should be. I'm glad your country offers this, always keeping in mind the safety of both the baby and the parent. Hope everything goes well!
Well wishes to you as you approach labor! Mine came three weeks early on an emergency basis and we were incredibly unprepared and it made the experience less comfortable. I definitely should have prepared at least a month before the due date.
Hi, this video was great and I agree that your healthcare is amazing! I've learnt a lot and I want to thank you for that. I also have an idea of a topic for a future video: books to read before and during pregnancy (on childbirth, ...) or where to find all the information you need when you're expecting :)
Thanks for this video! Looks like you will be using cloth nappies? Cool! We are using cloth nappies, too.
Yes to the TENS machine! And I highly recommend prepping oat flour cookies (american cookie style, just replace flour for oat flour or ground up oats) with your favorite mix-ins as breastfeeding snacks (I used dark chocolate and raisins mainly). Oat is a lactation stimulating substance (galactagogue) and breastfeeding makes you hungry!
One of the best advice one of my friends, who is a midwife, gave me was to pack or in general use kitchen paper towels instead of regular towels for the postpartum hygiene - not only for direct use, but also to put them on the floor while waiting to dry, so that I can just dispose them without a need to clean the whole bathroom floor.
I am in awe of your bravery, I would be a nervous wreck at this point
The only postpartum thing I used was nipple cream and adult diapers for the first week. The big pads weren't good enough.
I have bed raisers on the head of my own bed. Works wonders for people with real bad reflux
A trick my hospital did was wet a baby diaper and freeze it. I used it as an ice pack and it was such a relief. My store bought ice pads just didn't do the trick!
I just finished packing my hospital bag. I should pack some more rompers for underneath the first two outfits you showed. I think one layer is not warm enough. And bring snacks for you and husband! Also a water bottle you can refill (you don’t want to be drinking out of those little cups)
Maybe some paper and a pen. We had a pack of cards with us too, so we could play a little game duŕing the long wait. In any case: heel veel geluk en succes ❤