Home Birth Supplies List

When you are feeling the need to nest...

Please gather all birth supplies into an easy-to-access area, such as a shelf, box, or plastic tote. When collecting items for your home birth, remember that they may get soiled or stained and need to be thrown away. We will salvage what we can, but please use linens that you don’t mind throwing away

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Please clear the area around the bed and the pool, and clear the bathroom

​Please have a clear flat surface available for the midwife’s supplies in the room where you plan to give birth (kitchen table, dresser top, etc) with 2 cookie sheets or cutting boards on top

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Prepare your bed as follows: Place a set of clean sheets on the bed. Next, place a waterproof layer big enough to completely cover your bed (plastic mattress cover, shower curtain, etc) to protect your mattress from fluids. Then put another set of clean sheets on the bed. You may want to remove other blankets, etc that you do not want to be soiled

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Other items needed for the birth:

• 6-10 bath towels

• 2 washcloths

• 2 kitchen-size trash bags

• 1 tub of disinfecting wipes

• 1 roll of paper towels

• 2 bottles of hydrogen peroxide 

• 1 bottle of rubbing alcohol

• Laundry basket

• Garbage can (kitchen size)

• Bowl for your placenta 

• Camera, if desired

• Nourishing, easy to eat protein foods 

• Electrolyte drink (examples: gatorade, body armour, liquid IV, coconut water, etc)

If you are planning a water birth:

• Birth pool 

• Liner if you are borrowing a pool from the midwife

• Tarp or shower curtain to go under the pool

• New garden hose that reaches from the water source to the pool

• Connectors needed to connect the hose to the water source

• Fish net or fine mesh strainer

Comfort item ideas:

•     Lots of pillows 

•     Music playlist

•     Aromatherapy

•     String lights and/or candles

•     Comfortable clothes

•     Heating pad or rice sock

•     Massage gun

•     Yoga/exercise ball

Postpartum Items:

• Nighttime menstrual pads or depends

• Peri bottle

• Thermometer

• Comfortable clothing items that have easy access for nursing

• Preferred pain relief as needed (examples: Ibuprofen, acetaminophen, arnica, afterease, etc

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Baby items:

• Newborn diapers

• Simple clothing

• Swaddle blankets

• Oral vitamin K, if you choose 

In case of a transfer:

• Emergency transfer form posted on your refrigerator

• Car with a full tank of gas

• Carseat