Gather the following supplies and have them in one place by 37 weeks. Most use a laundry basket to hold the items.
Two sets of sheets and pillow cases
Six towels and six washcloths
Six receiving blankets
Plastic mattress protector, disposable drop cloth or shower curtain liner
Electric heating pad
Large hand held mirror - this item is optional. Consider having it if you would like to see your baby being born
Bright flashlight with new batteries
One roll of paper towels
Two plastic trash bags
Laundry basket for dirty clothes
One bottle alcohol and one large bottle hydrogen peroxide
4 ounce unopened bottle of olive oil
Cotton balls and Q-tips
Large box of Kotex Overnight sanitary pads
Night Gown or Shirt to wear after your shower
Plenty of fluids such as drinking water, orange juice, white grape juice, herbal pregnancy tea or red raspberry leaf tea, sports drinks, honey, yogurt, frozen juice cubes
Food prepared ahead for family and birth team
Optional items and ideas to help celebrate your birth day: relaxing and inspiring music, flowers, candles, incense, aromatherapy, etc. Bake a birthday cake!
In addition to the above items you will need a birth kit. This can be purchased from Naturally Healthy - Birth and Beyond or call (888)683-2678. Be sure to request the custom kit for Fruitful Vine Midwifery Service.
Instructions for making the birth bed:
When you feel pretty certain that you are in labor, make up your bed with the clean sheets that you have for after the birth. Place a plastic sheet over them. Now, make the bed with the second set of sheets right on top of the plastic, This will make the bed ready for the birth.
50 Gram Carb Breakfast
This diet has been adapted from the College Heights OB/Gyn Professional Corp and is done between 24 and 28 weeks gestation. This two-hour post meal blood test is use to find out precisely how your body handles sugar. In order for the test to be accurate and meaningful, you will need to eat the following foods listed. A blood test needs to be taken two hours after you have eaten this meal.
Please eat all the foods in the amounts listed:
4 ounces unsweetened juice (orange, grapefruit or apple)
2 eggs (scrambled, poached or boiled)
2 slices of toast (not diet) with butter OR 1 slice toast and 1 cup unsweeted dry cereal.
8 ounces milk (low-fat or skim)
Resources
Coastal Birth & Breastfeeding, LLC Informed Childbirth Six-week childbirth preparation with an emphasis on relaxation, understanding the physical changes in pregnancy, labor and birth, the emotional changes in pregnancy, labor and birth as well as the spiritual side of birth.
Janet McIlroy, ICCE, CD (DONA)
Private Childbirth Classes Available and Labor Support Services serving the Jacksonville & Beaches Area. She can be reached at (904)249-0261 (Home) or by Email Janet McIlroy
Local Bradley Childbirth Educators
Cecilia Miller - Mandarin - (904)268-9636 or (904)334-2654 or Email Cee Miller
