Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Birth kit
- Unscented candles
- Thick curtains
- Music (CDs or mp3s)
- Pantry stocked with healthy foods
- Birth pool and accessories
Step1
Choose a comfortable room in your home where you'd like to give birth. Consider whether you'd like it to be private, like a bedroom, where you can labor quietly on your own away from others, or public, like your living room, where your birth assistants can watch.
Step2
Consider the size of the room you've chosen to make sure it will work. Depending on how many birth attendants you will have, a small room can quickly get hot and crowded. While the room should be warm for baby's arrival, it shouldn't be so warm that you're uncomfortable while laboring.
Step3
Keep your birthing room and the rest of your home clean and tidy in the weeks before your due date. If you don't have anyone to help you clean your house, just concentrate on the rooms you'll be using during labor and birth.
Step4
Ensure that there's a clear path between your birthing room and the bathroom, as well s through other areas of your house. Many women like to pace around the house during labor to help manage the pain, and you don't want to trip over anything.
Step5
Have your birth kit assembled and ready to go by week 36 (see Resources below for a list of birth kit essentials).
Step6
Gather accessories that can aid in your comfort, such as unscented candles, thick curtains to block out sunlight and soothing music. A compilation CD or mp3 song list of music that you find comforting will provide a relaxing atmosphere during the birthing process.
Step7
Shop for nourishing, easily digested foods that will provide you with energy during labor. Stock your pantry with items such as bread, rice, crackers, fruit, cheese, and yogurt. Cook and freeze a few meals for the days after the birth.
Step8
Do a dry run setup of your birth pool if you're planning to use one. Make sure you have all the supplies you need (see Resources below for a list).
