What I bring to a home birth

• Oxygen

• IV supplies

• Resuscitation Kit: LMA, bag & mask, suction devices, pulse oximeter

• Emergency medications for postpartum bleeding

• Antibiotics for GBS Prophylaxis

• Suturing Kit (because sometimes things need mending)

• Doppler for listening to the baby’s heartbeat

• Catheters (not routinely used but helpful when needed)

• Amnihooks (to break water, not routine)

• Herbal tinctures for use during labor & postpartum

• Vitamin K & eye ointment for the newborn

• A trusted assistant! All of my trusty assistants are also Midwives, lucky you ;)

The full kit is quite large, but we have just about a little bit of everything. We like to explain to parents that we bring the supplies of a Level 1 hospital with us. A Level 1 hospital is equipped to manage low risk and uncomplicated normal situations, but they also have an operating room down the hall and surgeons, which we don't have. For complications, a Level 1 hospital will transfer a client to a higher level of care. That's what we do too.

There is no guarantee that birth will be flawless, and that’s why we are prepared for anything. Sometimes a transfer of care to the hospital setting is needed, but until that point we have the skill to stabilize the people who need help and manage the situation. Occasionally a labor starts out safe and then things change, so we adapt our plan. Midwives routinely practice life-saving skills. Vigilance in the home setting is next level because your safety comes first. I promise, I would not practice midwifery out-of-hospital if it were not safe.

Working in rural locations sometimes complicates home birth plans and most midwives, including myself, have boundaries on how far out we are willing to do a home birth in proximity to a hospital.

These are all conversations we have during the course of your care. All your questions are important. Ask away!

Read this article on the research of safety in home birth.