7 Steps to Preparing Your Bed For a Homebirth
While, in my experience, many, if not most, homebirth moms, do not get into bed until after the baby is born, it is still a great idea to have the bed made once labor begins so you are able to rest if you want to and not worry about the mattress' safety if your membranes rupture.
Below, I outline the easy way to prepare your bed so it remains clean and body fluid free.
Besides saving the mattress, practical reasons for having a birth bed made will also make things easier after your baby is born.
1.
Remove the bedspread or comforter and blankets off the bed.
Keep the bed as clutter-free as possible; sheets and easily washable blankets only! 2.
Buy an inexpensive plastic painter's drop cloth from a home improvement store, the clear and very thin types.
You might also choose to use a shower curtain liner, but they tend to be far too thick.
The drop cloth is thin, yet protects well because it is longer and wider.
3.
Put a set of sheets (fitted and top) on the bed, a typical set that you would have on your bed for every day use.
4.
Over that set of sheets, lay down the plastic painter's drop cloth.
5.
On top of the plastic drop cloth, put a set of old sheets you don't mind getting messy.
Some people choose to throw this set away after the birth; most wash them.
6.
Use about 10-12 safety pins and pin the entire bunch of sheets and plastic to the mattress, putting a pin every 4-6 inches around the mattress.
Don't use pins if you have a water or an electric bed! Sometimes it is easier to put the pins around the "coiled" part of the mattress instead of the flatter sides of the mattress.
The pins are absolutely necessary because they keep the whole shebang from slip sliding all over the place should you climb all over the bed during labor or afterwards; Sheets on plastic is slippery.
7.
Have plenty of pillows available for propping and leaning; you will appreciate the added support.
Use inexpensive pillows because body fluids are much more difficult to remove from them than the sheets.
While it may be tempting to make your bed before labor begins (to protect it from the possibility of the water breaking), but the plastic makes sleeping very hot.
After the birth, when the top set of sheets is soiled, when mom gets up to go to the bathroom or shower, they are pulled off with the plastic and voila! a clean set of sheets is waiting for her to climb back on.
How to Get the Blood Out of the Sheets The sheets get tossed into the washer with a large bottle of hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide is a blood removal trick everyone should know.
Put this together with the regular amount of soap and that will remove the blood from sheets, towels, and washcloths.
You can also use the peroxide for carpets (even colored ones), too.
Pour the liquid onto the blood and allow it to sit for a few minutes.
Use a towel to dab at the stain - don't rub it in.
Repeat as needed.
Having a homebirth need not be a terrible mess.
Learning some basic bed-making tips allows the mom to be comfortable as well as keeping things safe and clean.
Below, I outline the easy way to prepare your bed so it remains clean and body fluid free.
Besides saving the mattress, practical reasons for having a birth bed made will also make things easier after your baby is born.
1.
Remove the bedspread or comforter and blankets off the bed.
Keep the bed as clutter-free as possible; sheets and easily washable blankets only! 2.
Buy an inexpensive plastic painter's drop cloth from a home improvement store, the clear and very thin types.
You might also choose to use a shower curtain liner, but they tend to be far too thick.
The drop cloth is thin, yet protects well because it is longer and wider.
3.
Put a set of sheets (fitted and top) on the bed, a typical set that you would have on your bed for every day use.
4.
Over that set of sheets, lay down the plastic painter's drop cloth.
5.
On top of the plastic drop cloth, put a set of old sheets you don't mind getting messy.
Some people choose to throw this set away after the birth; most wash them.
6.
Use about 10-12 safety pins and pin the entire bunch of sheets and plastic to the mattress, putting a pin every 4-6 inches around the mattress.
Don't use pins if you have a water or an electric bed! Sometimes it is easier to put the pins around the "coiled" part of the mattress instead of the flatter sides of the mattress.
The pins are absolutely necessary because they keep the whole shebang from slip sliding all over the place should you climb all over the bed during labor or afterwards; Sheets on plastic is slippery.
7.
Have plenty of pillows available for propping and leaning; you will appreciate the added support.
Use inexpensive pillows because body fluids are much more difficult to remove from them than the sheets.
While it may be tempting to make your bed before labor begins (to protect it from the possibility of the water breaking), but the plastic makes sleeping very hot.
After the birth, when the top set of sheets is soiled, when mom gets up to go to the bathroom or shower, they are pulled off with the plastic and voila! a clean set of sheets is waiting for her to climb back on.
How to Get the Blood Out of the Sheets The sheets get tossed into the washer with a large bottle of hydrogen peroxide.
Hydrogen peroxide is a blood removal trick everyone should know.
Put this together with the regular amount of soap and that will remove the blood from sheets, towels, and washcloths.
You can also use the peroxide for carpets (even colored ones), too.
Pour the liquid onto the blood and allow it to sit for a few minutes.
Use a towel to dab at the stain - don't rub it in.
Repeat as needed.
Having a homebirth need not be a terrible mess.
Learning some basic bed-making tips allows the mom to be comfortable as well as keeping things safe and clean.
