A loving preparation for your delivery

Maternity Kit and Accessories

If you have ordered a maternity package in a box, it is helpful to leave all the materials inside the box. This way, both the midwife and the maternity nurse can quickly find everything. If you have put together your own maternity package, make sure it is clearly visible and ready for the maternity nurse and the midwife.

Find out more about the maternity packages.

Mother and Child Thermometers

Make sure the thermometers for yourself and your baby are ready. Place them, for example, on the changing table or in a drawer near the changing table, so that the maternity nurse can find them easily. Clearly indicate which thermometer is intended for whom, for example by writing a name on it.

Bottles and Clothes

Place the hot water bottles in the baby's crib in advance; this way, the maternity nurse and midwife can find them immediately. If you still have some energy during labor, you can warm up the hot water bottles and wrap several muslin cloths around them, ending with a cellulose pad from the maternity pack.

Also lay out the baby's first clothes in the crib. This way, the maternity nurse or midwife knows immediately which clothes to put on first. Should they ask, you can simply indicate that everything is already laid out in the crib.

If you would like to do something during labor, warm up a hot water bottle and wrap the first diaper, onesie, socks, hat, outfit, two muslin cloths, and a cellulose pad around it. Start with the diaper and finish with the cellulose pad.

Hydrophilic Cloths and Towels

During a home birth, muslin cloths and towels are often used. Ensure that these have a designated, clearly visible place so that the midwife and maternity nurse can easily grab them.

Buckets and Waste Processing

Locate two buckets listed on the home birth checklist (to be found in the file sent to you). Place a garbage bag in each bucket: one for waste, and one for the placenta (or laundry, depending on the midwife's preference). If you wish to keep the placenta, please indicate this clearly.

Bag for the Hospital

Even if you are preparing for a home birth, it is wise to have a bag ready in case you do need to go to the hospital. In the care file you received, you will find a checklist of what should go in this bag. Put baby clothes in there in advance as well, but choose a different set than what you lay out in the crib. This way, you avoid questions from the maternity nurse or midwife when the time comes.

Your Personal Touch

Giving birth at home is pleasant thanks to your own scents, light, music, and, for example, your own blanket. Should you decide to go to the hospital, you can bring a number of personal items with you, such as an incense diffuser or a cloth with your favorite scent, music via Spotify and a speaker, your own night light, a nice blanket, or slippers. Prepare a bag with personal items that can help you relax and stay in your own bubble. Even if you don't have time to use them, the thought that you have them with you can already be calming.

Tips for the birth partner

Dear partner, please take good care of yourself as well, so that you can be there for your girlfriend, wife, or the person you are supporting during her delivery. It is important that during this special time, you are not only ready to support the birthing person but also pay attention to your own well-being. Take a moment to eat, drink, and relax whenever possible. This way, you can provide optimal support and experience this together.