Tool Bag
By Judith Elaine Halek
© 2000 Midwifery Today, Inc. All rights reserved.
In my tool bag as a water labor or birth labor assistant, I include extra equipment
besides the standard labor assistant accoutrements:
- Rubberized thong slippers
- A one piece swimsuit or body leotard (in case I have
to get into the water; first I take a shower)
- A short terry cloth robe
- A water bottle for myself filled with part juice or
tea mixed with honey and water
- An underwater watch to check a second hand during
contractions
- Rescue Remedy (a Bach flower remedy) for all attending
the birth
- One or two sterilized small inflatable pillows for
the mother to lean against in the water
- An infusion of raspberry leaf tea, a spoon and honey
for the "drizzle" mentioned earlier
- A bag of bendable straws for the mother in the shower
or tub
- An extra set of clothing if something gets wet
- A green sixty-five centimeter birthing ball for birth
attendants to sit on while the mother is in the tub or for the mother
to use while in the shower
- Two rolls of soft toilet paper wrapped in a clean
plastic bag
- A small box of soft Kleenex
- Lavender essence oil (5 to 10 drops in the tub, great
antiseptic); I also like to keep on hand a spray bottle of lavender:
using a small spritzer bottle filled with purified, filtered or distilled
water, I add 10 drops of lavender essence oil (I buy a large supply
bottle then put into a smaller dropper bottle), ice chips to make
it cool, and spray on the mother when she's in the waterbirth tub
(I make sure ahead of time that lavender does not make the woman nauseous-so
far, all women like it)
- Hand lotion that is not greasy
- Lip balm because the water tends to dry out my lips
and hands
- Three books: Water
Birth, A Midwife's Perspective by Susanna Napierala (Read a review
of this book); The Waterbirth Handbook, The Gentle Art of Waterbirthing by Dr. Roger
Lichy & Eileen Herzberg; and Water Birth, The Concise Guide to Using Water during
Pregnancy Birth and Infancy by Janet Balaskas and Yehudi Gordon.
- Thermometer: If I am attending a homebirth, I usually
include a thermometer to check temperature of the mother if I suspect
she might have a fever. It is amazing how many people do not have
a thermometer in their homes. Generally a doula does not perform any
medical procedures, and taking the temperature is such a procedure.
I have the father take the mother's temperature to see if it is high.
- Scooper: I also suggest to the parents that if the
pool rental does not supply a scooper for scooping out fecal and birth
matter released in the water during labor or birth, they purchase
one from a local pet store, sterilize it and wrap it in a plastic
Ziploc. Urinating in the water is fine. Urine is sterile and clearing
the bladder will make room for the babies' head to dip down. I suggest,
however, that all labor attendants in the water use the bathroom facilities.
- Stainless steel or plastic bowl: Birthing the placenta
under the water is medically safe. Generally it is up to the medical
caregiver and his or her comfort level and experience in supporting
this. Whether birthing at a home, birth center or hospital, I suggest
parents bring a clean, large stainless steel or plastic bowl to place
the placenta in if birthed in the water. A small bowl floating on
the water will sink with a good size placenta.
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