Equipment I Bring to a Home Birth

Everything carefully prepared so you can focus on welcoming your baby at home

One of the questions you may have when considering a home birth is, “What equipment will my midwife bring?”

It is completely understandable to wonder how your midwife monitors you and your baby at home, what equipment is available during labour and birth, and what happens if additional support is needed.

When I attend a planned home birth with Guided By You Midwifery, I bring professional midwifery equipment to support and monitor you and your baby throughout labour, birth and the immediate postnatal period.

We will also talk about your home birth preparation during pregnancy, including what I bring with me and the few practical things you may want to have ready at home.

Monitoring You and Your Baby During Labour

Although you are giving birth at home, you will still receive appropriate midwifery observations and monitoring throughout your labour.

I bring the equipment needed to check your blood pressure, temperature and pulse, as well as test your urine when appropriate.

I also bring a Sonicaid to listen to and monitor your baby’s heartbeat during labour, allowing me to regularly assess your baby’s wellbeing while you remain comfortable and able to move around your own home.

These observations help me monitor the wellbeing of both you and your baby while supporting you to have the space, privacy and freedom to labour in your own environment.

Entonox – Gas and Air

Entonox, commonly known as gas and air, can be available as a pain-relief option during your planned home birth with Guided By You Midwifery.

Entonox is a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen which you breathe through a mouthpiece during contractions.

You remain in control of when you use it and can use it alongside other comfort measures during labour.

There are also many other pain relief options at a home birth, including TENS, water, movement, massage, hip squeezes, heat, breathing techniques and birth combs.

Equipment for the Birth

I bring the clinical equipment required to support you during the birth itself and during the important period immediately afterwards.

Much of this equipment may never need to be used, but having appropriate equipment available means I can provide professional midwifery care within your home environment and respond appropriately if your needs change.

We can discuss the equipment I bring during your antenatal appointments so that you know what is available and why it may be used.

Blood Tests and Other Clinical Equipment

I also bring the appropriate equipment needed to take blood samples if clinically required, alongside the other clinical equipment I may need during your care.

I carry the necessary equipment for the safe handling and disposal of clinical items used during your home birth, so you do not need to provide this yourself.

Drugs and Emergency Equipment

As part of your planned home birth, I bring appropriate drugs and emergency equipment so that I am prepared to respond if additional care is needed.

This includes drugs that may be used if bleeding following birth is significant, as well as resuscitation equipment for both mother and baby.

The majority of this equipment will never need to be used, but having it available is an important part of providing professional midwifery care in the home environment.

During your antenatal care, we can talk through the equipment and drugs I bring, what they may be used for and what would happen if you or your baby required additional care or transfer to hospital.

Equipment and Care for Your Baby After Birth

I bring baby scales to weigh your baby after birth, along with the equipment needed to examine and assess your baby and also provide you with baby’s Red Book.

I also bring vitamin K for your baby if you choose for your baby to receive it. We can discuss vitamin K during your antenatal appointments, including why it is offered and the options available, so that you have time to make an informed decision before your baby is born.

I bring the equipment needed to safely clamp and cut your baby’s umbilical cord after birth.

If your partner would like to cut the cord, this can be a very special moment and we will always work with you to make this happen wherever possible, as long as there is no emergency following birth that requires immediate care for you or your baby.

For most babies, the transition after birth happens naturally while they remain warm and close to you. Skin-to-skin contact, warmth and an undisturbed environment are encouraged wherever possible.

I also bring appropriate newborn resuscitation equipment so that additional support is immediately available should your baby need help following birth.

What Happens to the Placenta After a Home Birth?

After your baby is born, you can choose what you would like to happen to your placenta.

If you would like to keep your placenta, or have it taken away for placental encapsulation you are very welcome to do so.

If you do not wish to keep your placenta, I bring the appropriate clinical disposal equipment so that it can be safely removed and disposed of following your home birth.

We can discuss your preferences during your antenatal care so that you are fully aware of the different options available for what can be done with your placenta after birth.

What Do I Need to Provide for My Home Birth?

You do not need to turn your home into a hospital.

One of the lovely things about home birth is that you remain in your own familiar environment.

During pregnancy, we can talk through the practical things that are useful to have ready. These may include towels, protective coverings, comfortable clothing, refreshments, items for your baby and anything you would like to help create the environment you want for labour.

If you are planning to use a birth pool, we can also discuss what you will need to have ready for this.

You do not need to provide medical equipment yourself, that is my responsibility as your midwife.

What Does the Second Midwife Bring?

As you approach the birth of your baby, a second midwife will attend to provide additional professional support around the time of birth and immediately afterwards.

Your second midwife is part of your planned home birth care and works alongside me to support you and your baby.

Having a second midwife arrive does not mean that something has gone wrong. It is part of the preparation and planning for your home birth.

You will have the opportunity to meet my planned second midwife at 36 weeks in pregnancy, so a complete stranger is not entering your home at such a special time.

What If Something Happens That Cannot Be Managed at Home?

Home birth planning also includes discussing situations where care in hospital may become a recommended safer place to meet your baby.

If your observations, your baby’s wellbeing or the progress of your labour suggest that hospital care would be more appropriate, I will discuss this with you and recommend a transfer to hospital where necessary. I will always travel to hospital with you in the ambulance and continue to provide support to you in the hospital setting.

Planning for this possibility before labour means you understand what would happen and how you would be supported if your birth plans change.

Do I Need to Have Everything Ready Weeks Before My Due Date?

No.

We will discuss preparing for your home birth during your antenatal care so that you have plenty of time to get organised without feeling that your home needs to be birth-ready for months.

Most of the things families need to prepare are straightforward.

The specialist clinical equipment comes with your midwives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a home birth midwife bring medical equipment?

Yes. I bring professional midwifery equipment to monitor and support you and your baby throughout labour, birth and the immediate postnatal period.

How will you monitor me during labour?

I bring equipment to check your blood pressure, temperature and pulse and to test your urine when appropriate. These observations form part of monitoring your wellbeing throughout labour.

How will you monitor my baby’s heartbeat at home?

I bring a Sonicaid to listen to and monitor your baby’s heartbeat during labour. This allows me to regularly assess your baby’s wellbeing while supporting you to remain mobile and comfortable in your own home. My sonic aid is waterproof so you can stay in the pool, bath or shower, no need to disturb you or ask you to leave the water.

Do you bring Entonox to a home birth?

Yes. Entonox, commonly known as gas and air, can be available for pain relief during a planned home birth with Guided By You Midwifery. We will discuss your home birth pain relief options during pregnancy.

Do you bring emergency drugs?

I bring appropriate drugs as part of my home birth equipment, including drugs that may be used if bleeding following birth is significant.

Do you bring resuscitation equipment?

Yes. I bring appropriate resuscitation equipment for both mother and baby as part of being prepared to provide care during and immediately following birth.

Can you take blood at home if needed?

Yes. I bring the appropriate equipment to take blood samples if this is clinically required as part of your care.

Will you weigh my baby after birth?

Yes. I bring baby scales so that your baby can be weighed following birth. Your baby’s weight and other relevant information can then be documented in their Red Book.

Do you bring vitamin K for my baby?

Yes. I bring vitamin K if you choose for your baby to receive it. We can discuss vitamin K during your antenatal appointments, including why it is offered and the options available, so that you can make an informed decision.

Can my partner cut the baby's cord?

Yes. If your partner would like to cut the cord, we will work with you to make this special moment possible wherever we can, as long as there is no emergency following birth requiring immediate care for you or your baby.

What happens to my placenta after a home birth?

You can choose whether you would like to keep your placenta. If you do not wish to keep it, I bring the appropriate clinical disposal equipment so that it can be safely removed and disposed of. We can discuss the different options during your antenatal care.

Do I need to buy medical equipment for my home birth?

No. I bring the professional clinical equipment required for the midwifery care I provide. We will discuss the practical, non-medical items that are useful for you to have at home.

Do I need to prepare my house like a hospital?

Absolutely not. Your home remains your home. We will discuss a few simple practical preparations, but you do not need to recreate a clinical environment to plan a home birth.

Why does a second midwife attend?

A second midwife provides additional professional support around the time of birth and immediately afterwards. Their attendance is part of your planned home birth care and does not mean that something has gone wrong.

What happens if I need care that cannot be provided at home?

If you or your baby require assessment, treatment or pain relief that cannot appropriately be provided at home, I will discuss this with you and recommend transfer to hospital where necessary.

Preparing for Your Home Birth

You do not need to worry about sourcing clinical equipment yourself.

As your private midwife, I bring the professional equipment required for the care I provide, while we work together during pregnancy to prepare the practical things that will help you feel comfortable at home.

If you are considering a home birth with Guided By You Midwifery, get in touch and we can discuss the equipment I bring, pain relief, your birth environment, the role of my second midwife and what happens if your plans need to change as part of your antenatal care.