All you really need...

We set up our birth supplies upstairs last night. It's funny how little you really need. And frankly, you don't even *need* all this--ask any woman who's delivered in the car on the way to the hospital!



Here we have the "big stuff"--most of the medical stuff is in that bowl, and in the container on the right there are blood test supplies. We're not going all the newborn testing, but we are doing some of it, as well as getting the baby's blood typed. Yes, that is a crock pot in the other corner--I think they keep wet washcloths hot in there as perineum compresses for the pushing stage.



This is the rest of it. Two sets of sheets--one set for during the birth, another for after--lots of old towels, and three bags labeled Mom, Baby, and Warm. The Mom bag has clothes for after the birth. The Baby bag has clothes, sock, and extra hats. (I didn't have to have that many hats, but we had a ton from when Abby was born and there were quite a few different sizes; figured I might as well put them all in so we'd have options. The one hat we had at the hospital for Abby was way too big!) The Warm bag has a hat and lots of receiving blankets; they put all that in the oven (!) to, well, get warm right before the baby comes.

Not pictured is the snack table. That's downstairs in the dining room. We've got chips and salsa, mixed nuts, pretzels, and when Mom comes over to pick up Abby she'll stop and pick up a veggie tray, a fruit tray, cold cuts and rolls, and cheese to put on crackers. Yum! Not that I'll probably be having any of it. *sigh* For myself there's fixin's for fruit smoothies, and lots of orange flavored Recharge (a more healthy version of Gatorade). I still have to make ice chips and Recharge chips, but I plan on starting that today.

So there we go! All set up! Okay baby, any time after today (since midwife and doula are both at a conference until tonight) you're good to go!