By Misha Safranski
More and more mothers-to-be are choosing home birth every
year. Some parents are still intimidated, however, by the prospect of
cleaning up the mess after having a baby at home. There is seldom as large
a mess as parents anticipate, and taking a few easy measures ahead of time
can simplify the clean-up process even further.
Difficulty:
Easy
Instructions
Things
You'll Need:
Old sheets and towels
Plastic
sheets
Disposable pads (optional)
Step
1
Make the bed in layers a couple weeks ahead of your expected
delivery time. Place a clean sheet on the mattress, next lay a waterproof
sheet or plastic shower curtain liner, then, finally, make the top layer up
with another clean sheet—preferably an older one that you won’t
mind tossing if it gets stained. This will allow your partner, midwives or
home birth attendants to simply remove the top sheet and plastic layer so
that you can get right back into a clean bed.
Step 2
Have a sheet of plastic handy to lay down on
the floor between the birth tub or bathroom and the bed, so that if you are
planning a water home birth, you can transfer between the birth tub and the
bedroom without damaging the flooring or carpet.
Step 3
Spray carpet protectant, such as Scotchguard,
on any carpeting that may be in your path as you move throughout the house
during the labor and birth. By doing so, you can be sure that even if you
are losing amniotic fluid as you walk around the house, your carpeting will
be easy to wipe up after your home birth.
Step
4
Use disposable pads for even easier cleanup on the bed and
floors. These are typically about the size of a large towel and are easily
obtained online through a home birth supply store. Alternatively, you can
purchase puppy training pads. Either way, they are absorbent, convenient to
move around and can be thrown away after use.
Step 5
Take advantage of your birth
attendants’ offers to clean. Most midwives and their assistants take
care of all the liners, towels, sheets and other laundry before they leave
after a home birth. This makes things incredibly easy for you and your
family—you can relax after your baby’s arrival and simply enjoy
those first precious hours.
Tips &
Warnings
If your carpet does become
stained by blood, blot the area with a mixture of half ammonia and half
water.
If the stain has set and dried before you get a chance to
clean it up, make up a mixture of salt, hydrogen peroxide and water. Apply
it to the stain and blot with a damp cloth.
Keep in mind that
most home births are not as messy as hospital births--episiotomies are
rarely done at home, resulting in less bleeding.