A home birth runs smoother when your home is ready before the first contraction. Your midwife brings the clinical equipment. You prepare the room, the supplies and a backup plan. Use this home birth checklist from 36 weeks so everything is in place when labour starts.
What Your PMBcare Midwife Brings
You do not need to buy medical equipment. Sister Salaminah Dikeledi Mhlanga and her assistant arrive with everything needed to monitor you and your baby safely:
- Fetal heart monitoring equipment to check your baby throughout labour
- Equipment to check your blood pressure, pulse and temperature
- Oxygen
- Emergency supplies
Your job is the space, the comfort items and the plan. The checklist below covers all of it.
Your Home Birth Checklist
1. The Birth Room
- A warm, private room close to a toilet
- Two old fitted sheets and one waterproof cover, such as a plastic sheet or shower curtain
- Six to eight old towels you are happy to stain
- Extra pillows and blankets
- Two large bin bags, one for laundry and one for rubbish
- A roll of paper towel
- A small lamp you can dim, plus a brighter light for the midwife
- A heater for winter births, since Joburg nights in June and July can drop close to 0°C
Make the bed in layers. Put on a fitted sheet, then the waterproof cover, then a second fitted sheet. After the birth, peel off the top two layers and a clean, dry bed is waiting for you and your baby.
2. Supplies for You
- Light snacks such as rusks, bananas, yoghurt and toast
- Drinks such as water, rooibos, diluted juice or an electrolyte drink
- A water bottle with a straw, so you can sip in any position
- A bowl or bucket in case you feel nauseous
- At least one pack of large maternity pads
- Loose, comfortable clothing and a front-opening top for skin-to-skin and breastfeeding
- A hot water bottle or heat pack for back pain
- Lip balm, hair ties and a face cloth
Ask your midwife at a prenatal visit whether any pain medication is safe to keep at home for after the birth. Do not take anything during labour without checking with her first.
3. Supplies for Your Baby
- Newborn nappies and wipes or cotton wool
- Two newborn caps to keep your baby warm
- Three or four receiving blankets
- Vests and babygrows in newborn size
- A car seat, installed in the car before 37 weeks
4. Backup Power and Transport
This section matters most in South Africa. Power cuts and night-time travel are real risks, so plan for both.
- A torch, a headlamp and spare batteries
- A fully charged phone and a charged power bank
- Your midwife’s number saved and written down: 060 830 7432
- A car with at least half a tank of fuel from 37 weeks
- A packed hospital bag by the door with your ID, antenatal card, medical aid card if you have one, and clothes for you and your baby
- The route to the agreed hospital, tested in day and night traffic
- Emergency numbers: 10177 for an ambulance, or 112 from any cellphone
A hospital bag is not a sign you expect a transfer. It is part of a safe plan. Our guide on who is a good candidate for a home birth explains why a transfer plan is a requirement, not an extra.
5. Extras for a Water Birth
- A birth pool and a new liner
- A clean hose that reaches from your tap to the pool
- A plan for enough hot water, including a backup during power cuts
- A floor that can carry the weight of a full pool, ideally on the ground floor
- A sieve or net and extra towels next to the pool
Ask Sister Dikeledi whether a water birth suits your pregnancy. Read more about the benefits of water birth at PMBcare.
Prepare Your People, Not Only Your Space
- Pick your birth team. Keep the room small. Decide who stays and who waits outside.
- Give each person a job. One person opens the gate, one makes tea and food, one takes photos if you want them.
- Arrange childcare. Have someone on standby to collect older children at any hour.
- Secure your pets in another room or with a neighbour.
- Plan gate access. Share your address, gate code and complex rules with your midwife. Switch on the outside light at night so she finds your door fast.
Your partner plays a big role on the day. Our post on partner support during pregnancy covers how loved ones can help.
Your Home Birth Timeline
- By 34 weeks: buy supplies and agree on your transfer hospital with your midwife.
- By 36 weeks: pack everything into one labelled box or basket in the birth room. Pack the hospital bag.
- From 37 weeks: install the car seat, keep fuel above half a tank and keep your phone charged every night.
- Every week after that: check the box, replace used items and confirm your childcare plan.
Pair this checklist with a written birth plan. Our guide on how to build your ideal birth plan walks you through it.
Inside PMBcare: Equipment and Care Behind Every Birth
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy a home birth kit?
No. Most items on this list are already in your home. Your midwife brings the clinical equipment. Buy only what you are missing, such as maternity pads, a waterproof cover and newborn clothes.
How much space do I need for a home birth?
Enough room for you to move around the bed, plus space for your midwife and her assistant to work. A standard bedroom works for most families. A water birth needs more floor space and a strong floor.
When should my home birth supplies be ready?
By 36 weeks. A baby born from 37 weeks is full term, so your supplies, hospital bag and transport plan should be ready before then.
What happens to the mess after a home birth?
Your midwife and her assistant clean up before they leave. The layered bed, old towels and bin bags make this quick, so you rest in a clean room with your baby.
Plan Your Home Birth With PMBcare
PMBcare has supported home births in Johannesburg for over 20 years. Sister Dikeledi reviews your plan and your home setup during your prenatal visits, so nothing is left to chance on the day. See what is included in our home birth costs, then book your consultation.
Call 060 830 7432, WhatsApp wa.me/27608307432 or email info@pmbcare.co.za.
This article is general information and does not replace advice from your midwife or doctor.