For 2020, I am writing a series of all of my favorite things! This will include my favorites for supporting people in childbirth, doula life and recovery, small business owner hacks, books and resources, and more. With just a few exceptions, you will NOT find links to purchase these products in this blog series. I trust that you can search for these and like items if you would like to purchase them on your own.

I do not want this series to give anyone FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) though! You do not need all of these things to be a great doula, or have a satisfying birth! However, as with everything humans do, tools can be helpful and help you to work smarter, not harder, especially when you find yourself doing the same things over and over in professional birth work, or you find something particularly helpful for increasing your own comfort in pregnancy, birth, and general life.

Today is all about hot water bottles!

This old-fashioned first-aid kit item has quickly become one of my favorite items in my doula bag. Aching muscles and joints often feel better with therapeutic heat, and discomfort in childbirth is no exception. I often use these mini hot water bottles to apply heat to the birthing person’s low back, but also to tight shoulders and cold feet. However, what I love about hot water bottles is their versatility! Just fill them with ice water for a cold pack instead! Cold can soothe a headache, help that aching back to settle, and be a welcome distraction and focal point during birthing.

Mine are on the smaller end, holding about one quart of water, perfect for soothing the small of one’s back, not too heavy, and easy to properly clean between uses. I keep two in my doula bag, in case my client needs one on each hip, or one hot and one cold. In the hospital, the coffee pot in the refreshment station almost always has a hot water dispenser, or you can fill the bottle with ice water for a cold compress. In the home or birth center, you can microwave water in a mug or other appropriate container, or use a tea kettle to heat water.

Why is this one of my favorite items in my birth bag? It is lightweight, unlike rice socks, so it does not weigh down my birth bag. It is low tech, unlike electric heating pads that need to be close enough to an outlet to be plugged in. It is multi-use, unlike the single use hot and cold packs you can purchase at drugstores. It is easy to clean with soap and water, unlike cloth rice socks (though I did purchase water-resistant rice socks from yourdoulabag.com in the past that are easy to wipe clean between clients). Finally, the hot water bottle is versatile, you can use it to apply heat or cold.

I hope this was helpful for Parents and for Birth Professionals alike, and that you enjoyed learning about why hot water bottles are one of my favorite things to use in my doula work!