I came across the list for what to pack in my hospital bag yesterday and it really took me back. Packing my hospital bag was probably one of the hardest things I had to do when I was pregnant (besides pushing the baby out). I must have unpacked and repacked it at least 10 times. I wanted to make sure that I didn’t forget anything, but I also didn’t want to look like I was packing for 2 week break for a family of four. I think it’s easy to think about what to pack for your new arrival but it’s important not to forget about yourself.
Here is a snapshot of my list for both mum and baby.
Mum
- Birth plan/hospital notes - Your birth may not go exactly as you planned but it’s good to have your preferences down on paper. Just be prepared to change your mind once it starts happening.
- Nightshirt - Some people may tell you to pack a nightshirt for while you’re in labour but I wasn’t in any position to think about changing my clothes. I gave birth naked from the waist down and wearing the t shirt that I travelled into the birth centre in. I did however wear a nightshirt for afterwards which was probably the only thing I could face wearing. I wore this Unisex Cotton Organic Nightshirt by Living Crafts. I loved it and I even wore it throughout my pregnancy. It got a little tight towards the end but it still saw me the whole way through. It was also great for breastfeeding with the buttons on the front.
- Nursing bra - If you’re planning on breastfeeding you’ll probably want to have a nursing bra or two so you can feed your baby when they’re hungry - which is a lot
- Big knickers! - People told me I needed big knickers. I wasn’t entirely convinced so I packed some in my size and some a size up. I soon learnt that those people were right. You want the Bridget Jones kind. The bigger the better in my opinion, to keep the maternity pads in place. There will be quite a bit of blood so you may want to get them in a dark colour
- Towel - Turns out I didn’t need a towel. The birth centre provided all the towels I needed, but I’m not sure if this is commonplace in all hospitals.
- Maternity pads - I took a pack of 20 and I think this was more than enough because the hospital provided me with a couple too. I used disposable pads at this birth but I think next time I might try reusable's. I think I’d much rather have soft cotton next to my skin than synthetic materials. Same goes for the knickers above - get cotton/organic cotton.
- Wash bag - Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, flannel, soap, shampoo, conditioner, lip balm, deodorant etc. I also packed some cooling spray, some post birth ‘down there’ spray and nipple balm.
- Snacks - During my labour I wasn’t eating enough and I was threatened with a drip unless I ate something. The midwife then suggested Lucozade which my husband had to go and fetch from the shop. I hated him leaving so next time I’m going to make sure I have a bottle in my bag ready just in case.
- Phone charger - For you and your partner. You don’t want them to die when you’re just about to tell everyone the baby has just been born. And I’m sure you’ll want to take lots of pictures.
- Headphones - To listen to your birthing playlist if you have one.
Baby
- Muslins - I take these everywhere so obviously they went in my hospital bag. I have the Organic Muslin Squares by Disana. Had them for almost 8 months now, they’ve survived multiple washes (some hot ones) and they’re still going strong.
- Baby body - Obviously you’re going to need something to dress your baby in once they’re no longer in the safety of your tummy. The first ever piece of clothing my baby wore was an Organic Cotton Baby Body by Living Crafts. It felt good to know that such a soft fabric was against my newborn baby’s skin.
- Sleepsuit - I took about 5 just in case, but I didn’t need that many. My favourite was an Organic Merino Wool Baby Grow by Engel. So soft and cosy, and super cute on a tiny baby.
- Nappy sacks - The nappies usually just got thrown in the bin at the hospital but I took some of these just in case. I don’t think I used any though.
- Cotton wool/reusable wipes - They say to use cotton wool on newborn baby’s soft bottoms. I did, because as a first time mum I followed the advice of the professionals. I have some organic cotton reusable wipes and now I know they would have been perfectly fine to use with water instead of cotton wool. It actually would have been a lot easier and a lot less fiddly.
- Hat - Or 2, if you’re planning on having a water birth
- Socks - For either their feet, or their hands.
- Scratch mittens
- Blanket - My baby was wrapped in a hospital blanket during our stay there so our blanket was only used when coming home. It was definitely needed in the middle of January. I now have the Delicate Wool Blanket by Disana and I definitely wish I’d had it from the start. It would have been so perfect for my tiny new baby.
- Going home outfit - Some people like to put their baby in a cute outfit for leaving the hospital. I didn’t care what she looked like, I was just so worried that she would be warm enough. I think when we left the hospital Molly was wearing a baby body, a sleep suit and then a wool cardigan. This was plenty since we were getting straight into the car and she had a blanket over her as well.
Remember, the shops don’t close just because you’re in labour. If you forget anything, or need something you weren’t expecting to need, it can easily be bought after the baby is born.
