What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag, Part 2

packing maternity bag, labor hospital bag, What you need for breast feeding, breastfeeding help, breastfeeding tips, what do I need for breastfeeding, Breast fed baby, should I breast feed, how to breast feed.

Feature image from JAMES GRANT

It’s coming time for us to pack our Maternity Hospital Bag in preparation for labor.  It is a daunting task and I want to make sure I have absolutely everything I could possibly need.

Great preparation now will give us the best possible chance of having a wonderful birth.

I have taken on board all the recommendations from my friends, midwives and have started looking online for advice about what to pack.  Here is what I have learnt.

There is no right or wrong way to pack your Maternity Hospital Bag.he essentials to pack.  It’s all about making sure you consider everything and understand why you might need what you need, then you can decide.

I hope this helps you to understand what to pack in your Maternity Hospital Bag.  You can get a lot of advice without ever hearing the explanation why you might need it.  For the first half of this list, check out WHAT TO PACK IN YOUR HOSPITAL BAG, PART 1.

8. A Present for the Nursing Staff

Did you know that nurses and midwives  very rarely get gifts from patients?  They are often forgotten by parents to be.  In the days after the birth, new parents  are so focused on the fact that they have a baby to care for, that they forget to thank the very people who helped their baby arrive safely into the world.

Don’t forget to thank those who have worked the hardest for you and your family.  Having something already prepared in your Hospital bag will mean you won’t forget.  It’s amazing what a little thanks will get you.

It’s amazing what a little thanks will get you.  Some postnatal wards have individual rooms as well as shared rooms.  A present will definitely be the right way to go, if you are hoping for a private room.

9. Nappies; Disposable or Cloth

Don’t go over the top with your packing.  If you are giving birth in a Hospital, they will supply you with nappies for the length of your stay.  This means that you only need to take a couple of nappies in your hospital bag, for when it’s time to go home.

It doesn’t matter whether you are going to choose disposable or washable nappies, there is one little thing to consider - What about using disposable for the first few weeks anyway?  There is enough to consider without having to wash babies nappies.

10. A Change of Clothes for the Baby

Just like nappies, most Hospitals will supply baby clothes for the length of the babies stay in the hospital, so you don’t need to pack too many baby outfits.  This is to help with laundry, hygiene and to cut down on worries for new parents.  Just a simple outfit for the baby to sleep in and a going home outfit for photos will be fine.

Just a simple outfit for the baby to sleep in and a going home outfit for photos will be fine.

11. Lots of Very Big Underpants!

After labour, you will bleed a lot.  There is no getting around it.  This will also mean you will probably be changing your underwear and your pads frequently.

Why do they need to be BIG?  This one was a tip from our midwife while on the Hospital tour.  Did you know that a c-section scar sits exactly where most underwear waistbands sit on your hips?  Ouch.  Pack a pair of gigantic Bridget Jones style granny panties just in case.

12. A Very Big Bra! 

In the last few weeks of your pregnancy, you need to head out and get yourself a new maternity bra.  Three days after you give birth, your milk will come in and your breasts will increase in size.  No matter how much they have grown during pregnancy, they will grow more after the baby arrives.

Get your maternity bra professionally fitted with someone who knows what they are talking about.  They should be able to tell you how many sizes your breasts will increase by.  Be careful of anything with an underwire.  An underwire will put uneven pressure on your developing milk ducts.

The bra should be comfortable enough to sleep in and easy to unclip with one hand, for feeding access.

13. A Drink Bottle with a Straw

Who knows what angle you are going to be during labor and delivery.  Are you going to be confined to your bed after the baby is born?

A drink bottle with a straw is a wonderful way for your birthing support person to offer you water without pouring water all over you.  A drink bottle with a straw will also be great for if you are confined to the bed and need to lay down a lot.  Oh and it’s great for having a drink while breastfeeding too.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *