Packing your Hospital Bag

So you are nearing your due date and while you may have started to pack your hospital bag for you and baby, you are still unsure of the items you have and if you have everything. Ideally you should pack two bags or two sets of items, for yourself and your new arrival. This bag should be packed and ready anywhere after 36 weeks because its all systems go from there on out. The excitement of you going into labour at any moment is just overwhelming if you're single or if married or living with your partner. Especially for the couples you'll observe that he too has become just as anxious and excited as you for the big day.

You may have read its best to pack two bags, one for the labour and the other for the day or two you may be in hospital for but really and truly it’s not necessary to have two bags as long as you have all the items listed below you should be fine. The bag you pack should include your baby hospital things as well which should keep him or her going until you get home.

So then the items you’ll need for yourself are:

A night gown for during the labour or a big t- shirt. You may choose to wear the hospital gown as well.

Two or three maternity bras

Two to three front opening night dresses

Breast pads

Dressing gown

Slippers

Undergarments, this could be anywhere from six to eight. You’ll need that many for the simple reason that bleeding after birth will be more than usual and you will want to change regularly to keep yourself feeling fresh. Some of you may also have heard of the disposable underwear and opt to take a few of those as well as you may ruin your good undergarments and probably not want them afterward. This is up to the individual of course.

You’ll need three or four packs of super absorbant stick on sanitary pads

Hairbrush, comb

Towels, face and wash cloth, soap or bath gel, deodorant/ body spray

Dettol soap or dettol itself or savlon for disinfecting

Small mirror

Face cream, hand cream, makeup if you so desire for visitors coming to see the family

Tissue /toilet paper

Lip balm or lipgloss

your birth plan / birth notes

camera / camera phone with charger

reading material ( you might have a long wait)

music that you like (optional)

massage tools ( just in case, you might find you want to be massaged and then you don't want to be) Being pregnant can be really tricky.

Snacks, candy , water (lots of it)

Clothing for when you’ll leave the hospital



For your baby you’ll need:

A pack of nappies or pampers

Four to five all in ones or sleep suits

Baby shawl

Bonnet or hat

Scratch mittens

Baby rag

Blanket to wrap your baby

Socks

An outfit for when your baby is going home

Depending on the weather a sweater or snow suit

Olive oil to moisturise his skin as you’ll find that their skin either strips or is dry

Baby car seat for when leaving the hospital. This is especially important for the UK and USA as it is the law.


These are really just a list of the essential items needed for when you are preparing for the hospital. All being well you really shouldn’t have to pack for more than a night or two at most.