Hospital Bag – What to Pack

Hospital bag items.. Baby hospital bag list, Mum hospital bag list and what your partner needs for labour.  What do you actually need to pack in your hospital bag?

Packing a hospital bag ideally needs to include a hospital bag for baby, a hospital bag for Mum and what your partner will need to bring. Start thinking of packing it and collecting bits around 32 weeks, aiming to have everything sorted by around 36 weeks, just in case baby puts in an early appearance. Pop the bag (or bags) in your bedroom where it can be easily accessed, then as you think of items, they can be added easily without a last minute rush forgetting things. Here are a few of the things that as a midwife, I see most helpful in the birth room and there after….

Hospital Bag for Mum

Lip balm

Gas and air can make your lips really dry, and so can the dry hospital air. Having a lip balm to hand can help you avoid the discomfort of chapped lips.

Water Bottle 

Ideally one with a straw or some kind of sappy nozzle. Straws help your jaw relax in labour. You can’t clench your jaw and sip through a straw, so they encourage you to relax your muscles. This helps with labour progress. It also encourages you to drink plenty, also helping with labour progress. Having a non-spill straw type nozzle will also help after you have a cesarean when you can be lying quite flat.

Earplugs/Eye mask

This one is useful if you need to spend any time on the antenatal maternity ward eg. induction of labour as it can be noisy and these can help you get more rest. I must add that these are for before baby is born; ear plugs are definitely not for after you’ve had the baby!!

Flannel/water spray/mini fan

You can get HOT in labour. Hospitals also are usually relatively warm in maternity areas to help baby’s with regulating their temperature. Something to cool you down can come in very handy.

Socks

Seemingly contrary to above; socks to keep your feet warm. If you have an epidural or spinal when it wears off your feet can feel cold.

Extra Bag

Always pack an extra bag to keep at home for a relative to bring in if you unexpectedly need to stay in for longer. Think of things you’d need if you were going away for a few nights; spare underwear, pyjamas, pads, additional toiletries etc.

But it’s not always about the practical things that you may need to pack in your hospital bag. Have you ever thought though about packing items that may make your birth better?

Here are a few hospital bag items that will help improve your birth:

A pillow

The most relaxed time in your day is most likely the moment just before you go to sleep. Your body, without maybe even realising it, will find comfort in the smell of your pillow. Bring your own pillow with you to help keep you relaxed in labour. Plus, pillows are like gold in a hospital!

An iPad or laptop

One of my TBTBC ladies went through her whole labour watching the athletics on her iPad. She had an induction of labour and was on the hormone drip. I remember going in to see her whilst she was in labour as I was on shift. I left the room thinking she is far toooo calm to be in labour as she just perched there watching the athletics. Turns out an hour later I was in the room as she birthed her baby. It was amazing! The iPad for her offered a great distraction method.

Headphones

If you think about the times that you have maybe been to the gym for a gym class- music is a massive part of any session as it acts as a distraction method. You notice less when you are feeling out of breath or exhausted because a good song is on. The same can apply for birth, compile a birthing playlist with your fave tunes on and bring a speaker or some headphones to listen.

Lucozade

Your uterus is a muscle, so during your contractions your uterus will need water and energy to work efficiently. Lucozade (ideally not the fizzy one) is great to keep your uterus hydrated so it can keep on contracting well.

Hospital bag for baby?

Enough nappies for 48hours

8-10 nappies to be on the safe side. If your baby only does one poo a day then you’ll be fine. Equally, they can poo 4 or 5 times a day or more so better to pack safe. If you’re in for longer than have extras already packed in your “extras” bag at home.

A hat is a must

Babies lose heat through their heads and they don’t regulate their temperatures very well in the first few days.

Layers

As a rule of thumb, baby should be wearing one more layer to you. So in the winter, you are likely to be putting your baby in a vest, baby grow and a cardigan. Then blankets too. Cardigans are great for keeping a baby warm in the first few days after birth all year round. 5x vests and 5x baby grows and 2 x cardigans would be plenty for a 48 hour stay in the hospital.

Hospital Bag for Dads/Partners/Birth Partners – pack yourself a bag too!

Think change of clothes, food, toothbrush, food, drinks, food. Paracetamol is also a good one for you to have, hospitals can’t dish out the drugs to anyone other than Mum and lack of sleep and hospital air can mean headaches. Did I mention snacks? There is nothing worse than a hangry partner!

As your due date approaches, ensure you always have your hospital notes to hand, should you need to grab them quickly. Double check the parking facilities at your local hospital and even do a ‘practice run’ with partner. It’s always a good idea to have some change in your bag for parking/vending machines.

Now put your feet up and wait until baby is ready to meet you!

Want the complete checklist? You can get one here for you, partner and baby  to print off and tick off when you have added it to your hospital bag.

Already had your baby? What did you pack in your hospital bag?