We're 36 and half weeks pregnant, are 17 more sleeps from our planned C-section for Baby M 2.0 and our last trip to the OB shows mini man's growth slowing down... it's time to start packing the hospital bag!
In the last month, two Mama's from my friendship circle have had planned C-sections that have not gone to plan when it comes to knowing the date of baby's arrival. Both were booked for their births at 39 weeks, and both have had their waters break naturally in the 37th and 38th week respectively.
Knowing this and considering the complications and subsequent early birth of our first (born at 37 weeks due to early placenta calcification, low amniotic fluid and mini stopped growing), I want to be prepared for anything and that means being ready to go with my hospital bag at a moment's notice.
While first-time mama's might automatically reach for onesies, nappies and comfy pjs, there are a few essentials that I (as a mama), as well as my little group of mamas, recommend packing to make the birthing experience smoother and more comfortable so you can focus on your new baby and soaking in the newborn goodness.
So without further ado, let's dive in to the ultimate list of 'Hospital Bag Essentials', what to pack and why, as well as some reason's why I'm doing things a little differently this time around.
Packing for Mama
Nursing Pyjamas + Night Gown
Regardless of whether you're in for one night or a couple of nights, you'll want some comfy pyjamas to sleep in.
With that in mind, I specify nursing PJ’s because when your demand feeding at all hours of the night, or pumping like mad while hubby bottle feeds (which happened in my case), you'll want easy access to just “whip-a-tit” out and feed as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Another reason for packing nursing specific pyjama's is that the amazing midwives will be constantly coming in to your room to monitor your recovery, check in on bubs, and assist you with breastfeeding, so therefore you'll want easy access to make all of these checks less disruptive and much smoother.
A plus for the C-section mama's is that you won't have to move around as much when the midwives are in the room/ you're breastfeeding, so your wounds won't feel 'pulled' on from you trying to adjust yourself in order to pull up a t-shirt or jumper... You just un-button and away you go.
All this in mind, “nursing” Pj’s are just a fancy way of saying pj’s with easy access, so don't worry about purchasing expensive maternity/ nursing specific pyjamas, you basically want anything that will allow you access to your breasts easily that you don’t have to struggle with. Aim for button up tops or maternity singlets and try and avoid t-shirts and jumpers.
*From my experience a hidden silver lining to the practicality of a button up was that it made skin-to-skin time with our mini all that easier - therefore, I did it often.
Comfortable Clothes
Think non-restrictive, lounge-around-the-house type clothing. You'll want trackies, zip jumpers and comfort.
I personally birthed my first in summer, and the seven days we spent in hospital (mini and I both had complications) I wore my pjs the whole time. I wasn't sure what to expect and honestly with all the movies that you watch, the birthing mama is always in her pyjama's and a robes, so that's what I brought with me. It was comfortable, but by the end I was sick of being in my pyjamas and just wanted to feel normal getting changed and showered every morning as I usually do.
This time around, I am birthing in winter and want to feel as normal as I can during the hospital stay. Therefore, I'm packing some comfy clothes to chill out in our room and potentially go for a walk around the hospital in.
That in mind, I've purchased higher waisted track pants (as I don't want anything rubbing on my C-section scar), nursing-friendly singlets, zip up jumpers and button up cardigans to make breastfeeding and checkups easy.
Slippers/ Slides
The name literally means to slip on and off! Screw sneakers or anything else footwear that requires effort to put on and off - Aim for comfortable and easy.
In my experience you won't be doing much 'walking'. In fact, the furtherest I walked was to the NICU or the lactation consultant which were both down the hall from our hospital room, so 'walking' shoes were unnecessary for such a short walk.
The general consensus from my C-section mamas was that the first few days consisted of 'shuffling' as opposed to walking as larger strides created a 'pulling' sensation on the fresh wound. So slippers for the win on this front too!
Maternity Bras/ Post Partum Underwear
I personally am big breasted - it's a gift and a curse. However when my milk came in... WOAH! There was no free-boobin' for me, those puppies needed support as well as easy access!
A maternity bra meant that I got the support needed for both my breasts, neck and back, while also giving me the freedom to breastfeed/ pump. In addition, 'maternity' specific bras generally have no underwire, minimising your risk for mastitis.
They might be a little pricier than your regular bra, however you will get your wear out of them both pre and post birth so these are ones that should definitely be invested in and be packed into your hospital bag.
Post-partum underwear is another investment. Ditch the lace! Ditch the g-string! Ditch the low rise! Get some mid/high rise, cotton/bamboo, full briefs - Trust me and the ladies who have birthed before you... you will bleed, you will wear a pad, you might have a scar (either from a tear, an episiotomy or a c-section) and you will want to feel comfortable.
Maternity Pads/ Post Partum Disposable Underwear
As I mentioned above, post birth you will bleed. Regardless of whether you birth naturally or have a c-section, your vagina will bleed. A pad or a pair of post-partum disposable underwear will keep you feeling dry and will also have the added bonus of tracking what is coming out of your body.
Any clumps of blood/ tissue bigger than a 50 cent piece (Australian) after the first 48 hours should be reported to your Dr's or Midwives. Pads/ disposable underwear will make this easy to spot and easy to assess from your healthcare professionals.
Nipple Care
MYTH - Breastfeeding is easy, you just whack bub on the boob and away you go.
MYTH - Breastfeeding is beautiful for both mum and bub and is the most amazing, natural experience in the whole world.
TRUTH - Breastfeeding is freaking hard.
I didn't realise how much technique, trial, error and practice was involved in the latching and suckling process, not to mention the amount of time it takes. I also didn't realise how much of a physical and mental toll it would take on my body, how much I would question the process or how I would feel not being able to get it right the first time. It was an emotional rollercoaster in my experience.
That being said there are Midwives and Lactation Consultants, plus a community of mama's that will be there to help you.
When it comes to nipple care, breast milk can work magic on sore and cracked nipples, however there have been some advancements in nipple care such as silverettes and nipple balms that will do a wonderful job in helping to maintain and repair your nipples. I am bringing them with me for the second birth as in my experience, those first few days were tender.
In addition to nipple repair, breast ice packs can also help with bringing the swelling of your boobs down and helps to reduce engorgement. And in regards to nipple leakage, some nipple pads will help you to avoid having to constantly change your bra/ top. You can also now buy them in a reusable version which is better for the planet and also are much nicer in terms of feeling on your nipple compared to the disposable ones.
Toiletries
I feel like these are self explanatory - toothbrush & toothpaste, hair care, facial products, make-up (if you feel so inclined), a brush, hair elastics/ scrunchies, etc...
What might not be self explanatory is how quickly you will need to pack these from your bathroom if and when your waters break.
My "hot tip" is to purchase some mini's/ a second set of products ahead of time and pack it into the hospital bag early so you won't need to do a mad dash around the bathroom when you're trying to keep calm and get yourself to the hospital.
While it may seem silly to have a set of mini's or a second set of facial products, if you use them regularly, you will end up using them up post birth anyways, so just think of it as buying your essentials in bulk for a bit. I personally found it really helpful to buy mini's as they didn't take up to much space in my hospital bag.
Towel + shower shoes
The hospital provides linen on the beds and towels in the bathroom, however... They are the “towels of a thousand butts”, are scratchy and they’re freaking tiny!!
I didn’t pack my own for the birth of my first, but I sure as heck will be packing my own for baby no. 2! Again, this might be a 'fanciful' thing to be packing, but when you feel those tiny towels against your skin, you will wish you had brought your own.
Shower shoes are a given, it’s a hospital, so theres going to be germs regardless of how often they clean - chuck some flip-flops in your bag and save yourself the 'ick' feeling.
Items to help you relax during birth
Talking to all my vaginal birthing Mama's in the birthing suites - Sorry C-section Mamas, off to theater you go where you cant have anything extra, non sterile etc.
Essential oils, speakers, 90's playlist, your own pillow... if it's relaxing and comforting, bring it. Whatever will help you keep clam and focus on the task at hand (pushing a human out of your lady-bits) you should have that close at hand.
Pro tip, inform your birthing partner and pack these items in a separate bag for easy access so it can be set up quickly when you get to the birthing arena.
Water Bottle with STRAW
When you’re birthing the last thing you need is to have a bottle that can spill all over the place mid contraction. A water bottle with a straw means that your birthing partner can easily hold the bottle to your mouth while you drink mid pushes. Keep your water bottle on hand as you enter the hospital/ in your birthing bag so you don’t have to go fishing though bags mid contractions.
Bonus for out c-section mamas, cut the fuss of having to sit up and lay back down playing musical bed positions just to have a sip of water. The straw will be your saviour.
Gummy Lollies
The gummy lollies are a great way to keep your sugar levels and energies up as (trust me) you won't feel like eating a main meal mid contractions. In my experience, I was served breakfast by 6am, I had my epidural and my waters broken shortly after, and then I didn’t eat anything until after 8pm that day - which at that point the staff had stopped serving dinner, so I got a sandwich (but it was the best sandwich of my entire life). Thank goodness for the lollies keeping my strength up through the process!
Like you birthing aids and water bottles, keep your gummy lollies on hand and easily accessible so you don’t have to go fishing though bags to find them when you need an energy boost.
Entertainment
Pre delivery you won't have much time to do much of anything as you'll either be in labour or hanging about for your c-section, however post delivery is another story. Depending on how long you're in hospital for (as public patient stays are normally shorter than private patient stays), you might want to bring some things to keep you from going stir-crazy in a hospital room all day.
While I can guarantee there might not be as much free time as you think (baby feeds are almost every three hours, plus nappy change and check ups etc. happening around you), you will have some downtime. My suggestion is to bring a few things to keep your mind active and entertained while you pass the time with your mini. Books, music, iPad/ Laptop loaded with Netflix... Whatever keeps you relaxed and sane!
Medical Information
It's a given that when you go in for any medical appointment you bring your Medicare information and private health information (if you have private health). Going into hospital to give birth is no different.
My suggestion is to create a file that you can bring to all of your appointments with information regarding your baby and your pregnancy, then take photocopies of your Medicare card, Health insurance card and drivers licence and keep them in the file so that information is all in one spot.
Birth Plan / Blood Group Information
Antenatal classes during pregnancy will go over the differences between a natural birth and recovery and a c-section birth and recovery (amongst other things). After these classes you should have an idea about what kind of birthing experience you would like to have when it comes time to birth your baby.
In addition to the antenatal classes and plans you create, conversations with your OB and midwife in the lead up to the birth need to happen to give you a more specific snap-shot of what options you have for birthing your baby from a "get your baby out safely" perspective.
Things like the use of vacuum over forceps, whether or not you want drugs like the epidural or the gas and a whole bunch of other decisions can be included in your birth plan. Having those things written down in a plan will help your birthing partner to advocate on your behalf during the labour process should you need.
In addition to the birthing plan, have other information on hand like your blood group and any allergies again for your partner to access during your labour.
Going Home/ First Photo Outfit
One out of left field, but still one to consider. You have a bit of time in the hospital (particularly if you're private), so why not have a nice snap of you and your baby during their first few days of life, a memorable feeding moment, or even a cute snap of the family as you leave together to go home.
It might not be something that you care about doing, and if it's not your vibe, then it's not something you have to include in your bag. However, if it is something that you might like to do, take this as a little prompt.
Packing for Baby
Onesies with zip (0000 & 000)
Common sense. You wear clothes, so your child is going to need something to wear too. The general guide that we were given as new parents was, 'one layer more than you' so if you're wearing shorts and a singlet in 30 degrees, pop a singlet and a onesie on your mini. Your mini's have just spent 9+ months in warmth inside of you, so it's going to be a massive shock to their self regulated system when they come and feel the elements. From this point parents, it's your job to help them regulate their body temperature.
Another thing to consider is the temperature of the hospital. Even though I birthed in summer, the hospital was freezing, so take that into consideration when you purchase onesies.
In terms of sizes, I've specified 0000 & 000 onesies because until your mini is out and 'earth-side' you really don't know how big or small they're going to be. We were told that we had a "big baby" on our hands and then at 33 weeks my placenta began calcifying, my amniotic fluid dropped and mini man stopped growing.
Needless to say when he came out he was tiny (2.55kgs) and those few four-zero onesies that we had purchased were even too big, so we had to get the mums to do a little dash to get us a few more (because I only packed a couple thinking mini would be big). Point being, it's better to be over prepared than under prepared in this situation.
When it comes to zip vs button onesies, I would choose the zip feature every single time. Late night changes and feeds become seriously frustrating if you miss a button, not to mention if baby wriggles a little too hard and pops a bunch of them and you.
Singlets, Socks and Beanie
After spending nine plus (lets call a spade a spade, 40 weeks is basically 10 months) in the womb always warm, constantly fed and cosy, being born into the world would be a massive shock for your little one. They now will need to rely on you to regulate their body temperature with the use of clothes and blankets.
With that in mind, Pack some singlets, socks and beanies for the hospital as it does get cold in the hospital rooms (and even for summer-born babies) and remember that you can always choose to remove if you feel your little one is overheating.
Swaddles (Muslin and Jersey)
One of the first things you're taught as a new parent is how to swaddle your baby so they sleep well and their startle reflex (super cute, look it up) doesn't keep waking them up. That said, I am a massive fan of a jersey swaddle as they swaddle tighter and stay in position longer than a traditional muslin wrap swaddle. That's not to say that I don't love the muslin material swaddles (I do), but I believe that they're better put to use as a pram cover or for covering bubba and your boobs as you breastfeed in public.
I also LOVE the 'swaddle up' by 'Love to dream' or the 'Ergobaby pouch' as they keep baby warm, snug and swaddled tightly. Plus they're super easy to use, just zip and your done and their little arms won't be escaping for facial scratches.
The other bonus is that both brands have TOG ratings on each swaddle so you know what to dress your child in for the temperature of the room. For those that might not know, a TOG rating is a number that tells you how thick the fabric of the swaddle is and then you can cross check the temperature of the room and choose clothing on your baby that will be appropriate for the temperature of the room and swaddle - it basically takes the guesswork out of clothing your child.
Baby Blanket
As mentioned earlier, regulating body temperature is going to be a new thing for your Bub, and you can now understand why the cry all the time (I mean wouldn't you cry if you went from being always warm, constantly fed and cozy to now relying on others for your warmth and nourishment.
That in mind, the hospital can get cold, so please bring enough to keep your baby warm (even in summer) and comfortable.
Dummies
Jury is still out on this one - Our mini man didn't use a dummy until after a month of being 'earthside', but when we finally used one, it worked so well to soothe and we wondered why it took us so long to get onto it.
Up to you if you choose to use one, but in my opinion, it helped and I am bringing one to the hospital this time around.
Travel Baby Wash Pack / Towel and small face towel
We bathed our little man for the first time in the hospital. The gorgeous midwives showed us how to hold him and how to relax him in order to get the best out of him and not freak him out in the water.
They did not however, have any bathing soaps or oils to help clean your little one and the towel they have is (as mentioned in the Mumma section) crusty, rough and stiff. Bring your own towel for your little one (preferably something soft and cuddly) and facial towel (to assist with washing bubs gently), as well as some bath oils/ soap to clean and relax baby during the process.
First Photo Outfit / Milestone Cards/ Welcome to the world plaque/ Hello My name is... Plaque
You’re in hospital for a few days (particularly if you go private), so during your bubs' awake time (between OB checks, Midwife checks, baby hearing check, physio checks, food drop offs and every other person popping in), why not take a little snap here and there. I promise you won’t regret it when you look back on the photos and remember how precious and little they were.
Again, this might not be something that you care about doing, and if it's not your vibe, then it's not something you have to include in your bag. If it is something that you might like to do, here is a little prompt.
Pram / Capsule / Car Seat
When we gave birth to our first born, the midwives asked us straight up if we had a safe way to transport baby to the car (and essentially out of the hospital's care). Thankfully we had our pram good to go and so we left with mini man safely and then transported him to the car seat when we got to the car.
Lesson from this is that the hospital won’t let you leave without a safe means of taking your baby out of the hospital's care (they need to cover their butts). So whether it's a pram and car seat combination or a baby capsule that clicks into the car it's the hospital's duty of care to make sure you have this before you can leave.
On that note, you don't have to bring this up to the hospital room until you have to leave - take it from me, the rooms are not massive and the pram or capsule is just going to take up unnecessary space while you're there.
Nappies & Wipes
I would bring a handful of nappies and a packet of wipes in the nappy bag and nothing more. I have no experience with the public birthing process and system, however in my experience going private, the nappies and wipes were all provided for our baby and at the end of our stay, we were able to take home what we didn't fully use because (for health reasons) other patients cant use what's left of the open pack.
And that's that - my hospital bag is on it's way to being packed (yep, I'm leaving it last minute as I should have had it ready from 32 weeks, but here we are) and everything I'm taking is a necessity as I'm trying to not over-pack (says the serial over-packer).
On that note, if you have any thoughts or additions you found useful when you packed your hospital bag, please let me know either in the comments below or via the contact us page - I would love to hear them!
And as always, If you like the content and want to know what else you might need for your baby and why please follow along and we will endeavour to keep you in the loop.
In addition, if you would like to know about specific items and what was purchased where, please email at hello@mamainterrupted.com.au and I can keep you further in the updated.
xoxo
Mama Interrupted
Comments