Now that the time to deliver your baby is almost here, you can begin preparing for your trip to the hospital. This is an exciting time and as your due date looms closer, you’ll no doubt want to begin preparing for your trip to the hospital or birthing centre. When it comes to packing your bag, you will want to consider what you want as well as what you may need at the hospital, before, during and after your baby is delivered.
In Your Birth Bag
What you place in your bag is entirely up to you. It’s recommended to bring along your own toiletries, including toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, soap, shampoo, and lotions. While your hospital or birthing centre may supply many of these items, it’s comforting to have your favourites to make you more comfortable and feel better after delivery. Bringing your own clothes, underwear and socks is also a good idea but these items but should be reserved for after you’ve delivered the baby and cleaned up as you will likely ruin any socks, underclothes, or nightgowns you bring if you wear them during delivery.
Partner Provisions
Just as important as having a bag for yourself, your partner should also bring along a bag. Your partner may want to include an extra set of clothes, a watch to time contractions, personal toiletries, snacks to keep the energy up and ward off hunger and reading material (either to be read to you during labour or for his own personal enjoyment). Babies can take a while to be born so having something on hand to keep boredom at bay can be beneficial.
Important Documents and Items to Pack
Even if you have already pre-registered with the hospital or birthing centre, you will want to bring along your registration papers, medical or insurance card, and your personal IDs. Remember to bring your birth plan if you have one - even if you have already given a copy to the hospital or doctor. Hospital paperwork should all be kept together so you can give it to the nurse in charge upon your arrival.
Other documents and papers to include may include:
- Phone numbers
- Calling cards
- Paediatrician information
- Empty folder to bring home labour and delivery papers as well as discharge and care papers.
Baby Travel Bag
You may not need to bring baby’s bag to the hospital with you but it’s a good plan to have it in the car when you do go to the hospital so that it’s easy to locate and retrieve when you and baby are ready to come home.
Unlike your bag, your baby will only require a few things in order to come home. You can fill the bag with extra clothes, nappies, and toiletries but many hospitals and birthing centres allow you to use some of the items you have in your baby’s bassinet during his or her hospital stay. Particular items such as seasonal weather clothing, snowsuit, babygrow, jumper, etc may be necessary depending on the season and weather conditions when you and baby go home. Nappies may be useful in case a changing is needed before you arrive home. Blankets to swaddle baby or cover from cold air as he or she is transported into the car will also be needed.
Miscellaneous Items
Many new parents bring along their mobile phones to call family and friends. A camcorder and digital or disposable camera is also recommended for you to capture the moments of labour, delivery and after the baby arrives. If you want to document the labour and delivery journey you may want to bring along a baby book or journal for you to write down your feelings, birth weight and your experience leading up to and after your baby is born.
Other items for soothing and comfort during labour can help you through the process as well. Music, massage oils, relaxation items, pen and paper or pictures to help you focus during labour are also useful.
Create an organised list of the things you need to do before leaving for the hospital as well as a detailed list of items you want to bring to make the task of preparing for your trip to the hospital much smoother and less stressful. Concentrate on the essentials. You can always call your birthing centre, hospital, or doctor’s office for advice on what to bring if you are unsure.
Recommended Reading
For more information and advice on preparing for birth, take a look at the following books:
Preparing for Childbirth: Guided Imagery Exercises to Ease Labor and Delivery
40 Weeks +: The Essential Pregnancy Organizer
Calm Birth: Empowering Preparation for Childbirth
Birthing from Within: An Extra-Ordinary Guide to Childbirth Preparation
Preparation for Birth: The Complete Guide to the Lamaze Method
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