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Hospital bag essentials

You’ll need to pack a bag for the hospital, and the following is a useful list especially for first-time mums. Remember to bring:

• Your antenatal notes.
• Your birth plan.
• Magazines, books, MP3 player, video player, games, sudoku, playing cards, or crosswords as you may have a bit of a wait on your hands.
• Favourite snacks and drinks for you and your partner.
• Glucose tablets or boiled sweets.
• Ear plugs.
• Tissues.
• Dark coloured towels.
• All your usual toiletries such as shampoos, cleansers, soaps and moisturisers.
• Hair bands.
• A watch with a second hand to time contractions.
• Pictures of someone or something you love. This will provide great inspiration to see you through to the end.
• A stills camera, and or a video camera, film, batteries, tapes, chargers, and spare memory cards for digital cameras.
• A notepad and pen.
• Mobile phone and charger, although remember they should be switched off in hospital.
• Change or a phone card so you can use a public phone if it’s more convenient than going outside to make a mobile phone call.
• Your phone book or a list of important numbers.

Clothing

• Something comfortable, loose and made of cotton to give birth in.
• This should probably be something old as it may become stained during the birth.
• Dressing gown.
• Slippers.
• Socks are especially important as during late-stage labour or after delivery, some women get very cold feet.
• For a few weeks after giving birth, you’ll have a discharge (or lochia) of blood as your uterus shrinks and heals. So you’ll need lots of underwear, ideally old and dark coloured as it may well become blood stained.
• You’ll also need disposable and super-absorbent sanitary towels to absorb fluids and blood. Tampons are not advised for use at this time.
• Cotton front-opening nightwear to allow for breastfeeding.
• Nursing bras and breast pads if you want to breastfeed.
• Support maternity bras.
• A change of loose and comfortable clothing for your hospital stay.
• A change of comfortable clothing to go home in.

Comfort aids for labour

During labour there are a few things that you can bring with you to make things easier:

• Mini fan.
• Glucose or boiled sweets.
• Energy drinks.
• Drinking straw.
• Massage oils or lotions.
• Hot-water bottle.
• Heat pad or ice pack for aches and pains.
• Lip salve (you’ll probably get dry lips due to all the breathing that you will be doing).
• A water spray.
• A facecloth or sponge to dip in cold water and put on your face.
• A beanbag.

A bag for your new baby

You’ll also need to pack another bag for your baby. This should include;

• All-in-one stretchy outfits and vests.
• Sleep suits with pop fastenings washed in non-bio detergent.
• Socks and booties.
• Nappies, if disposable, the size should be suitable for newborns.
• Baby toiletries like wipes and cotton wool.
• Swaddling sheet.
• Soft shawl.
• Soft towels washed in non-bio detergent.
• Bonnet, shawl and or blanket for going home in, and mittens if it’s cold.
• It’s a legal requirement to have an infant car-seat or baby-carrier.

Be prepared for the happy event by downloading our birth PDF »