What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag for Birth?
Bamboolik has been selling cloth diapers and diaper accessories for over 10 years now! It’s only natural that most of our team members are mothers. Our children have grown out of diapers just recently so memories of their births are still fresh. And there’s a lot of us – we can confidently say we’ve got plenty of first-hand experience. What would we pack in our hospital bags if we were to deliver again?
Do Your Research First
Our experience tells us that every hospital treats mothers a little differently. Which transcribes to what kind of equipment and accessories they provide.
We’d recommend finding out in advance all about your chosen/nearest hospital and pack accordingly.
“My hospital bag was stuffed with disposable maternity pads which I didn’t end up using. There was always a fresh stash of them in my room which the nurses kept refilling regularly. If I had known, I could’ve saved quite a lot of space in my bag. Now, I’d take just one pack as a back-up and if I ran out, I’d ask my partner to buy more – there was a drugstore right in the hospital.”
Edita
Contrary to that, there are hospitals where you need to bring even your own toilet paper. As scary as this may sound, we do have these in the Czech Republic, where we’re located.
Always do your pre-delivery research and inquire about the specifics of your chosen hospital. Some hospitals organise maternity courses where you learn all about the delivery and the subsequent hospital stay. And if you don’t want to rely on official info, ask your friends who have been there.
By the way, attending a maternity course might help you overcome some initial nerves you might be having about delivery, especially if it’s your first. At least that’s how it worked for us.
Your Hospital Bag
What are the essentials you should definitely pack and what is just nice to have?
>> As a mother, you will certainly need:
- Basic toiletries and cosmetics – toothbrush and toothpaste, shower gel, deodorant, face cream, etc. Pay attention to the smell and added perfume when choosing these items. We think it’s best if your newborn smells you, not fresh mint, bergamot, or lavender.
- Hair ties and hairbrush (if you use it).
- Slippers or other lounge shoes. Especially if you’re about to give birth in winter. Walking the hospital corridors in your winter boots doesn’t sound comfortable. Nor hygienic.
- At least one pack of maternity pads.
- Maternity briefs. Breathability should be the main factor to look for when choosing these.
- A nursing bra and nursing pads. Both essential for the first days of lactation.
- Paperwork! Your ID, your medical records and other documents that are required in your country. (In Czechia, we need to present a wedding certificate or a father’s declaration when the parents are not married.)
- Snacks. Hospitals are not renowned for their cuisine. We recommend packing dried fruits, nuts or energy bars – quick snacks that will provide an energy boost.
- Cash. They don’t accept cards everywhere and you might need some snacks from the hospital vending machine after all.
- A dressing gown or a sweatshirt and warm socks. Especially if you’re giving birth during the colder months of the year.
- Clothes for the way home. We’d recommend to choose comfort here. Don’t be ashamed to pack your maternity clothes – your belly will need a few weaks to disappear.
>> As a mother, you might appreciate packing these items (nice-to-have):
- Your own clothes for your hospital stay. A nice set of pyjamas, a nightie or some lounge wear. We understand if you don’t want to wear generic hospital clothes! On the other hand, there’s nothing wrong with wearing just them. Whatever you feel comfortable in. When choosing clothes, don’t forget to consider the fact you’ll most likely be breastfeeding – you’ll need a quick access to your chest area at all times :-) Ideally, choose pieces that open on the chest (buttons are your friends here) but don’t forget that your chest is going to expand post-partum. Don’t pack a button-up blouse that is already tight.
- Your favourite cosmetics. We think you can easily do with just the basic toiletries we mentioned earlier, but if you feel better with a little bit of mascara or some lip gloss, pack them!
- Shampoo and/or conditioner. If everything’s fine, you’ll be in the hospital for just several days. If you don’t think you can make it without washing your hair, pack the necessities. Or opt for a dry shampoo.
>> For your newborn, you will need:
- Newborn diapers (labelled as No. 1). Some hospitals provide diapers, some don’t. We’d recommend packing one pack as they take up quite a lot of space. Your partner or other visitors can bring you more, if you need them.
- Wet wipes. Same as with diapers, some hospitals provide them throughout your entire stay, in others you just get one pack and you have to bring the rest. Or, choose a more eco-friendly alternative of baby bum care – have a look at our Cleansing Happy Bottom Oil.
- Toiletries for the baby – we know from experience that some hospitals provide everything you need and some don’t. We think the only two items you need to pack are bum cream and some gentle bath gel.
- Muslin Squares – we’d recommend packing at least 5-10 of them. We deem them a must-have for every parent! We even wrote this article with 13 reasons why you need muslin squares for every baby.
- Clothes for the way home. Choose them according to season and how they’re put on. We don’t recommend bodysuits that need to be pulled over the head – wrap bodysuits are the best invention ever!
- A baby blanket – hospital corridors might be cold. A cosy blanket will come in handy on the way home, too.
>> Some additional baby items you might appreciate (but you can easily do without):
- A bonding blanket. Some hospital provide one but won’t mind if you bring your own. We offer a great bonding blanket right here!
- A baby towel. We think you can easily use just a muslin square and be OK with that.
- Baby clothes for the hospital stay. Here in Czechia, hospitals usually provide baby clothes which are absolutely sufficient. They are practical to put on (no pull-over bodysuits) and serve you well. If you want to dress your baby in your own clothes, choose wrap bodysuits or button-ups.
- A swaddle. Our experience tells us that there are babies who absolutely love to be swaddled and then there are babies who absolutely hate it. That’s why we don’t consider this a must-have.
Tips for hospital visitors
Let’s wrap this topic up with some valuable advice for all the hospital visitors. If you really want to make a new mother happy, bring a gift for her! Ideally an edible one.
It might sound cynical, but the newborn will not be able to remember anything you bring them. The mother will :-) Moreover, she’ll be exhausted by the physically demanding childbirth, by lack of sleep, by not-so-great hospital food and on top of that, she’d be high on all the hormones. She’ll love you if you bring her something to eat! Seriously. We’ve all been there.
“I love sushi so much but didn’t eat it during my pregnancy as it’s not recommended. I was so happy when my husband brought me a sushi set for dinner! I swear it was the best sushi of my life. The hospital provided one bun, some cheese and an apple for dinner at half six, which was definitely NOT sufficient. Sushi set at nine saved me. And it was with salmon which is full of healthy fats and stimulates lactation. Win-win for everyone!”
Lucie
Tips for your hospital bag:
