What do you need to pack? Hospital Bags

I know there have been threads about this but I cannot seem to find them.

What do you need to pack? how many of what? when do you do it? what do you take for bub?

I have been given a MONSTER nappy bag that I will use for my hossy stay when I go in and DH wants me to start packing it now JIC (he is more of a worrier than I am).
I just don't know what is really essential or what is just for comfort. I do plan on being in for as long as I can.

Also for those that have been there and done that that use nappies like BG3.0 did you just use disposables for this time? I don't trust DH to wash the cloth nappies properly his head just won't be thinking logically :lol:

Thanks everyone.

Nae x

Are you thinking for yourself, the baby, or both???

I had really long lists for all of us :lol: but we were in for 5 days, all three of us, so we did need a little bit of stuff. Did your hossy provide you with lists? They should at least tell you what you're expected to take for your baby.

We are cloth users, and I personally wouldn't bother while in hossy, unless they offer cloth nappies with a laundering service. If they only do sposies, I would just stick with that until I got home (which is what I did). There is plenty of time to get into cloth once you're all home, I would feel that you're better off spending time together in hossy, rather than worrying about washing nappies.

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Are you thinking for yourself, the baby, or both???

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Both really, I have a list of things in one of those booklets they give you for your classes but I really wonder how much is necessary and what's not, and really what other people took with them that they loved during labour and then once they had their bubbas with them.

Nae x

Aaaaah packing the bags, I was so excited when I started putting mine together, it makes it all feel so much realer. Here's a run down of what I can remember I'd put together (my stay was five days).

FOR BUBS ? the hospital told us to pack the clothes and wrap we wanted him in separately so that they could keep it in a warmer so it was nice and toasty when they first dressed him.
6 singlets
6 jumpsuits
4 wraps
4 cloth nappies (to use as spew rags)
2 hats
2 pairs of booties
baby wipes
DH ended up needing to take a few things home and wash them while we were there (especially the spew rags) so I don't think it is possible for you to have too much.

FOR the birth
old nighty to birth in
lip balm
head band and hair ties
massage oil
glucose jelly beans
pretzels
gatorade
pj's
board shorts for DH for the shower
change of clothes for DH
toiletries
camera and extra camera batteries
phone charger

FOR ME for the hospital stay
2 pairs of pj's (black so that if I bled on them I didn't have to worry about visitors etc seeing it)
5 comfy outfits (because I had a CS I didn't end up putting on clothes until the day I left, I just couldn't be bothered)
dressing gown
slippers
toiletries
2 packs of pads
2 packs of breast pads
1 pack of wet wipes for grown ups (incase I had tearing or was tender down there)
notepad (this was great because we used it to keep a record of when we fed and when DS did poos/wees - there is no way I would have remembered without it)

That's all I can remember for now. I personally don't think you can pack too much, I'd much rather have stuff that I didn't use (which I did) than be left wishing I'd brought something.

Happy packing!

Well, if your DH will be coming in and out, then you don't need to go overboard, but if not, and you live awhile from the hossy then pack plenty. How many nights will you be staying?

For the baby I would take one outfit (and a singlet) for each day, plus an extra. If you have room, pack another outfit (and singlet). I loved using nighties on DS at night in the early weeks, it makes nappy changes etc so much easier, particularly in hossy. Maybe 3 wraps or so, depending on how long you're in there? And if you choose a 'first outift' for your baby, pack it in your labour bag, so it's there when you need it. My hossy provided things like wipes, nappies, spew rags etc, so I'm not sure about that stuff.

For yourself, pack plenty of maternity pads, the nice thick ones. Breast pads. Plenty of dark knickers. Whatever you like to wear at night. Whatever you will like to wear during the day. If you're like me, pack thongs for the shower ;). Slippers. Mobile phone charger. All of the other usual stuff you need when away from home.

Labour bag - lip balm, warm socks, music to listen to, camera etc, spare knickers, a couple of your own mat pads (the hossy ones are often not plastic backed, and if you're waters are leaking it is soooooo annoying!), drinks and snacks like gatorade and juice etc, hairties. If you plan on using water, some shorts for your DH to wear as he will likely get wet.

That's all I can think of/remember for now, will come back if I think of anything else!

I went to target beforehand and got, like, a ten pack of cheap and cheerful undies. Every morning when I had my shower the undies went in the bin along with the overnight pad -awsome. One less thing to worry about and so refreshing.
I also went to lush and got a really lovely chunk of my favourite soap (to this day I think of that time whenever I smell it with such tenderness), went to Petra haircare and got sample sized bottles of lovely shampoo and conditioner, a new toothbrush, those toilet paper wipes...
Pretty much anything you can think of that's going to help you feel nurtured and cared for.
HTH

Oh yeah Lara! I took a bottle of lovely Crabtree and Evelyn body wash. It was soooo lovely to use, and every time I smell that scent I remember that lovely time in hospital :D.

And toilet paper!!!! Take your own, really soft and thick, it's so much nicer on a sore fanny than the hospital stuff!

WOW littlelara
what a fantastic idea about the undies! I have been watching this thread as i still havent done my bag yet and the ideas people come up with are awsome!. someone in another thread( im sorry cant remember who) said if you have a portable DVD player to take that, Im thinking this is a great idea but am a little worried about saftey and someone going through my things!.
Janie - you mentioned maternity pads if its ok to ask what type do you ladies get and where from?
good luck NaeNae :)

I MUCH preferred the Kotex brand to the Stayfree, and I've heard a few people say that. You can get them from the supermarket, Kmart etc. :)

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WOW littlelara
what a fantastic idea about the undies! I have been watching this thread as i still havent done my bag yet and the ideas people come up with are awsome!. someone in another thread( im sorry cant remember who) said if you have a portable DVD player to take that, Im thinking this is a great idea but am a little worried about saftey and someone going through my things!.
Janie - you mentioned maternity pads if its ok to ask what type do you ladies get and where from?
good luck NaeNae :)

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Sorry to hijack, but Krissy - you are due on the same day as me, and I haven't packed my bag yet, either...

I'm going to take my iPhone with some of my favorite TV shows on it - I don't know whether I'll use it or not, but at least it's there if I want to.

my essential item was a dressing gown lol! so not sexy! but i had to waddle from the room to scn for feeds for the first 2 days and also they did morning teas down the corridor where you would be given bf classes, physiotherapy classes etc and i just chucked on my dressing gown over my pjs and off i went...i was HOT LOL!!! :redface:

i preferred the Kotex too and the libra ones were good after the first week.

we used the hossy nappies while we were there and then switched to the BGs when DD was big enough (she was a wee bit tiny for the pockets we bought at first)...

nipple cream.

hairbrush (forgot mine...again, so so sexy)

comfy footwear (again, for any waddling in public places...i completed my 'ensemble' with the ubiquitous uggs lol)

our hossy provided all for the baby (clothes nappies wipes wraps etc). so that was fairly easy. packed going home clothes but they were too big (ooo) so i recommend packing a range of sizes JIC.

Clare, you are sooo funny!!! Good idea re. the baby clothes sizes.....IMO if it's too big it looks so wrong! And they get cold too. I knew that my baby was going to be small so I'd packed all 0000 stuff, but I was unprepared for a prem, and my mum had to go and buy some 00000 clothes because all the 0000 stuff was way too big. So you just don't know!

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i preferred the Kotex too and the libra ones were good after the first week.

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Why were the Libra ones good after the first week? Now I'm worried, because I've bought a few packets of those... lol

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packed going home clothes but they were too big (ooo) so i recommend packing a range of sizes JIC.

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I am also so worried about this - I have actually gone down a dress-size or two since being pregnant, because I basically had NO appetite at all in my first trimester, and the thought of eating quite literally made me feel ill. Now I have no idea at all what size I'm going to be when I have bubs. Although, given that we're not stopping anywhere on the way home, and I really don't care what I look like, I'm thinking of just going with a T-Shirt and a pair of tightish trackie pants. Very trendy, I know, but at least I know they'll fit!

Off topic... I actually bought a few maternity T-Shirts the other day that I can get away with wearing after I've had the baby, because rather than being those really big flowing ones that are loose ( ;-) ) over your belly, they're just longer than a normal shirt and would look really good with a pair of jeans or something. I was ultra paranoid about maternity clothes because I didn't want to spend a fortune on clothes that I'm not planning on wearing again - I want to have lost weight before we have baby number 2...

ETA: OK, so I went off on my own little tangent RE: clothes sizes... hehe

I think Clare was talking about baby clothes sizes LOL. But as for your stuff, don't forget that you will likely still look anywhere from 4-6 months pg when you leave hospital! And your boobs will be bigger too when your milk comes in ;) So whatever you want to wear, make sure it's adaptable :lol:

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And toilet paper!!!! Take your own, really soft and thick, it's so much nicer on a sore fanny than the hospital stuff!

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Kotex pads were nice and silky and soft. Ater a week I used regular pads.
I had my own room but packes thongs for the shower in case I had to share a shower room with other people.
I didnt pack a beanie and as my girls were early they kept droppping their temp so dd1 ended up with a rolled up singlet on her head to keep her warm for the first day (not a good look!) So a beanie is good.
Mobile phone charger, my phone got a hammering.
Camera
Just remember as long as you have clothes for you and bub, camera and phone your dh can pick up anything else you need at the supermarket
Woolies and Big W also have mini toiletries now so I packed a bag with them early they are great and no last minute running around for tooth brush shampoo etc
good luck

the libra pads arent nice if u have stiches i used the stayfree ones there soft like cushions lol the libra ones are 2 thin IMO it doesnt matter no one else knows wat u've got on

I would definately reccomend the dark undies and I preferred the higher granny waist ones. I wore them while pg and found them fantastic afterwards because I ended up with a C-section. No rubbing undies on my sore tummy. Same goes for clothing for myself: I actually just wore my maternity clothes in hosp and home. My tum was still really big and my boobs were sore, plus my ceasar site was SORE so I wanted high waists all the way!

Our hosp supplies cloth nappies but we used our own sposies. DD was a small 0000 so I didnt use our cloth nappies for the first 5weeks! They also supplied little nighties which we used to start off but then switched to our sleepsuits as they looked so much more comfy.

Things I reccomend: 10 big, dark undies
2packs pads. I used the ENORMOUS hosy ones for the first day :) Kotex are MUCH thicker than Libra too...
1pack breast pads
Maternity clothes plus extra teeshirts for the spews and milk leakages
PJS!!! I loved my breastfeeding nightie too - no exposing tummy :) I didnt bother with my dressing gown. I had my own bathroom and preferred to shower and dress every morning. Just made me feel more normal.
basic toiletries. I didnt want too much perfume for the new baby and only wanted her to get used to what I usually wear.
Massive bag to take home gifts. Like the stripy $2 shop ones.
phone charger, camera, batteries, notepad to keep track of gifts/who you have phoned.
dont bother with a book. I was that busy with nurses, visitors, baby...
personal clock/watch. NEED for feeds/tracking bubs nappies etc.
Plenty of spew rags. Nappies and going home home clothes. 4 wraps.
Wheat pack for labour, lip balm, essential oils.

hope that helps some!

NaeNae, check with your hospital what they will supply first, before you start packing. We got nappies (disposables), baby clothes, maternity pads, ice packs, disposable undies, and so on, from the hospital and only needed to take a small-ish bag of extras. I also had a TV in my room.

A few things I do remember being glad of were:
1. Normal day clothes, I didn't want to sit around in PJs for more than the first day! Altho slippers were good.
2. My own thinner maternity/night-time pads.
3. My video camera, camera and phone.
4. Going home outfit for DD.
5. Charger/batteries for phone and cameras.
6. 'Granny' type undies (much more comfortable while I had a dressing on my scar - but I was going in for a c/s) that I could happily throw out afterwards.
7. PJs that buttoned down the front for ease of access during the night.

HTH!

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the libra pads arent nice if u have stiches i used the stayfree ones there soft like cushions lol the libra ones are 2 thin IMO it doesnt matter no one else knows wat u've got on

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yep! this is what i found. i wanted the lovely thick surfboard type ones as man oh man it was so much nicer to have cushiony softness...i was extra norti and would rip the top open (like at the front of the pad) and stick ice down in the middle during my stay to help with the soreness!

but after the first week things settled down enough and went to the libra ones....

Jakodai: te he! i was talking about the baby clothes :lol: you'll prolly find that you are more comfy in maternity clothes for a wee while so i wouldnt think there is a need to rush out for new wardrobe!

I used those flushable toilet wipes for at least the first 10 days. Highly recommend them, the Kleenex ones were the best. They're also great to use after showering - I was too sore to towel dry down there.

Oh yeah, a hairdyer! Apart from the obvious, so you don't have wet hair, it's really nice to dry 'down there' if it's quite sore. Especially if you have stitches. You just use it on a really low, not too hot setting, and it does the job nicely :) I used it for the first two weeks I think! I did have an episiotomy though.

Thank you all so much for your responses.

I went shopping yesterday and got a few things, the OLNY mat pads I could find were the libra ones so I guess them teamed with the hospitals surfboards that shouldn't be too bad.

I have also created a printable list which I will run off and keep on the bed in the nursery where I am laying out all the things and marking them off once I have them. I will also print off the list and keep it on the fridge for DH.

Just one more question - how many bags did you all take :lol:

No seriously I was wondering is it better to pack things separate so a bag for baby, a bag for labour, a bag for hossy stay and a bag for DH ? or would you shove it all in together??

Thanks again heaps

Nae x x

Nae, I had a suitcase for me and DH, another bag for the labour bag, and a smaller bag with bub's things. MUCH easier to have it all seperate!

As for lists, think about doing one of all the last minute things that you can't pack until you're leaving.......much easier to work from a list rather than memory when you're in labour LOL!

I was similar to Janie. had separate bags.

although for ease and peace of mind (DH is notorious for forgetting crucial things in critical moments lol) i had a backpack full of labour stuff and DDs bag of stuff put INTO my suitcase so that when the time came DH just had to look for the one bag. in the end i was extra relieved as i had to get my friend to drive me in as i went into labour when DH was 3 hours away. it was good to be able (in my slightly panicked state) to just point at the suitcase knowing that it was all there in one piece ITMS.
but this is just a small thing that i found helped us for our frazzled state of minds LOL!

(i also had a list on the fridge for DH...great minds Nae, great minds LOL!)

double post

naenae - if you're going to warragul, they provide flannel flat nappies - all you need to provide is a cover (i have some of the newborn snibs here - will drag them out for you and bring to baby shower - i think we only used a few. E has only jus started fitting BG's at 10-11 weeks without them being horrifically huge on her.

i took 3 bags - labour, me, baby. i had piles of things at home that i might need - that way i could easily guide DH to grab what i needed

nighties were great at the start - pumpkin patch make really long ones that are awesome.

:D Thanks for the bags inside a bag idea - I love it. Depending on who I am with and where DH is I think that would make things much easier for him (plus it saves me stressing too)

Cassius - ;) sounds like our boys need those lists. DH has lists on his computer for EVERYTHING you need to complete a M.D to be able to read all his stuff :lol:

BG - that would be awesome if you have time to dig those out. Can you believe the shower is in 3 weeks I can't it all seems so not real. I can't wait you meet you :D

Nae x x x

Hi everyone,

There really are some fantastic ideas in these posts, I have had 3 bubs and never thought of some of this stuff!!

I just love being in hospital after delivering, it is such a happy environment to be in, especially with all the other mums, although I had private rooms!!

One thing I think of is just to remember yourself and your favourite comforts, you may not use them in the end but take them, you never do know!!

Everyone (including yourself) is thinking of new things for bubby and that is great but don't forget to pamper yourself, you are the one that has just done all the hard work and has the hard work for the rest of your life!! So take some new things for yourself as well!! Because I am sure bub will be well catered for by nanna's and pop's and grandparents, aunties and uncles and all of your friends and family!!

Just don't forget to grab your bag on your hurry out the door...oh what an exciting time it is!!

Good luck!!

I haven't read all replies yet, but 1 thing I had to send DH to buy after my 1st night was eye drops.. My eyes were so dry that it was hurting!

I also took 3 bags (baby, labour & hospital stay). We knew exactly where everything was & DH took home the labour bag afterwards. I just used the nappy bag for the baby bag.
FWIW I used Libra, Stayfree & Kotex maternity pads & I preferred the Libra ones. However I didn't have any tears or stitches as some girls have mentioned.

I didn't take much. Three changes of comfy clothes but mostly wore the hospital garb. Pads. Comfy bras and milk pads. Writing pad and pen, book, camera, wipes and pics of my hubby. Took a cute little outfit for bub to go home in purely for photo reasons. That was it.

What a fabulous thread Nae, thanks for starting it. I have been wondering about all this stuff too, but it's been a little overwhelming to do anything about it, but have copied all these great ideas into a word doc and will go through and start investigating and highlighting what I think I need.

One question - Where did you guys keep your bags? I'm wondering if I should keep it in the car in case I'm out when things start to happen and I don't want/can't get home first. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

OK - so I have two questions. When did you start to pack your bags. Nae is obviously super organised (and I thought I was an anal, organised, list-keeping person), but I was thinking around 4-6 weeks out? What do you think?

i had "piles" of stuff ready to go at about 30 weeks - i packed bubba's bag and toiletries etc, but the stuff for me, i was still using so i kept it all together, and replaced it after i'd used it each time. i had bags in the car from about 36 weeks after having a trip to hospital with PE issues. before that, they were just sitting there, ready to be filled and easy to get at. my bags then kinda lived in the car after that - mainly cos, for me to go anywhere visiting family/shopping etc, it was at least a 40k round trip, hospital 65k from home - so i'd rather be prepared! in the end, it was good that i'd done that - had OB appt on tues, was told i was to be induced on wed, went to mum's for dinner on the tues night and got a call asking me to come in that night cos my results for BT and BP combined made the doc more inclined to get things started early. if stuff had been home, i'd have had to do an extra trip home before mum could take me to hospy - DH was away for work and didn't get to the hospital til about 1am next morning (and bubba didn't arrive til friday!)

Hmmm. I was going to be all organised and ready by 34 weeks. But I broke my foot, and that put a spanner in the works (and I wasn't really organised well enough before that anyway ;)). So when I went into labour at 35 weeks, our bags were only sort of half packed. The baby bag was ready, thank goodness, but the rest of it wasn't. I would NOT recommend it!!! Trying to pack during labour was not fun, especially with my waters leaking everywhere. I was very lucky I had my lists to work from, otherwise I would have forgotten stuff for sure. And as we were 45 minutes from the hospital, and DH was staying with me, we didn't want to forget stuff, because that would mean sending someone else to our place to get it.

So.....I would say there's no such thing as too early. Pack your bags as soon as you feel like it! ;)

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Hmmm. I was going to be all organised and ready by 34 weeks. But I broke my foot, and that put a spanner in the works (and I wasn't really organised well enough before that anyway ;)). So when I went into labour at 35 weeks, our bags were only sort of half packed. The baby bag was ready, thank goodness, but the rest of it wasn't. I would NOT recommend it!!! Trying to pack during labour was not fun, especially with my waters leaking everywhere. I was very lucky I had my lists to work from, otherwise I would have forgotten stuff for sure. And as we were 45 minutes from the hospital, and DH was staying with me, we didn't want to forget stuff, because that would mean sending someone else to our place to get it.

So.....I would say there's no such thing as too early. Pack your bags as soon as you feel like it! ;)

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I am definitely going to take your advice, Janie! (Not about the broken foot though, I really don't want to be in that position... ouch!!!). It's my last day of work tomorrow, and my mission for this week is to have my bags packed & wash ALL the baby's clothes. I've done my toiletries bag, and started on my bag - thankfully, I have lists too, so hopefully that will help.

I hope everything worked out well?

Hi Nae!

You've got lots of good tips already but here is my list and ideas as well......

I have a list and have crossed off all the things that are packed. All the last minute items such as makeup, phone charger, etc are now highlighted in yellow so DH can easily see the last items to pack. The list is on the fridge.

We have three bags - a suitcase for me & DH, small hand luggage style bag for bubs and just an enviro bag for labour. The suitcase is a little big but I figure we'll need room to pack the presents we get as well.

All three bags are in the nursery ready to go.


My bag (and DH will add his stuff to this bag when I go into labour):
- my pillow! I'll sleep so much better (well, YKWIM!) if I have my own pillow
- box of tissues. I suffer from allergies and always need tissues and much prefer soft tissues
- maternity pads - 3 packs of 10
- breast pads
- nipple cream
- moisturiser (face & body), shower gel, shampoo & conditioner, deoderant and mouthwash - all are the mini bottles you can now get at Coles, Priceline and pharmacies. They take up a lot less room in your bag.
- hair brush and ties
- facial cleanser and face washer
- Kleenex flushable wipes and soft toilet paper
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- nail file
- Bonds maternity singlets
- other casual maternity tops designed for breastfeeding
- a zip up jumper/hoodie
- slippers
- flip flops
- few pairs of socks - I hate cold feet!
- PJ's
- trackies
- lots of black knickers in a bigger size (to fit those huge mat pads!)
- maternity bras
- camera, video camera, laptop and charges, cords, etc.
- mobile phone charger
- iPod and dock
- books & magazines
- pregnancy/breastfeeding vitamins
- Metamucil - my lifesafer!!

For bubs:
- I have several Wondersuits and a couple of Pumpkin Patch newborn nighties - not essential at all though. I just don't like the clothes supplied by the hospitals and I adore bubbies in Wondersuits! The PP nighties are so adorable too and great for nappy changes.
- 2 'going home' outfits
- 2 bunny rugs
- booties, mittens and beanies
- singlets
- comfort blanket/ruggie - a little Tigger one we bought for bubs which I have had in our bed so it smells like us :)

Labour:
- snacks - museli bars, juice boxes, lollies
- head band/scarf - to keep my hair out of my way in labour
- socks - the midwives warned us that labouring women often complain of cold feet (although the rest of you is hot!!)
- Blistex / lip balm
- we'll use the iPod dock for music
- massage oil
- cooling facial spray - I found a Nutrimetics one in my ensuite. Bonus!

I hope this helps! I say pack as soon as you can as you just never know when bubs will decide it's their birthday. It won't hurt anyone to be prepared.

the list on top of the bag is a pretty good idea...especially for the last minute essentials (like toothbrush and hairbrush etc).

DD wasnt due until the 14 of September so when on the 1st of September my waters broke i was in *slight* shock LOL. and it was hard to pack the last minute items with a mind running a million miles an hour trying to organise someone to drive me to hospy (DH was 3 hours drive away)...not to mention the fact that i well and truly had preggy brain LOL!

bag in the car is a good idea...as long as the car is around when you go into labour...in my case it would have been rather disastrous as like i mentioned DH was a good 3 hour drive away and contrax were at 2-3 minutes apart when i got to hospy.

Just a side note about pads... if you can, stick them in the freezer!!
After both of my births, I only used frozen pads, and I can't tell you the relief! Obviously it wears off after a while, but it felt very nice for the first few minutes!

Since Jorda was 6 weeks prem.. I thought i had all the time in the world. Well i didn't!

And ended up with nothing in hospital like i had wanted. NO shampoo nothing. Not even pads.. the hospital ones we are JOKE..

I recommend to people now.. When you get a BFP PACK YOUR BAGS THEN so they are done!!

Like Miss E list and so on top of what everyone else has said here is usually want I go through with my moms...the amount of each item depends on how long you there for.

What to pack in your labour and baby bag?
To help remember what you must bring, write next to each item why you need it.

1. An ice-cold bottle of water
2. A bottle of fruit juice
3. Light snacks – muesli bars, snacker bars, peanuts, super C sweets and suckers….
4. COMFORTABLE clothes to wear during labour – old shirt, sports bra, gown, slippers…
5. Clothes for after the birth – old pants, tops, shorts or trouser, pj’s…
6. Baby’s cloths – HAT (beanie), vests, baby grows, booties, baby blankets…
7. Mom’s toiletries – soaps, lip balm, toothbrush, hairbrush, PADS…
8. Baby’s toiletries – aqueous cream, nappies, cotton balls, nail clippers…
9. Your aromatherapy and massage oils
10. Your alternative care remedies.
11. Rescue remedy
12. Wheaty bag or hot warm bottle
13. Music and candles
14. Any birthing tools you may have – birthing ball, massage tools, TENS machine…
15. Camera and Video
16. When the time comes - take a bunch of fresh flowers and put them in your room ---