You should start packing your hospital bag two to three weeks before your due date in order to avoid last minute stress to you or your partner. Consider packing two bags; one for labor time and the other after childbirth.
Checklist of the things you need during labor
Here’s a checklist of all the essential things you will need during labor and after childbirth:
Labor bag should have
- Important papers and records: It is always better to carry all your medical records specially papers of prenatal tests and scans. Ask your ob-gyn if any other hospital paperwork is needed. Carry you insurance or medical cover papers with you along with an identity proof of yours. Registration forms of the hospital you will be admitted to also need to be carried along.
- Toiletries: To make your stay comfortable carry your own toiletries such as toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, lip balm, comb, essential makeup items, hair bands, shampoo and moisturizer.
- Comfortable and loose nightgowns and bathrobes: The clothes must open on the front side as it will be useful during breastfeeding your baby. You can take your own towels.
- Comfortable flat slip-ons or slippers to wear for strolling, bathroom visits.
- Cotton socks, a few pairs of them can be handy as some women feel cold in their feet.
- Anything which helps you feel comfortable should be taken for your stay in the hospital. Be it your favourite pillow, religious book or other books, music and so on.
- Healthy and light snacks for you and for your partner. Consider taking flavoured lozenges too!
- If you have birth plan in mind regarding how you want your labor to proceed, what form of pain relief you would like to have, the ambience of the labor ward, the people you would like to have along with you during delivery. Write it down for your partner and your ob-gyn. Remember there might be a change in birth plan, according to the progress of labor.
- A camera or a handy cam to record this lifetime event! Prior to recording, ask your doctor or hospital staff for permission to document the happening. Do not forget to carry batteries, charger, film roll, memory stick.
Post-partum bag must have
- Front opening nightgown or bathrobe for easy breastfeeding.
- Other comfortable clothes for day wear.
- Maternity underwear and heavy-duty sanitary pads.
- Nursing bras, breast pads, nipple cream.
- Baby clothes and other essentials such as nappies and baby blanket.
- Clothes for you and your baby when you are discharged from hospital and heading home.
(Image source:Getty)
Read more articles on Childbirth (Delivery).
