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What you really need to pack in your hospital bag

MLM - Marie LoiseThere’s so much conflicting information from the internet, commercial companies and even sometimes amongst health care professionals. I thought you might find it useful to have some clarity on what to pack in your hospital bag and why. You should have you bag ready by 36 weeks pregnant and this remains the same even if you are having a planned homebirth. Just in case you need to go into hospital, ensure that you have a bag packed, ready to go as you will most probably have enough to think about if you need to be transferred in. Everything below is in accordance with credible, scientific research and relayed with almost a decade of experience in midwifery.

MLM grab and go pre-packed changing bags are available from Marie Louise Maternity: www.mlmaternity.com (TW: @MLMaternity)

Marie Loise maternity bag with prepacked items

Your newborn baby

  • Nappies, as these will be on your baby’s skin for the best part of 24 hours a day 7 days a week, you may want to consider what company to choose and how this may affect your baby’s skin. A lot of nappies have chlorine, bleach and chemicals in them. Also, each child uses around 8,000 nappies throughout their lifetime and regular disposable nappies take up to 100 years to degrade. It won’t be you and I that are faced with the build of land fill, it will be our children and our grandchildren. There’s a happy medium available from high street shops now, biodegradable nappies. Because they need to degrade they usually have fewer chemicals in and are made from more natural fibres which are good for both your baby and the environment. If you are planning on using washable nappies, great!
     
  • Babywear, your baby has been in a natural and safe environment in the womb, they have never seen light, heard clear sounds, felt skin to skin or been on dry land. We then expose new-borns to lots of new stimuli, including chemicals. I recommend that you clothe your baby in organic wear for the first 4 weeks if possible and pre-wash them in baking soda (rinse well).This is much kinder to their skin and helps reduce some unnecessary exposure to chemicals which may cause skin irritation. Boy or girl, cream colour is best. If you have ever had the pleasure of dealing with a new-born poo explosion you’ll know what I mean! How could THAT come out of a tiny person? Rather impressive and sometimes quite colourful! Anyway, you can boil wash cream clothing and get the poo stains out rather than ruin outfit after outfit. Try and opt for babywear that fastens down the front as it’s so much easier to get on. Finally – the hat; your baby will be wet at birth so we dry them off and then recommend you pop a hat on to keep the heat in.
     
  • Muslin, these are just brilliant and versatile, from mopping up sick, protecting your shoulder whilst winding to a little blanket or wrap. You are guaranteed to make use of muslin or two.
     
  • Nappy rash cream; bearing in mind again that baby’s skin is 5x thinner and more permeable than an adult’s, the rule that I use is – if you wouldn’t rub it into your lips or eat it, don’t put it on your new-born baby’s skin. It’s absorbed extremely quickly and easily. It takes your baby 4 weeks to build up protective skin barriers. Any washes that contain sulphates (SLS and SLES), parabens, phthalates, artificial colours and perfumes will only strip the build-up of natural skin barriers and enzymes, increasing the risk of dryness, rashes, eczema and psoriasis. AVOID washing your baby or using fragranced creams for at least 4 weeks. Use 100% food grade organic nappy rash cream if required.
     
  • Cotton wool, for the first few days of life your baby will pass something called meconium. It’s thick black, sticky and difficult to get off. Using a cold, fragranced baby wipe will only cause unnecessary discomfort and once again strip important skin barriers. You will need to keep rubbing the same section of skin to get off the meconium and this can become very sore for your newborn. Warm water and cotton wool is all you need. Save the wipes for later and when you start using them, opt for the most natural, chemical and fragrance free products to protect your baby to unnecessary exposure to chemicals.
     
  • Safe mode of transport home, however you get home you will need to have a safe mode of transport with you. Some hospital guidelines recommend that midwives briefly assess your mode of transport to ensure it’s safe before you leave.
     
  • Formula, if you plan to bottle feed your baby have formula milk ready, otherwise don’t worry about getting formula. All formula milk in most high street shops is manufactured by the same companies. They all need to stick to the same strict guidelines so the truth of the matter is they all look different due to marketing and packaging but they are all very similar.
     

And that’s all you REALLY need for your newborn. They don’t really care how much you have bought them or if you are important to other people. You are the most important person in their life and that’s all they really care about. Having you love and care for them.

Items to pack in your hospital bag for labor

You, muma

You need a few things and I always give pointers to make your life as easy and comfortable as possible.

  • A toiletries kit, after meeting your baby and eating something you’ll soon want to sleep and/or have a bath or shower. Bring in your regular toiletries and maybe something a little more indulgent like a luxury, relaxing wash. Try and opt for a natural or organic wash as you will be a little more sensitive than usual yourself.
     
  • Face cloth, it’s ideal for labour. You will probably get a little hot and sweaty during labour, so not only will this help to cool you down but if you pop a few drops of lavender oil on it, this may also help you feel a little calmer. After you have had your baby it will also come in useful for a nice wash. If you have a Caesarean Section you may not be up and walking for a day, so hospital staff can give you a bed bath with your own cloth and washes (or you may prefer to do this yourself).
    Soft slippers, for hygiene and to protect your feet from the hospital floor – go for non-slip ones.
     
  • Sanitary pads, you’ll bleed quite heavily after birth so go for thick pads. If you give birth naturally you will be more sensitive, so opt for natural, chlorine and bleach free pads.
     
  • Nipple cream, the number one reason women stop breastfeeding is because their nipples get too sore. Firstly, good baby/nipple attachment is key and I have another blog to specifically run through that. Secondly, caring for breastfeeding nipples is paramount. Get a 100% food grade organic cream and use it from the first feed. It really helps to protect and heal your nipples. You can also use it as a lip balm in labour, great when using gas and air. I don’t recommend lanolin based creams because I am not convinced they are the best for your newborns gut.
     
  • Hair ties, as mentioned you may get hot and sweaty during labour. You want your hair out and away from your face so you can breathe properly and cool down. If you are breastfeeding tie your hair up so you can see the attachment properly. Also pop a tie on the wrist you last fed from so you don’t need to write it down or remember. One less thing to think about.
     
  • Maternity knickers, go for real Bridget Jones style because comfort is key after you have had a baby. Make sure they rise right up above your belly button encase you need a C-Section. Knickers naturally sit on a potential incision wound which can be really uncomfortable. If you don’t have a C-Section, your tummy won’t go down right away and it’s nice to have that extra support around your tummy.
     
  • Nightie, so you can breastfeed at night with ease. The amount of times I have walked into a room and mums crying, baby is crying as she’s trying to hold her pjama top up and attach baby to the breast. Get a super soft and comfy night shirt that unbuttons down the front so you can feed without hassle of getting your top off or pulling it up and struggling to see. Also *not glamourous* you may want to pee or change pad standing if you have had a c-section, nightie saves the day here!
     
  • Snacks, for both you and your birth partner. Although there are snacks and sandwiches in most hospitals you’ll want your own favorite snacks with you so you can just help yourself rather than end up with a sandwich you don’t really fancy. Also plenty of drinks to keep you hydrated and your sugar levels up – a mix of water and fruit juices or isotonic sports drinks (steer clear of high energy drinks though as they give you a high, followed by a low!)
     
  • Music, make a playlist for labour (unless you plan to hypnobirth) start listening to the playlist during your pregnancy in your favorite room at home. Breathe and focus on the feeling of calmness and being in control. I am always surprised at how many women forget this when it really does make a difference. The power of music is phenomenal. Your antenatal notes, this is key to helping midwives and doctors provide you with good care. It’s got everything we need to know about you, blood tests, your pregnancy, scans and your baby. Without your notes it’s possible things can get missed as we can’t get the history we need.
     
  • Going home outfit, I am a massive fan of comfy maternity dresses, especially if they tie above your waist and facilitate breastfeeding. They take up less room in your bag, you don’t need to worry about the fit if it’s adjustable, you haven’t got to think about a matching top to go with jeans/trousers, they are airy and don’t rub anywhere that could be sore and they are much easier to get on and off.
     

That’s all you really need to take with you, hospital rooms are small and if everything is normal and well you can go home after 6 hours. Most women spend 1 night in hospital and go home the next day. If you do need to stay then your birth partner can always grab extra bits for you.

Sleeping baby and maternity bag

 

As I have been a midwife for almost a decade, I’ve been constantly bombarded by the question “what should I bring to the hospital when having a baby”. I have seen some sights you would struggle to imagine and have plenty of blog posts, eg “7 weirdest items brought to births”. At some point, I decided to design a product especially for pregnant women: a bag that comes pre-packed with everything they need for labour, delivery and the first 24 hours of a newborn baby’s life. Thereafter, the bag is to be used as a changing bag. The resulting product is made in Britain, it’s environmentally friendly, all-organic and packed with my expertise as a clinical practitioner. Its RRP is £285.

 

MLM bag ready for hospitals with necessities packed ready for hospital

Competition Time!

Marie Louise is offering one lucky reader of Mums&Dads Magazine one MLM hospital bag from the signature range. To be in with a chance of winning, use the widget or link below the post, answer the question or choose any other way to enter our competition. Using all the possible ways to enter is allowed, it will increase your chance of winning!

 

Marie Louise Maternity Hospital Bag

 
T&C’s:

– The competition is open to UK residents.
– The competition closes on 20.09.17 at midnight.
– You may enter by performing more than one action in the list above.
– We have one Marie Louise Maternity Signature bag to give away. There is no cash alternative or substitute available.
– The winners will be selected at random from the entries and contacted by email.
– If the winner does not respond within a specified time frame in the winner notification email another winner will be selected. Same rules applies to the newly selected winner, so please check your emails after the 20th September.
– This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Instagram.

 

Marie Louise

senior midwife

37 thoughts on “What you really need to pack in your hospital bag

  • Rachel Craig

    Comfortable, practical, black cotton pants / underwear. Helped make me feel comfortable, with a sense of self respect and dignity.

    Reply
  • Tracy Nixon

    Disposable knickers, Maternity pads and vaseline x

    Reply
  • Kim Styles

    My telephone number book ! that was the most important thing

    Reply
  • maria blythin

    the nipple cream because it really helps when your milk is coming through to soften the skin x

    Reply
  • Holly king

    This is great really helpful. Most usefyll thing for me were sanitary pads.

    Reply
  • Catherine Gregory

    Maternity knickers, maternity pads and nipple pads. Well I am guessing these as my first baby a little boy is due in October. Thank you

    Reply
  • Anthony Harrington

    my Wife says her best things was a spritzer spray, she kept getting very hot and this helped.

    Reply
  • Alana Walker

    A pen and a puzzle book as my first labour lasted 54 and a half hours. I was so bored and desperate for something to do, so I was really glad I’d decided to pack a pen and some puzzle books.

    Reply
  • Claire Long

    My V shape pillow.
    Baby wipes.
    And snacks!

    Reply
  • Solange

    Birth plan, slippers, socks, old nightdress, massage oil or lotion, pads, birth ball, lip balm, snacks and drinks, pillows and music.

    Reply
  • Lori Darling

    Chocolate is always handy to have around and maybe a few cans of pepsi

    Reply
  • Angela Boucher

    Big pants for after my c section, breast pads and comfy loose fitting trousers.

    Reply
  • Janie-Fleur Matcham

    coins for the phone and tv Vaseline as lips get very dry and soft tissues its all very stressful and emotional

    Reply
  • Martin Huntbach

    Soothing music, wet wipes and a freezer bag packed with cold drinks helped with our first child.

    We are now expecting baby number 2… can’t wait!

    Reply
  • Lynsey Harvey

    Love these tips! Very useful thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  • Rich Tyler

    Baby wipes, snacks, nappies

    Reply
  • Terri Stammers

    Think this is very useful.. its easy to forget what us mummys need for ourselfs as the excitement and thinking about our babys needs are often more important to us.

    Reply
  • Chrissie Charnock

    A well fitting bra and comfortable roomy pants are definitely what’s needed – not glamorous, but essential x

    Reply
  • Sue McCarthy

    I’ve never had a baby (and am too old now!) but enjoyed reading this interesting article.
    I’d probably take my i-pod and a selection of puzzle magazines to keep my mind occupied!

    Reply
  • Jade Guy

    Loved this article, really informative and a great guide for mums to be! My baby’s due 19th December and I’ll be referring to this when preparing my hospital bag 🙂

    Reply
  • Helen Stratton

    I had my own painkillers which helped me a lot and some old baggy pyjamas. I found these much better than my nightdress after I had the baby and felt more discreet climbing on and off the bed in them, plus much easier for breast-feeding.

    Reply
  • Rachel Emmett

    An eye cover – like what they give you on aeroplanes. Will help keep the light out so you can sleep while on the ward as hospitals keep lights on all the time.

    Reply
  • Susan B

    Antiseptic wipes since I am reluctant to use shared facilities in hospital without disinfecting them first.

    Reply
  • Hannah Scudder

    Maternity underwear, a drinks bottle and a eye mask for sleeping on the ward

    Reply
  • Rach Pilkington

    I’m new to this but will definitely be making sure I remember a good playlist, snacks and some essential oils

    Reply
  • AnnaS

    Really good article,So helpfull for stressed future mums.Thank you very much

    Reply
  • Sharon Gregory

    big pants, the bigger the better, peppermint tea for after the cesection and comfy pjs)

    Reply
  • jamie Millard

    A really useful post – some great tips. We’re 80 days away from due date so it won’t be long before we’re packing Sarah’s. Would love to win this – would be a great gift for her one one less thing to think about.

    Reply
  • Vicky Robinson

    I found my flip flops great for walking about the ward and using the shower as I didn’t fancy standing in the shower tray with bare feet! Also disposable maternity knickers were very handy. I also took in a brand new hot water bottle for the after pains and it worked really well. I’m glad I read this as it was quite a while ago now and this time round I haven’t even thought about what to pack until now!

    Reply
  • Emma Smith

    Paper knicker – ha

    Reply
  • Donna W

    Maternity sanitary towels are essential – the huge, thick ones were so much better than the ‘slim-with-wings’ style!

    Reply
  • Caroline Signey

    Comfortable t shirt/nightie, babies first sleepsuit and maternity pads

    Reply
  • Jennifer Baker

    Very large sanitary towels and paper knickers! xxx

    Reply
  • MARK HOPKINS

    This is great really helpful

    Reply
  • Tamsin Dean

    just so useful, comfy clothing is a must

    Reply
  • Diane Duggan

    Good advice – especially about the knickers and sanitary towels.

    Reply
  • Thanks, everybody for the comments. This competition is finished. And the winner is Jennifer from Wirral UK

    Reply

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