When I reached about 35 weeks pregnant with my first son Henry, I suddenly realised that things had started to get real. Consequently, I decided it was about time I packed the famous hospital bag ready for “the big day,” which was beginning to creep up on me faster than anticipated (I guess it sort of seems like you will be pregnant forever in the beginning). I knew it would be silly of me to leave things to the last minute (as I tend to do when packing for a trip) and find myself rummaging around the house in between contractions, desperately trying to throw together an acceptable selection of luggage. I thought I had the entire affair completely sussed, and my list consisted of a babygro (for the baby, obviously), a change of clothes for myself (as I had at least anticipated that the birthing process may be slightly messy) and a toothbrush. I decided it would be prudent to seek clarification from a close friend who had been there before, and so I texted her my list and asked if anything was missing.
The response confirmed that I had completely misjudged and underestimated the situation. In short, I had neglected to include quite a few things on my list and after having received a much needed tutorial on what to pack, this was the amended list:
- Something to wear during labour (although you may decide when the time comes that nakedness is a more appealing option- each to their own)- for me this was a Jon Snow t-shirt and comfortable pyjama bottoms. By the end of the process I seemed to have stripped down to just a bra, but I don’t remember how, when or why that happened.
- Soft drinks and snacks- (as it happens I was gifted a selection of soft drinks at my baby shower and they were definitely needed once I had virtually sweated out my entire circulating volume during labour. The drinks were clearly donated by someone who had done this before!) For snacks, just forget anything healthy. All I wanted was chocolate, and if you are ever going to have an excuse for eating solely chocolate, labour surely has to be it.
- Maternity pads- aka extremely thick sanitary towels. Unfortunately not the most comfortable thing to wear, but sadly necessary. Take an entire pack, just to be safe.
- Breast pads- I quickly learned that these were one of the most useful items for a postpartum, breastfeeding lady. After the first few days, milk will suddenly start gushing uncontrollably from your boobs, and these pads largely prevent the whole world from seeing milk drip out of you every time a baby cries or someone gives you a cuddle (yes, these were two major milk ejection triggers, as I discovered).
- Nursing bras- you will know from reading my post about being a few days postpartum that nursing bras are essential for when the milk comes in. It may not be that easy to anticipate exactly how much things will change size before hand, but being prepared will hopefully save you an awkward trip to the underwear section of your local department store at a later date.
- Nipple cream- I am not sure that anyone can truly prepare you for how painful your nipples are going to be in the beginning if you opt to breast feed. Applying a good nipple cream early on really does help things though.
- Sterilised bottles and formula milk- If you aren’t planning to breastfeed then obviously this is a given, but I took some anyway just incase for some reason I wasn’t able to breastfeed straight away or at all.
- Lots of big knickers- this was how my friend worded it, but she’s correct. You need a few pairs of trusty big knickers to accommodate the maternity pads and to allow a few changes if necessary.
- Some changes of clothes for yourself- hopefully you won’t have to be in for very long but usually at least one change of clothes will be needed. I actually found that I still found maternity clothes the most comfortable initially before my belly had fully deflated.
- Pyjamas- for if you are staying overnight at all.
- Baby clothes- so I managed to successfully predict the need for this item (gold star to me), but actually it is best to be armed with a few newborn body suits and babygros. Surprisingly enough newborn babies tend to go through quite a few changes of clothes each day (poo explosions, wee leakage, vomit, phlegm incase you were wondering).
- Hats for the baby- newborns get cold pretty easily once outside of the warm habitat of the uterus, and a lot of body heat can be lost via the head. Hats help keep them warm.
- Nappies.
- Nappy bags.
- Cotton wool and a small tupperware box to fill with water and use to clean the baby.
- Scratch mits- so these made the list. I have to say, I didn’t get on with these at all as I found that my sons just removed them and scratched themselves regardless, but they tend to come as part and parcel of a newborn outfit set anyway.
- Toiletries- for the much needed post birth bath or shower. Include a toothbrush and toothpaste.
- Blanket for the baby.
- Maternity notes (the file you have probably been carrying around with you for the last 9 months or so).
- Towel for showering/bathing.
- Phone and chargers-You will need plenty of phone power to send pictures of the new arrival to everyone!
- Camera- if you are fancy enough to have a camera that is not incorporated into your mobile phone (I’m certainly not!)
- Muslins a.k.a burping cloths- again, one of the most useful items you can own when you have a newborn. They are sick a lot, usually all over you if they can manage it. The muslin provides a much needed barrier to protect you from sporting vomit stains all over your clothing. I’d recommend purchasing an abundance of these!
- Earphones- for me these were heavily utilised as I happened to be in the same bay as a lady who sang to her baby all night! She had a rather pleasant voice as it happened, but I felt the need for a break from time to time.
Once I was armed with my “slightly” amended list, I realised an urgent trip to the shops was in order. When I arrived looking flustered, clutching my list and staring absentmindedly into space in the middle of the shop, I attracted the attention of one of the shopping assistants. It turns out this lady had had four children of her own and so was more than qualified to help me work through the list. Thank goodness other people have been through this all before and are there to help guide you through this new experience! Once packed, my bag waited in what was soon to become the nursery, ready for the big day. Ensure you put the bag in a memorable and easily accessible location so that you can grab it and run when the time comes!