27 Sep Packing your hospital bags

Suggested Labour Bag

A labour bag should be a bag packed with items that you and your partner might want in labour. Plan to pack things that are of comfort both physically and emotionally.

Labour Bag

• Birth plan
• Childbirth education class notes
• Loose fitting large T-shirt – for comfortable labouring
• Socks non-skid ones – your feet might get cold in labour
• Hair brush and elastics – to keep your hair out of your face
• Dressing gown and slippers – easy to get on and off
• Your own favourite pillow – for personal comfort (use bright coloured pillow case so it doesn’t get mixed up with hospital linen
• 2 Face cloths – keep face cool and refreshed
• support of the perineum
• Refreshing face wipes
• Lip-ice, gloss – to prevent dry cracked lips
• Fan or firm paper plate – to keep face cool
• Water spray bottle – to cool you down
• CD & player / MP3 player / smart phone with iTunes – for relaxing music to create your own environment for your labour and birth
• Candles and lighter
• Oil or powder – for massage – odourless or slight smell – not highly perfumed
• 2 Tennis balls in a sock – for a back massage / to lean back against while sitting
• Manual massagers to roll, stroke, press or vibrate on back, shoulders, hands and feet
• Hot packs to place over your lower back, shoulders or abdomen during labour
• Cold can of soft drink – to roll over your lower back (keep several cans cold in a bowl of crushed ice)
• Focal point / picture / baby toy – for inspiration and visualisation
• A birth ball
• Bendy straw – to be able to drink easily
• Fruit juice or high energy drinks for labour
• High energy snacks – raisins, bananas, cereals, breads
• Camera – extra batteries / memory cards / video camera
• Toothbrush and paste – freshen your mouth
• Towel, toiletries, tissues
• Clean T-shirt for after labour
• Cell phone + list of relatives and friends to call
• Cell phone charger / battery power pack
• Cord stem cell pack
• iPad / tablet to help pass the time in early labour
• Vaginal swab for good microbiome formation (see article on page   )

Anything else that might personalise your labour room and make you feel more comfortable in labour

Labour Bag for Dad

• Cash & credit cards
• Medical aid card
• Paperwork for the hospital
• Watch for timing contractions
• Copy of birth plan
• Music
• Light reading material
• Favourite snacks
• Change for the vending machine
• A change of clothes
• Comfortable shoes as you may be pacing up and down the corridors with your partner
• Cell phone
• Cell phone charger
• List of names to call

Your hospital case

Leave this in the car until you have been transferred to the ward

• 3 T-shirts / sleep shirts – front opening to start breastfeeding with
• Toiletries
• Bath towel – large thick one for added comfort as hospital’s one might not be quite so luxurious
• Disposable pants
• Maternity sanitary pads
• Linen savers
• Feme pad – perineal ice pack to relive discomfort of stitches
• Feeding bra
• Breast pads
• Breast soother – gel pad for the breast – cold or hot
• Mirror
• Plastic bag for dirty washing
• Healthy snacks and fruit juice
• Ear plugs – in case your ward is noisy
• Slippers or comfortable shoes
• Contact number of lactation consultant
• Hairdryer

Home-coming bag

• Loose maternity outfit

For baby

• 2 disposable nappies
• Vest, babygro, booties
• Receiving blanket
• Car seat