Packing your hospital bag is one of the most important partsof preparing for the birth of your baby. It is worth having it on hand a few weeks before your due date, because your baby may be born earlier than your doctor predicted. What should a hospital layette include for mother and newborn? And how to do it so that it is practical and comfortable, and so that nothing is missing right after giving birth?
Which hospital bag should I choose?
Bag or suitcase – this is the question every pregnant woman asks herself. Some women prefer a comfortable suitcase on wheels, others prefer two small bags – one with things for the delivery, the other for the first days in the hospital, or one with things for themselves and the other for the baby. This isn’t really important, but it’s worth remembering that there isn’t a lot of space on the ward. It is important that the contents of the bag contain the most important things needed during and immediately after delivery. Then, what is missing can always be brought – after the pandemic ends, the patient and the newborn can be visited without restrictions.
Things for mom for labor
The hospital layette should contain, at the very top, the things that the woman will use during labor. It is worth starting with your pregnancy booklet, documents and test results – these are the papers you will have to show at the admissions office. Next on the list of things are clothes for the delivery – preferably a special disposable shirt or my husband’s old, large T-shirt – it will be ready to be thrown away after the baby is born. Flip-flops, socks, headphones, and a phone charger will also come in handy in the delivery room. During labor, which can last several hours, it is a good idea to have some energy snacks with you, such as nuts or bars, and a few bottles of still water.
The second group of things that must be in the hospital bag are things for the mother and baby needed after birth. A woman will need a clean shirt, or preferably two, with an open neckline to allow for breastfeeding. A nursing bra and disposable underwear, i.e. airy panties, will come in handy. Some hospitals recommend that women not wear underwear on the ward to ensure that the sometimes damaged intimate areas have access to air. In addition to the shirt, it is worth bringing socks and a sweater if the season requires it.
In the first days after giving birth, a woman’s beautician plays a huge role. In addition to basic toiletries such as a toothbrush, deodorant or hairbrush, it should also include natural intimate hygiene products, paper towels, which are more hygienic than regular cloth ones, and maternity pads for feces – find out if your hospital provides them or if you need to bring your own. Nursing bra pads will also come in handy.
Baby Hospital Pack
Among the baby’s items, the most important are clothes for the hospital stay. Most facilities provide layettes for the newborn, but mothers usually prefer to bring their own. Take with you a few vests and rompers, rompers, anti-scratch gloves, necessaryin the first days of the baby’s life, and a light hat. Some new mothers advise to pack things for yourself and your baby in sets (e.g. a vest, a romper) and put them in plastic zip-lock bags, which will ensure cleanliness and order in the suitcase. You can also pack a blanket in your bag or use a hospital wrap – most neonatal wards wrap newborns in them.
In addition to clothes, diapers are essential. Just in case, check whether the ward will provide you with disposable diapers, wet wipes for wiping the newborn’s bottom, and cloth diapers, which will be useful for everything from covering the baby to wiping his face. If your facility does not provide them, pack all these items in your hospital bag. Don’t take with you just baby cosmetics – shower gel or baby oil. Currently, midwives do not wash babies in the hospital in order to leave the valuable vernix on their skin for as long as possible. A pacifier should not be included among the accessories for a newborn – experts advise against giving it to a baby before it learns to breastfeed.
Things to get you out of the hospital
The things you brought to the maternity ward will probably be left in the hospital storage room or your partner will take them. Ask them to bring them back when you leave the hospital – even though you’ve had your baby, you’ll still have a big belly, so you’ll be more comfortable in maternity clothes. Before giving birth, leave some things at home ready for your baby to take home from the hospital – a car seat, a cradle, a sleeping bag or a jumpsuit if you gave birth in the fall or winter.
