Packing for birth.
Everyone bag will be different depending on several things, what type of birth you are having whether it is a water birth, home birth, natural labor or C- section. So well as how many babies, who is with you and your own identity.
However their will be standard essentials that everyone should have in both babies and your own bag. I will go through these essential then talk about what we have packed and how that's may be different slightly due to being male and giving birth.
Essential for baby.
- Nappies are definitely needed a whole pack because babies get through alot in the first 24-48 hours.
- Cotton pads or sensitive wipes whatever you choose. But babies would be wiped down with just water and cotton wool the first few days/weeks.
- Milk: whether is is pre made bottles or formula with your own bottles. Even if you are breast feeding have that back up if you milk doesn't come in straight away. Some hospitals will provide emergency ones.
- Hat, mittons and socks: babies loss alot of there heat from the head hands and feet so it is important that while hospitals can be warm, these items help babies regulate their temperatures.
- Blankets, again to keep baby tucked up nice and warm. Babies need lots of skin to skin when born so blankets are good to lay over them while they are on you.
- Clothes. At least a vest and sleepsuit as well as a warm going home outfit especially those babies born in the winter. Then may need a coat, thick blanket or thicker sleepsuit for that journey home.
For yourself and birthing partner
- Comfortable baggy clothes this could be anything you feel best in, baggy tops and nighty, shorts, dressing gown.
- Matnerity pads for postnatal bleeding again same hospital do provide these.
- Wipes to clean yourself and a wash bag with what you deem essential, tooth brush, paste, hair brush, flannel, spray, make up, whatever make you feel fresh.
- Photo and charger or camera to take photos.
- Going home clothes
- Clothes and wash bag for birth partner.
- Snacks for both you and birthing partner.
- Money for emergency.
If you have a chest and are feeding you may also need breast pads. With a nursing top or open front top. Open front clothing is also good for that skin to skin bonding.
There are lots of other stuff some people take and if you google I'm sure you will find an array of different items listed but it is down to the individual person and what they need.
I will note down what we have in both babies and our bags. Then a little emergency bag for Ariyah.
For our babies bags.
We have two bag A: is the emergency quickly grab and goes with us if we going away for any time that is far from home. This includes:
A pack that will come into theatre for our c section and recovery. Which has two tiny nappies, cotton pads, mittons, a hat and socks. Then a blanket for baby to first wear. Is this important to keep baby warm when they are first born as hands, feet and head is where most of the earth is lost from. Most hospitals will have a blanket but we want to be prepared.
Also a pre made bottle of milk and muslin sqaure for that first feed. If your breast feeding this would not be needed and again some hospital give you milk like they did with Ariyah as she was an emergency.
Then also in the bag is a whole pack of 22 newborn nappies, nappy bags, fold up changing mat, sudo cream travel size and sensitive wipes and hand sanitizer.
We have babies first outfit which is a personlised pot of gold vest with some rainbow trousers which was ariyah's first trouser she wore when born.
We have two muslin squares and a bib, for those first feeds. Then another two vest one long and one short and two sleepsuits. We also have a personlised snuggler we brough for our baby for comfort.
In the babies other bag B: are more clothes and bits if we needed to stay longer then that first night. This bag includes.
A thicker blanket, a larger thin muslin blanket. 3 smaller Muslins and a wash cloth. 4 bibs, 2 pairs of socks, 2 mittons, two hats, 1 pair of baby knitted boots.
Then in packs as a outfit we have. 2 X tiny baby which is a short sleeve, long sleeve and sleepsuit together. Then spare sleepsuit on its own. 1 newborn vest and sleepsuit pack. Then a spare outfit which is long sleeve vest and trousers.
We have packed 0-3 set again a short and long sleeve vest and sleepsuit. This is incase baby is for some reason bigger which I doubt it with me however we have to be prepared. Also having a long and short sleeve opinion as you never know what the weather like or how hot and cold the hospitals are. We found it the day they are hot but gets cold at night.
Then we have their going home outfit. Which is personlised one, with the initial of their name we already have but are not announcing yet.
Also in the bag is a little rattle soft toy mainly if ariyah come to hospital she can interact with he sibling with it. As well as the baby can cuddle it. We will also bring Nico teddy with us that we had in hospital with Ariyah as it comes everywhere because it has his heartbeat inside.
We also take a whole box of pre made formula bottles for the first feeds. Then a few bottles we can sterilize if needed. We use mam bottles as they worked well and only ones Ariyah would take to. They good for reflux and can be self sterilised in the microwave.
Also the car seat will be in persons car who we have arranged to collect us or ready at our house so someone can grab it easily.
Tips: we used sandwich bags to keep outfits folded and clean all together so it was easy to grab one out and have very thing for baby instead of ramaging through bags while trying to change them in hospital.
In mine and Ben's suitcase is:
Specifically for me-
- My notes
- Pillow
- Maternity disposal pants and a pack of pads for postal bleeding.
- Open front jacket or top for skin to skin.
- Shorts.
- Baggy tops and pj baggy trousers.
- Baby wipes to give myself a clean.
- Note pad to keep any notes of baby feeds, sleep or worries I have/ questions for midwives.
- Wash bag, which includes travel size tooth pasta and brushes, body spray, shower gel, comb, and flannel.
- Sliders/slipper shoes
- Boxers and sock for a few days
- Pj bottoms and baggy comfortable tops
- Jogging bottoms
- Going home comfortable clothes and trainers.
- Phone chargers, money, snacks and water bottles. Something sugery and energising juice drink.
- Some pot Noddles and cereal bars for ben. As they feed person who gave birth but not birthing partners.
So as you can see there are essentials but also difference of us being men and pregnant that we may or may not need iteams that other people who are non binary or female that give birth may take. Also because I have had top surgery I therefore can not chest feed while others trans men might want to or those still have breast will need nursing pads and tops. Then others may want to take make up or other hygiene essentials.
Also because I'm having planned C section which means possible staying in at least one if not more nights if baby has to come early I will need to take more clothes for our selves and baby that others may not pack. Or some people may have extra bags packed at home or in a car if they have someone who can get them if they need them. We don't have this opinion.
I also have OCD and Ben having a loss and early birth with Ariyah we like to be extra prepared. As luckly with her we did have a bag packed and stuff ready early which we were able to get his aunt to bring up to the hospital when she was born.
If you have any questions or other tips or thing you found helpful for a birth please comment or message, let us know I would love to hear your birth stories and what you took that you used or found you didn't actually need.
Edit: we did have to add premmy baby stuff to baby hospital bag to scans showing that baby was growing slowly and was still very small. As well as a possibility that our pot of gold could come early due to slow growth. I have explain this in a previous and follow up post with my next scan tomorrow.
(Written at 36 weeks)
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