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Packing your hospital bag or getting together your items for a homebirth is exciting but can feel overwhelming!
There are so many different checklists out there, and some of them might make you feel like you need a loan or want to hide your head in the sand.
In this blog I will go over my 'must haves' for that birth bag, to pack your ultimate hospital bag you will need to decide what is important to you, everyone is different!
When to Pack Your Hospital Bag or Start Putting Together Your Items
Timing is key when it comes to packing your birth bag, it's tempting to wait until you go on maternity leave, but It's advisable to prepare your bag well in advance, ideally in the middle of your third trimester. This way, you'll have everything ready to go when, without feeling rushed or stressed.
1. Eye Mask
An eye mask can be a game-changer during labor, helping you block out any bright lighting (which has been proven to lower melatonin and decrease your sensitivity to oxytocin) in the hospital or creating a dark, calming environment at home. Find a soft, comfortable mask that will allow you to rest and relax between contractions.
2. Headphones
Music has the power to soothe and distract, making headphones a must-have item for your birth bag. Prepare a playlist of your favorite calming tunes or empowering upbeat tracks to help you stay focused and positive during labor.
If you practice meditation and breathing during your pregnancy with specific tracks or tunes, these sounds will have a powerful influence during your labor, boosting your oxytocin levels.
If you are planning a transfer to the hospital, your headphones will keep you in the zone and block out annoying chatter or hospital machines.
3. Essential Oils
The aroma of essential oils can work wonders in creating a relaxing ambiance during birth. Consider scents like lavender for its calming and pain-relieving properties or peppermint for providing a burst of energy and nausea relief.
You can mix oils into a carrier oil to create a massage oil or diffuse it in the room. A few drops of peppermint essential oil on a cold flannel on the back of your next can be an amazing relief, especially if you are in the birth pool and a little hot!
4. Flannel
A flannel can be incredibly versatile during labor. Whether used for wiping your forehead, providing warmth, or as a gentle cooling cloth, a flannel is a simple yet indispensable item to have on hand.
5. Birth Comb
A simple tool that can help you cope with contractions by squeezing it in your palm, it works using gate control theory and acupressure.
Its mobile, meaning you can take it with you wherever you go, you can use it in or out of the water and with any other form of pain relief.
6. TENS Machine
A TENS machine, which stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, can provide pain relief during labor by sending small electrical impulses through the skin, it works using gate control theory (the same as the comb!). Easy to use and non-invasive, a TENS machine can be a valuable addition to your pain management toolkit.
Just make sure to clean any massage oil off your pack before putting the pads on, and don't use it if you think you may want to be in and out of the water, as you can't wear it in the pool!
7. Heat Pad / Hot Water Bottle
For soothing, comforting warmth during labor, pack a heating pad or hot water bottle in your birth bag. The gentle heat can help alleviate back pain and muscle tension, or provide a sense of comfort and relaxation during contractions.
8. Affirmations
Positive affirmations are powerful tools that can help you stay focused, confident, and empowered throughout labor. Write down affirming statements that are specific to you and keep them in your birth bag to read or recite during challenging moments.
9. Essentials for you the baby and your partner.
Pack for you as if you were going away for the weekend, clothes, underwear, and toiletries (a luxury shower gel will feel like heaven after birth).
Pack similarly for the baby, think of it as the first time you will be packing your 'nappy bag'.
Your partner will need a bag too, but I suggest you get them to pack it themselves, You've got enough going on!
I have a BirthBag checklist with EVERYTHING I suggest to my virtual doula clients to pack, you can get your hands on it here:
Organizing your hospital bag/birth space.
If you are planning on spending any time at home during your labor, or if you are planning a home birth, you will need some of your items, and you don't want to forget these when / if you head to the hospital!
Create an area at home, a basket, or a designated space (where you think you might spend a lot of time during labor) to keep your items, this way, they can be quickly added to a 'go bag' or hospital bag should you need to transfer in.
If you are planning a home birth, you should have a 'go bag' with the essentials in just in case, this doesn't need to be as comprehensive as a hospital bag, but should have some clothes for you and the baby, you or your partner can grab anything else that you need as you go out the door.
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