{"id":599,"date":"2015-12-02T11:45:10","date_gmt":"2015-12-02T11:45:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/?page_id=599"},"modified":"2023-09-18T17:21:01","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T17:21:01","slug":"hospital-bag-checklist","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/faq\/hospital-bag-checklist\/","title":{"rendered":"Hospital Bag Checklist: What to Pack For Labour & Delivery"},"content":{"rendered":"
If your due date is getting ever closer then it\u2019s time to start thinking about those hospital bags. Unfortunately, the days where you could just take a change of clothes and a toothbrush for an overnight stay have passed now that you have entered motherhood, and there are lots of things that you will need for your trip to the hospital to give birth.<\/p>\n
Planning a home birth? You should still aim to pack a bag in case something doesn\u2019t go according to your plans and you end up being admitted to your local hospital. Furthermore, it\u2019s a good idea to pack for at least two nights in the hospital, again in case something goes wrong.<\/p>\n
If you are not sure what to pack, have a read through this handy guide that covers both the essentials and optional extras. Remember, whilst your hospital might have some limited basic supplies, you can\u2019t rely on them to provide everything you need, which is why it is best to be prepared. You may find that your maternity unit has strict rules on what personal items can be brought from home, for example, you may not be allowed your own pillow, etc. so check with them in advance.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not just about being prepared for the baby, there are a number of things that you will need for yourself during your hospital trip. Some are essential and practical, others will just make things that little bit easier.<\/p>\n
These are essential, as they contain all of your medical information.<\/p>\n
Expect to get messy during labour, so don\u2019t pack your best clothing for the hospital. You could also include a couple of plastic bags to chuck any soiled clothing in.<\/p>\n
Although you can get food in the hospital, you should take along some snacks and drinks to keep you going during labour, so that you are not relying on the hospital shop or vending machines. Look for foods high in carbohydrates to give you an energy boost and foods that don\u2019t require any preparation. Cereal bars and crisp breads are good examples of these.<\/p>\n
You will get water in hospital, but you might want to pack some straws so that your partner can hold the drink for you if necessary. Fruit juices and isotonic drinks are a great way of keeping you hydrated and keeping your blood sugar levels up so you could include a few of them, as well.<\/p>\n
These items aren\u2019t essential, but you might want them to make your labour more comfortable and enjoyable.<\/p>\n
Some hospitals will allow your partner to stay overnight, others have strict visiting times even for partners. Either way, it\u2019s a good idea that your partner has a few supplies of their own in case of any emergencies, etc.<\/p>\n
If you prefer, you could have a separate bag for you and a separate bag for your baby with everything he or she will need. Don\u2019t forget you will also need the car seat for the journey home!<\/p>\n
This one isn\u2019t essential and very much down to personal choice, but you could pack some chocolates or biscuits for the midwives \u2013 it will be greatly appreciated!<\/p>\n
If you already have a child then hopefully you will have a plan for their care during your labour. However, it\u2019s a good idea to think about what happens if those plans fall through and they end up accompanying you to the hospital. You could pack a small bag of toys, clothes, etc. for them, and include a list of emergency contact numbers.<\/p>\n
The arrival of a new sibling can be a difficult adjustment. If your older child or children will be coming to visit you and their new sibling on the ward, then one thing that many mums recommend is having a small gift that the baby can \u201cgive\u201d to the older child as a greeting present.<\/p>\n
You are considered full term once you reach 37 weeks and you could go into labour at any time after this point. Some women do go into labour earlier though, so it\u2019s a good idea to have everything ready by this point at the latest.<\/p>\n
Once the bag or bags are packed, you could leave them in the boot of your car if there is room, to save having to sort them out once you need to set off to the hospital.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If your due date is getting ever closer then it\u2019s time to start thinking about those hospital bags. Unfortunately, the days where you could just take a change of clothes and a toothbrush for an overnight stay have passed now that you have entered motherhood, and there are lots of things that you will need for your trip to the hospital to give birth. Planning a home birth? You should still aim to pack a bag in case something doesn\u2019t go according to your plans and you end up being admitted to your local hospital. Furthermore, it\u2019s a good idea <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":567,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/599"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=599"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/599\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":750,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/599\/revisions\/750"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}