Hospital bag or birth bag – what should you pack?
A hospital bag or birth bag. A child is dear to many names. And many have an opinion on what should be in the bag - me too 😉 I often see suggestions for packing lists with all sorts of, in my view, unnecessary things. And at the same time, there will be some who think the same about my suggestion for a packing list. And that's life: You cannot know 100% in advance what you will need. Try anyway to think about it and feel it out. Both you as a pregnant woman and you as a partner. What do you imagine you might need and want during birth and in the hours/first days after? And just as importantly: What makes you feel safe? These are important and central questions when it comes to packing the birth bag -and in general in terms of preparing together for birth.
Some know in advance that they will have 1-2 overnight stays at the hospital after birth.
Others should expect to be sent home a few hours after birth – and yet it is good to have packed a little extra, in case you need to stay. No partner wants to have to rush home and fetch extra within the first day after birth.
And then there are those of you who are planning a home birth. Here I would also recommend that you pack a birth bag. Again just in case, you are transferred.
Having packed a birth bag that meets your needs gives a very special sense of security. And security is essential -both in the last part of the pregnancy, during birth and in the hours and days after birth.
I recommend that you pack the bag so it is ready when you as a pregnant woman reach the due date period, i.e. at pregnancy week 37+0. And I recommend that you pack the birth bag together. No one should have to guess each other's needs. You have a joint responsibility to contribute to leaving with the right things for all of you. Packing the birth bag is part of the nest-building before the family expansion and can give occasion to good and important conversations.
This is my suggestion for a packing list for the birth bag:
For the mother's hospital bag
Loose shirt/large t-shirt to wear during birth
You get warm during birth and very few want to wear 'normal' clothes, while at the same time many feel it is safe to have their breasts and crotch covered when moving around the delivery room. It is best with something loose and oversized, e.g. from your local thrift store.
Wool socks
Warm feet give better contractions. That's just how it is. I have given birth many times with naked women wearing only warm socks – both in Denmark and in Tanzania, therefore I recommend that you put a pair of warm wool socks in your hospital bag.
Toiletry bag
If everything around birth is normal and uncomplicated, you will visibly be sent home 4-8 hours after birth. Sometimes 1-2 overnight stays are necessary. It is not always possible to know in advance, so pack what you might need in the toiletry bag. (Towels and bed linen are available at the hospital)
Hair tie
If you have hair long enough to tie up, then I dare say you will be happy with hair ties. Because contractions give warmth -also in the neck
Lip balm
It is normal to get very dry lips from panting-breathing. Being able to apply lip balm during the birth is a nice self-care (the midwife and maybe your partner will help you remember it along the way)
Comfortable nursing-friendly clothes for after birth
Think again about the fact that you might need to stay 1-2 overnight stays. Therefore I recommend that you remember to put the following in your hospital bag.
Underwear (remember there must be room for large postpartum pads – they have pads at the hospital) Hospital and postpartum panties you can find here
socks,
pants,
blouses or dresses depending on the season.
Sweater.
Possibly outerwear .
Possibly Carriwell nursing bras that you can find here
Possibly slippers
Playlists
Regardless of whether you think you will find joy in music during birth or not, I would recommend that you make 2 playlists. One that can support relaxation and one that can support physical movement and more activity, a kind of "work playlist"
Mobile phone charger
Remember to have a mobile phone charger in your hospital bag.
Possibly speaker and charger for it
An average first birth takes 18 hours from when you are in active labor, i.e. 3-4 cm dilated, until you have given birth. Very few speakers can last that long
Security-creating elements
Security is the most important ingredient in a birth, so feel into what makes you feel safe. You may bring most things. I have seen examples of giant teddy bears, soft blankets, your own pillow, a picture of your cat, singing bowl, drawing from the eldest child, string lights, LED candles, prayer rug, bedspread, flowers, crystals and much more. The only thing you may not bring is: Open flame (regular candles), plants with soil, live animals, scented things -e.g. incense or scent diffusers. Apart from that, only imagination and the space in your luggage set the limits for creating homely coziness and security
Post-it notes
I always recommend having loved ones write supportive, encouraging and loving messages on post-it notes and have them in your hospital bag, so your partner can hang them up around the delivery room. Many times I have seen birthing women being touched and strengthened when they see a message from a loved one.
Maybe you have some mantras (sentences that make sense for you to repeat again and again in your head). In that case, they can be good to write down and hang up, so the midwife and your partner can support you in using them. It can e.g. be sentences like:
My body is wise. I trust it.
I can, I will, I do it.
Dear body, we do it together. I am with you.
or something completely 4th that feels right for you. There is nothing right and wrong here.
Snacks and drinks
As a birthing woman, you are not hungry, but snacks can add quick energy to the great physical work it is to give birth. It should be something you can quickly eat between contractions. Hard candies are not so smart. Chocolate, energy bars, muesli bars, grape jelly, candy, etc. And gladly something sugary to drink. In several of the country's birth centers, juice has been cut out. You can get water with ice cubes.
Gladly bring your own juice or juice in your hospital bag.
I have only a few times met birthing women who wanted something with fizz during birth
Travel journal, health insurance card
Have it lying at the top of your hospital bag, so it is quick and easy to find for your midwife.
Letter to the midwife
It is always my recommendation that you together write a letter to the birth midwife, where you briefly and clearly describe your wishes, boundaries and hopes for birth. Maybe it is important for you that there is dimmed lighting when the baby is born. Or maybe you as a birthing woman want to go in water. Maybe you as a partner are afraid of blood. It can be that you maybe hate being kissed as a birthing woman. Maybe you as a new mother do not want the shot with oxytocin, which is recommended from the birth center with a view to minimizing bleeding after birth. Maybe you wish that you as a partner are along to receive the baby.
The wishes can be many. And people's boundaries are different. The more clearly and precisely you describe your boundaries and wishes, the better and faster the midwife can take exactly you. It is therefore for the common good, with a letter to the midwife. Of some also called a wish list – it is just important to remember that it is not certain that all wishes can be fulfilled Always be open to what birth offers
For the partner's hospital bag
Entertainment
Many women are provoked when I mention it. But hey, it is often a real task for the partner to stay awake for hours. Most births involve at least 1 night and really many hours with panting-breathing and relaxing music, so most of the tricks apply to stay awake. A book, a magazine, sudoku, podcast/audiobook in headphones etc
Toiletry bag
Make sure to have plenty of toothpaste in your hospital bag. Your woman will appreciate that you brush your teeth a couple of times during birth. Birthing women are possibly more sensitive to smells than pregnant women, and most partners get dragon breath when they are standing on the 16th hour and supporting a birthing woman in panting-breathing. Pack in addition what you need for 1-2 possible overnight stays in your hospital bag.
Change of clothes
Even if you are sent home after birth, it can be nice to be able to change your blouse after birth. Maybe you have been on your feet for a day's time. It is not possible to know if you will stay at the hospital 1-2 overnight stays after birth, so pack a little extra change of clothes in your hospital bag. Think about whether you are okay with throwing the blouse after birth and sitting skin to skin with the baby in a bare upper body, or if you would rather have a shirt on that can be unbuttoned. Skin to skin is a total win-win for both you and the baby in terms of bonding and much other good and nourishing
Lunch box
Yes, you should have a lunch box for approx 18 hours which is the average length of a first birth, from when the woman is 3-4 cm dilated and until she gives birth. You should not expect to be able to go out and fetch food. And there is also no possibility of getting food in a refrigerator. Hard-boiled eggs, frozen sausage rolls that can lie and thaw, bananas, almonds, carrots, hummus, fruit, protein bars, rye bread sandwiches are some suggestions. You cannot handle an average length birth only on snacks. All too often I have seen partners faint during the birth due to low blood sugar. You do not want that
Chewing gum/fresh mouth
It is that thing with dragon breath and smell-sensitive birthing women, so remember to have something fresh for the mouth in your hospital bag.
Snacks
As a supplement to the lunch box, do not skimp on snacks. If they are not eaten during birth, they probably will be in the days after. Let me be honest, snacks for the partner are also a way to stay awake. Chips are not so popular since they are noisy and can bother the birthing woman. Candy, chocolate, hard candies, etc. are great. Possibly grape jelly
Drinks
In the birth room there is water and coffee. It is very few birth centers that have juice now and then. So bring your own juice, juice, favorite tea bags or soda in your hospital bag -again it is about energy for many hours during birth. And not least about continuing to have energy in the hours after birth
Post-it notes
Just like for the birthing woman, I always recommend that you as a partner ask your loved ones to write supportive and encouraging small messages to you, which you can hang up around the delivery room. It is simply wonderful to see the smile in the eyes of a partner who sees a loving message from a friend or family member!
Security-creating elements
What can make you feel safe in the delivery room? Do you love LED candles. Or your father's shirt. A photo of you and your brother or something completely 4th. Possibly read under the same point above 'for mom'
Possibly camera and charger/battery
Mobile phone charger
You cannot expect that the birth room can come to your rescue if you forget your mobile phone chargers. Better buy an extra one lying ready in your hospital bag.
Letter to the midwife
Remember to write down your wishes, boundaries, etc. in the letter to the birth midwife -see the same point further up under 'for mom' and make sure yours is at the top of your hospital bag together with the travel journal and health insurance card, so it is easy to come to.
For baby's hospital bag
Child seat
It may not be so easy to put in the hospital bag, but it will be necessary to have it with you when you again go home to your home with your little new.
Clothes after the season
Think in layers on layers and gladly 4-5 sets, if it is important for you that the baby has its own clothes on, if you are going to stay and overnight at the hospital. Some only dress their baby when they are going home, because they want maximum skin to skin contact the first time. Some newborns make a lot of poop, which can fly by the diaper, hence the fine in taking several sets of clothes with. NOTE the hospital has diapers.
Remember outerwear after the season -again layers on layers is good. A newborn must not get cold, as it can affect their breathing. If the baby feels dry and warm in the neck, then the baby has the perfect temperature. All newborns benefit from a thin hat on the trip home from the hospital, as they lose most heat from the head
Baby blanket + cover and possibly blanket
Again it depends on the season how much the baby needs to be swaddled and wrapped both outside and inside
A couple of cloth diapers
The hospital has as long as you are admitted, on the trip home it can be nice to be prepared with a cloth diaper for spit-up or similar
Especially for planned cesarean section
Flag
Everything goes somewhat faster at a cesarean section, also when it is planned. There is less time with the midwife and the service goes somewhat faster. Therefore the staff may forget to put a flag on the tray after the cesarean section. There are many women who get sad about that. They had looked forward to the celebration that is at a flag. Pack therefore a small table flag, you can set up yourself.
Letter to the midwife
As I have described further up under 'for mom', I always recommend writing a letter to the birth midwife. It also applies when the birth takes place through the belly, i.e. at a cesarean section. You can still have wishes and boundaries, which it is important for you to express, and nice for the midwife to know. Remember to give the letter to the birth midwife
Possibly music that can be played from the mobile
Gladly have a playlist ready, which can support that you as a pregnant woman relax as much as possible during the cesarean section. You can easily put a mobile playing close to your head during the actual cesarean section. Some operating rooms are open to having a smaller speaker with
Mobile as camera/camera
For you who is the partner at a cesarean section, remember to put your camera or a mobile in the pocket, so you can take some pictures right after the cesarean section. It is worth gold for all of you later -not least for you as a new mother, who maybe cannot remember it all from the operating room. Most anesthesia nurses are also usually sweet to want to take a couple of joint pictures of you right after the delivery of the baby
-At a planned cesarean section you know that you will stay and overnight 1-2 nights. See therefore the above packing advice for you as a woman and you as a partner
You can possibly leave some of the things down in the car during the actual birth. E.g. your change of clothes and the things for the baby.
Mental and psychological
There is one more thing that is SO incredibly important to "pack" for birth.
It is your mental and psychological preparation for birth -regardless of whether it is a vaginal birth or a planned cesarean section.
Read, listen to podcasts, watch youtube videos from normal births and cesarean sections if you are going to have a planned cesarean section, go to birth preparation, book a private midwife like me or my colleagues around the country.
Talk together about your wishes, different roles, expectations -both for birth and for each other. Talk about your boundaries, possible things you are afraid of or insecure about. Agree that you as a partner are ready to be a spokesperson for the birthing woman, if she does not have the energy herself. Agree possibly on a stop-sign, which the birthing woman can show, and which you as a partner can read and say to the midwife.
The stronger you stand as a well-prepared couple, the safer you both are. And security gives better contractions, which in turn promotes the natural, uncomplicated birth. And yes dear partner, your security is also important. We know that the more secure you are as a partner, the more secure your woman is. And so your secure presence is also pain relief in itself.
So … it is always good given to prepare and have some good talks about birth and really feel into and listen to both yourself and each other.
I can easily help you with what you should pack in the birth bag. But back to the start: The most important thing is security. You get it best by preparing yourselves. Together.
I cheer for you as the wonderful birth team you are! And remember, that you are always welcome to reach out to me.
Sincerely
Siff Stephenson, HjerteJordemoderen
Author Siff Stephenson HjerteJordemoderen