When I was skype chatting with Amma, I told her I packed my hospital bag ma and mentioned her the list of stuff I packed. And her reply was “andha kalathula oru wire koodai la 4 veshti thuni, maathuku oru pudavai eduthundu ponom 😂😂 ne enna de ivlo solra”..
I know i might have packed a little too much than my mom but this was really helpful during my stay at hospital. In my council’s hospital its almost a standard procedure to discharge Mom & the infant within 2 days if its normal delivery (provided if all the tests for both mom & newborn comeback alright) If its C-Sec they usually take 3-4 days to discharge. Since I wasnt sure whether I ll have a normal/csec i packed stuff sufficient for 4 days. Thankfully it was normal & we didnt use few clothes but just giving you a glimpse so that pack according to how your hospitals discharge you.
I am giving you a quick checklist that will help you to pack the essentials. Also the list is based on hospital & labour room setup here in London.We packed extra stuff so that he dont have to rush to home to take things. If you are in India or any other country kindly pack clothes for kids according to your weather.
For Moms :
– Hospital notes & files
– Save all important contacts in phone & even add them in favorites so that you could call hospital quickly if & when contractions start (yes here we have to call & inform ward that we will be visiting hospital shortly so that they will make necessary arrangements)
– 3-4 comfy gowns/nighty to be worn post delivery. Make sure they have zip or front open so that you could feed your baby easily. I got nursing friendly tops from H&M, some lounge wear from Primark
– Maternity Bras (i got it from Mothercare, H&M)
– Panties (the first few days after delivery kindly wear loose & comfortable undies. Get rid off fancy stuff until you recover)
– Snacks (any protein bars) Here in hospital they did give food. But we will be crazily hungry after labour. Bars keep us full for sometime
– Maternity Pads (you need 3 packs atleast since the flow will be more, also its hygenic to change pads once every two hours)
– Tooth Brush, Paste, Facewash, Moisturizer, Lip Balm, Rubber bands,Bindi
– Bathroom Slipper
– Towels
– Leaving outfit (pack this in a plastic cover & keep it separate. So you can change & ofcourse take some happy pics with newborn before leaving)
– Formula sample sachet & a bottle (just incase if there isnt enough milk you dont want the baby to be in hunger. By God’s grace I was able to breastfeed her as soon she was born.
For Newborn:
– Diapers (the first few days there will be black poo. Better to have atleast two packs of diaper handy)
– Cotton (initial few days use cotton soaked in hot water or tissue soaked in hot water. they were easier to wipe)
– 5 vests, 5 sleepsuits, onesies, 1 sweater, 2 baby hats to cover head (you need to always keep them warm. plz take clothes accordingly)
– Swaddle Blanket (I got it from TK Max. Easy to fold & wrap. Needed at night)
– Ordinary Blankets incase if you have to cover/wrap while feeding (Got my baby blankets from Mothercare.They are good)
– Also pack a vest, onesie, hat, 1 diaper together & keep this in a separate cover. As soon as they clean the baby here the midwife will ask us to give the outfit to be worn by newborn. So keep it ready
– Some plastic bags to carry the dirty clothes & stuff back home
– Nappy Rash cream just incase if your baby is sensitive
I packed all the cute stuff like mittens, socks, bibs but hardly used one. So if you want you can have just a pair of them.
Also a small suggestion while going to hospital :
If and when you start getting contractions or pain, do change your clothes to a comfy & light maternity wear (could be a gown or even nighty. Trust me you will have the urge to pee a lot before labour. Here I was in common Ante Natal ward until cervix was sufficiently dialated & was moved to labour ward later.. There were other 4 mums like me and the whole night we were using the loo crazily 😂😂 . ) Drink lots of water & stay hydrated. If you have access to Medicine Ball/Aerobics ball keep doing stretches it will help to dilate easier. Dont lie down & wait for baby to pop. Better to keep moving & get the little one out asap ☺️☺️
Also how can I miss this important note for dads-to-be
What to pack For Dads :
– An extra pair of track pants & dress for overnight stay
Along with some extra ENERGY since they will have to start practising nappy changes & to handle forever stressed & hunger New Mums 😂😂😂😂
