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What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag: The Ultimate Guide for Expectant Mothers

  • June 08, 2023

Packing your hospital bag is a significant milestone on your pregnancy journey. It's one of the final preparations before you meet your little one. To help you get ready, we have put together this comprehensive guide on what to pack in your hospital bag.

Pregnancy Hospital Bag

For Mum: Essentials and Comforts

Packing for labour and delivery involves more than just the bare necessities. Comfort items can make your hospital stay much more pleasant.

Clothing

  • Robe or Nightgown: Hospitals provide gowns, but you might feel more comfortable in your own clothes. Choose something loose and comfortable.
  • Slippers and Socks: Keep your feet warm and comfortable as you walk around the hospital.
  • Maternity Bras and Nursing Pads: Essential if you plan to breastfeed, they provide support and absorb any leaks.
  • Going-Home Outfit: Pack a loose, comfortable outfit for your trip home.

Personal Care Items

  • Toiletries: Include travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, and a toothbrush.
  • Lip Balm: Hospitals can be dry, so keep your lips moisturised.
  • Hair Ties: Keep your hair out of your face during labour.

Other Essentials

  • ID, Insurance Information, Hospital Paperwork: Don't forget these important documents.
  • Snacks: For after delivery - you might be hungry!
  • Phone Charger: You'll want your phone fully charged to share the good news.

For Baby: Welcome to the World

Your newborn doesn't need much, but there are some key items to pack.

  • Going-Home Outfit: Pack a cute, comfy outfit for your baby's first trip home.
  • Swaddle Blanket: Many hospitals provide these, but you might want to bring your own.
  • Infant Car Seat: Most hospitals won't let you leave by car without one. Ensure it's properly installed in your vehicle ahead of time.

Pregnant women writing something in a notebook and touching her baby clothes

For Partner: Don't Forget the Support Crew

Your partner or birthing coach also needs to be prepared for the hospital stay.

  • Change of Clothes: If your partner plans to stay overnight, pack them a change of clothes.
  • Snacks and Drinks: Labor can be long, so make sure they have sustenance to keep their energy up.
  • Entertainment: Books, a tablet, or a deck of cards can help pass the time during the early stages of labour.

Optional Items: Extras for Comfort and Entertainment

These are not necessary, but they might make your stay more enjoyable.

  • Pillow: Your own pillow can be much more comfortable than the hospital ones.
  • Music and Headphones: Create a playlist of calming music to help you relax.
  • Books or Magazines: For a bit of light reading during your stay.

Conclusion

Remember, every birth is unique, so pack what feels right for you. It's better to overpack than to wish you had brought something. Aim to have your bag ready by 36 weeks, as babies sometimes have their own timetable. With your hospital bag packed and ready, you can rest easy knowing you're prepared for the big day.

Pregnant women packing her baby clothes in the bag and writing a note in the notebook

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Night Sweats and Waking Up Drenched in Pregnancy

Night Sweats and Waking Up Drenched in Pregnancy

Night sweats during pregnancy are caused by hormonal fluctuations affecting your body's temperature regulation, increased blood volume, and a heightened metabolic rate. While waking up drenched and flushed can be uncomfortable, ordinary hormonal sweating is harmless and settles once your body cools down.

Distinguishing between a hormonal flush and a fever is important:

  • Hormonal Flushing: You feel hot and sweaty in waves without a raised body temperature or shivering chills.

  • Fever or Infection: A temperature reading of 38°C or higher, shaking chills, a cough, painful urination, or a rash requires prompt medical attention. Keep a thermometer on your bedside table so you can verify your temperature immediately if you wake up feeling hot.

Heartburn That Only Turns Up When You Lie Down

Heartburn That Only Turns Up When You Lie Down

Pregnancy heartburn affects roughly 8 in 10 women, driven by progesterone relaxing the stomach valve and a growing uterus crowding your abdomen. Lying flat removes the natural effect of gravity, allowing stomach acid to travel straight up your esophagus at bedtime.

To manage night-time reflux effectively, finish your last meal two to three hours before going to bed and eat smaller, lighter portions throughout the day rather than heavy dinners. When settling down for sleep, lie on your left side to keep your stomach below the esophageal valve, and elevate your entire upper torso by 10 to 15 cm using a mattress wedge rather than just stacking pillows under your head. Sip liquids between meals instead of drinking large volumes with food.

Always consult your midwife, GP, or pharmacist before starting any over-the-counter heartburn medication. If you are taking antacids, space them at least two hours apart from your prenatal iron and folic acid supplements so they do not block nutrient absorption. Contact your healthcare team immediately if you experience severe abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, or if upper stomach pain occurs alongside headaches, vision changes, or sudden swelling.

Snoring in Pregnancy: What's Normal and What's Worth Mentioning

Snoring in Pregnancy: What's Normal and What's Worth Mentioning

New onset snoring in late pregnancy is very common, usually triggered by hormone-induced nasal congestion, increased blood volume, and relaxed throat muscles narrowing your airways. While occasional mild snoring is harmless, frequent loud snoring, choking or gasping for air, and waking up with headaches or severe daytime exhaustion can indicate obstructive sleep apnea.

Because habitual pregnancy snoring is linked to higher blood pressure and pre-eclampsia, you should always report new snoring to your midwife or GP so they can check your blood pressure and evaluate you for a sleep study. To manage mild congestion-driven snoring at home, sleep on your side, elevate your head and torso slightly, use plain saline nasal sprays, and avoid medicated decongestant sprays unless prescribed.

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