When it comes to packing your hospital bag, Author and Midwife Clemmie Hooper says “ you must think about the three W's: What’s it for? Who’s it for? When’s it for? The answer is it’s a bag of essentials for YOU, YOU’RE in labour”, so forget about packing your baby’s entire wardrobe however cute it may be.
With this in mind, Newbie has teamed up with a few of its Newbie Lovers to share some of the most popular #NewbieMamaTips.
Newbie shares its Top 10 hospital items:
- Bring a couple of home comforts such as a pillow and familiar home items
- Lavender oil is a real all-rounder and the perfect essential oil for massage during labour
- A hot water bottle or wheat bag are good to relieve pressure and help you relax
- A head band or hair tie to help keep your hair off face when feeling a little hot
- Comfy clothes are key – think loose fitting, soft materials and maybe a buttoned shirt for when you get a little warm, so you can cool down easily
-Warm socks/slippers – hospital floors can be very cold
- Facial moisture spray and lip balm for when you need a refresh – if you can keep the face spray in the fridge before you go, it’ll make it even more refreshing
- Earplugs, the post-natal ward is notoriously noisy with babies crying so they might help you catch a few seconds sleep
- Get a couple of playlists ready on your phone and be sure to include songs that make you feel happy, safe and calm – maybe pop a couple of tracks on there that make you feel like you can take on the world!
- Prepare your snacks, whether you think you’ll need chocolate or something healthy make sure you have your favourites prepared. Dark chocolate is actually a great snack to have to hand too, as it’s full of iron
Final top tip: lay all the contents out on the bed before packing so you and your partner know exactly where everything is and feel confident it’s all in the bag.
