Preparing for birth: Hospital bag Checklist

preparing-for-birth-hospital-checklist

When you’re close to your due date, something you don’t want to leave for the last minute is packing your hospital bag. Making a hospital bag checklist will help ensure that you don’t forget anything! Contractions and labor can start without warning making you forget the most obvious items. It is recommended that you have your bag ready at least six weeks before your due date. Put it together when you have that sudden burst of energy that comes from nesting! Then you won’t be stressed and you will appreciate not missing any thing in the hospital. You’ll be able to focus on yourself and delivering your healthy new baby.

Hospital bag Checklist for Mom

• Bathroom items(toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, hairbrush, soap, deodorant)
• Glasses• Mirror and makeup bag : to be prepared for the visit
• Glasses if you wear them
• Two or three nightgowns: comfortable. Choose ones with easy openings for nursing mothers. You could wear the hospital nightgown too.
Bathrobe, slippers and a pair of socks. Comfortable footwear is important as you’ll be walking a lot during labor.
• A comfortable outfit to wear home from the hospital. don’t choose cute little pre-pregnancy clothes because nobody loses the weight they gained in nine months immediately after giving birth and it will only annoy you if you can’t fit into the only outfit you have to go home in
Nursing bra, breast pads, nipple cream, sanitary napkins and maternity underwear. Nurse will help you to breast feed your baby and show you various comfortable breastfeeding positions.
• Your favorite books and CD player. You may not be in the mood for any of these. But labor may take very long periods of time like 24 hours.
• If it is your second child, a picture of the first one to put in the hospital. It will please him or her.


Hospital Bag Checklist for Your New Baby
Infant car seat
• 2 onesies, newborn hat, socks and mittens
• Pacifier
• Burp cloth
• 2 receiving blankets
• Going home outfit and jacket if the weather is cold.
• Newborn size diapers, wipes, changing pad and diaper bag.
• Plastic bags for dirty diapers.
Baby bottles, nipples and formula if you are bottle-feeding

Your Partner’s Hospital Bag Checklist
• Have some cash and change you would need for food, vending machines and phone calls. From $20 to $50,
• Some comfortable clothes.
• Digital camera and camcorder with a set of extra batteries for each.
• Something to read or to play with when there’s nothing to do.
• Contact list to broadcast the news after your baby is born.
• Basic bathroom items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, razors, shaving cream and towels
 
What did you pack in your hospital bag checklist? Was it enough or too much?