Women who are getting ready for baby have many considerations to keep in mind, including what kinds of items they want to pack in their hospital labor bags.
Labor bags are important, because without them, women may not have really essential things that they need in the first few days after giving birth. These items can include everything from a change of clothes to breast pumps and garments for the baby.
For tips on how to assemble a hospital bag that will complement your stay during the delivery, consider these helpful pointers below.
Items for you
Giving birth can be a stressful event, especially for a first time mother who may not understand what goes into delivering a child. Packing along personal items just for your own use can make the whole process easier to handle and less emotionally exhausting, which can be key to making delivery more rewarding.
Personal care items like prescription medications, lotion, body soap, mouthwash, hairbands, glasses, contacts and toothbrushes may not seem like things you should bring along to the hospital, but they are absolutely essential.
In addition, clothes that are loose-fitting, like a T-shirt, nightgown or bathrobe, can make all the difference in the world when it comes to having a pleasant experience before and after the birth. Breast pads, nursing bras and fresh underwear should also be part of your bag.
Checklist of baby items
Having a little one to cradle in your arms is probably something that you've been thinking about for a very long time, but now you finally can experience the moment you've been waiting for!
To greet your baby with all the things that he or she needs after delivery, pack along fresh clothes, a hat and a cozy blanket for the little one. You want to make sure you have an approved car seat in tow while you're at it, since you won't be able to take your child home from the hospital without one.
Things for your partner
All that time spent in the hospital doesn't just impact you – it also affects your partner. As a result, you should pack along items for him or her as well, like a change of clothes, books and food.
Because chances are your partner will be on hand to provide support during the literal delivery, you may want to pack tennis balls and lotion so that your partner can give you a massage while you're in labor and delivery.
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