Pregnancy and labor are overwhelming experiences. Apart from going through the entire experience, which by itself is an intimidating one, there are other aspects of this amazing journey that a new mother is expected to be prepared for. Of course, when there is a supporting birth partner by your side, they can take over these responsibilities. One such aspect is getting the hospital bag ready for your big day.
Click here to read the essential items that helped me during my pregnancy.
As someone whose baby arrived almost two weeks early, I would kindly suggest all you expecting parents to keep the hospital bag ready by the 35th week of pregnancy. This way, you will be prepared and plan your budget accordingly. Amidst all the chaos of keeping a hundred things ready in your hospital bag, I have listed the top 10 things you would need during one of the most vulnerable moments of your life. So, let’s begin:
1. Diapers
You must wonder why diapers must be picked so early on as the hospital would obviously have them in its pharmacy. The reason is the amount of research that goes into choosing the right diapers for your baby. There are plenty of options available in the market, and you may be confused. Hence, having a couple of options in your hospital bag will ensure you find the right one – the one that is gentle on your baby’s skin. With my experience, I recommend the one by R for Rabbit.
2. Wet Wipes
Again, like diapers, wet wipes must be gentle on skin with minimal chemicals and fragrance so they feel as natural as they can be for your baby. Hence, having a couple of options ready to choose will make it easy for you during your recovery period. Here is the one by LuvLap that is my recommendation.
3. Baby Carrier
Baby carriers are super useful for carrying newborns as they are sensitive and have fragile neck strength. Not to forget, new mothers will be going through a recovery phase of their own, and if you have to hold your baby, then these carriers will help you balance your baby’s head with minimal effort. Here is the one that I recommend by Snoonest.
4. Electric Breast Pump
Modern inventions that help new mothers are a bliss. Ask a new mom and she will know how it makes things super easy for her. One such invention is the electric breast pump. For most new mothers, there can be multiple reasons why they may not be able to feed the baby right away. It could be the baby’s refusal to latch immediately, admission to the NICU, etc. So, having an electric breast pump will ensure your start to the breastfeeding journey. Here is the one by LuvLap that I recommend.
Note: Please do not waste time in purchasing a manual breast pump; it is a waste of both your time and energy.
5. Feeding Bottles
Paediatricians usually do not recommend using bottles to feed babies and suggest using Paladai, a traditional spoon-like equipment, to feed the newborns. However, you would need a clean bottle to store your breast milk; hence, have a couple of feeding bottles handy for your round-the-clock pumping needs. Here is the one by Philips Avent that I absolutely love and recommend.
6. Feeding Pillow
Most new mothers get back pain because of the wrong posture while breastfeeding. It is super important to have the right pillow that helps with breastfeeding, benefitting both you as a new mom and the baby. I use this feeding pillow by Flipon. The material is light-weight, soft, and easy to handle.
7. Couple of clothes for Mother and Baby
Of course, the new mother and the baby will stay in the hospital for a while, and you definitely need a change of clothes. Get some burp cloths, cotton towels and blankets for the baby. Cotton dresses are preferable as they are comfortable for newborns. Some hospitals also have complementary photoshoots so you can get some cool outfits for the photoshoot. You also need comfortable outfits for the day of discharge. So, plan your outfits accordingly. Oh, and also, do not forget to get swaddle clothes for your baby.
8. Sterilizer
As mentioned above, some inventions are a blessing for new parents, and sterilizers belong in that category. Imagine spending time in washing every bottle, breast pumping equipment, and others round the clock. Putting them in hot water and boiling for 10-20 minutes, waiting for them to cool down, and drying them up. Sounds irritating, isn’t it? Enter sterilizers – all you need to do is wash the items you need to sterilize, add them in the sterilizer, switch it on, and Voila! Job done. The bonus thing is you can store the items in the sterilizer until you need them, hence ensure it stays clean. I strongly recommend this sterilizer from Philips.
9. Toiletries for the mother
Hey new mom! You deserve as much relaxing time as you want. Get yourselves your calming favourites like shampoo, body wash, face wash, conditioners, hair masks, makeup products, eye masks, anything you want while you are in the hospital. A little reality check is that you might get little to no time for your relaxing routine, but it’s actually better because most nurses in hospitals are well-versed in taking care of all baby’s needs. They can take care of your little one while you take those extra precious minutes for yourself. Just ensure that the products you use are safe around newborns.
10. Baby Shampoo and Body Wash
Babies have sensitive skin, and in many traditional households, parents recommend using Shikakai or similar items for bathing babies. However, modern chemical-based Shikakai powders harm their sensitive skin instead of benefitting the babies. Hence, most paediatricians recommend using gentle and chemical-free shampoo and body wash for babies. I use this one by Cetaphil as it’s a gentle two-in-one liquid.
While pregnancy is one thing, delivering a baby is another huge milestone, and being ready in a practical sense makes it easy for new mothers to travel this journey. One way to be prepared is by getting the hospital bag all packed. New fathers, this is your cue to work on getting that bag ready while your wife prepares for the big day. Have a happy and safe delivery, new parents!
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