Hospital Bag Checklist – Essentials to Carry in Your Maternity Bag

While packing for travel or packing for delivery, we women always want to ensure our bag contains all the essentials that we may need.

As we near our delivery date, we keep struggling as to what all should be packed for D-day so much so that we start packing at month six till the probable day of delivery. We prepare our checklist and then keep adding items to it every new day thinking we just might need that one thing.

Here I am listing out a few essentials that you should not leave behind while preparing for your hospital bag-

1. Four pairs of baby clothes including caps, mittens, and socks – please ensure you have at least four pairs as in case some complications arise, you may have to stay in the hospital beyond the stipulated time, plus the baby may soil his/ her clothes.

2. Underwear – you will need at least five or six of them as you may stain these due to heavy bleeding post-delivery, don’t even think of carrying new ones as these will eventually go into the bin.

3. Toiletries – keep your soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, towel comb, face cream, hair ties and any other essential that you use on a daily basis.

4. Scarf, stole or cap – In India we are told to immediately cover our heads and wear warm clothing as post-delivery the body becomes weak and is prone to catch cold and other ailments.

5. Medical file and insurance documents – ensure you have all these files in one place and make your husband or parents aware as the admission formalities will be carried out by them and you might not be in a state to tell what’s where. Your ID proof, insurance papers if any, pregnancy file with the latest tests and scans are absolutely vital for the hospital procedure.

6. One pair of clothing for self – this will be needed when you get discharged.

7. Breast pump – there can be early hiccups in breastfeeding in case the baby doesn’t latch or if you aren’t producing enough milk. You can keep a breast pump handy to get the milk supply going.

Few more tips-

a. Ensure you cut your nails before you land in the hospital because the hospital staff will anyways chip it.

b. Keep all your jewellery, rings and earrings that you are adorning, at home.

c. In case you like reading books, carry one to pass time in the labour room as there is no source of entertainment. Mobiles have to be kept with your relatives.

d. Baby blanket, diapers, and pads for self are provided by the hospital only. However in case you want to keep pads for self you can buy disposable maternity pads.

I hope this will help you in getting that hospital bag ready without stuffing it with unnecessary stuff. So get set go!

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