Your Birth Bag – Packing for Babies Arrival

All pregnant moms reach the stage of nesting. This means that they start to want to get everything prepared for when baby arrives. The nursery, the house, the family. Part of this is the hospital bag. Even our homebirth moms are advised to pack everything into one space so that if plans have to change then we can move efficiently. We are often asked what to pack into the birth bag so we thought for convenience, we would give a guided list. Its nice to think about it as though you are packing to go away for a weekend.

It is a good idea to pack one birth bag for mom and one baby bag for your newborn. This helps when you looking for certain things, you will know in which bag to find what.

What to Pack in Mom’s Birth Bag

1. All the paperwork including mom and dad’s ID document, marriage certificate (if applicable) and these days a print out of mom and dad’s negative Covid19 test.

2. Cell phone chargers and a two pin plug

3. Toiletries – hairbrush, tootbrush, face wash and cream, and hair ties and clips. Very helpful in labour when your hair gets wet and someone else can quickly tie it up or clip it away from your face.

4. An easy to sip water bottle. Small sips of water help in labour to keep mom hydrated and to stop her getting a dry mouth from the deep breathing. Preferably one that you can use as a spray bottle after wards for salt water when trying to heal the perineum.

5. Snacks – those things sweet and salty that you enjoyed during pregnancy. Don’t try something new in labour.

6. Hot water bottle or bean bag for heat on the back to ease pain in labour and to ease the cramps after birth.

7. Plastic bag to take wet laundry home in

8. Arnica tablets – very beneficial for aches and pains after especially if stitching was necessary.

9. Extra towels – the first thing hospitals run short on is towels.

10. Birthing affirmations and objects you would like in your birthing space to make you feel comfortable.

11. Lip ice – also because of the deep breathing during labour.

12. Face cloths – these help to cool mom down

13. Adult diapers/maternity pads

14. An easy to take on and off gown and comfortable clothes

15. Linen savers

16. Easy to breastfeed pajamas, normally ones that have buttons x3 sets

17. Slippers and socks to keep feet warm

18. Course sea salt for salt baths after the birth and salt sprays for the perineum

What to Pack in Your Baby Bag

  1. Nappies
  2. Wet wipes
  3. Bum cream
  4. Wecsin wounds, graze and naval care powder
  5. Receiving blankets x3
  6. Normal blankets x2
  7. Clothing sets x4 – good idea to out them into separate ziplock bags in their sets
  8. Long sleeve vests x4
  9. Long sleeve baby grows x4
  10. Beanies x2
  11. Socks x4
  12. Going home outfit

DONT FORGET THE CAR SEAT!

We hope this helps to get everything together beforehand so its not a mad rush when labour starts because inevitably something is left behind.

“When we birth we don’t just birth babies. We birth ourselves, we birth our families, and we reshape our lives” Sarah Wickam

Contact Us

We look forward to sharing this journey with you and hope to fulfill your birthing dreams and expectations.

+27744355907

Genesis Clinic

5 Northwold Drive, Saxonwold (5.30 km)
Johannesburg

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