Hospital bag packing.

Now that I am in my third trimester it has become the inevitable time to think about packing my hospital bag with essentials for labour and with things needed for both myself and Jelly Bean after the birth.

When I had Bug I found that I ended up with what seemed a bazillion bags which weighed poor Lee down like a donkey on its last legs so this time round I wanted to limit myself to 2 bags - a labour bag and a bag for after the birth – at the most.

Thankfully Caboodle bags have come to my rescue with their Fun and Funky Mink Stars BabyChanging Bag which thanks to its impressive size is perfect as a hospital bag. As the bag holds so much it is perfect for holding all essentials needed in my hospital bag along with a few extras just in case our stay at the hospital is longer than hoped.

Even though every woman’s hospital bag varies slightly I am using this hospital bag checklist by babycentre as a reminder for my hospital bag packing.

Along with most of the above essentials I am also packing a few key items for labour and after the birth.

Tens machine

Having used a tens machine during Bug’s labour and find it of great help I am making sure to pack my MamaTens My Time Tens Machine once again. Whilst I will start using it at home once labour begins I have decided to pack it in my hospital bag so that I know exactly where it is once the contractions start so that I do not end up running around the house, rooting around everywhere looking for it.

Cooling spray

As I appreciated damp face cloths and cooling spray being spritzed on my face during my labour with Bug to help cool me down and keep me feeling refreshed, I have decided to try The Natural Birthing Company’s Cool It Mama Body and Facial Spritz this time round during Jelly Bean’s labour.

Being a fan of essential oils I love the fact that the spray is a blend of pure essential oils, flower essences and a hint of Menthol. I hope that it helps keep me cool during the labour, especially if it is a hot day when I am labouring considering we are in summer, and hopefully that it is refreshing and uplifting.

Umbilical cord ties

As I am a sentimental person I saved Bug’s hospital name bands and his umbilical cord clamp. Whilst it is a reminder to me of the day I met my first born the umbilical cord clamp is not that pretty. I also found the umbilical cord clamp to be so hard against a newborn’s soft and sensitive skin so looked at alternatives, which is when I came across Umbilical Cord Ties by HeartStrings.

Not only will the cord tie be gentle against Jelly Bean’s newborn skin but it will also look adorable and be a lovely memento to keep and cherish forever.

Special baby outfit

To help Bug feel part of the whole experience of having a new baby join the family and get him involved so that he does not feel left out I got him to choose a special baby outfit for Jelly Bean’s first ever outfit.

Bug took to the role of big-brother-to-be very well with excitement, choosing choose an adorable set of giraffe themed sleepsuits from Next for Jelly Bean to wear – one as a first outfit and the other as a coming home outfit.

What did you pack in your hospital bag for labour and afterwards? Do you have any hospital bag must haves?