15 Birth Bag Essentials

How to pack the perfect birth bag. It doesn’t matter if you are having a home birth or a hospital birth. Be prepared. Packing by 35 weeks is ideal in case baby comes early.  The last thing you want to do when you go into labor is try to pack a hospital bag. The key is to pack the essentials. Think about what you will need for labor and what you will need for you and the baby after delivery. Try not to over pack, as you will leave the hospital with more items than you came with.

Here’s what you could pack:

1. Paperwork: birth plan, keep an open mind though, in case things don’t go according to plan, pre-registration paperwork and insurance card
2. Comfortable clothing: cotton laboring gown, robe, yoga or pajama pants, leggings, nursing tank tops for easy breasfeeding, nursing bras, underwear, socks, slippers, comfy flip flops, sports bras or swimsuit top (for water birth if you don’t want to be topless), departure outfit for you and baby, ponytail holder or headbands, pillow
3. Music: use iTunes or Spotify to create your own personal playlist
4. Essential oils: lavendar or clary sage to help during labor
5. Homeopathic remedies: arnica to help with the pushing phase of labor and after delivery, Gelsemium to keep labor progressing and to help breech babies turn
6. Heating pad: to use for after birth pains
7. Snacks: nut butters, protein bars or trail mix for when you get hungry
8. Drinks: coconut water, Labor aid electrolyte drink to replenish lost electrolytes, Red Raspberry Leaf tea to tone uterus or check out our blog on making your own drink
9. Electronics: phones, cameras, tablets or any other items you want to use to let friends and family know that your little one has arrived. Also remember to pack chargers
10. Birthing tools: such as a pysioball, rebozo, rice bag, tennis ball and massager to help relax and soothe you before and after delivery
11. Toiletries: natural soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, natural deodorant, lip balm, shampoo, conditioner and natural body oil/cream
12. Nursing supplies: nipple cream for sore nipples, nursing pads for any leaks
13. Postpartum Care: depends undergarments or cloth pads for postpartum bleeding, after-ease to calm after birth pains, herbal sitz spray to help everything down there heal faster, peri bottles for home births
14. For baby: blankets, clothing, cloth or non toxic diapers, cloth or non toxic baby wipes, natural baby wash if you choose to give the baby a bath, natural baby body oil or cream, car seat for trip home
15. Thoughts: it’s also great to have birth affirmations, pictures of your family members and a baby scrapbook/journal to write thoughts in or put momentos.