When to pack your birth bag | Complete list of everything you need to pack in your birth bag
As your belly grows and your due date approaches, it's time to pack your birth bag. The birth bag should contain everything mum and baby will need for the birth, and preferably for dad too. On this page you'll find a list of everything you need to pack in your birth bag.
Table of contents
Packing a birth bag - the joy of expectation
Packing a birth bag is a process filled with expectations, and as a pregnant woman you can't help but wonder if you have everything. When you're packing your birth bag, you're probably also thinking about how the birth will go. Especially if you're a first-time mom, many moms are probably wondering if they can handle it.
However, most women find at birth that they can do much more than they thought.
Once you have your little one in your arms, it's nice to have everything you need in your bag for the birth.
When to pack birth bag
If you have a normal and uncomplicated pregnancy, a good rule of thumb is to have your birth bag ready when you enter the 37th week of pregnancy. That's when baby is ready to be born and can, in principle, come whenever it wants to.
However, there will be things you can't pack until the last minute, like your mobile phone. That's why we've made a list that you can use as a checklist for your birth bag.
Bag for the birth
Below you'll find the list of everything you'll need in your bag for the birth. The list is divided into what mum needs and what baby needs. We haven't forgotten Dad; he just has to bring the lunch box, and otherwise do everything to support mom and baby 🙂
To mother
- Health insurance
- Water Journal
- Birth Wishes Note - Write down if you want painkillers etc.
- Lanolin cream for sore nipples
- Lip balm (you get dry lips from breathing during contractions)
- Nursing pillow
- Ammebh
- Comfortable clothes and underwear
- Slippers
- Ties (not always the ones in the maternity ward suit your needs)
- Hand sanitizer
- Soap (you'll love it)
- Toothbrush and other toiletries
- Delicious snacks and something to drink. Preferably fruit, or something else that is easy to eat and gives energy.
- Camera
- Mobile phone + charger
For baby
- Little clothes for baby
- Special "Home from the hospital set"
- Baby duvet or blanket that smells of mum and dad
- 1-2 cloth diapers
- Lift or car seat for the journey home (you can pick this up after the birth)
- Possibly a small cuddly cloth or teddy bear
- Consider whether to bring a pacifier (pacifiers are not recommended for the first 14 days for breastfeeding reasons, but some parents choose to bring them anyway)
Father
- Food and drink (food will often not be served to dad in hospital)
- Earplugs (if you're going to be in the sharing room)
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Pillow
- Change of clothes
For many, becoming a parent is the greatest joy.
You will NOT need
To make sure that the bag for the birth is not too big, we have written a few things that you do not need to bring.
- Makeup. From the moment the contractions start, your appearance is the last thing on your mind.
- Ipad, magazines and other entertainment. There will be plenty to do with a newborn.
- Several sets of clothes for both yourself and baby. Mum can use the hospital clothes and baby is only in nappies for the first few hours, lying mostly skin-to-skin.
Signs of birth approaching
More frequent contractions are a sign that labour is approaching.
As a pregnant woman, you're bound to be very aware of your body. If you feel a pain, you think "is that a contraction?" The last time is hard. Physically, your body is getting tired and used, and the texts from mother-in-law are ticking in a little more often than usual. Every birth is different, but there are still some signs of labour that you can look out for.
- Menstration-like pain
- More frequent picking
- Character bleeding (a minor bleed leading up to birth)
Source: Hvidovre Hospital
Good advice for childbirth: the contractions help you
Many women fear contractions, and that's perfectly natural. A good tip is to remember that contractions help your body to give birth to your baby. So try not to work against the contractions, but breathe through them. You can practise breathing exercises in the run-up to the birth so that you have this part down before you go into labour. Talk to your midwife about how to do this.
The book has an easy, low-practice approach to how you can prepare for birth.Go to store.
Painless childbirth
If you would like to know more about how to prepare for childbirth, we highly recommend the book "Painless Childbirth". In the book you can read about techniques you can use to give yourself and your baby a good birth.
Unfortunately, many women look back on their birth as a bad and painful experience. According to author Anja Bay, it doesn't have to be that way. And the best thing is that you can do a lot to prepare yourself and have a good birth that you look back on with joy.
If you want to know more, you can buy Painless Birth - The Anja Bay Method at Saxo for 210 kr. Go to Saxo.
Tip.
The book can also be borrowed from the e-reader. You just need to have a patron at the library and download the app.
