What to Pack for your Hospital Birth
If you are anything like me, then you like to be prepared. I have always been the type of person who finds comfort in knowing that I have some control over my life, especially when preparing for something as uncontrollable as birth. I am totally “that mom” who always has a bottle of water, Aleve, Carmex, peppermint oil, and honey sticks in my purse… at all times… just in case.
When I was in high school I lived through a pretty serious hurricane, and that experience taught me that being ready for a situation helps me to manage anxiety. Living through the hurricane also taught me exactly what I could live without (spoiler alert, it is not ice!). When you are confronted with the need to pare everything back to the absolute essentials, your view shifts. I believe this is when minimalism became a part of my life, not in the super strict “I own one cup and two pairs of shoes” sort of way, but in the “do I really need every single thing” sort of way. I realize having a ton of unnecessary “stuff” can be just as overwhelming as having too little. Finding the balance between being prepared, and not being bogged down by a ton of unnecessary items, is a delicate balance. Having four children, the need to be equally prepared and efficient is a constant in my life, and something I have become really good at!
As a birth doula, I get asked so often about what expecting parents should pack in their birth bags. Realistically you don’t want so much stuff that it is a hassle to carry, nor do you want it to become unused clutter in your tiny hospital room. However, it is equally important that you have enough items so that you can feel comfortable in the space that you will be calling home for a couple of days. Kansas City has amazing hospitals to deliver your babies in. They are very comfortable and modern, but there are a few items that would make it even better!
The item that I hear most moms say they wish they had is snacks. Really? Snacks!? Yes, snacks, most hospitals in the KC Metro restrict mothers from eating during labor (except Research Medical Center 😉) so while you are working hard, you are getting very little nourishment. This practice is out of date, but unfortunately still the norm. Once you have given birth you are free to eat whatever you want, but here is the kicker… you are often so excited about meeting your new baby and sharing your news, that you do not realize you are starving to death until like 2 AM when all of the food options are closed. So be sure to pack all of your favorite snacks. Once you have tucked your baby in for the night and your husband is snoring on the couch you will be grateful that you remembered to pack that bag of Cheetos… I mean granola.
The item that I hear dads say they wish they had most is a portable fan. I am not sure what it is about men that they can not seem to sleep when it is the middle of a frigid Midwestern winter without a fan, but it seems to be pretty universal. Hospital rooms are notoriously warm, especially in labor and delivery units. Many of the area hospitals do have a small portable fan or two, but the supply is limited. If you like the comforting white noise that a fan makes to sleep, or if you are simply hot by nature, you may want to bring along a small portable fan.
As for the rest of the items that you may find comforting to have at your birth, I will list them below. These are all suggestions so pick and choose the items that you feel would make your hospital stay as comfortable as possible.