Tag: tips

5 Things to Pack for Your Hospital Birth

Packing for the hospital when you are expecting a baby can feel a little daunting. Sure, you want to pack the essentials like an outfit for your baby to wear home and the car seat, what do you really need to pack for yourself? I’ve had some clients bring only their purse and others who look like they are moving abroad for year with giant suitcases full of stuff. Neither of those approaches are really my style, but there are a few essentials that you might not think about when it comes to packing your bags for your hospital birth. These are my top five:

Lip Balm

All that breathing in labor can make your lips dry. Kissing your baby’s head a million times can make your lips dry. All the talking you are going to be doing to all the people coming in and out of your room and on the phone telling everyone how amazing your baby is, that will make your lips dry too. Indoor air is dry, especially in a hospital. Trust me! Bring the lip balm.

Your Own Pillow & Blanket

While your first reaction to bringing your own pillow and blanket into a hospital might be ick, this one is essential. Pillows can sometimes be hard to find in a hospital, and their blankets are not exactly known for being fuzzy and soft. Bringing your own pillow and blanket also has the extra added bonus of helping your room feel more like your own, and smelling like home helps your body actually feel safer too. Thank you olfactory senses & pheromones! Comfort is important during your stay, and I promise that your washing machine has a disinfect cycle that you can use on the pillow and blanket when you get them back home.

Cheap Nightgown & Slippers

One of my doula secrets is that the cheap nightgowns that button or snap up in the front are seriously awesome for the hospital. Pants aren’t great because of needing to pull them down all the time for your nurse to check your bleeding, and if you have a surgical birth you will constantly worry about the waistband. Easy access to your chest is essential, so definitely something to look for when you are shopping for a nightgown. I also recommend not purchasing anything you actually really love, because you want to not feel bad for getting bodily fluids on it and maybe just throwing it away. Slippers are just nice for your feet to not have to touch the hospital floor. I don’t know about you, but I definitely feel like I have to relax when I’m wearing slippers too.

Snacks

Yes, the hospital will have food for you, but packing your own snacks can help bring you comfort too. Have a favorite road trip snack? Pack it! Have a snack you’ve been craving your whole pregnancy? Pack it! Planning an unmedicated birth and having a healthy pregnancy? Pack some snacks to eat & drink during labor too! Yes, seriously!

Nursing Bra & Pads

No matter how you are planning to feed your baby, you will want to bring a nursing bra and some pads. If you are planning to breastfeed, then having access to the breast is essential, and the nightgown is only part of the deal. The nursing bra is not entirely essential, but I personally always liked to have one for when I slept. I really like this one from Kindred Bravely, but there are tons of really great options. I also always appreciated having the absorbent pads to put in my bra, because when my milk came in it was full force. If you are planning to formula feed, a tight bra and some pads will help keep your milk at bay. You can also talk to the lactation consultants about other ways to dry up your milk with medications. (Yes, they do that too.) Having a bra on also helped me feel more comfortable with all the people who were constantly coming in and out to check on me in the hospital. That’s just a personal preference thing.

Figuring out what to pack for your hospital birth doesn’t have to be overwhelming. There are tons of packing lists that you can find online if you like a good list. These are the 5 essentials that not everyone thinks about bringing. The nice thing is that even if you forget something, either the hospital will have it for you, or you can send someone to the store to grab it. Heck, you could even have it delivered. Packing a little something nice for yourself, like delicious smelling shampoo for the best shower you’ve ever had in your life, the one after you give birth, is also a great idea. Pack the things you think you’ll need, and I promise, you’ll probably bring less with you the next time.

Helpful Tools for Birth**

Learning about helpful tools for birth before you get there can mean you know what to ask for and how to use the things available to you! This can improve your confidence and birth experience.

Not all labors and deliveries are the same, but using tools can be a great thing for almost every birth. The same tools don’t work for every situation but learning what is available, when, and how to use them is really helpful! **Don’t worry, none of the tools in the picture are used for labor or delivery.** No matter where you are planning to give birth, there are tools that you can use. These are my top 3 most helpful tools for birth!

The Birth Ball

The birth ball is really just an exercise ball that gets a fancier name in labor and delivery. There are a ton of ways to use the birth ball during pregnancy, labor, & postpartum. These are very versatile and helpful tools for birth. You can use it by sitting and bouncing with less upward pressure while you still have a baby inside. You can lean on it. Kicking it works too. You can do all kinds of things with this ball. (I advise against sit-ups on it while in labor.) The birth ball opens up your pelvis and keeps you out of bed while laboring. Moving your hips in a circular motion keeps you moving too. I’ve had several clients just want to bounce on it in labor. I spent months postpartum bouncing on a ball to keep my firstborn happy. Ask for the ball when you arrive at the hospital! If you are planning a home birth, you should plan to purchase one in the right size for you.

Peanut Ball

Every time I see a yellow peanut ball, I cannot help but think of minions while simultaneously wanting to draw a monocle on them. Peanut balls might look funny, but there is science behind these amazingly helpful tools for birth. Contrary to what some might believe, you can absolutely use a peanut ball if you do not have an epidural! They are great for parents with epidurals too though. Peanut balls help keep your pelvis open while you are resting. There are all kinds of positions for using this ball. Learning about how to use it to shorten your labor before you go is a great thing to do. Seriously, ask for the peanut ball! I will warn you that if you don’t have an epidural, using a peanut ball can be uncomfortable, but it can also be very effective.

Bed + Squat Bar

Staying out of bed is a great thing for while you are laboring, but hospital beds can also be helpful. I love to request the squat bar attachment to the bed for laboring and pushing. I also like to call them Go-Go-Gadget Beds because of how many different positions and options they have. This is why the whole bed plus the squat bar is really a helpful tool for birth. Squatting has all kinds of benefits for birth, but it can be exhausting if you try to do it without breaks or without preparing yourself. You can even use a squatting position for pushing or wrap a sheet around the bar to pull on while you lean back. There are lots of possibilities when you know your options and how to use them.

FYI: If you are planning a home birth, finding places to squat and learning to do a supported squat with your partner or doula are great alternatives to the bed. Looking around your house and finding places to do all the best birth positions is something I always like to do at prenatal visits with home birth clients. Bonus: your midwife might bring along some of the things from my wish list below!

Tool Wishlist:

The bottom line is this: There is no one set of helpful tools for birth that will work for everyone. Having more tools in your tool box and knowing how to use those can give you more options. Practice using these tools if you can, or even just watch some helpful videos. You can bring more tools with you too if you’d like. Heck, even dancing can be a helpful for birth!

If you’d like to come learn more coping techniques, including getting to practice with these balls before labor, we have a class for that! Spend 3 hours on a Saturday morning learning more tools and non-medical coping techniques for labor and delivery. Here are the dates and links to sign up if you are interested: