BABY
Pregnancy and birth has been a whole wild ride for me, lots of learning as I go and figuring it out along the way - which I think it the same for most people. I was lucky enough to get advice from some incredibly generous and kind friends who checked in on me loads (which I found invaluable) and I wanted to pass it on. There are other notes which I thought could be useful to others from my own experience like birth partner prep & figuring out a hospital bag, something that initially made my head spin. It can feel really overwhelming trying to get organised and of course everyone has their own way of doing things so take from this what you will, i’ve tried to be as transparent as possible in the hope that if this can help anyone even by 1% then it makes it all worth it.
Recommendations
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When it comes to packing a hospital bag it’s best (especially if it’s your first baby) to be over prepared. Anything you have and then don’t need or used can be passed on to a friend who’s expecting and it’s quite nice to do that!
Get a bunch of packing cubes, these will help your birth partner to stop rummaging through the entire bag and losing everything.
In each packing cube pop a bright coloured list of what’s inside this can help if any panic sets in. Label each cube with a sticky label of what cube it is (ie baby clothes, mums clothes).
Baby’s clothes & care
This depends on where you are giving birth and how long you hope to be there
3 x baby vests
3 x Baby grows
10 x Nappies
Nappy bags
Cotton wool
Water wipes
Hand sanitizer
1 x Blanket
2x Muslin cloths
Clothes for going home
Mums toiletries
I used all of my travel size toiletries to keep it less bulky and then some home favourites mixed in
Face wash
2 x Flannel
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Face cream
Lip balm- get a good lip balm! I love the Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream and think it’s an essential all rounder. It helps loads esp if you’re on the gas & air to revive your lips
Hairbrush
Hair tie
Headband
Shower cap
Body lotion
Aftercare
Natura pads
Frida mom disposable underwear (great for natural birth and c section recovery)
Spritz for your bits
Peri bottle
Witch hazel wet wipes or foam
You can also order from Coco Birth Box to get everything in one go or gift this to an expecting friend
Mums clothes
3 x large comfortable underwear
1 x Nursing bra
1-2 Nightie, I got a dress style nightie that was really helpful as I could put it over my head
Clothes to go home
1 x disposable slippers
1x Flip flops for showering
1 x Towel
During birth
Essential oils
Room spray
Speaker
Portable charged chargers
Plug in phone charger
Straws - my friend Sasha gave me this tip, get a large bottle that has one of those attached sucky straws as your partner can keep handing it to you and you can sip really easily. If not bring straws they are really helpful for drinking esp if you’re not in an optimal sitting up position
Snack bag
Drinks
Snacks of your choice
Electrolyte sachets to drink - another tip from my friend Sasha
Birth partner bag
Toiletries
Toothbrush
Change of clothes
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We did a Hypnobirthing course with Nicola Wilson of Birth Story Hypnobirthing and it helped me demystify birth and stop seeing it as a scary thing. I started this whole journey pretty terrified and had spent years building an image in my mind that birth is something to fear. The course helped me understand more about my body, how to breathe through contractions (which I did for 42 hours at home!), and what to expect no matter what style of birth I chose.
I also did a private NCT class with Laura.
This was because I was late to the game in registering to go to any! So we did a whole session of what to expect, physiology & baby care. Laura is an NHS midwife and does private lessons on the side.
I downloaded the positive birth book as an e book and listened to it over the summer. It’s great for educating yourself about your rights and the health of you and your baby through the birth process. It can help you make decisions and also feel more calm about birth, you can also do their online course via the positive birth company which is also really comprehensive and a few friends strongly recommend it.
I really recommend listening to
Is it normal podcast which gives you a weekly run down of what to expect and interesting info to know.
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It’s so important that you and your birth partner are on the same page and that you have both been through your plan A, B and C.
For me, my birth did NOT go to plan but I had a plan for if it didn’t and what my requests would be. Keep the plan printed (a few copies) in your notes bag so your partner can advocate for you if needed.
Prep your partner so that they know that they will need to be intuitive to you during whatever birth you plan/whatever situation you end up in. Keeping you hydrated, offering snacks, keeping everything organised, speaking with the drs for you so you can focus and concentrate.
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Here’s a list of brands for buying things like baby grows, muslins etc. I got gifted a few things from the places with *, however I since went on and bought gifts for friends from these places after seeing how good quality they all are.
One note I would make, buy clothes according to the season. I didn’t calculate this and went on a spending spree ahead of time buying cute summer outfits for a baby that won’t fit into them for summer - silly me!
Clothes
*MORI
*Bump & milk for dresses
*Seraphine for gorgeous blankets and a must buy is their skin to skin top!
Other gift ideas:
One of our friends kindly sent us a box of COOK meals and it has been a real treat having these stashed in the freezer!
Pipers Farm sell lovely quality meat, deli bits and high quality ready meals
Honey & co hamper - always a reliable and delicious gift choice!
Crumbs & Doilies cookies. I have been both the happy recipient of these and sent boxes to friends, they are amazing stashed in the freezer and eaten straight away.
If you’ve got a friend who has had a baby and want to get something for her (and she’s into skincare), get a lovely set from Cult beauty. I have really enjoyed the little moments of actually moisturising my face with something nice! It’s these small tiny moments that make long sleepless nights feel just a bit better for me …! I love Tatcha, Dr Murad, Then I met you, Waleda, Eight Hour cream Elizabeth Arden.
*Coperi sleep cover for pram