No matter where you give birth, at home, a birth center, or hospital, you will want personal items for you, your partner, and your baby. At home, personal items are easy to pull out of a dresser drawer or cabinet. When you are having your baby at a birth center or hospital, you will want several items packed in preparation for birth. It also makes sense to pack a small bag when you are having a home birth – just in case you need to transfer to the hospital.
Have everything ready by 36 weeks. Be sure to wash the baby clothes and blankets in fragrance-free laundry soap.
For Baby
By the time you are ready to give birth, you may very likely have drawer fulls of baby clothes, blankets, and diapers. When packing a suitcase for baby, they don’t need much, but they do need a couple of different size sleepers, onesies, or clothing sets. You never know what size a baby you will be having, and I have seen quite a few surprises. It is okay if the clothing is too big. It is when the clothing is too small when it becomes an issue.
- Receiving blankets (2-3)
- Outdoor, warm blanket (depending on weather)
- Undershirts or onesies (2 in different sizes)
- Baby clothes or sleepers (2 sets in different sizes)
- Sweater / Booties / Socks / Hat (depending on weather)
- Cloth or disposable diapers (4-6)
- Baby wipes (unscented, natural)
- Natural oil for your baby’s skin (unscented)
- Diaper bag, changing pad, waterproof bag
- Car seat (set up, adjusted and tried out ahead of time)
For Mom
Women are always curious about what they should wear during labor. There are so many wonderful options! Check out, What to Wear During Labor. Once you have it figured out; this is what you need:
- Lip balm and massage oil (unscented)
- Clothes to labor in (2-3 changes)
- Nightgown, robe, slippers, socks
- Bikini top – useful for waterbirth
- Nursing camis if desired
- Postpartum clothes
- Toiletries, comb, brush, hair ties, etc.
- 1 Fleet enema (OPTIONAL)
- Disposable or cloth menstrual pads
- Essential perineal care items
- Optional padsickles for your bottom
- Your favorite pillow – (protect with plastic covering)
- 18-20 cheap white washcloths – come in very handy for the birth
Items for Partner
Your partner will also want to be comfortable during the birth process. Loose fitting clothes work best. Be sure they have a change of comfortable clothes, and don’t forget the toiletries. Bring swim trunks for a water birth (or a bikini). Be sure the swim trunks are short. Long, bulky trunks become too drenched.
A note on partner’s swim trunks for a waterbirth: We always got a hoot from the partners at prenatal visits when we suggest wearing speedos. “No way,” they would remark! Only those from Europe or South America would chime in and show their speedo support. Think of it like this:
Get into your bathtub at home with bulky swim trunks. Jump out of the tub and run across the room to answer the urgent phone call you are expecting. Wipe up all the water from the floor afterward. Then, lay on your bed from exhaustion. Now, do the same thing with speedos.
Speedos don’t drip water all over the floor, are easy to wrap a towel around and dry off, and are less worrisome if the midwife asks the partner to help out quickly.
Other Items
- Watch with second hand
- Cameras, film, video – batteries
- Hypnosis CDs, I-Pod, Head Phones
- Relaxing music /affirmations
- Fresh flowers – daisies!
- Gifts for your older children
- Unscented candles or electric candles
- A special blessing for baby
- Personal essential oil inhaler
