The list of things in the hospital includes essentials for mom and baby. In this case, you need to take only what is very necessary, and without which it is impossible to do.
Folding the bag on a “just in case” basis guarantees you several suitcases of personal items.
Therefore, we recommend using the main principle for collection: only what is needed. What things are needed in the hospital necessarily?
The list of necessary things should be divided into three bags (packages):
- Things for mom before and during childbirth.
- Things for mom after childbirth.
- Things for the baby.
Some clothes, underwear, dishes will be necessary for the mother both before and after the delivery room. But still, it’s better to put together two separate packages. Upon admission to the maternity hospital, only unpack the first one (things and personal hygiene items “before delivery”), and in the postpartum ward, unpack the second one (“after delivery” package). In addition, if you are planning a family birth, then a separate package will be designed for the husband.
Things in the maternity hospital for mom
Here is a complete list of what you need in the hospital. This list for mom can also be divided into 3 parts: documents and money, clothes and care items, things necessary after delivery.
Documents and money
This includes data from examinations (tests and ultrasounds), a pregnant woman’s exchange card, a civil passport, medical insurance, and a birth contract (if one was concluded).
As for money, you need to bring both cash and a plastic card. Taking a large amount of cash is not worth it. Let the main amount lie on the card, it can be removed as necessary (in most maternity hospitals there are ATMs for issuing money).
If family delivery is planned, then in addition to your passport and tests, you must take the husband’s passport and tests, as well as his clothes (shoe covers, bathrobe, personal items).
Clothing and personal care items
The first list in the hospital consists of those things that will be needed before delivery:
- Slippers, rubber slippers (for showers).
- Nightgown, bathrobe (warm or light – according to season).
- Cotton and woolen socks.
- Lingerie – underpants and bras.
- Two towels (large and small – for the shower and for hands).
- Personal care products: soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo, comb.
- A pack of disposable diapers (90×60) – they will be needed for childbirth and examinations.
- Enema – usually the intestines are cleaned at the beginning of contractions (in the middle of contractions it is more difficult to clean, since the walls of the abdominal cavity are tense during frequent contractions and do not let water in). Sometimes it becomes necessary to cleanse the intestines a second time.
- Dry and wet wipes.
- Dishes (cup, plate, spoon).
- Bags for garbage and dirty laundry.
The following items will be needed during fights:
- Water – up to 2 l, or a thermos with tea. During contractions, it is better to drink peppermint and lemon balm tea (they stimulate the opening of the uterus), after giving birth – nettle tea (enhances blood coagulation, stops bleeding).
- From food – fruits and dried fruits, dry cookies (for a snack, if you really want to).
- Clock – measure the duration of contractions time between contractions.
- Tennis ball – they can massage the back and stomach during contractions.
In addition, in some maternity hospitals, on contract labor, women are allowed to bring a camera or camcorder. During normal childbirth, they are usually not allowed to take equipment with them.
What is necessary after the delivery room
The second list is those things that will be necessary after childbirth:
- Bras are better than special models for lactating women. Please note that with the beginning of feeding, your breast size will become 1-3 units larger. Buy in advance busts 1-2 sizes larger than yours.
- Shirt with front closure (for easy feeding).
- Disposable underpants – after giving birth they will often have to be changed, there will be no way to wash.
- Sanitary pads (special after delivery – with maximum absorbency).
In addition, you may need:
- Cream for cracks in the nipples. When the baby begins to actively suck, unusual to this nipples are injured (cracks form). You can heal them with bepanthene (cream) or ice cubes. They should be prepared in advance from herbal broth and kept in the refrigerator – just in case (of course, if there is a refrigerator with a freezer in the postpartum ward).
- Postpartum bandage (many women successfully do without it).
- Candles with glycerin in order to easily go to the toilet after childbirth. There may be gaps that will be sutured. You can’t squeeze with a sewn crotch. To cleanse the intestines you will need glycerin suppositories (and possibly an enema).
- Breast pump – may be needed if for some reason you can’t feed the baby. It is difficult to strain your breasts with your hands. A breast pump will help keep milk and breastfeeding.
- Thermometer – although in most postpartum departments there are still thermometers.
You may also need funds to calm and take time:
- Paper and pen (for notes).
- Player and headphones.
- A book – for example, about childbirth, about caring for a baby, about the features of its development. You can read modern pediatricians. The famous doctor Komarovsky has a series of books: “The Beginning of the Life of Your Child”, “A Guide for Sane Parents”, “Medicines”, “ARI”, which readily and simply describe the main mistakes of parents, give clear recommendations on how to handle the child in order to so that he grows strong, healthy, without the appearance of an allergy.
What will be needed for discharge:
- Clothes for the baby.
- Clothing for mom (beautiful, you will be photographed).
- Cosmetics (also for beautiful photos from the extract).
Things in the hospital for the baby
In the maternity hospital, the mother spends 4-5 days with the baby (if the birth was normal without complications). Therefore, the number of things for a newborn should be counted on for several days.
Sets of clothes for the baby can be divided into three packages:
- Clothes for the delivery room (this is the baby’s undershirt, diaper, bonnet – they will be worn on the baby immediately after birth). In the delivery room you will stay up to 2 hours. After that, you will be placed in the postpartum ward.
- Clothes for staying in a maternity hospital. In most cases, the joint arrangement of the mother and the child is practiced. Therefore, 2 hours after giving birth, you will find yourself with the baby in one room, where you can dress him in other clothes (vest with scratches – closed handles, romper or body, if necessary – jumpsuit).
- Clothes for discharge and street. After a few days in the maternity hospital, your baby will get a BCG vaccine and be discharged home. You can prepare beautiful clothes for discharge (a cotton vest, a bonnet, sliders are put on down, and a beautiful jumpsuit and hat are on the outside). To go out into the street, the newborn is put in an envelope (if it’s summer) or a warm jumpsuit (if it’s winter – on the street). Winter overalls can be purchased with the expectation of a year and the first months of walks to turn the sleeves and legs inward.
What you need in the hospital for the child:
- Diapers (the smallest New Born series) – a pack. The number of diapers can be roughly estimated as 10 pieces per day. You may need a smaller number, then the extra you take home.
- Diapers for the baby: thin calico (6-7 pieces) and bike (6-7 pieces).
- Baby underpants – 4-5 pieces.
- Sliders or bodysuits 4-5 pieces (for babies weighing 3 kg buy body size 52).
- Caps (on ties) thin calico – 2 pieces and flannelettes – 1-2 pieces.
- Warm socks – 2 pairs.
- Warm body – 2 pieces.
- The jumpsuit is bike and wool, where the legs are connected together.
- Mittens on the handles (scratches are mittens made of chintz, they cover the handles and prevent the baby from scratching himself with the nails).
- Powder.
- Blanket or warm envelope.
- Nail scissors – full-term babies are born with long nails. They must be carefully trimmed so that the baby does not scratch itself.
- Cotton buds (for cleaning the nose and ears, as well as treating the umbilical wound).
- Bottle for feeding – it may be necessary if the baby has colic, and you need to breed dill or chamomile water for him.
Necessary things in the hospital are packed in separate clean bags. The maternity ward is not allowed to carry things in travel bags. On each package it is necessary to make a note – “for mom”, “after childbirth” or “for the baby”).
How to choose things for a newborn
Not so long ago, the choice of things for a newborn consisted of underpants, diapers and bonnets. The babies were swaddled and taken out for a walk in a blanket up to 6 months. Fortunately for the children and their parents, these canons were found to be false.
The last ten years of infants have been dressed in rompers and bodysuits from the first days of life. This gives them freedom of movement, stimulates muscle tension and earlier physical development.
How to choose clothes for a newborn:
- Clothing for a newborn toddler and baby should be made only of natural fabric. The skin of the newborn is thin, vulnerable, so choose soft chintz or thin knitwear. Threads with which clothes are sewn should also be cotton.
- At first, the baby will get used to clothes. Any seals, fasteners, seams will interfere with him. Therefore, undershirts are made without buttons or buttons. They are smelled and fixed on the ties. For the same reason, the seams are placed on the outside (the clothes are worn “inverted”).
- Of the sliders, those with fasteners located on the shoulders are more convenient. However, they are more difficult to put on; it is necessary to turn the child several times from the back to the stomach. Sliders to the waist should have a wide knitted elastic band (so as not to put pressure on the umbilical wound).
- New fabric before sewing diapers stretch. This makes her softer.
If the baby was born in the summer, you will need a minimum of clothes – bodysuits, vests, thin bonnets, light sweaters, overalls. If childbirth occurred in the winter, clothes for the street are needed. The very next day after discharge, they plan street walks with the child.
What you need for winter festivities:
- Warm overalls – depending on the temperature, it can be down, syntapon. For lower temperatures (-10ºC and below), fluff is chosen. For walks around 0ºC, you can wear a syntapon. In the overalls, the arms and legs should be closed. A newborn often pulls them out of their sleeves and legs, turning the jumpsuit into a warm envelope.
- Warm hat – worn over a thin and flannel cap. She should also be in a tie.
- Warm woolen socks – put on sliders under the jumpsuit and additionally warm the baby’s legs. Young children often fall asleep on a walk. Therefore, street festivities turn into street sleep.
Bag in the hospital: when to cook
Theoretically, labor pains occur in the period 38-42 weeks. However, their earlier manifestation is possible. Therefore, the antenatal clinic recommends folding the handbag for the maternity hospital in advance – at least 36 weeks. By this time, your stomach will begin to drop, so the delivery bag should be ready.
A list of what you need at the maternity hospital can be obtained at the maternity ward. According to the adopted rules, the territory of the maternity ward must be sterile, which means that all things must undergo heat treatment. Therefore, in the reception of the hospital, they are allowed to take a limited set of things with them.
But each maternity hospital has its own rules. Therefore, reconcile the proposed list in advance with the requirements of your maternity ward.
The list in the hospital for mom and baby in different departments may vary. In some maternity hospitals, they cost a minimum of supplies, in others they go towards the young mother, try to facilitate her birth, postpartum recovery.
And if you forgot something?
If you forget something – it doesn’t matter. Each maternity hospital has a pharmacy where you can buy diapers, disposable diapers, a baby bottle, powder or enema. There are also children’s clothing stores (daily and for discharge).
However, it is impossible to put on newly purchased vests or bodysuits on the baby. All new things must be washed, ironed, and only then put on the child’s clothes.
