After 9 months of happy expectation for the baby, finally, it is time to get to know him better. And every pregnant woman begins to think about what to take to the hospital. What things will mom and baby need? What documents will be needed during registration? What else is allowed to take with you the rules of a medical institution? And what is better to leave at home? Let’s figure it out.
It is advisable to know in advance what you need to take to the maternity hospital, which you choose, so that later this does not become an unpleasant surprise for you. Since each medical institution has its own rules of stay.
For example, somewhere it is allowed to take clothes and linen from home, and somewhere it is strictly forbidden. But still there are certain things that every woman in labor must take with her.
All things must be immediately divided into periods “before” and “after” childbirth. The “before” bag should be taken with you immediately, and the “after” bag will be brought by your relatives when the baby is born. Separately, you should take care of the package for discharge, it is also better to collect it in advance. The “before” bag should be ready two weeks before the expected date, so that in case of a sudden onset of childbirth, relatives can quickly bring it to you. But documents should always be carried with you.
Required documents
In the last weeks of pregnancy, your permanent companions should be the documents that will be required for registration in the hospital. Because, childbirth can begin at any moment and you may simply not have time to call home for them. And in the absence of documents, you can only be offered a ward where infected patients are lying, as the doctor will not have information that you are healthy.
Therefore, be sure to carry:
- passport proving your identity;
- an exchange card for a pregnant woman, which contains all the information about the course of pregnancy and the necessary analyzes;
- an insurance policy that gives you the right to be served in a medical facility;
- contract with the hospital, if you concluded it;
- receipts for payment of services if you have agreed in advance on a separate room or joint delivery.
When conducting a joint birth, you also need to provide your husband’s passport and a certificate of his health so that the baby is not in danger during the birth.
In addition, you may need money in the hospital. It is advisable to take not only large, but also small bills. They are useful in case you need to urgently buy some medicine or you need additional services.
Always carry a mobile phone with you, so that in case of a sudden onset of childbirth, call an ambulance and warn relatives. In general, a couple of weeks before the expected date, you must behave very responsibly and carefully.
Prenatal period
During this period, you will mainly need things for a comfortable stay in the hospital. A woman is not always brought to the hospital for an ambulance. Most often, she lays down there in advance and therefore it is very important that she is comfortable there.
Try to find out in advance all the nuances in your chosen clinic. And based on this, make a list of things that you will need to take with you.
What will mom need before delivery
When applying for a maternity hospital, you will need to have a certain set of things, which are stipulated by the rules for staying in this institution. And if you go to bed in advance, then you should think not only about clothes and personal hygiene, but also about your own leisure.
And yet, what you need to take to the prenatal ward:
- Clothing, namely a nightgown, bathrobe, rubber slippers and socks. All this you will need to wear when entering the hospital. It is desirable that the shirt has a fastener on the chest so that it is more convenient for the woman in labor to feed the baby.
- Replaceable clothes for the husband if joint delivery is planned. This is a disposable bathrobe, shoe covers and a hat. All this can be found in any pharmacy, but when buying, you should pay attention to size.
- Personal hygiene products. Towel, soap, toilet paper, toothpaste and brush.
- Disposable medical diapers that can be laid on a bed or chair during labor.
- Disposable panties and pads that will be needed immediately after childbirth.
- A laptop, player, book, magazines or anything else that will help organize your leisure time while waiting for the fights to begin.
- Mobile phone and charger.
- A camera or camcorder to capture the first days of your baby’s life.
- Food and drinks, because not everyone is happy with hospital meals.
What is necessary for the baby immediately after birth
Usually, everything that a child needs is brought by a loved one immediately after her birth. But still, several things should be taken from the house at once, to be fully prepared for the birth of a baby.
So you will need:
- Diapers, 1-2 – no more. Choose the smallest size, it is suitable even for a large baby. You should not give preference to a particular brand in advance, because you can pick it up only after you start using it. Usually, with a choice, parents are finally determined after several months after the birth of the baby.
- Diapers or clothes for a newborn. Just in case, take along a pair of thin and flanne diapers, or clothes of the smallest size. It can be body, sliders, socks, scratches and a hat. All items must be washed with baby powder and ironed on both sides. Please note that the garment seams must be outside.
Postpartum
Finally, the birth process is behind and the happy mother proudly shows her baby to everyone. In order for your joy not to overshadow anything, you should decide in advance what to take to the hospital for yourself and the baby in the postpartum period. The bag should be ready for your registration in the maternity hospital so that your family can convey everything you need right after the birth of your child.
What will mom need after childbirth
After being transferred to the postpartum ward, mom immediately needs certain things.
It is very good if you prepared everything in advance, but even if it is not, the relatives will still have to bring you the following things:
- Clothing. After giving birth, you will definitely need a new nightdress, which is suitable for breastfeeding. A few pairs of socks will not be superfluous. But the bathrobe and slippers will remain with you from the moment of registration in the hospital.
- Hygiene products. You will need a standard kit for daily care of your body and face. Towel, shampoo, shower gel, soap, creams that you use, ball deodorant. If you have stitches, ask your family to bring you soft toilet paper.
- Cosmetics. It should be taken only if you cannot do without it.
- Panties and postpartum pads. Far from every maternity hospital, doctors allow them to be used, but if the rules allow, then this period will be much more comfortable for you.
- Remedy for cracks in the nipples. It is advisable that it should not be washed off before feeding the baby. Cracks occur quite often, due to improper attachment of the baby to the chest, making the feeding process rather painful, so you should prepare for this in advance.
- Nursing bra. This is a very convenient thing for nursing mothers, especially during their stay in the hospital. It has detachable pockets on the nipples that allow you to not remove it during feeding.
- Pads under the bra. During lactation, women often leak milk, which can be a real problem in the hospital. To avoid numerous stains on clothes and underwear, you need to use special absorbent pads that fit easily into the bra cups.
- Cutlery and crockery, if not provided by the hospital.
- Food and drinks are only those allowed by your diet.
- Notebook and pen to write down the doctor’s recommendations and other useful information.
- Items necessary for leisure, unless of course you have time for this.
What does a child need in the first days of life
Your baby is finally born. And now he needs care and your care more than ever. Therefore, the mother will need to prepare some things in advance for the newborn, which then the relatives will give her.
The kid will need:
- Diapers or natural swaddling system. If you will use the first, then you need to take into account that on a day a newborn will need about 8-10 pieces. In the second option, you should stock up with interchangeable liners.
- Clothes and diapers. You will need either several sets of clothes for the newborn (body, hats, socks, scratches), or a sufficient number of diapers. Very often, maternity hospitals are provided, so you need to know this detail in advance in order to decide whether to take them from home. In any case, you will need a lot of them, even if you will not swaddle the baby.
- Umbilical wound care products. These are cotton buds, brilliant green and hydrogen peroxide. Although today in various maternity hospitals it is recommended to treat the wound in different ways.
- Personal hygiene products for the baby. You will need a powder or oil, a diaper cream. These things should be used only if necessary, so as not to harm the skin of the newborn. You also need to bring baby soap or a bathing agent, cotton sponges or washing rollers, baby sticks for cleaning your nose and ears, and a towel. Wet wipes and safe scissors will come in handy.
- Soothers and bottles. To take them or not, it’s up to you. Doctors do not recommend teaching a child to these items, but if you are sure that you will use them in the future, they will not be superfluous in the hospital either.
What to take for discharge
Extract is a very crucial moment and every mother wants her and her baby to look good. All the necessary things can also be prepared in advance.
You will need:
- Clothing, including outerwear, if it is cold outside. Choose convenient things and keep in mind that during pregnancy you have recovered somewhat.
- Clothes for the child. Some beautiful suit, envelope, ribbons and blanket. Today in children’s stores you can buy a ready-made set for discharge for both summer and winter.
- Makeup to look good in photos.
- Candy or flowers for a nurse who brings a child to relatives.
- A video camera or camera to capture this solemn moment for you.
Things from this list are most often required by women in the hospital. Based on it, you can choose those things that are useful to you, having learned the rules of staying in the maternity hospital. But even if you forget something, the most important thing is that you and your baby be healthy, and those who are close to you will bring everything else to you if necessary.
