THE ONE WITH THE BABY HOSPITAL BAG

I talked in a previous post about what you need to pack in your hospital bag and what your partner needs to pack with him. Today I am going to tell you what to pack (I packed) in my baby's nappy bag for the hospital.

As I mentioned before, its advised that you start preparing for you and your baby's hospital bags starting from 36 weeks and make sure its fully packed by 38 weeks, as starting from that week you are liable to go into labour at any moment.

Here is the list of the basics must have for your baby:

1. Under shirts:
   Get these in short sleeves and long sleeves. It's advised that a newborn should wear a basic of a short sleeve and a long sleeve as basic layers even in summer, then you add on layer as a sleep suit for example for summer babies and several layers for winter babies.
   That means you need a basic of one each and double it for each day for number of nights you are planning to stay in the hospital or birth centre. Babies are well-known to spit a lot and other baby business that will require to change their clothes a few times.
   
2. Nappies:
   Pack of these as much as you can carry, newborns require up to 12 changes of nappies a day for the 1st month, so you do the maths. For this month there is a special type of nappies called "new born" as they are very light and thin and have a special belly button depression so not to interfere with the stump.
   And as I said because they are very thin, you can pack quite a number without them taking much of a space.
   
3. Sleep suits:
   All in one sleep suits are the best. They are comfy and easy to dress and undress and honeslty it the best baby clothes for the 1st few month in summer babies and the best under layer for winter babies.
   
4. Bibs:
   To try and minimize the damage from your baby's constant burping and spiting. Pack a bunch of these as well. The ones with cotton front and plastic lining are the best. 
   
   
   
5. Muslin Squares:
   Your baby needs a bib around his neck and you need these for your shoulder. You don't want to be walking around smelling like digested milk now, do you?
   Get a few muslin square and put them in your baby's nappy bag all the time and don't burp your child or carry them a round right after a feed unless you have one of these on your shoulder or lap (depending on the position you are burping him/her in).
   Otherwise, trust me, you are going to end up with a wardrobe smelling like milk.
   
6. Blankit:
   Well, the type of the blanket whether its a thick furry one for winter babies or the light cotton one for summer babies depends on the season, but in either cases a blanket is a must have for the 1st couple of month cause babies feel more secure when they tightly raped up and cosy.
   
7. Pacifier or teats:
   DO NOT listen to anyone advising you against pacifiers.
   Let me explain why. Suckling for babies is a reflex, which means sometimes they need to do it even if they are not hungry. And if they don't find something to suck on, they either suck on their hands or fingers, or will get fussy and you will be forced to give them your breast to satisfy this reflex, even though they are not hungry, which is one of the ways that lead to sore or cracked nipples. *ouch*
   So giving them a teat will fulfil this reflex and if they are really hungry they will spit it out and cry to be fed.
   
8. Hat & socks:
   Either your baby is born in winter or summer it doesn't matter. Newborn have lower cold tolerance, i.e. they feel colder than we do, so they need to be secured. The only difference from a season to the other is the type of fabric. Cotton caps and socks for the summer (also all in one sleep suit will do for the socks) and knitted wool hats and socks for the winter.
9. Going home outfit:
   As I said all in one sleep suits is the best, but feel free to dress up your baby however you like ^_^
   
10. Car seat or Push chair:

If you are driving home from the hospital, you will need the car seat, as some hospitals won't let you leave by car without one.
In my case, my birth centre is just 10 mins walk so I am taking my push chair with me. (I will talk about our pram/push chair of choice in a separate post soon ^_^).


That's it for today, all you need to do once you are done with your packing is to remind yourself with the 1st signs of labour , relax and rest until your baby arrives safely ^_^

Good luck mommies. xxxxxx

My instagram
My baby's instagram