I can’t believe that I could give birth ANY FREAKING DAY. Actually…I can. I’ve been pregnant for 12 years now so I can totally believe it. Since this girl can greet us any day, I have my birth center bag packed and the car seat installed! If everything goes well and I don’t run into any complications, I am giving birth at a birth center, which runs a little differently than a hospital. We go home 4-6 hours after birth so we don’t need a ton of different stuff since we will be home soon…BUT if something does happen, I also want to have enough with me at the hospital. So I’m trying to find a balance of both, knowing family is close by and can bring us things, if needed. Hopefully my hospital bag list helps you pack your own bag during your exciting and transformative time!!
Things our birth center/my doula has so I’m not personally bringing:
Essential Oil Diffuser/Essential Oils
Massage Oils
Shampoo & Condition/Body Wash
What I’m packing:
Clothing
Large Sweatshirt
Aftercare
Postpartum Disposable Underwear
Newborn Needs
Extra Essentials
Extra Soft Blanket
Toothbrush/.Toothpaste
Hairties/Scrunchies
Hairbrush
Snacks (I know all hospitals are different, but I’ve heard that many don’t let you eat. Luckily that’s not the case at the birth center so I will be bringing a lot of snacks with the ensure I’m well nourished and have sustainable energy throughout the birth experience and after…that is, if I can eat):
- Banana
- Peanut Butter Packs
- Honey Packs
- Raw Cheese
- Yogurt
- Trail Mix
- Dried Fruit
- Honey Bunchies Bar
- Pro Live Bar
Drinks:
- Electrolyte packets
- Milk + Protein Powder
- Juice
- Coconut Water
Update:
Since I just recently gave birth, I thought I would update this post with exactly what I used from the bag. In summary, I had a fairly short labor and I did not have to be transferred to the hospital for any reason. That meant that after I gave birth around 8:30am, we went home around 1:30pm. All this to say, I didn’t need much. Here is what I did use from the bag:
For Birth:
Nursing Bra (the one I wore to the birth center and the only thing I had on during birth)
Honey Bunchies Bar (only thing I could stomach)
Electrolyte packets (absolute must)
Scrunchie
For Avery:
Newborn Outfit (which was FAR too big)
For After Birth:
Trail Mix
Dried Fruit
Extra Soft Blanket (I got the shakes pretty bad and the blanket was really comforting)
For the ride home:
Large Sweatshirt
In the end, I really didn’t need much since we went home so quickly and I used a lot of that stuff once I was home. That being said, I’m glad I packed it all because birth could have easily gone a different way. Many essentials were at the birth center, like pads and postpartum underwear, so I really didn’t need much! I hope this update gives you more insight into what it looks like if you give birth in a birth center and also helps you pack your own bag wherever you plan to give birth!
So excited for you to give birth any day Juli! You are so prepared. When I realized my water broke for my first baby (meaning it had broken several hours before but was not a dramatic flow), I reluctantly packed a bag and went to the hospital assuming I would be sent home! Best wishes for a great birth experience and healthy baby. Could you link the Lole bag?
I would bring chapstick! I gave birth in a hospital, so I wasn’t allowed to eat or drink, and my lips got super chapped. Worth throwing in just in case!
I would add bringing in your home pillow, a favorite blanket and also your own bath towel. Sounds silly but they made a world of difference to me when I had my three at our birth center!
I craved meat/ protein after all my births — tuna packets and organic beef sticks tasted like heaven! Also remember to bring plenty of snacks for hubby 😂 my husband stress ate his way through 1/2 my snacks before our first was born!
Plus a nursing pillow ( breast friend is amazing)
Nipple shields— our first couldn’t latch without them! Hubby had to make an emergency 3am trip to target to get some.
Massage gun and cbd muscle cream — you may be very sore in back/ shoulders or random spots afterward depending on your pushing position. With 2nd Baby I was nearly in a plank position for an hour cause that’s how my body wanted to push. My neck and shoulders were sore for days after.
Also this is mantra that got me through labor.
“Labor hurts. It is hard work. AND you can do it.”
thanks for sharing, Jennifer!