While packing your hospital bag many questions will pop up. We tried to answer most of them by speaking to a number of mummies and a midwife who works at Mater Dei Hospital to include the extra items one would not find in the normal hospital bag lists, and also remove those that are not really used.
Before we go to the list here are some key tips which you may find useful:
1. Information about what’s in the bag: One important note about packing one’s hospital bag is to give an idea to the person who will be accompanying you on the day of delivery about what is in the bag. An idea could be to stick a label listing the important items that have been packed. This is so when you are not in a position to answer any questions, your partner will know what is in the bag.
2. Hospital temperature: Another point to keep in mind, before we get to the list is that in hospital temperature is constant. Whether you are giving birth in summer or winter, it is actually very warm in the ward so it is suggested to pack light clothes for you, and warmer clothes for your baby. The list we have provided can be adapted to summer or winter births.
4. Length of stay: In most cases mother and baby are kept in hospital for 2 full nights. The night is calculated from 10pm onward for all deliveries. So if the mother gives birth at 11pm, she and her newborn will be spending 3 nights in hospital. If the mother goes through an instrumental delivery (forceps/ventouse) they are kept for 3 full nights. For Cesarean births, mother and baby are kept for 5 full nights.
5. Birth partner: Your partner, or a person of your choice, is allowed to stay with you after birth even during the night, but has to leave at 7am and return back from 10am onwards. They are not given a bed to sleep on but can use the recliner armchair beside your bed.
The hospital bag is divided as follows
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Pre- & during delivery
-
Post-delivery
-
Hospital stay
-
Leaving hospital
If you have a planned Cesarean/ induction delivery, you can settle your items in your room before you give birth. But you will still need to take a bag for you and your baby to use post delivery. For natural delivery, all bags will be kept with the mother in the birth room and then are transferred in the room where she will stay.
Bottles and formula milk are not allowed to reduce risk of infection. The hospital will supply you with them if needed.
Pre- & during delivery
Tip: Wear layers of clothes which you can easily take off and put back on at hospital. Keep the Blue Card and your Identity Card handy so you hand them immediately at the Obstetrics reception. Make sure you take off all jewelry and nail polish before reaching hospital.
- Water or Juice (pear, peach or apricot & isotonic drinks)
- Camomile
- Mug
- Sweets or snacks containing sugar
- Drinking straws
- Assorted snacks / biscuits
- Camera & batteries & extra memory card
- Laptop/ tablet with your preferred music and tv series/ films
- chargers
- Whole packet of large maternity pads
- Comfortable panties cotton/ net (like a fishing net)
- Lip balm
- Face cloth to freshen face
- Any money taken to hospital must be kept with you
Post-Delivery
For you (the mother):
- Plastic flip flops to use while taking a shower
- Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hairgel, deodorant
- Brush/ comb
- Facecloth
- Dark towels: one for yourself and one for your hair
- Hair band/ elastic
- Underwear (cotton/ net panty)
- 2 maternity pads
- Socks and slippers
- Night dress with a front opening. Avoid trousers with tight elastic just in case you end up having a Caesarean
Tip: For food you can order delivery and ask the person accompanying to go down for it at the DayCare reception. However, do take some emergency food just in case you give birth during the early hours of the day and deliveries are not available. Mater Dei wards are provided with a microwave and fridge.
For the baby:
- Small towel
- Baby shampoo + bodywash (ideally one which is both)
- Sponge / soft cloth
- Baby comb (just in case hair is very dirty)
- 1 nappy
- Vest with long sleeves
- Socks
- Cotton babygrow with long sleeves with integrated mittens
- Hat
- Blanket
- Muslin
Hospital stay:
For you (the mother)
- Medicines / vitamins you take during pregnancy (make sure you leave them in their containers so the doctors/nurses know what you are taking, just in case you are not able to tell them so yourself)
- 3 light cotton nightdresses
- 3 sets of clothes (just in case you prefer to stay in them while having visitors)
- 3 sets of underwear including cotton/ net panties, bras and vests
- 3 pairs of socks
- Dressing gown/ cardigan
- 2 Dark towels incl. face towel
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, mouthwash
- Maternity pads
- Face moisturiser
- Nipple cream/ Breastfeeding soothing pads/compresses (if you are breastfeeding)
- Breast pads
- Tissues
- Book / magazine
- Pen & paper
- Water or Juice
- Sweets / snacks
- Your preferred tea/ coffee, teaspoon
- Vacuum flask (to avoid having to go to the kitchenette frequently)
- Glasses / contact lenses & liquid
- Pillow (if you can’t sleep without your own)
- Breastfeeding pillow (you can also use one of the hospital pillows)
- Headphones & earplugs
- Preparation H (if you already had/ are prone to haemorrhoids – speak about it to your midwife in hospital before applying it)
- Bags for dirty laundry
Tip: It is also useful to pack an extra pillow, pair of socks & blanket for your birth partner.
For the baby:
- 20 newborn nappies
- 3 towels
- 3 muslin cloths
- 4 babygrows with integrated mittens
- 4 vests
- 2 pairs of socks
- Nappy cream
- baby oil/ moisturiser
- Cotton wool
- hat
- Shawl / blanket
- Baby changing mat
- Small bowl
- Wipes
- Dummies
- Saline Spray
Leaving Hospital
- Infant carrier seat
- Baby clothes
- Mother clothes
- Blue Card
- Birth Notification (to register your baby, which you can do so at Mater Dei reception)
- Immunisation book
- Breastfeeding Walk-in Clinic appointment
Tip: Prepare an extra bag to keep home just in case you have a longer stay in hospital. Make sure to let your partner know where it is
- Nappies
- Maternity pads
- Clothes for you and your baby
- Muslins
- Towels
- Panties
