It’s getting to that time (21 days!) when Mrs C and I are thinking about what to put into a bag fro her when she goes to give birth. So far we’ve come up with:
Pants.

So, after the great amount of help I received from the mumsnet.com Mums before, I thought I’d try the out again. And they were, once again, just as wonderful as ever.

Just when I thought this was going to ease our bag packing worries, Skirmish made things a little more complicated (with a completely sensible suggestion!): “Pack 2 bags - one for labour, one for afterwards, or 3 if you want to be really organised – the 3rd for just baby stuff”.

She also advises: “You need to find out what the hospital supplies - ours said we needed to bring our own towels - you should get a list from your midwife”. Getting a list could save you either humping stuff to the hospital you don’t need to take or more likely forgetting to take something you really need because you ‘just thought they’d have it’.

OK, so here’s a 3 bag list made up of the Mums’ answers:

Labour Bag

• Baggy pjs – Loose clothing is the way to go after the birth. Pjs seem a popular choice but so do baggy shorts and t-shirts. Whatever she’ll feel most comfortable in really.
• Antibac wipes – Hospitals are not as dirty as say the local sewerage plant but if the media is to be believed they come a close second. So take some wipes to clean toilet seats or anything you might touch (with you bottom or other body part)
• Flannel - in case she wants her head mopped, mat wards and delivery rooms are always boiling hot.
• Camera and video camera - For obvious reasons, but probably best not to try and get a snap during the later stages of labour.
• Lip balm - All that breathing and sucking on Gas and Air can make her lips very dry.
• Water bottle - One with sports-type top (so can drink at funny angles)
• Glucose tablets - She might not be in the mood for food but it’s important to keep her strength up for all that pushing.
• Anything that she really likes as a matter of habit - for example, if she drinks herbal tea, pack a couple of teabags.
• Take her pillow from home - It’s really lovely to have something comfy and smelling of home - and my hospital had run out of pillows during one of my labours!

Ward Bag

• Disposable pants – it can get messy down there and regular pant changes are to be expected so disposable pants seem to make great sense.
• Normal pants – Of course sometimes you change your mind or just prefer normal pants so buy a big bumber pack of normal cotton pants too.
• A magazine or book – Not for the Dad, no, no. For the Mum, just in case the baby sleeps and she doesn’t want to.
• Arnica pillules - Arnica is invaluable for healing the tender tissues down below and for CS scars.
• Doula -
• A clock that doesn’t tick, a notebook and a pen - Because the midwives will ask “What time did the baby feed/poo?” etc and I did not have the capacity to remember at all.
• Some nice-smelling luxury mini toiletries - for after birth bath/shower and a really really soft sponge!!

Baby’s Bag

• Baby clothes – Seems obvious now I’ve read it but it wouldn’t have been top of my list!
• Nappies – You would expect the hospital provides this sort of thing but it seems more common for them not to give your new born nappies so buy some!

Man Bag

Yes Dads you need a bag too so pack a few things for yourself for yourself - change of clothes, toothbrush etc. Don’t forget to take some food for yourself and Mum too because you could be in with her for a long time and she probably wont want you to ‘pop to the shops’.

We’re not done yet, though. The Mums had some extra advice to make labour go a little smoother.

Mrs Badger gave us this little gem: “Whatever you take, make sure you pack he labour bag so you know where to find stuff in it…” It just wouldn’t have occurred to me to do this. It’s Mrs C’s clothes that we’re packing after all I hadn’t thought she wouldn’t be the one to get things out!

Finally, Klaw reminds us it’s not just about disposable pants: “Just don’t forget to pack the unconditional, unwaivering support! When she asks for pain relief and says she can’t do it anymore and wants a CS, what she really wants (although she’ll argue till blue in the face at that time) is the support, to be told that she’s doing brilliantly and that she IS doing it, that it’s hard but she’s a star, that you’re so proud of her. Never, not once, show any negativity or doubt”.

A big thanks again to the mumsnet.com Mums that helped out on this:

• Marina
• Bossykate
• Cupcakesgalore
• Bettythebuilder
• Blu
• Xenia
• ScoobyC
• MrsTittleMouse
• Themildmanneredjanitor
• NBuGgeration
• Pruners
• Klaw
• Ceebee74
• MunchiesMama
• Xenia
• MrsBadger
• Skirmish
• BandofMothers

If you’ve got some more suggestions then please, leave me a comment.