Pregnancy

What To Pack In Your Maternity Bag

Our pregnancy experts reveal all the essential you need in your maternity bag!

Pack a picnic:

Well not quite a picnic, but if you’re in labour for a longer period of time, it’s likely that you are going to need a bit of a sugar boost to keep your energy levels up! Sugary sweets like jelly beans or chewy mints are great to chomp on and sports drinks will also help quench your thirst and provide energy to the body.

Everyone feels different in pregnancy so whilst the thought of food might want to make some people throw-up, others might be ravenous. Ensure you take some snacks that are easy to stomach and eat such as crackers, muesli bars, biscuits or fruit.

Things to help you pass the time:

During labour you’re unlikely to feel like reading a book, however having a magazine to flip through or a tablet handy might be a welcome distraction in between contractions. Make sure you download some TV shows or some of your favourite movies to watch in case your internet service is patchy!

Something to help you be calm:

Easier said than done right?

Hospitals can sometimes feel very sterile so you might want to create your own little spa-like environment with some nice smelly products. A few spritzes of the mio Liquid Yoga space spray will release an amazing blend of essentials oils into the air to instantly create an oasis of calm. Alternatively, plug-in or battery operated oil diffusers are also fantastic because provide a heatless, flameless way of filling up the room with a nice spa-like scent.

Massage oils or lotions can also come in handy if you want someone to give your back and neck a nice relaxing massage. Also, get together a labour playlist as that’s sure to help you through the 6,10,18 (hopefully not) hours of labour.

Packing for you:

You’re likely to already be in some comfortable clothes on your way to the hospital but make sure you pack a few more nice stretchy, comfortable pieces and some clothing suitable for breastfeeding. A dressing gown is great to wear over some sweat pants and your maternity top because it will keep you warm and make it easy for breastfeeding.

For your feet, pack some footwear that you can comfortably slide on and off such as slippers or flip flops. Remember to pack some socks too as the air-conditioning in hospitals can make you feel rather cold!

Take some moisturing staples as the air-conditioning in hospitals can often dry out your skin. Think lipbalms and juicy moisturisers such as the mega-mama super-rich omega body lotion to keep your skin from feeling flaky and dry. If you are choosing to breastfeed then ensure you take a nipple balm like mio’s Keep Calm nipple balm to help relieve, soothe and moisturise cracked and sore nipples. Breast pads are also a must to help you catch any milk leakage as you start to breastfeed, equally a few packs of maternity pads with come in handy. Choose the Hospital Skincare Essentials bundle and grab all your maternity bag essentials in one go to be super prepared before baby arrives.

Packing for baby:

Once your baby is born it’s going to need some snuggly onsies and some nice wraps to keep your baby warm. Pack 3-4 sleepsuits and vest tops and also a couple of socks or booties to keep their feet warm. You’ll also need essentials like nappies (lots of them – about 12 for each day), nappy rash cream and some wet wipes.

To keep your baby nice and snug, pack some baby wraps to wrap up your baby and muslin cloths to use for burping.

Now that your maternity bag is packed, all there is left to do is wait to your newest family member to arrive!

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Writer and expert