An essential check-list for every mum-to-be.

My pregnancy: 36 weeks, 1 day.

My labour: 3 hours, 40 mins.

My hospital bag: one Vogue magazine, one toothbrush, no toothpaste, maternity pads, one pair of undies, no baby clothes.

Labours rarely go according to plan (seriously throw out that birth plan right now because it is pointless) but my labour story is particularly ridiculous. My waters broke in the middle of the night, I was alone and I contemplated going back to sleep and pretending like nothing was happening.

In my defence, it was four weeks before my due date, I hadn’t slept properly for three nights and I was beyond exhausted.

After consulting with my husband who advised me the best next step would be to call the hospital, the midwife told me to pack a few things as it was possible that I might be in overnight and home in morning. THIS IS WHERE I FAILED TO HAVE ANY APPROPRIATE THINGS ONE MIGHT ASSOCIATE WITH BRINGING A BABY HOME.

It was probably one of the worst preparation anyone’s ever done for a baby’s arrival in history. I had Vogue, but I had no baby clothes. Or nappies, or anything really.

Here’s what you should have in your life BEFORE baby comes from someone who knows from (an embarrassing) experience.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by Big W. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.

For you:

1. Slippers.

Hospital wards are freezing, it may have to do with the air conditioning or your haywire hormones but you’re going to want something warm for your tootsies with all that shuffling you’ll be doing up and down the ward’s corridors.

2. Good jarmies.

There’s an excellent chance that you’ll have visitors unexpectedly dropping by, completely ignoring the hospital visiting hours. Buy some decent pyjamas and you won’t care that everyone you know is in close proximity to your new enormous lactating boobs.

Hot tip: button down pyjamas are going to be the most useful here – again not what I packed. (It’s also a good idea to throw in a warm cardigan.)

3. Maternity bras.

Pack two.

4. Six pairs of undies.

For so many reasons you will need roughly six pairs of black undies to take with you, and I stress BLACK undies. Think of these as period undies on crack – just trust me on this one.

Buy a size bigger than you would normally wear, because this is not the time to be getting hungry bum.

5. Pads – ALL the pads.

You will need maternity pads, the biggest, most surfboard-y you can find. Your thin panty liners will last approximately six seconds with post-natal bleeding. It’s called lochia, look it up. Seriously, it’s best to know this upfront. The hospital may provide you with a few pads immediately after birth but you do not want to be caught short on this. I repeat: you do not want to be caught short on this. Also, throw in a pack of breast pads.

6. Phone charger.

This is something, a partner or relative can get for you but best to have it from the start. Besides, unlike me you may have plenty of time to kill. I hear Candy Crush is good for labour pains.

7. Batteries.

For baby’s close-up Kodak moment, and the 2,987 really similar moments after that.

For the baby:

1. Nappies and wipes.

Some hospitals provide nappies and wipes, others provide just nappies, others only provide nappies on day one. Pack one packet of wipes and plenty of those teeny tiny newborn nappies. Bank on changing five nappies a day initially.
Hot tip: Get the dad to change the meconium nappy, it’s the worst.

2. Socks, onesies, cardigans and singlets.

You’ll need 4-6 of all of these. Actually, make that about 20 pairs of socks because you will somehow lose every odd sock you’ll ever buy.

3. Bottles and formula.

If you decide to bottle feed from the beginning.

4. A cute going home outfit.

My baby was in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for a week after she was born, so I did end up getting the chance to go and buy a cute outfit to take her home in. But taking your baby home for the first time is way more exciting and surreal than you can ever imagine. You will get tons of hand-me-downs throughout your newborns life, make the one you take them home in extra adorable.

5. A beanie.

Babies lose a lot body warmth from the tops of their noggins, so you’ll want to keep them covered both inside the hospital and when you leave. Also, beanies are really cute. And as Zoe Foster Blake’s offspring taught us, so are the animal-themed ones.

6.  A bunny rug.

Another lovely thing about having my baby in the NICU is that the staff gave me a hand-knitted blanket to take home on the day we left. And it was a good thing too, because I had not bought one, nor did I even know what a bunny rug was. Did it have to have bunnies printed on it? Was it a Peter Rabbit specific item? Why does everyone assume bunny rugs are common knowledge?

For the uninitiated or less clucky among us, it’s just a small wrap, usually knitted cotton or wool, to keep the baby warm. You’ll want a warm one even if your baby is due in summer (see above: hospitals are freezing places).

7. Cloth nappies.

Wait, I know what you’re thinking but hear me out on this one. The single most useful baby gift we received was a pack of 10 cloth nappies. Not the new-fangled bamboo undie-like cloth nappies but the old school ones your parents probably used on you.

Almost three years later, we STILL use them. They’re super handy in the beginning as burp cloths, to place over their bodies in the bath to keep them warm, to wipe up messes, and to put on top of the change mat when it’s cold.

One last one: If you’re a second time mum and have one at home: that breast pump you became so fond of.

You are also going to need a name. We can help with that too. Check out this gallery of baby names inspired by nature. 

What would you add to the list? And for the mums out there, what did you forget to pack? 

 

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