I’m usually a minimalist packer for trips but I brought a huge duffel bag and giant birth ball to the hospital for baby Jujube’s birth – a.k.a. the most epic trip I’ll ever take in my life! All births are unique and precious and nothing ever goes as planned, but for anyone trying to take their best stab at a plan, this is my practical list of the things I actually used and needed during labor and post-birth for reference. If anything here helps a little then it was worth sharing!

out

Specifically, baby Jujube’s birth was:

A. Natural, Active and medication-free
B. Posterior
C. Abroad in Thailand

Also, I ended up needing an episiotomy. So if any of that might apply to you, here’s what I actually needed.

ADVERTISEMENT

L A B O R  L I S T

  • Your doula! – A birth support person you trust is by far the best thing you can bring to the hospital, to support yourself and your partner.
  • Birth ball – I labored sitting on the birth ball for hours.
  • Heating pad – biggest one available, something that stays hot, right across my lower back
  • A soft washcloth – to cool my neck and face
  • Granola bars and other simple snacks
  • Water bottle
  • Sugar-free candy – a welcome distraction that didn’t dry out my mouth
  • Warm socks 
  • Low-key music playlists – I played The Album Leaf, múm, and piano hymns
  • A list of Mantras prepared beforehand or ideas to repeat and stay in the zone
    • Let your body do the work
    • It’s not pain, it’s just pressure: and after pressure comes release.
    • Breathe into the contractions, breath into the pain. Relax and open.
    • And later when I moved to transition phase, it got so intense I just kept saying to myself, “You got through the last one you can get through the next one…”

IMG_9653

A F T E R   B I R T H   L I S T

  • Peri bottle
  • Dr. Bronner’s Natural Soap – a drop or two in peri bottle and for showering
  • Tucks (witch hazel pads)
  • Adult diapers – I was so grateful to not worry about leaking; I loved having these.
  • Super comfortable clothes to wear that can get dirty, including shirts that work well for breastfeeding
  • Lanolin for nipples at first – or just rub breastmilk on and let it dry (I learned this later)
  • DVDs if your hospital has a DVD player only, or entertainment devices and movies of your own
  • Ibuprofen – most likely available from the hospital as well, but that’s all I needed post-birth
  • Different sized or stretchy baby hats – you never know what size your little one’s head will be!
  • And that precious little going home outfit for your sweet one. I can’t believe how much she’s grown already in 6 weeks!

Other mamas – what did you put in your birth bag that you ultimately found useful?