What To Pack In Your Childbirth Hospital Bag- A Checklist

You've waited for 9 long months since you conceived your little one inside your itchy-biggie-tummy. Now you and your husband are just counting the days until that BIG day when, you and your baby will have the greatest teamwork ever - CHILDBIRTH.

As every mother or doctor will say, every pregnancy and childbirth is unique. Yours is incomparable to other mothers' experience, even to your other child's/children's. My experience with my first is entirely opposite to my second. I experienced a difficult pregnancy from my first and the second, no pain at all, not even labor pain. It may help if you compare notes with other mothers to guide you what to expect most likely. But the best guidance anything and anyone could get from is- PRAYING.

I'm a typical practical mother who makes a checklist for anything like groceries, what to pack when travelling, giving birth, errands to compete, work-to-do and shopping. Below are some checklists to equip expecting mothers.

Hospital Bag Checklist:

For Labor

Documents:

Monthly Pregnancy/Medical History Summary - should you have an emergency labor and be brought to another hospital, the attending doctor will be guided with your prenatal condition. A summary is always a quick reference for the doctors compared to the prenatal book.
Prenatal Book, copies of ultrasound print outs and test results
Address Book/List containing important numbers and persons close to you - this will be used by your husband or partner in texting or calling family and friends the good news. Better if you save in draft the message that you want them to receive, your husband might be in panic, you'll never know.
Philhealth Form (for working mothers)
Health Card (if pregnancy is covered by your company)
Identification Cards for you and your husband
ATM/Credit Card (for Debit or Credit Card Payments)
Cash

Clothes/Toiletries/Footwear/Miscellaneous:

Rosary (if Catholic)
Dressing Gown
Slippers
Socks
Lip Balm
Digital Camera or Camcorder (if hospital allows father to document inside labor or delivery room)
Relaxation materials - should labor take long (books or magazines)
Hairbands - if you have long hair, it's recommended you tie it up
Toiletries - wipes, toilet papers, toothbrush, toothpaste, cologne, powder

For Your Husband/Partner:

Clothes for changing
Slippers and Socks
Extra Pillow and Blanket (should hospital won't have extra to spare)
Snacks - bottles of water, 3-in-1 coffee, food to nibble like cookies

After Birth:

Pashmina, Jacket or Blanket - it gets really cold in the hospital room (in case the hospital won't have extra to spare
Extra Pillows - for your comfort (in case the hospital won't have extra to spare)
Comfortable clothes as a going-home outfit
Make-up kit - should you accept visitors and wish to enhance your physical beauty
Breastfeeding underwear
Underwear
Breast Pads
Maternity Pads
Toiletries (towels, hairbrush, toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner sachets, deodorant, feminine wash)

For the baby:

-Some hospitals require you to room-in the baby while some wants the mother to rest after a really tiring childbirth experience and make the babies stay in the nursery

2-3 sets of tie-side clothes
Bonnet, socks, booties
Newborn baby diapers/cloth diaper
Baby Blanket
Baby pillows (should baby room-in with you)
Small feeding bottles (should baby be fed with formula milk, but Breastmilk is still BEST for babies)
Distilled water (for formula milk should baby be fed with it, Breast milk is still BEST for babies)
Car Seat/ Baby Carriage

The list above will definitely prepare you for the BIG DAY! It's better to be prepared than to panic. It is recommended that the hospital bag be ready at least 2 weeks before your expected childbirth schedule. If you have a car, it's ok to put it at the trunk already. Just make sure the car is always available and nearby to bring you to the hospital. If not, it's still safer to just leave the hospital bag in your room or house within easy reach.

May you have a safe delivery mommy, remember to say a little prayer. Here's to share with you a short prayer to St. Gerard, patron saint of expectant mothers:

A Prayer to St. Gerard for Safe Delivery

O great Saint Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of your meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of Mother of God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that heavenly fire of charity which glowed in your heart and made you an angel of love. O glorious Saint Gerard, because when falsely accused of crime, you did bear, like your Divine Master, without murmur or complaint, the calumnies of wicked men, you have been raised up by God as the patron and protector of expectant mothers. Preserve me from danger and from the excessive pains accompanying childbirth, and shield the child which I now carry, that it may see the light of day and receive the purifying and life-giving waters of baptism through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Louise Antonette

Hi, I'm Louise Fandiño Santos, a wife, a mom of all boys and a campaigns strategist by profession. My family, singing, flowers, chocolates, coffee, and traveling make me happy. I passionately blog about pretty and practical things and choices concerning motherhood, relationships, food, travel, events, and shopping. MORE?