Suggestions for handy items during labour?

[DoulaKate]

I'm just putting my "doula bag" together for a client who is due this Saturday and would love to know what people found the most useful things to have to hand during their labour and birth, that I can make sure I've got. It's a hospital birth and I've put in baby wipes, flannel, hair scrunchies, massage oils etc. What else did people find really useful?

Hi Kate,

I have a list on my PC from a forum I was on with one of my pg's. The girls compiled a list of everything we could think of to take - then each made our own personal lists from there.

Might be of help for you to offer to future clients, or for you to pick out what may be handy.

Regards Julie

Labour Bag
NOTES
BIRTH PLAN
Change for parking meter
Something to wear for labour
TENS Machine
Spare batteries and pads for TENS
Grippy socks or slippers
Dressing gown
Dark towels
Electric Fan / cooling air spray
Bendy Drinking Straws
CDs
Face Flannels
Disposable camera
Video Camera + tripod
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Hair bobbles/clips
Baby wipes
Lip Salve
Black bin liner bags for dirty clothes and towels
Tissues
Homeopathy Kit for labour
Letters to family
For straight after - for dad
Food
Drink
Mobile Phone
Coins for hospital phone
List of phone numbers
Change of T shirt
Deodourant

For after labour - for me
Nightee/ pjs
Nursing bra
Breast pads
Disposable/big knickers
Maternity towels
Arnica tablets
Wash kit (babywash + flannel)
Flip flops for shower
Bath Towel
Neurofen/ paracetamol
Homeopathy Kit for healing
Piccy of your other newborns to compare

For baby
Nappies
Wipes
Nappy sacs
Cotton Wool
Muslins
3 Vests
3 Babygros
Hat
Scarch mits x 2 pairs
Nail clippers/ nail scissors
Disposable camera
Present for older children from baby
Bath Towel

If staying in hospital (hubby to bring in if I need to stay - will be packed in nursery)
Hygiene gel/ disinfectant wipes
Pen and paper
Magazines, book and torch
Loose change for phone and snack cart
Make up
Mobile phone
Food + drinks (+ chocolate)
More clothes
More nightwear
More bras and breast pads
More knickers and pads
2 x bath towels
bin liner for dirty clothes/towels
Herbal tea to aid milk production

Bringing baby home (hubby to bring in - will be all packed in nursery)
Coming home outfit for baby
Car Seat
Car seat base
Snow suit
2 x blankets
Hat
Mittens
Carrier bags to pack stuff into
Thank you Card and choccys for midwife
My coming home outfit (not pre-pg size)

Wow, think I better change to a suitcase!! That's great Mungogerry. Thanks very much, some things in there I would never have thought of!

Yes we decided a pack horse may be necessary lol!!!

You are welcome.

Thing I was most pleased to have packed was a water spray which DH used on me to cool me down.

I'd honestly take less rather than more. Really, the amount of time you are in for it's barely worth it. I took a small holdall and remember the MCA commenting that it make a nice change from the suitcases people brought (and yes, I seriously saw a SUITCASE).

Umm:

toiletry bag
change of clothes
baby clothes
nappies
biscuits for DH
CD

that was it.

You do NOT want to be carting stuff around and tbh there's no space on a pn ward.

I used my water spray when I passed urine following a tear to urethra, it helped with the stinging pain.

Ahem - I took a suitcase!

I used everything in there, it included a bag for labour, a bag for the baby and stuff for me after.

It was much easier to have everything in one bag rather than seperated into different bags. Especially as we had to transfer from MLU to labour wards in quite a hurry. It slid under the bed in the postnatal ward, and left it there. Because I was using most of the stuff in it, I put that in the bedside cupboard.

I was in for 3 nights with dd1 and 1 night with dd2, and took a suitcase for both - I never got any funny looks!

Little Silver - did you not take in nappies and maternity pads? They took up half my case!

Julie, again, this is great! Thank you.

OnEdge, water spray sounds great. Can I spray Evian on my fanjo afterwards or is this not clean? Don't want to get an infection..

camera and staws

a straw for your drinks, so your birthing partner can just hold the cup out when your thirsty..

A sports cap water bottle is easier than a cup and straw, less chance of spilling and easier to keep with you if you are mobile in labour.

Lip balm too, your lips can get really dry if you have gas and air.

Good pillow
chocolate

Socks.

ditto drinking straws
peppermint aromatherapy oil to sniff when feeling sick (midwife gave me some on a bit of cotton wool and it worked)
jelly babies for energy, stuffed loads in after she was born
something to bite on (I bit my husband through the shoulder )

yep, nappies were on list and mat pads in toiletry bag. Seriously, you are in for what, 12 hours? WHY load yourself down like your're away for a fortnight?

My birth plan went out the window when there were massive complications, but the things I really needed were big pants (afterwards!), nice drinks and an epidural

Well I have just finished packing for dc3s arrival, I just can't seem to get it any less than a suitcase - and I have half the stuff that is on Mungogerry's list!

I tried doing a small rucksack and a small holdall, but ended up with 3 bags - surely it's better to have it all in one place?

With dd2 I was only in for 24 hours and still got through 2 packs of maternity pads!

Oh well I am going to console myself with the fact that I am having a c-section this time round, so will definitely be in for a few nights.

I agree. Essential is a bottle of water to sip during labour, it can also be used to pour whilst peeing after .