Maternity suitcase: the ultimate list of essentials

Aaah, the famous hospital bag! The one with all the irrational anxieties ("Honey, we don't have the hairbrush! They'll never let us into the delivery room), the one that we pack, unpack, and re-pack indefinitely. The one that differs from one country to another but also from one hospital to another, the one that we change until the last second of the last minute before leaving home for the big meeting.

Packing a maternity suitcase is one more step in the process of realising that a new little person will soon be joining the family cocoon. It's often a moment that is filled with emotion; you choose your very first clothes but also stressful; you suddenly realise how small a newborn baby actually is! Don't panic, everything is going to be fine and, even though a baby should be handled gently, it cannot be that fragile given how the midwives examine them... So here we go: take a pen and paper: your to-do list and gather up whatever neurons your hormones have spared you.

When should you pack your maternity suitcase? 

Absolutely whenever you feel like it. There is no right or wrong moment in time to pack your hospital bag. If you can't wait any longer than past the first trimester, do yourself a favour and start packing! Let's not get stressed or frustrated over a suitcase. You can also decide to start packing once your waters have broken... it's up to you. All we know is that you are a little less focused on choosing your pyjamas once the labour contractions have started. So, to avoid unnecessary headaches, it is advisable to pack your hospital bag around the 30th week of pregnancy.

What are the indispensables of a maternity suitcase?

We are going to tell you about the essentials you need to take with you for your stay in hospital, which lasts five days on average, although we know that there are differences from one country to another. We won't keep the suspense going: no, the hairbrush is not one of them! That's said. 

For baby

His essentials are your arms, your warmth and your breasts if you decide to breastfeed. For the rest, we advise you to take :

• 2 bodysuits and 1 pair of pyjamas size 0 (or newborn) per day spent in the maternity ward. For the size, we advise you to bring at least one of each in size 1 month in case baby has abused the self-service in your belly. For bodysuits, we recommend the wrap-around models which avoid having to handle the head and neck of a newborn baby, which tends to make young parents sweat a lot #çapasseoupas ?
• 2 light hats because the little ones quickly get cold from the head. Some hospitals provide them, others do not. As a general rule, it is possible to buy all sorts of things that you would miss in the maternity hospital. The only thing you need to know is that the prices charged are often equivalent to those of a pharmacy on duty. You have been warned!
• an outdoor bonnet, a wetsuit, a sleeping bag, a seasonal nest or a blanket for when he's out and about. You can also provide him with specific clothing, even if no one will make eyes at him s'he leaves l'hospital in pilou.
• Birth socks and mittens to keep him warm but also to prevent him from scratching himself with his new but sharp nails.
• a toweland mildsoap, as natural as possible. There are also bath capes for babies (which are cute little pieces of fabric often beautifully decorated with a hood to which bunny, bear or cat ears are often attached) but logically, they'll be dry too if you wrap them in a traditional towel.
• two or three muslins also called much more poetically cotton gauze diapers in our blue-white-red friends (we love you but why make complicated when you can make simple, guys?).
• a thermometer with a soft tip. Precision is important, as this special tip prevents injury to the infant's anus when taking temperatures (babies wriggle). The same thermometer can also be used to measure the temperature of bath water.
• enough size 1 diapers (about 10 per day), wipes (practical but not great for the ecology) or liniment (a natural and ancestral product composed of 50% olive oil and 50% lime water) with gloves or diaper pads (I love the Tendance d'Emma brand in Bamboo) and a diaper cream.
• two teats, if you wish. We advise you to choose different brands, textures and shapes because, as soon as your baby is out of the womb, he will probably already have his own preferences.

For mum

It is advisable to put what you will need for labour in a separate small bag from what you will have on the maternity ward.

In the bag for the birth room, we advise you;

• your identity papers and your pregnancy record.
• your birth plan, if you have one.
• an oil for the perineum to avoid, if possible, any interstellar catastrophe (personally, I opted for l'huile de massage du périnée Lansinoh)
• your toiletry kit.
• a shower towel.
• a comfortable, loose-fitting outfit for childbirth. There are those who feel comfortable completely naked and those who prefer to avoid it. For the latter, we recommend a nightgown buttoned from top to bottom. You open the bottom during labor and then release the top during the first breastfeeding if you make this choice. Avoid fabrics that are too warm, as it's hot in maternity wards. Choose garments with straps or short sleeves, and take a cardigan with you just in case.
• Nursing underwear for the welcome feed
• a soft light such as a night light or Christmas lights (cosy effect guaranteed) 
• A snack, a sweet drink and water.
• For baby; a bodysuit size birth and 1 month, a pyjama in these two sizes and a blanket.
• For those who like to smell, your essential oil diffuser and for those who like to relax (or unwind) with music, a speaker and your playlist.
• slippersor other easy-to-slip-on clappers, so you can move around the hospital in style.

Once you are in your maternity room, you will need : 

• comfortable clothes with elastic seams, especially around the waist and belly (including underwear!). You can also simply continue to wear your maternity clothes. It's really important that you feel comfortable. Most women opt for pajama or jogging suits. We have created the perfect home wear MUM, SWEET MUM. Honestly, it doesn't get any better than this! Take it easy on your body. It has just achieved an incredible feat, give it time to recover, deflate and plan clothes one size bigger than the one you had before pregnancy.
• stylish nursing clothes. Don't wait until you're back home to adopt outfits adapted to your new lifestyle. Why deprive yourself of feeling good in your pumps, beautiful and stylish, by putting on practical, fashionable clothes right away? If you've chosen to breastfeed, the adventure will begin within a few hours of giving birth. And given that breastfeeding is long and frequent during the first few days in the maternity hospital, and that visits from nursing staff and friends and family follows one another, it's a good idea to dress well, and to plan well-thought-out outfits so that you don't have to keep undressing in public. As for the best models? l You're spoilt for choice at l' e-shop Milk Away.
• still related tobreastfeeding, take breastfeeding underwear, a breastfeeding pillow (yes it's a bit bulky but really useful), breastfeeding pads (there are washable or disposable ones) to relieve you as well as a balm or a nipple cream made of lanolin.
• a pair of warm socks.
• a warm blanket (in winter) and your own pillow (nice to have).
• a hairdryer if this device is an essential for you.
• of sanitary towels. Don't quibble and go straight for the thickest, longest ones you can find. There are even #quedubonheur panties! The reality of postpartum is that you'll be losing blood for several days, even weeks, and that's perfectly normal. Because yes, lucky you, glamour doesn't stop at the doorstep of the delivery room. More on that later. #staytuned
• Cotton and/or disposable panties.
• Several washcloths.
• Your bag for the birth room in which you will find your toiletry kit with all the necessaryhygiene and beauty according to your desires of coquetry. If possible, slip in a mini soap and shampoo because these products are not always provided. And a shower towel.

• From experience, we also advise you to leave at least one sheet in the car to slip discreetly under your buttocks because if your water breaks on the way to the maternity hospital you risk turning your car into a mobile swimming pool...

"When Douglas decided to make an appearance at thirty-six weeks and three days, everything was ready. At twenty-nine weeks and four days, John, my husband, was asking me every day if my suitcase was ready! #organiseddad. He was confident that everything would happen very quickly as all the women in his family gave birth very quickly. So I guess he had a flair for timing. In the stress of leaving for the maternity ward and, admittedly, the bulky nature of certain accessories such as the nursing pillow, John completely forgot about the baby's bag... #indadwetrust ? When I arrived at the hospital in Salzburg, I was very surprised to see that I could borrow everything I needed for the baby. Bodysuits, pyjamas, nappies for Douglas (and for me!), bath towels, a blanket, a nightgown, a nursing pillow, complete luxury. I know that this is not the case in all hospitals, so hats off to this hospital for taking such good care of the three of us. My suitcase was still very useful and, as far as I was concerned, I had added some very nice to have but non-essentials such as a reusable thermal water bottle that was next to me around the clock because you get really thirsty whilst breastfeeding, a night light to breastfeed at night without having to turn on the neon lights in the whole room (this was following a friend's advice), a homemade lip balm made by my sister-in-law, a nourishing oil used during pregnancy to continue to take care of my breasts with the production of milk and belly reduction changes. Lastly, I had planned a nice outfit to go home in but, being aware of my body changes and everything it had just undergone, I chose a pair of maternity jeans that I still wore for the next few weeks." Aurélie, Milk Away MUM.

Basic nursing tank top In Mum we trust

For dad

He can consider this a city-trip: 

• wallet. We say this because of the adrenalin on the moment, you risk leaving the house without it, and that could slightly complicate any administrative formalities once you're there.
• a toiletry kit with everything you need to smell good from head to toe
• pyjamas. Indispensable, even if you prefer to sleep in Adam's clothes. There's a good chance that your child will need your attention to be changed, bottle-fed or breast-fed in the middle of the night, and that help or advice from the midwives will be appreciated.
• a pair of socks or flip-flops or slippers for pacing around the workroom and then walking the corridors.
• a comfortable and stylish outfit (comfortable and not too hot as maternity wards are overheated). We have the perfect suggestion: the organic cotton sweatshirt "In Dad We Trust" from Milk Away.
• He is entrusted with the task of taking phone, tablet and camera chargers.
• If you plan to read books, watch TV series or listen to music, let them handle the logistics of these activities.
• he'll also take care of the survival bag containing snacks and drinks. So, yes, you'll be provided with sustenance during your stay in the maternity ward, but if your marvel decides to start her descent in the late evening and you get the munchies (you're going to be putting out the equivalent of a marathon, so ... the urge to eat and drink seems more than likely) in the middle of the night, the cafeteria will be closed. Go for sweet, energy drinks and snacks that are quick and easy to eat and digest. This is not the time to s'improvise a raclette ... We're thinking practical, and we strongly recommend bottles with sports caps, so as not to flood your décolleté if you have to drink lying down. We've been there ...
• another big mission: CHAMPAGNE! For you who have worked hard (a little glass is allowed even when breast-feeding) and also for your visitors who are amazed by the divine child.
• And don't forget the maxi-cosy and other equipment needed to carry baby from the bedroom to the car and back to his or her home sweet home in complete safety.

If nothing is ready, just grab whatever you can find and go for it! The most important thing is to have a safe delivery, not to have perfectly ironed and folded pyjamas at the bottom of the bag. There are usually pharmacies within proximity of the hospitals and nice gift shops where you can find the basics and, if not, dad can always make a quick trip home. 

Above all, drive safely! Breathe in and out, one of the most beautiful experiences of your life is about to happen.

#milkawayapparel #inmumwetrust #baby #newborn #family #maternity