I am 32 weeks pregnant tomorrow and I haven't been feeling particularly great, I've been cramps, loosing my mucus plug (thankfully not my show) and have just been a little concerned that he may make an appearance earlier than we plan. I doubt he will but it's always best the be prepared. I still am not 100% sure what I want to do birth wise, providing it's after 37 weeks gestation, I'd very much like a calm, hypnobirth birth, preferably with a birthing pool. I would really like a home birth, but still unsure about paying out for a pool for home, my labours have been super quick, especially after my waters have broke so could easily have a home birth unplanned. My heart says the New Forest birth centre in a birthing pool, just depends if I can get in there or not. I want the calming birth I had with Rufus. Rufus' birth was incredible. I am still super undecided but either way it's important to have a hospital bag packed as a just in case. If I did end up having a home birth, at least Caspar's first clothes are in one place for Brad to find as I am so sure that if I gave birth at home and said, go get him a hat, vest and sleepsuit, he'd be like "which one? which size? what colour? what draw?" so it's easier if it is all in one place.
CASPAR'S BITS
Knitted cardigan from NEXT, he'll unlikely need this being an August baby, he'll most likely just need a thin blanket over him in the car seat coming home. BUT we do live in the United Kingdom, the weather is very unpredictable and obviously babies do need extra layers than us, so better over prepared than under prepared. If your baby is being born out of summer, a blanket and a knitted coat is advised, don't worry about a pram suit or a thick baby coat as they can't be strapped into a car seat in it anyway.
2 Vests from NEXT and 3 sleep suits (Amazon for Caspar one, NEXT for charcoal one & M&S for stars one) With Rufus, I was in and out the hospital in literally 5 hours. I arrived at 7am, he was out at 9:25 and I was home by 12:30 for lunch so he only needed one outfit. I have packed a couple just to be sure, incase I have him in the morning and somethings not right and we needed to stay overnight and I have enough for 24 hours, anything after that (hopefully not) could be dropped in at a different time. If this is your first baby, I would suggest 5 vests & 5 sleep suits, especially if you're having a planned section too.
I have packed a pair of socks if it's absolutely boiling in the hospital they may suggest he wear a vest and socks, it's a dodgy time of year for baby's being born in British Summertime isn't it. I have also prepped him a little knitted bonnet for when he first pops out and they put a little hat on him, I wanted a little knitted bonnet, because it's so cute! With Lucas they provided me with a knitted hat when he was born, Iris I brought my own and Rufus, again, I brought my own.
I've also packed swaddles, I doubt these will be used, potentially for a photo opp in the hospital in his little burnt orange hat and swaddle matching set, but again it depends how tired I am, how labour goes, if we have time, but I've packed as a precaution, especially if I need to swaddle him to sleep if we stay overnight.
Finally, I have packed a packet of baby wipes and about 10 nappies. They suggest about 20 nappies, but as mentioned before, I am unlikely to stay, but have just prepped for a 24 hour stay. We've gone for ultra sensitive mama bear wipes and Naty nappies. I have also packed two dummies, which as I plan to breastfeed again, will unlikely be used straight away, but again, packed as a 'just in case'.
We're packing super light due to my previous two births, even with Iris, we were home by 3pm the next day and that was only that late because she was born at 21:15 and the next day I had to wait for her newborn checks to be done. She was a super quick labour once I was established too! It is worth checking out my previous hospital bag posts HERE to see what I packed previously as I have realised how little you need now really.
MY HOSPITAL BAG
Toiletries, I have again packed light, previous births I was obsessed with needing to pack makeup, and maybe it's because I'm having a Summer birth this time and realise I will not want to give birth in make up or the fact that over lockdown, I basically just don't wear it EVER, that I no longer care.
I have packed a Disney Aurora headband to keep my fringe out my face if I need to, my tangle teezer because it doesn't hurt to brush my hair, spare hair bands, cotton pads for my skin care routine, blistex lip balm because my lips always dry so much, roll on deodorant because they're small and compact, a new toothbrush so I don't have to lug my electric one there, a toothpaste, hand cream, an antibacterial simple cleanser because COVID I've poured it into an old, empty micellar water bottle because its travel sized, I've put a simple toner in an old, empty inkey toner bottle because again, it's travel sized and I've packed the Sakrd moisturiser because I don't use it much at the moment as I'm using a bedtime one as I'm pretty rubbish at doing skin care in the morning, I'm usually a before bed person and I'm using a lot of 'sleep inducing' products to help me sleep, or placebo it. I've also chucked in the neom sleep spray as it's calming and I'm hoping it will help with calming the room. I haven't packed perfume or body spray this time as I was advised with Rufus, it's best not to and to let him smell me and get used to my scent and not a perfume.
The fun parts, maternity pads, breast pads, nipple balm and anti bacterial gel, because 1. covid, 2. Hospitals just feel grotty and 3. covid. I am going to pick up some maternity pants, as in (adult nappies) because I had them with Rufus and my gosh GAME CHANGER! I used them mostly at bedtimes so I didn't wake up to leakage, wedgies and especially not a front wedgie cause we all know how incredibly sensitive that is after birth! I absolutely do not want that. Maternity pads serve a purpose and I prefer them in the day, whipping them off every time I wee and perfect for when the bleeding slows too, but the maternity pants are a dream, if dreams mean comfortable post-partum bleeding.
I'm going to trial the 'my little coco balm' and if it's not great, they make fantastic lip balms, my favourite ever nipple balm was the Mama Mio one, and I actually recently won a competition with them, and I'm hoping it'll be included in my bundle so I can swap them out, but I bregrudge paying the price for the nipple balm and the my little coco one was on offer, and I love their bath products for both mama and baby/children so I thought I'd give it a go as it was £8 cheaper when I purchased it.
Technology wise, I have packed a handheld Dyson dupe fan, because again I am giving birth in Summer, preferably in a birthing pool that has to be kept a certain temp and I didn't want to have something that was plugged in the wall as it wouldn't be able to be close enough because of health and safety and whereas this is rechargeable and works really well, so I won't have to worry about if I drop it in the pool, etc... because as annoying as that won't be, it won't be like a fatal bath bomb. My AirPods will be charged and put in the bag for hypnobirthing or music depending what I fancy in the moment, something without infuriating wires. I also am packing the instax as I'd like to capture some polaroids of Caspar after he's born and also some of him meeting his siblings too for his baby book and although I'll have my professional DSLR, and also the other DSLR for hopefully filming (as Rufus' birth vlog honestly is the most amazing thing ever) I want to capture that in the moment image.
I will also be packing phone chargers & the fan charger for Brad and I but other that my DSLR's and phone chargers, we don't need anymore electrical items.
Before I share the last few bits, the only things left to pack are a change of clothes for Brad, just in case (if birth centre, pyjamas as they do allow Dad's to stay, for free if not busy or for a fee if busy, and we'd likely pay the fee to have him stay If I had to stay overnight) and some cereal bars and lucozade sport (in orange) as they 100% got me through the last labour. I didn't end up eating the cereal bars, neither did Brad, but I guzzled the lucozade sports and they are so refreshing and apparently because of the electrolytes or something help with energy, maybe placebo but its all I drank in labour with Rufus and worked a treat.
Finally, clothing. I have 4 pairs of black maternity pants, because, you're not going to want your frilly knickers, they're uncomfortable on me already my frillies but after birth, especially if you have to go for a section, you want high waisted comfortable pants. These were a pack of 4 for £3 in primark, I have also got a pair of 50p flip flops from primark, because I can imagine my feet are going to swell with pregnancy and the heat, and I don't want to walk around in labour, risking my waters breaking (they've broke spontaneously every labour, even Lucas' it's why I had an early section) over my nice summer Sandals. I'll wear them into the hospital but for walking around in labour, potentially if I need a shower afterwards (again, I usually do this as soon as I get home but if I have to stay for any reason, I would shower in the hospital) and I don't like walking around bare foot and slippers in the summer feel a bit like a disaster and again, you wouldn't want to wear them around the house after you've walked around a hospital in them, at least with the 50p flip flops, you can use them as beach shoes or garden shoes. I hate throwing things out, so wouldn't want to buy a pair of slippers just to throw in the bin.
Finally, no I have not ironed it because it's going to be sitting in a bag for at least 5 weeks at max (hopeful thinking) 7 weeks and it's going to come out looking like that anyway and also if you care that what I'm wearing out the hospital to home after birthing a human is creased... you can bloody iron it. Haha. I've just packed a baggy maternity top from ASOS, easy for breastfeeding and a pair of black ASOS leggings and I've packed a maternity primark 'parenthood' nightie for either walking around in, in labour, or for an overnight stay. If I have a pool birth, I'll make sure I put on my comfy nursing bra I have which is in a stretchy, lycra material and I wore it giving birth to Rufus and it's perfect, I don't want to buy a bikini top purely for giving birth in as I haven't worn a bikini since around 2013!
I do need to chuck in a white nursing bra to wear under the white top I've packed but amazon have 'lost my parcel' and I'm waiting for it to be refunded before I before more as we're 3 days from payday and money is not okay by this point in the month, haha.
Again, same as Caspar's, I've packed enough for me for 24 hours, if I need to stay in I'll get more dropped in. I just need to order the lucozades and cereal bars to come in Friday's food shop, I need to chuck my inhalers and gaviscon in last minute too and other than that and packing a trunki of clothes, books and pyjamas for the three big siblings, incase they need to spend a night or two with their Nanna and buddha, we're pretty prepped. Hopefully, he doesn't come any earlier than 5 weeks though because I would like a straight forward time with it all. This is also a note to self! GET ON A HYPNOBIRTHING COURSE WOMAN, TIME IS TICKING.
Happy 32 weeks pregnant to me for tomorrow! Times ticking away like crazy. Let me know if this is helpful or send me a message on social media if you want any help with anything baby related... I would consider myself an expert at pregnancy, birth and babies now... haha.
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