PREPARING HOSPITAL BAG FOR DELIVERY – PART 2

 

Writing a blog with a 7 weeks old baby is by no means an easy task, but it was encouraging to have many positive reviews and they definitely motivated me to continue. In this post I plan to cover the preparation of mother’s bag for delivery.

 

MOTHER'S (+ CARETAKER’S) BAG

Going to hospital as one and coming back as two is definitely an exciting thought, but also needs a lot of preparation from the mothers’s side. Here is a list of items needed in the mother’s bag.

 1.  Nighties/Maternity wear

2.    Undergarments

3.    Sanitary napkins

4.    Hair accessories

5.    Slippers

6.    Nursing Pillow

7.    Coconut oil/Ghee/Nipcare ointment

8.    Bath Towels

9.    Caretaker’s essentials

 

Nighties/Maternity wear

I put a lot of thought into finding the right maternity wear. Unfortunately I could not get what I wanted because of the lock-down, as even online trade was stopped. Front open nighties are the least you can buy as preparation for motherhood. There are so many better, more comfortable, feeding-friendly and stylish versions of maternity wear than the regular front open nighties, available online and in maternity shops/regular nighty shops. The maternity wear with nursing feature comes in two styles mainly – one with horizontal zipper and the other with vertical zippers on either sides. The zippers are usually concealed by the design, and some even have a flap above the chest for better privacy while feeding. Personally I feel that  the horizontal zippers are easier  to manage and faster to access.

Vertical Zipper

Horizontal Zipper

Length of the nighty depends entirely on your comfort, although wearing a longer nighty to the labour ward/suite maybe ideal. I preferred wearing a maxi-nighty to the labour ward, but later on wore only midi-type or kurta type maternity frocks/dresses.

I took maternity wear as 1+1+4 :

1          1 for the labour ward – darker colour, less costly

1  for post delivery kit ( I will explain in my next post)

4  for in-hospital stay (Number may vary depending on the expected duration of stay)

 

Undergarments

Not anybody’s favourite topic, but choosing the right undergarments, especially bras, are very important in the post-partum period.

Contrary to the old belief that nursing bras are only front open hooked variety, there are modern feeding bras that have clips or hooks to open the cup on one side alone – this combined with a horizontally or vertically zipped maternity dress, makes feeding so much more hassle free. You can buy them online or in shops. It would be better if you could restrict pre-delivery buying to two or three bras, and then buy two or three more post delivery, as once lactation starts the size may change again.

Panties should not be too tight or uncomfortable, as they can increase pain at the suture sites(episiotomy or cesarean) and may delay healing.

You may or may not want an underskirt depending on the type and length of nighty/maternity dress you are wearing. Traditional saree type underskirts as well as thinner under slips of various lengths can be used as needed. I preferred wearing one in the hospital even though my maternity dresses did not require them.

And number? Definitely the 1+1+4 combination should be the minimum to be taken, but it is better to take extra considering the bleed that may follow delivery.

 

 Sanitary napkins

Delivery or LSCS will be followed by bleeding, and you should have an ample number of sanitary napkins with you. Since the bleeding and discharge will continue for a while in progressively lesser amounts, it would be wise to buy pads of different absorbencies and size to suit the flow. You are going to use them for longer periods than your usual periods (pun intended!), and  hence it is better  to buy cottony varieties of the usual brands to reduce skin discomfort.

Use the ones for maximum flow in the hospital. As for number, take enough and extra – better to err on the side of caution.

 

Hair accessories

Take whatever can keep your hair in place for the longest time, and well, for the fiercest head-rolling (I can see those eyes roll!!). When going to labor ward or suite, shorter hair is best secured as a high bun or low ponytail, and longer hair as a tight braid. Medium length hair can be tied either way, whichever suits you. For those going for cesarean section, nurses usually secure hair as two tight braids rolled up as buns on either side.

 

Slippers

I want to stress on only one point. There is a high chance that you will lose your slippers in the labor ward – label them with your name. If possible, hand over your slippers to your caretaker after reaching the labour ward and when no more walking is required.

 

Nursing pillow

Feeding an infant around 12 times per day (or more) with each session lasting around 20mins(or more) is going to place a huge strain on your back, shoulders and sometimes wrist. Without proper position and support, you may end up getting severe pain in these areas. A nursing pillow is a C-shaped pillow kept snugly just below your breasts, which helps in supporting the baby, and hence takes the strain off you. You can even use normal pillows in the right configuration to support you.

Some may find it an unnecessary expense, but I found it very useful, as I was suffering from upper back pain from the pregnancy period itself. I bought it as an emergency from a nearby medical store, hence I could not get a good one. There are good, sturdy and well manufactured pillows available online or also offline in baby shops, and I think getting one is a good choice.

 

Nursing Pillow (with home-stitched pillow cover)

Coconut oil/Ghee/Nipcare ointment

Sore or cracked nipples is one of the worst nightmares of any new mother. Not only is this condition painful, but it also makes feeding a thing to dread. This condition may not be completely avoidable, as it depends to a large extent on the way baby can attach at the breast, and no baby comes with the perfect skill to attach and feed. Some conditions like small chin(micrognathia) and receded chin(retrognathia) also can predispose to difficult feeding.

Traditional treatment has been applying ghee or coconut oil when sore/cracked nipples occurred after delivery. Using these a few days prior to the due-date can help reduce cracking of nipples, but may not prevent it altogether. Usually for post-delivery sore/cracked nipples, Nipcare ointment is prescribed by most doctors, and to an extent it is useful.

I used Nipcare initially, then switched over to an ayurvedic ghee later (Gopalmajadi ghrutham from Amba Ayurvedic Vaidyashala – may not be available online or elsewhere), which I found to be more useful. There is no instant pain relief with any of these remedies, but they help to hasten healing.

Nipple shield maybe used by mothers who have a history of cracked nipples in previous deliveries, but new mothers need to buy only if required. It is a  small silicone cup attached over the nipple by suction force, and prevents nipples from further cracking.

Once the milk production gains momentum, applying hind milk(the milk that is let down towards the end of lactation), and allowing it to air-dry can also help the nipples heal.

 

Bath towels

Take clean separate bath towels for you, and take one or two extra.

 

Caretaker’s essentials

Caretaker’s clothes and other essentials can be kept in the same bag as the mother’s, to avoid too much luggage

 

Practical points:

1.    Feeding a newborn is by no means an easy task, and it literally drains you off fluids and energy. Have   whatever it takes to make breast-feeding comfortable for you.

2.    Having maternity wear with proper nursing zippers is a must have after delivery.

3.    Having a separate bag for baby and mother makes life easier after delivery. ( You can thank me later!)

 

If you have not read my blog on how to prepare baby’s bag (Preparing Hospital Bag for Delivery Part 1), click here.

To read about preparingp ost delivery kit, general essentials, and COVID protection special in Part Three, click here.

Do not hesitate to comment, correct or remind me about something I have missed. Do read the other teo parts. Cya!