The day you finally get to meet your little sweetheart is getting closer. That means it’s time to start preparing your maternity hospital bag. Keep asking yourself when should I pack my hospital bag? We advise creating a hospital bag list and packing around week 36 – that way you are fully prepared before you become full term. Top tip: get your birth partner to pack your pregnancy hospital bag so they know where everything is. If you’re wondering what to pack in baby’s hospital bag, here are our top buys from The Baby Cot Shop…
No hospital bag checklist is complete without an adorable first toy for your newborn. After all, it’s the first gift they’ll ever receive and even better, it’s from you! Once your perfect little bundle is here, you’ll love giving them their first toy and taking pictures of them with it. We love the Blue Rabbit Rattle, a plush rattle toy with floppy ears that makes a gentle sound, just the thing to engage their senses. You can’t go wrong with the delightful Medium Blossom Bear Beige Bunny either, complete with floral-patterned ears and an oh-so-cuddly body. Best of all, your baby will grow to play with their first toy as they get older and it will always remind you of those precious newborn days.
Until they’re born, your baby is used to feeling warm and snug in the womb. That’s where swaddling comes in – making them feel safe and comforted, replicating that same cosiness in the outside world. Cue the In Bloom Swaddle and Carousel Swaddle by Atelier Choux which both deserve a place in your baby’s hospital bag. These two lightweight swaddles, embellished with stunning designs, can help calm and soothe your newborn baby as they get to know you and their surroundings. Here's how to use a swaddle: Lay down the swaddle in a diamond shape with your newborn baby on top. Place their right arm by their side and firmly (not too tight) wrap it over the arm and across to the left. Tuck the swaddle underneath their left side and repeat the same across to the right. Bonus, in hospital these swaddles can also be used as a base to hold your little one on, a blanket for skin-to-skin contact and a breastfeeding cover and tummy time blanket when you get home.
Although the hospital provides blankets, it’s sensible to bring one from home in your pregnancy hospital bag. If you’re buying a new one, look out for the gorgeous Jellycat Bashful Beige Bunny Blanket and Ivory Baby Blanket Bamboo. Open these before packing them and try to get it to smell like you (you could even sleep with it next to you). A blanket can be used in various ways in the hospital – for skin-to-skin contact, to wrap them in for cuddles and feeding and in baby’s car seat when you’re on the way home. This should be a top priority on your hospital bag checklist, especially in the colder winter months.
You’ve heard of journalling, but what about pregnancy journalling? The Becoming a Mama Journal allows you to tune in, reflect and document this incredible pregnancy journey, providing personal journalling pages, baby lists, a birth bag packing list and allowing you to record milestones along the way. We advise packing it in your maternity hospital bag too. Why? You can use your journalling as a hypnobirthing technique. Try jotting positive mantras, breathing exercises and things you’re looking forward to down and look at them during labour – this will help you stay focused, grounded and connected to yourself and baby-to-be. By reading and reciting positive affirmations, you can feel encouraged, supported and relaxed throughout your journey. You may also want to document everything once baby is born. What a keepsake for years to come!
