This list is so long, but there’s so much you need to bring with you as a hospital patient. So what are you supposed to bring with you when you check-in for your hospital stay? Complete checklists aren’t necessary when you’re an experienced traveler. However, they do make things a lot easier when you’re packing for a hospital stay. This list will help you pack all the necessary items for a hospital stay. If you don’t have any idea where to start packing for a hospital stay, this list will help you get ready. From checking in to getting discharged, here’s everything you need to know about checking into a hospital stay.

What to pack for a hospital stay?

There’s a lot of worry about how the first birth will go and when you’ll be admitted to the hospital. It is important to plan ahead of time for hospitalization for childbirth, especially what to pack in hospital bag for mom so that you are not caught off guard when the time arrives. The expected delivery date is simply an estimate. Because the birth could be suddenly rushed, hospitalization preparations should begin gradually around the eighth month of pregnancy (28 to 31 weeks). 

You will reach the stage of full-term labor after 37 weeks of pregnancy. After that, the baby can be born at any time. At the very least, by 37 weeks of pregnancy, you should have completed your hospitalization preparations, specifically what to pack in the hospital bag for mom. If you take it too easy, you’ll find yourself rushing to prepare just before being admitted to the hospital. 

When preparing what to pack in the hospital bag for mom, it may appear that you need a lot of items, but try to pack as much as you can fit in one bag and as much as the mother can handle on her own. It’s a good idea to put a bag at the door so that you may carry it with you right away if labor pains or the baby’s birth begin.

Make sure you’re prepared for childbirth so you don’t have to say, “I forgot that!” Couples should prepare for the delivery together to avoid the situation of “Oh, where did I put all that stuff?” “Where did that luggage go?”. Pajamas, towels, baby clothes, and diapers are frequently provided by the hospital for the mother. Toiletries and bathing sets are also available in some hospitals. Check ahead of time what you’ll need to bring and what the hospital will offer, and make sure your luggage isn’t too heavy.

List of what to pack in hospital bag for mom:

• Maternity notebook
• Birthing pad
• Birthing Panties
• Nursing bra
• Nipple care cream / oil
• Toiletries
• Towel
• Slippers
• Straws for plastic bottles
• Battery charger
• Extension cord
• Something easy to eat
• Aroma oil
• Baby’s discharge clothes
• Discharge clothes for yourself

When To Check In At The Hospital

In a typical natural birthing situation. 

Basically, when the primary labor pains begin, contact the hospital where the baby will be born and admit the patient. When the pains become regular, about 10 minutes apart, for first-time mothers, and 15 minutes apart for women who have given birth before, it is advisable to contact the hospital. The time of the call may differ from hospital to hospital, so double-check ahead of time. It is not uncommon for people to find that their pain disappears once they get to the hospital. If this happens, you will probably have to return home once you do.  

Cesarean section and other scheduled births

When labor is intentionally induced and a vaginal delivery is performed, or when a cesarean section is performed, it is referred to as planned childbirth. In a planned birth, the baby is delivered after consulting with the doctor after the 37th week of pregnancy or later when the baby is in full-term labor. The doctor will evaluate the family’s desires, as well as the mother’s and baby’s overall health, to determine when the mother is expected to be ready to give birth.

However, if the mother’s body or the baby are in danger, it is impossible to respect the mother’s wishes, and the birth must proceed.Most planned deliveries will have you admitted to the hospital the day before your scheduled delivery. In some hospitals, you may be admitted on the day of your scheduled delivery.

As soon as you check in at the hospital, a nurse will examine you. She will ask about your contractions and their timing as well as your personal information (which should already be on file if you pre-registered). The doctor will be notified, if he or she hasn’t already been, and if you’re considered ready to give birth, you will be transferred to the hospital’s labor room.

Items to be used before the birth of the baby

• Maternal and child health handbook
• Health insurance card
• Medical examination ticket
• Documents to be submitted to the hospital (application form for hospitalization, etc.)
• Writing tools

Documents may be required to be submitted as soon as you arrive at the hospital. It is convenient to keep documents to be submitted to the hospital in a file so that they can be taken out immediately. It is also recommended that you write down as much of the documents as possible in advance. 

Where to stay during your hospital stay

Have you heard of the term “LDR”? It refers to a room where labor, delivery, and recovery may all occur in the same space rather than having to go from one room to another. LDR is now being used in many hospitals, and it is said to be highly popular.  One of the benefits of LDR is that it eliminates the need to leave the labor and delivery area. When labor is at its most intense, moving to the delivery room is a challenging process. When you’re not even on your feet, having to move is quite difficult! If you have a wave of contractions during the transfer, you may have to sit in the aisle and try not to push. When it’s time to give birth in LDR, the LDR bed transforms and you’re transferred to the delivery table. The delivery starts right away. You can relax there after the birth and there is no need to transfer from the delivery room to the hospital room if you are exhausted and in pain. 

What to wear while in the hospital

As you approach the birth of your child and prepare for hospitalization, you may be wondering about what to wear in the hospital. What to pack in hospital bag for mom should also contain clothes for labor, delivery, postpartum, and discharge.

What to wear when going to the hospital

Clothes worn before going to the hospital

It has been reported that some mothers went to the hospital without changing clothes. Women have reported that they changed into their regular clothing for the first delivery, but found it difficult to change back at the hospital, so they did not change for the second delivery.

Clothing that is simple to put on and take off

Some mothers choose clothes that were simple to put on and take off, anticipating the need to change at the hospital. Some mothers stated that they also changed their underwear after being instructed by the hospital to wear postpartum panties.

Clothes to wear at discharge

If you are in a calm state when going to the hospital without labor pains or water bursting because of a Cesarean section, it seems good to wear the same clothes you wear when leaving the hospital. In order to choose clothes that are easy to hold and breastfeed, you may want to choose clothes that will be easy to put on when you leave the hospital.

Points to consider when choosing clothing during hospitalization for childbirth

Easy to put on and take off

Because you will most likely have to take off and put on clothes for medical checks before and after birth, choosing clothes that are easy to put on and take off appears to be an important consideration. Long-length pregnancy pajamas were preferred by several mothers.

Easy to breastfeed

It appears that considering the ease of nursing is necessary in order to breastfeed your baby after birth. Some mothers claimed they picked clothing with a breastfeeding opening because it was more convenient.

Comfortable to wear

You should probably be conscious of the hospital’s air conditioning and dress comfortably. Some mothers stated that they chose soft and comfortable clothing because they believed their skin would be sensitive after labor.

When To Discharge

The length of time spent in the hospital after giving birth is determined by the mother’s health. Moms who give birth for the first time are admitted to the hospital for about a week, whereas mothers of successive multiparous women are admitted for around a week and a day less. Depending on the maternity hospital, if there are no problems with the mother’s recovery or the baby’s health, the mother may be discharged sooner than expected.

What do you need when you leave the hospital after giving birth?

• Mom’s clothes should be easy to wear
• Clothing and swaddling blankets for the baby to wear as he or she leaves the hospital
• If you are leaving in a private vehicle, you will need a car seat for the baby

The length of a mother’s stay in the hospital depends on how the baby is delivered, how the postpartum period goes, and how the baby is doing. Prepare for everything you’ll need during hospitalization and after discharge using the information in this article as a reference, and you’ll be ready to go whenever you need to be hospitalized.