What I’m taking in my maternity bag

When I had my first baby, I took very little to the hospital with me. 

I’d heard all these stories of women packing too much in their hospital bags. 

So that, of course, made me want to be “minimal” as all I was doing was “having a baby” and surely the hospital would provide everything?

Yes, yes, I took stuff to actually get baby Hakavai earthside (Fit ball – check! Music system with birthing playlist cued – check! Yoga mat – check! DoTERRA lavender oil – check!).

But for everything that came after giving birth? Nada. No maternity pads (um, I didn’t realise these were a thing. Now I know). No shampoo, conditioner or soap. One dress.

We ended up staying in hospital for a week (everything was fine, my obstetrician just wanted us to stick around) and let me tell you, as wonderful as the hospital was, my minimal bag of belongings did not cut it.

So this time around, I’m more organised on the prep for the “having an actual baby in the hospital” side of things.

In my bag, I’m taking:

• Obviously, the “getting the baby here” stuff. Ball, music, essential oils, yoga mat. But I’m also going to throw in a TENS machine. I’ve had girlfriends use it and have raved about it, so thought what the heck, it’s worth a shot. 
• Nursing pads. I didn’t use them when I got home with Hakavai because I just wore Michael’s old shirts (I was not staining MY clothes with breast milk, thanks very much). But, like I said, we were in hospital for a couple of nights, and I only had the one dress, so….. I’m packing nursing pads this time.
• A dressing gown/robe thing. But, like, a nice one. In a dark colour (Because of coffee/breast milk/cereal stains). Also a couple of comfy loungewear items that are nice yet practical (I love the PJs from Maeva.). Also, the Bonds maternity singlets. Love these. 
• Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, my Avène moisturiser, lip balm, hair brush, my DoTERRA deodorant. I remember after giving birth to Hakavai I used the wall soap dispenser to wash my hair in the shower. Kinda want to treat myself this time around. 
• For Baby #2: Bonds zippy suits and the Love to Dream swaddle. I used reusable nappies with Hakavai (and there’s some really cute ones on the @spendwiththem page!) buttttttttt for those first few days in hospital, I’m just going to use disposable.
• Maternity pads. I’ve got maternity underwear (which is like period underwear, and if you haven’t heard of that, I recommend you check out a brand called Thinx). But, again, for hospital, I’m just going to use disposable pads.
• Hair clips. I’ve got a lotttt of hair (Tahitian genetics and regular keratin treatments). And it’s harder for me to put up my hair. I could get it cut, but my hair’s kind of my thing. So I use a claw clip, but not any regular claw clip, a giant jumbo claw clip (type in “Jumbo claw clip” into Amazon and a whole heap will come up. Heads up, if you also search for “jumbo claw” in Amazon you will find the hair clips as well as many kinds of fake lobster claw gloves which are also v. fun  but less practical in the birthing suite).
• A heat pack. For after I give birth. And warm bed socks. And my ugg boots. And a pair of thongs (the feet kind, not the floss-between-bum kind. Pervert). 
• My phone, iPad, laptop. And no silly sausage this isn’t for work, this is for Netflix/taking a million photos. Oh, and chargers for all of these devices.
• I’m putting all the above in a Kathmandu duffel bag. Look, I know hospital doesn’t seem like a place where you can get all adventure-y… but I’m giving birth. Literally anything could happen. 

And what will be waiting at home? A nice bottle of pink gin from Wild Brumby Distillery (found through the @spendwiththem page!).

Not for the baby, obviously.  For Mama T. She’s gonna deserve a little celebratory drink, I think. 

T x