At around 36 weeks, pack your bag so you're ready to go at a moment's notice. Even if you are planning a home birth, it's a good idea to have a bag packed in case you need to go to hospital for a premature birth, or if you have pregnancy or birth complications.
Your Own Toiletries.
Pack a small bathroom bag with your toothbrush and toothpaste, a brush and hair ties, deodorant, and travel-sized lotion, shampoo, and conditioner. Some moms also recommend face wipes for a quick pick-me-up and dry shampoo for between showers.
I'd say two outfits, nb and 0-3, maybe one extra in case of some kind of poop blowout. Maybe a few hats and swaddles if you want photos in something specific but the hospital will definitely have!
Perfect for keeping things simple, baby basics such as rompers, sleepsuits, vests and all-in-ones will keep your little one layered up in cosy cotton – ideal for your baby's hospital outfit. Whether you're laying them down for a nap or enjoying cuddles, these fuss-free outfits won't get in the way.
Leaving the Hospital
Babies are often overdressed for the first trip home. Dress your baby as you would dress yourself. So, if you'd be too warm in a knitted hat during the summer, your baby probably will be, too. In warm weather, dress your baby in a T-shirt and light cotton pants or a baby blanket over bare legs.
Most hospitals offer complimentary items like pads and non-slip socks for mom, as well as caps, shirts and swaddles, as mentioned above, for baby. These basics are all you'll need while focusing on caring for your post-birth body and newborn.
The hospital will likely provide essential items for your baby, such as swaddling blankets, pacifiers, wipes, and diapers. If you bring one item to the hospital, make sure it is this one.
However, some hospitals do give a onesie or a t-shirt for newborns to keep and go home in, but this is not the norm. If you are given baby clothes to take home, they're all one size. And as you know, babies don't all come in one size.
2 packets of super-absorbent sanitary or maternity pads. 5 or 6 pairs of knickers – you may want to bring some disposable ones. your washbag with a toothbrush, hairbrush, flannel, soap, lip balm, deodorant, hair ties and other toiletries.
Nappies – approximately 6-8 a day. Baby wipes (non-perfumed) and/or cotton wool balls. Clothes: 3 x vests, 3 x babygros, cotton scratch mitts and a hat (most babies will wear a hat for the first 24 hours until they can maintain their temperature).
Newborn checklist: the essentials
Considering babies go through 1-2 outfit changes a day, it is a good idea to have 4-6 zip front onesies and bodysuits on hand. It is a good idea to have a mix of merino and organic cotton bodysuits, as well as short-sleeved and long-sleeved.
Be prepared with a few nursing bras or other comfortable, well-fitting bras. Toiletries. Don't forget towels, tissues, hairbrush, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, hairdryer, hair clips, and hair ties. Pack a plastic bag to pop dirty clothes in.
We recommend packing two-three 1.0 TOG newborn swaddles in your hospital bag in size newborn or 0-3 months. Depending on the time of year your baby is born and home temperatures, you may want to get another 0-3 months Cocoon Swaddle Sack for home.
While you obviously want to pack all you can for your new precious little one, know that the hospital will have most of those basics baby items in stock. This includes diapers, ointment, baby hat, and socks.
Baby bottles and vials.
If you were feeding baby formula or expressed breast milk in the hospital, they'll have given you a few bottles or small syringe vials (newborns just need small amounts of colostrum at first, until your milk comes in). Take those home too!
They recommend using a pacifier to reduce Sudden Infant Death (SIDS) or Sudden Unexplained Infant Death (SUID) after breastfeeding is going well.
Newborn Swaddles or Gowns
Most hospitals prefer to dress babies simply, either in just a diaper and swaddled in a flannel blanket, or in a side-snap bodysuit or basic gown.
If it is warm outside, putting your baby in a diaper underneath the swaddle may just be enough. If however, the temperature is cold, it's a good idea to put baby in a short or long sleeved onesie or even footy pajamas to ensure that baby is kept warm.
Babies can't regulate their own body temperature, which is why you need to dress them properly under their swaddle. If you're wondering what your baby should wear under swaddle, remember that babies dressed in too many layers can overheat.
While six weeks has long been the traditional timeline for rest and recuperation after a birth, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends ongoing postpartum care from birth to 12 weeks. Six weeks is also the standard recovery time allotted for childbirth-related short-term disability leave.
There are no set rules about how long to wait before taking a newborn out into the world or when to let people near the baby. Some doctors recommend that parents wait until their baby is a few months old before going to crowded public places (like malls, movie theaters, and airplanes).
While you are awake, you can hold your baby in your bed or in the chair. While you are sleeping, your baby will need to be put in the crib next to your bed. Another alert adult caregiver, such as your partner, may hold the baby while you sleep.