Some babies arrive early, so it’s wise to get your bag packed in plenty of time, the Midwives at My Expert Midwife recommend having you bag packed by around 36 weeks. Add snacks and perishable items just before you leave the house, and make yourself a checklist for when you leave the house, so you don’t have to worry about things such as:

• locking the back door,
• blowing out candles,
• grabbing your frozen harvested colostrum from the freezer,
• having someone available to look after other children,
• feeding your pets, or
• having a fully stocked fridge – this will really be a weight off your mind!

In the week before your due date, sleep with your baby’s blanket or a muslin cloth. This will transfer your scent onto it and can help to soothe your baby as they will find your smell comforting, literally their comfort blanket.

When packing your hospital bag, think about the order your items go in. From bottom upwards pack:

• going home bits for you and baby,
• then add anything you’ll need immediately after the birth; nipple balm, large maternity pads, oversized comfy cotton knickers, clean loose breathable clothing ideally button front so you can breastfeed and/or do skin to skin regularly
• Pack a transparent bag or use labelled freezer bags (this helps your partner when looking for things) to pack in things you’ll want during labour and birth such as toiletries, clean pants, a nappy, hat, vest, bum balm, and long-sleeved body suits for your newborn, snacks, an extra-long phone charger, fluffy socks, a fan etc
•  And don’t forget the car seat! Leave it in the car until you go home with baby as there isn’t often much room in the labour ward rooms to keep a car seat, but you won’t be allowed to leave the hospital without it. Make sure you also know how to fit it and how to put baby in and out safely.
• If you take any prescribed medication, make sure that you take it along with you and hand it across to your Midwife so they can have it written up for you at the correct dose and frequency. Make sure you have some paracetamol and ibuprofen at home for your recovery as hospitals do not prescribe it as a take home medication.
• If you still have paper Maternity notes make sure you take them in with you, have them at the top of your bag or in your hand so you can give them to your Midwife as you arrive this will make the process of knowing your history a lot easier.
• Take in a few little home comforts. An electric diffuser and or candle, a handheld fan to keep you cool (pack extra batteries), a favourite pillow and/or blanket, and download some films or favourite boxset onto a tablet to pass the time and help you to relax (a good comedy or romcom is preferable to something scary or upsetting as they will help the love hormone, Oxytocin flow which is needed for labour).

Your body works harder in labour than it probably ever has, and certainly isn’t as efficient at digesting food so our Midwives recommend eating small amounts regularly of food that is easily digestible; bananas and crackers and, if you’re not diabetic, keep up your sugar levels too with sweets like Jelly Babies. Avoid greasy and spicy foods during labour, believe us when we say it might taste great going down but there’s a real possibility it might come back to haunt you later, and at best it can give you indigestion which isn’t great when you are mid-labour.

Maintaining good hydration is probably one of the top tips we can offer so make sure you pack a large drinks cup ideally with a straw; labour wards do have drinks cups, but they tend to hold a couple of mouthfuls so go big. Your partner will be able to top it up regularly with fresh cooled water as needed. If you have a thermos flask fill one with ice cubes or ice chips which you can either suck on or add to your water. Isotonic sports drinks are also recommended in labour so maybe pack a couple of those as well but try to avoid fizzy drinks which again might make you nauseous or vomit.

What to wear

“Comfort is key!” Bring Bridget Jones style big knickers a size bigger than you usually wear and which reach your belly button to guarantee comfort, even when wearing maternity pads. Try and stick to dark clothing, including your underwear and nightwear -this will keep any unwanted stains or leaks from showing up. Bring in a couple of non-wired cotton or bamboo maternity or sports bras as well to support your breasts. Wear loose t-shirts, shorts, joggers whatever you feel most comfortable in, and if you are planning a pool birth think sports bras or a maternity bikini top either with or without bottoms but avoid t-shirts which will soak up the water, weigh you down and make you cold when your body is above the water. Pop in a lightweight dressing gown as well, they come in handy as an extra layer or to maintain your modesty when walking about the wards.

Download our free Hospital Bag Checklist today to take some of the stress out of knowing what to pack and ore importantly what NOT to pack. Come and visit our My Expert Midwife Midwives on Stand P60 at The Baby Show Excel London March 7-9th 2025, and pop along to the Live Talks Stage to see Midwife Charlotte Hoskin talking about Birth Planning and Preparation on Friday 7th March and Midwife Lesley Bland talking about Caring For Your Newborn on Sunday 9th March.