Preparing For Labour

New Zealand Preparing For Labour

Be prepared for the arrival of your new family-member! Packing your baby bag - with essentials for mother and baby - and making plans for getting to the hospital, will save you time and stress when your big moment arrives.

• Baby Products
• Women's Health

It is quite common for babies to be born anywhere between 37 and 42 weeks gestation, with only 3% of babies actually arriving on their ‘due date’ so being prepared, therefore, can be both helpful and calming.

Making plans before the birth
Before the birth, make sure you have made the following arrangements in preparation for labour:

• Know how to contact your support person (baby’s father, close friend, birth partner, etc)
• Keep your midwife’s phone number and the number of your labour ward handy and located in several rooms in the house, so you don’t have to run around to find the number. Remember to find a midwife who puts you at ease and is fully licensed to practise midwifery.
• If you have your maternity notes, have them ready to take with you to hospital
• Pack your labour bag
• Make sure you know how you will get to your nearest maternity hospital and how long it will take you
• Make sure you what parking and entrance facilities you will use – have any necessary parking fees with you
• Find childcare solutions to ensure your other children will be looked after - and make sure they know what is happening, who will be looking after them and when they will see you again
• Make sure you have a suitable car seat in which to transfer the baby between hospitals (if necessary) or to bring the baby home
• Make sure you know which hospital you are transferring to and how to get there, if necessary.

What to pack in your labour bag for hospital – the basics
Although it may feel as if you’re going to be in hospital for a long time when you start packing your bags, for most new mums it’s really not that for that long. Typically hospital stays (at the moment) last for about 48 hours for normal deliveries with no complications.

Generally speaking, you will need to bring the following basic items with you:

For you

• Nightdresses - an old nightdress or baggy t-shirt, preferably front opening, for labour plus 2 or 3 nightdresses and a dressing gown for the next few days. Labour wards tend to be kept warm, so unless you feel the cold, a light cotton dressing gown is a good idea.
• Slip on shoes (jandals)
• Drink bottle
• Two or three maternity (or nursing) bras
• Breast pads
• Super-absorbent sanitary pads (maternity pads)
• Several pairs of cotton or disposable underwear
• Toiletries – toothbrush and toothpaste, facecloth, brush/comb, shower cream, moisturising cream
• Plastic bag for any dirty laundry
• Clothes to come home in
• Two copies of your birthing plan (if you have one) – one for midwife and one for you

Browse online to find all the maternity clothing and baby supplies you'll need.

For baby

• Nappies
• Stretch suit and nightdress
• Vest
• Cardigan or coat and hat (to come home in)
• Blanket

Don’t forget, if you for any reason you arrive at hospital without your bag, you will manage. The hospital will have the basics (albeit possibly in limited supply) and your birthing partner can always bring you anything you’ve forgotten.

A few additional comforts to pack in your hospital baby bag
If you prepare well in advance, you may also want to pack a few additional items, such as:

• Unscented massage oils
• An extra pillow or pillows
• A CD player and CDs of your favourite music (with batteries just in case you need them)
• A thick pair of woolly socks (some women do find that their feet get cold during labour)
• A hot water bottle or wheat bag for pain relief
• Face cloths
• A big box of tissues
• Lip salve
• Spray bottle filled with cold water to spray on your face
• Drinks and snacks
• Watch or clock
• Books to read, plus magazines, pens and paper

For your birthing partner

Your support person will also need to be well equipped, so don’t forget to remind them to ‘pack for labour’ too! They might like to take into the hospital the following:

• A change of clothing
• Drinks and snacks (usually better than vending machines or hospital cafeterias)
• Coins for the public telephone or a phone card
• Coins for parking meters / vending machines
• Plenty of credit on a cell phone for use outside the hospital
• Telephone numbers for friends and family
• Camera with flash (check the camera is re-charged and has enough memory or film)
• Wipes for keeping hands and face fresh
• Basic toiletries

Looking for more information? Find tips on preparing for labour in the NZS.com directory.

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Family images from Flickr: Pregnant Belly, Kids Classroom and Hands.