Woah Mama! If you’re reading this the time has come to get that hospital bag ready. 

Can we just stop for a moment and acknowledge your journey thus far and all that has lead you to this moment. No path leading to parenthood takes the same route and yet here we (you!) are. 

I’m so excited for you!

I have decided to write up this honest to goodness checklist (spoiler alert: it’s a pretty fucking short list) because I felt incredibly overwhelmed with the whole process of packing my hospital bag, especially having been given the directive from my hospital not to bring too much. THERE’S NO ROOM! But, you also don’t want to find yourself up shit creek in the middle of the night without a paddle in sight - I get it.

So, Mama, if you’ve got a case of the overwhelm’s or confusey’s than this post is for you. 

You should also know that this checklist shamelessly plugs the Bouncing Back From Birth range AND that the primary focus is on you, your perineal (or cesarean incision) health and comfort. One of the obvious factors I overlooked when packing my hospital bag was the simple fact that generally, your stay in a maternity ward will be short, in some cases 24hrs. Definitely ask your hospital about the length of stay. My stay was 48hrs with my first birth and less than 12 with my second. 
So, let’s rock and roll.

• Underwear - loose, breathable and wide gusset to accommodate maternity pads x 4
• Nursing Bra’s - I recommend an everyday/overnight bra x 2
• Clothing - a nightie is an excellent choice. Easy, breezy and comfortable. A super fun surprise as a first time Mum was the realisation that postpartum blood loss in the first 48hrs can be quite heavy and that changing maternity pads frequently is crucial to perineal comfort, recovery and health. A nightie makes frequent pad changes easy and accessible. C-Section Mama’s a nightie is an absolute essential for you. Eliminating the hassle of tight leggings or pants was a game-changer the second time around. If a nightie isn’t your jam choose loose-fitting lounge pants or trackies and a breastfeeding-friendly top. I HIGHLY recommend https://thecomfortmama.com.au So: 1 x Nightie or 1 x Pant's 2 x Breastfeeding Tops

• Maternity Pads 2 x 12 pack. Regardless of flow, you should change your maternity pad frequently. I’m a lover of TOM organic. 
• Toothbrush and Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Any skincare you can’t live without

Handy optional - A wash bag for any clothes that got messy in the birthing process, it happens ya’ll!
Level up your healing by wearing your birthday suit. I fully acknowledge this can be tricky in a shared maternity ward BUT if you can/have the opportunity to go buff - do it. Getting free and easy is a great way to increase your perineal and incision comfort and healing plus it’s also free and, erm, easy. 

Now, Recovery. 

So, babes, listen up. The first 48hrs is your window of opportunity to nourish and love up your body, reaping the benefits for the weeks to come. Don’t leave these at home. 

Vaginal Birth

• Spritz My Vajitz. Your super cooling and calming perineum spray, rich in native Australian goodness such as Nerolina and Rosalina and organic patchouli essential oil. All chosen for their power to smack down bacteria and inflammation. We’ve thrown in aloe vera and cucumber to instantly soothe and cool. Swollen and tender vulva’s love it. 
• Perineal Irrigation Bottle. Did you know: Your first wee stings like a mofo! You know now babe. You’re welcome. A perineal Irrigation bottle takes the sting out of toilet visits and is a champion when it comes to keeping perineum stitches clean (keeping stitches clean reduces discomfort as well as the risk of infection) 

Elective Belly Birth

• Easy Does It Body Cleanser. This super gentle body cleanser was made for you. The Easy Does It cleanser is purposefully simple featuring Kakadu Plum, Helichrysum and Cucumber concocted to nourish and hydrate your skin while being oh so kind to your incision. Avoiding chemicals and fragrances is important to keeping irritation at bay. 

Handy Optional. Now, your hospital will provide you with disposable ice packs for any perineal or cesarean incision discomfort. They are NOT the comfiest option available and I highly recommend BodyICE Perineum Strips. They are reusable and incredibly comfortable. You will need a fridge or freezer to store them in, so consider the facilities available to you. BUT WHATEVER YOU DO - don’t leave perineal/incision cold compress out of your postpartum recovery. Research is sadly limited when it comes to non-medicated postpartum comfort but we do have evidence that applying a cold compress to the perineum/incision for 20 mins will significantly reduce pain for up to 2hrs as well as decrease discomfort 72 hours postpartum and beyond. If you choose to leave the BodyICE Perineal Strips out of your hospital bag for practical reasons they are an absolute essential to have waiting for you at home. 
Level up your comfort by packing the I’m Not Tense Massage Oil. NO ONE SEES THE BABY UNLESS THEY MASSAGE YOUR FEET, SHOULDERS, NECK, LEGS. I rest my case. 

Breastfeeding

• Boobs - definitely pack those. 

NON HOSPITAL BAG ITEM BUT ABSOLUTE BREASTFEEDING ESSENTIAL.

• Ante-natal Breastfeeding Education 

Here’s the deal. The mother-baby breastfeeding relationship is a bit of a dance, you’re both learning the steps getting to know and, importantly, trust one another. While there are many comforts and products to help you on your journey - in these early days, let's keep things simple. Your milk is unlikely to come rushing in the first 24hrs with bub enjoying your rich colostrum early on - it's usually day 2-4 and can be delayed for cesarean Mama's. 

Let’s run with this analogy!

Imagine you have to perform a dance in front of a crowd. 
Let’s call it The Macarena
Imagine you’ve never seen someone dance The Macarena
Never heard the beat
Imagine all you know about The Macarena is that it’s hard to do, and your cousin Becky once slipped and shattered her spine never to walk again. 
Let’s say an instructor you’ve never met comes to help, you’ve only got 10 minutes so you better be quick
So you give it a go, and then people in the crowd start shouting dance techniques at you! 
Loosen your shoulders!
Reach Higher
Chasses with the whole foot! 
SHUT UP THAT’S THE TANGO NANNA!

What I’m getting at is it’s going to be easier if you, listen to the song BEFORE you dance. And easier if you choose someone you like and trust to teach you BEFORE you perform. And easier if you feel so confident under your instructor’s tuition that you can ignore unhelpful tips from Nan.  
The greatest investment you can make in your breastfeeding journey is an ante-natal breastfeeding education class. Look no further than Maternal Instincts by Amberley. So invest in a class and pack your notes or affirmations. Oh and our Boob Soothe which instantly cools and soothes raw and tired nipples is pretty rad too. 

HEEEEEY MACARENA! 

Go forth and birth Mama, YOU’VE GOT THIS!