I'm going to be sprogging in less than a month and have packed and repacked my hospital bag at least 5-10 times a day! In fact, it's more of a suitcase than a bag And I still don't have a clue!
Do I need to take a couple of paperbacks, (will I be too tired to read?) hairdryer (too tired to care??), own pillows, own towel, slippers, flip-flops, supply of snacks & fruit juice, mp3 player, laptop, how many changes of clothes for the baby...? How many changes of clothes for me??
In the UK (where all of my friends' babies have been born, you need to supply nappies for the baby as well as sanitary wear for yourself). It hasn't specified on the blue card thing from the hospital, but better to err on the side of caution no?
Can you tell I'm a first-time mum??
Would really, really appreciate some advice on what essentials you took that made your birthing experience more comfortable.
Well, part of it depends on where you'll give birth.
In the CHUV, in Lausanne, they provide you with all the baby pyjamas and nappies for as long as you stay, so you only need to bring one set of baby clothes, for the day you leave.
For you, take old panties that you don't mind seeing stained (you gonna bleed. Somehow they never tell you that in the pregnancy books, but you gonna bleed, possibly heavily, for a few days and up to 6 weeks. Totally normal). You gonna sweat a lot too, also perfectly normal, so take enough night shirts. If you intend to breastfeed, take suitable tops, you'll be doing it constantly.
I preferred sleeping in a night shirt, but wearing a kind of 'day outfit' during the day, some sort of indoor pyjama (top and pyjama bottom).
I'd definitely take books. I read a lot after both my kids' births. An iPad is nice too, or a laptop. Don't forget the chargers.
And clothes for you to go back home, of course. Unfortunately, I guess you'll still need pregnancy clothes... saggy empty tummy in sight!
I brought general toiletries (toothbrush, hair stuff, etc), pjs (if you will be breast feeding it is useful if you have one you can unbutton), slippers/house shoes are probably nice, I had a book with me for my 3rd child. If I would have had wifi, I would have definitely taken a laptop or iPad... An iPod might be nice, and of course a fresh pair of clothes to wear home (those maternity pants still come in handy...)
I didn't bring any snacks...
Some people might bring their own pillows, I didn't. I didn't have a baby here, so I can't comment on what you get at the hospital, but in the US you got all the diapers for the baby and pads for the mom there.
I would also get as much help and support from the nurses while there - I took the baby back to the nursery so I could get as much sleep as possible (although maybe not with my first baby )
In Zurich, be it the Unispital, the Hirslanden or the Bethanien, pretty much all essentials are provided (pads, pillows, towels etc.). What you do need to consider taking are some comfy slip ons, clothes that are easy to put on (preferably with buttons on the front- easy for breast feeding and especially if one ends up with a C-section like I did!), iPad (for sure!!). Mostly, for babies, as long as they are in the hospital, clothes and nappies are provided for. You just mainly need some clothes (complete with booties, mittens and cap in case it is chilly on that day....you never know!) and blankies to wrap up the baby on your way home. Snacks- yes. Paperbacks....up to really. I just was too busy taking pictures or sharing the news with everyone on the iPad. Camera- YES!!
Not sure what is the practice in zurich but I am guessing it should be similar to CHUV (where i gave birth to my kids)
I did not have to carry a single thing for my children for there 4days stay in the hospital including the clothes nappies etc. It was provided. You need to take the clothes for the last day when you leave the hospital.
For yourself, you should be provided the clothes (not the most beautiful thing to wear but quite practical for the hospital stay) and sanitary as well for your stay there. You might think of carrying a few nursing bra.
You may try to look in the website of the hospital / clinic you are planning to give birth. They often have useful information / recommendation regarding what to take with you.
Here was the official guidance of what to bring / what was provided from Universitatsspital Basel:
Upon admission, please bring the following items for the delivery and after the birth:
Toiletries, nightgown or pyjamas (appropriate for breastfeeding), breastfeeding bras (1-2 sizes larger than your usual size), slippers, bathrobe, t-shirt Necessary documents for the civil registry (Zivilstandamt) of Basel (see enclosure) Completed name card for your child (see enclosure) Medications that you need to take regularly Your blood group card, vaccination card, pregnancy records (Mutterpass) and any important medical documents Please take note:
Health insurance for the newborn
It is recommendable in all cases to register your child with a health insurance company of your choice prior to birth.
If the child has a lower level of coverage compared to the mother, any additional costs not covered by the insurance company will be charged to the mother.
Clothing for the newborn
The hospital will provide clothing for the newborn baby during your hospital stay. You will need to bring clothing (appropriate for the season) for the newborn for discharge from the hospital.
To add a few personal notes to this, I would suggest that you bring along any personal items you would like particularly for the delivery, such as:
iPod
High-energy snack foods (raisins, nuts, etc)
Energy drinks or energy 'gel' packs
Teabags, if you have a particular preference
Once the baby is out, you'll be transferred to the maternity ward. Anything you've forgotten, your hubby/partner can bring you. Things that you might be grateful for include:
Eyeshades, for getting some sleep during daylight hours
Earplugs, as maternity wards are generally not quiet places
iPad/laptop/etc - most hospitals have wifi these days
I'd leave the hairdryer, own pillows, and own towel at home if I were you. You'll be spending most of your time in bed and trying to get sleep.
I don't remember what I brought (too much surely) but this is what I used:
During birth:
- mp3 player with hypnosis
- sanitary pads
- traubenzucker ("sugar of grapes", easily digestible high energy sweets, available at migros)
- water bottle
After birth:
- the unispital's net underwear (provided)
- the spital's sanitary pads (provided)
- the spital's "surgery clothes" (open in the back)
- I bought a nursing bra there (provided by the nurses and never saw the bill)
- nursing pads were provided
- IPad
- earplugs
- bathrobe to cover myself up when going downstairs or walking in other areas
- my own slippers
- camera!!
- my toothbrush and toothpaste and hairbrush and hair thingies to hold my hair
- nutella in packs of 30g for breakfast yup i'm picky!
My partner brought me changing clothes for leaving the hospital and also clothes for the baby (all baby clothes were provided and pampers too and you get a baby brush you can keep). HE also took care of the paperwork, I'm not sure what was involved there.
The paperwork can actually be a bit of a hassle (they need originals of all the documents, most dated within 3 months of the birth). The easiest thing is to take all the paperwork in about a month or two ahead of the birth. They'll get everything on-file, and you've got nothing to remember when you're busy with the baby!
Most mixed-race foreign couples try to choose a name that is pronounceable in both their languages as well as in the language of their host country. That way the child never feels awkward, or "foreign".
I *strongly* suggest you bring ear plugs. I was put in a room with a girl who snored so loudly (she also had a C-section and so she had to sleep on her back). Between her snoring and me having to feed the baby every couple hours, I got almost no sleep while I was there.
If there is any chance you might be having a C-section, I suggest you bring some big ol' "grannie panties" that come up to your belly button, so they don't rub against your incision. The "paper panties" they give you at the hospital aren't very comfortable because they crumple up easily. Also, you might want to bring a couple night gowns. I find them much more comfortable to lay in than pajama pants.
I hope the birth goes really well! I'm sure it will.
Just try to get as much sleep as possible now, while you still can!
With the birth of my second I totally forgot my hospital bag - maybe leaving it in the car is a good idea. Having a change of clothes with you at all times probably isn't a bad idea in case your waters break in Migros like a friend's did.
May be it differs from hospital to hospital. In CHUV, I had to pay 150chf per night to upgrade to the private room and my husband could stay with me at night. They even gave him an extra bed. I think the money paid was quite worth the value.
OK, so it really depends on the hospital. At the CHUV you are two per room maximum in the maternity ward. And it is much cheaper to upgrade to a single room.