Preparing for the Big Day to Bring Your Baby Home

Prep Your Car

• Have an infant car seat with you in the hospital, with the base already properly installed in your vehicle!

Pack Your Go Bag

• Pack a bag with comfy clothes, undies, toiletries, phone chargers, snacks, and things that make you feel safe (ex: favorite pillow, music and bluetooth speaker, slippers, favorite robe, elastics to keep your hair back, a water bottle, as well as your birth preferences, some clothes for baby. 

• Other considerations for your bag:

  ✅Heating pad  

  ✅Bathing suit for laboring person and partner if you use shower or tub 

  ✅Yoga mat to stretch out and move

  ✅Weighted blanket for comfort

  ✅Eye mask to block out light while resting

  ✅Ear plugs to block out noises/beeping while resting 

• When heading to the hospital, plan to be gone for 2 days for a vaginal birth and up to 4 days for a cesarean birth. 

• If you have a support person, the hospital may not allow for them to leave and come back with extra food or items forgotten from home.

• Since hospitals typically provide these things, you don't need:

  ❌Diapers

  ❌Wipes

  ❌Pacifiers

  ❌Bottles

  ❌Diaper cream

  ❌Blankets

  ❌Hats

  ❌Breast pump

  Carseat: Have an infant carseat with you in the hospital, with the base already properly installed in your vehicle!

Set Up Feeding & Diapering Stations at Home

• Diapering Stations should be ready to go with diapers, swaddles, extra clothes, wipes, diaper cream, and hand sanitizer.

• Feeding Stations should include bottles, breast pumps, formula, a water bottle for thirsty parents, burp cloths.

Prepare Meals in Advance

• You'll be hungry ... and you'll be tired! Preplan meals. Whether it's take out, meal prep, freezing meals, or asking friends to buy you gift cards to your fav restaurant, you'll thank yourself when you won't need to cook!

Setting Boundaries and Welcome visitors

• It can be tricky to navigate the many friends and family who would like to see your new baby. Say yes when people offer help you need, and reach out when necessary. But, say no thank you, or not today, when you're not up for company. It's okay to say no.

Disclaimer: Doulas are not medical personnel and do not diagnose, perform any medical exams or clinical tasks. Information presented above is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of a properly licensed health care professional.

For more help navigating the seismic shift into parenthood, reach out to the Boston Area Doulas team.
www.bostonareadoulas.com