Weeks 32-34: Packing my Hospital Bag

Time flies and the due date is slowly but surely approaching! A bit more than a month to go! Time to think about my hospital bag. I don’t want to make the last mistakes than last time though 😉 So, in this post, I will share my list of things to take to the hospital as well as a list of items that I will definitely leave at home this time. Enjoy!

The symptoms I am supposed to have in weeks 32 to 34 (and how I am really feeling)

• Belly button pops out: Umm, yes. My belly does indeed look like a balloon. I don’t mind it that much though, I have to say. I know that some pregnant ladies are hiding this under large tops and dresses. But I don’t bother really. Especially as my belly button will pop back to its normal shape after pregnancy. At least, that’s what it did the last time.
• Itchy skin: Apparently, many pregnant women’s skin on their bump is becoming increasingly itchy towards the end of their pregnancy as the skin in this area stretches and thins. I would say that the area around my previous C-section is itchy from time to time, yes. Nothing major though. If your abdomen, the palm of your hands or soles of your feet are severely itching, you should see a doctor as it can indicate a problem.
• Braxton Hicks: Yup, I remember these from my last pregnancy. I could feel how my uterus suddenly became hard as the muscles tightened. Braxton Hicks are contractions, but no “real” ones if that makes any sense. Personally, I don’t feel that they are uncomfortable but this seems to be different for every woman. As opposed to real contractions, they are usually irregular, do not last for long (less than a minute, I’ve read) and do not increase in intensity. So far, I’ve had a few of them.
• Back pain: Still here and unfortunately getting worse and worse… I tried to make an appointment with an osteopath but they seem to be busy when I have time and vice versa haha. Really need to go!

Little Miss M
Last time, I told you that Miss M was in the perfect position (head down) for birth. Well, apparently, she has decided to turn around again… I am happy for her that she has enough space to move freely around in my super huge belly but, honestly, our little Miss is playing a bit with mummy’s nerves here… So, I am doing the “Forward-leaning Inversion” daily, as advised by my Hypnobirthing teacher (for more information, click here). At 34 weeks, I really would like her to turn around again. Well, let’s wait and see and try to convince her 😉

Otherwise, Miss M seems to do very well. She is now about the size of a pineapple or even a cantaloupe melon! The problem is that she never really shows herself when we go see Dr. A for the monthly scan… She is always hiding her face! Such a pity as our doctor told us that now would be the perfect time to get a nice picture of our little princess in the bump. So, instead, I post this (very nice) picture of a pineapple haha

Source: My Little Baby App

This week’s topic

The famous hospital bag
With only few weeks to go until Miss M’s due date, I guess the time has come to start packing my hospital bag for labor…

It’s the second time I will pack this famous hospital bag and the least I can say is that I will make some adjustments this time haha 😉 I took loads (honestly, loads!!) of things with me for the birth of Luca. Well, I didn’t use half of them. And every day, I gave my husband a new list of things he needed to buy or bring from home to the hospital because I realized I had completely forgotten to bring them (especially as I had a C-section the first time and stayed in hospital for 5 days).

So, let me share with you a list of things I will make sure to take to the hospital this time – as well as a list of things I will not waste any space on anymore 😉

This goes in the bag for sure:

For labor:

• Definitely my Hypnobirthing mp3s. I have seen my Hypnobirthing teacher 4 times so far and, honestly, I have never learned so much about my body. Not only about birth. In general. I will probably still use these relaxation mp3s after Miss M’s birth. I can only recommend Hypnobirthing and will maybe try to write a separate post about it soon.
• My birthplan and medical notes (hubby will need to take care of them)
• An old (ideally dark-colored) pregnancy T-shirt (or just a big and comfortable one) that can get ruined
• Socks: Apparently, your feet can get really cold when in labor
• A pillow: One that I like but not a super nice and expensive one neither
• Other things that might help me feel comfortable: a yoga mat, a birthing ball (if there’s not already one available at the hospital), a TENS machine (I will ask my doula to take one with her)
• Snacks and drinks: my Hypnobirthing teacher recommended coconut water and to bring a straw; otherwise, nuts, dried fruits etc.
• My glasses: I never really wear them and actually hate to wear but for the birth of little L, the doctor asked me to remove my contact lenses as it was a C-section)
• My mobile (note to myself: remember to make some space on it in the next days or weeks for the 100 pictures we will probably take of Miss M!!)
• Ideally my husband if he is not travelling

For the day(s) after the delivery:

• Nursing bras as I plan to breastfeed
• Nursing pads (they are actually useful even if you’re not planning to nurse, trust me. It’s not super sexy to have two wet circles on your shirts, especially when you have visitors).
• Nipple cream (I used it quite a lot last time)
• A nursing cushion: very useful when nursing a newborn I find, especially if you’ve had a C-section. Honestly, the nursing cushion made things so much easier for me the last time. So, will definitely not miss it this time.
• Pyjamas or a night shirt: both should be very light as I remember I was sweating like crazy after Luca’s birth; if you’re planning to breastfeed, it might be a good idea to take some that can be unbuttoned in the front.
• A dressing gown (in order to look half-decent within a second when someone is coming in the room)
• Slippers
• Dry shampoo: Oh, how happy would I have been to have dry shampoo with me last time! My doctor told me not to shower immediately after the C-section… Not great if you have not had the time to wash your hair before the C-section neither because you had an induction for 24h that didn’t work out… (especially, if people want to take pictures of you and the baby)
• The usual toiletries, especially make-up, concealer and mascara that make you look (a little bit more) human after a sleepless night
• Scent-free shower gel: After little L’s birth, a midwife explained me that babies want to smell their mum’s natural odor and not any rose-scented shower gel or so. This is especially good to know if you plan to breastfeed. Still need to find one here in Dubai though…
• A hair dryer (I usually don’t like the ones in hospitals and hotels)
• A little blank booklet to take notes: I took many notes after little L’s birth. And, yes, the weirdest ones. Like, for how long Luca drank on each side of my boobs, the color of his poo, how often his nappy was dirty or wet etc. I also wrote down any questions I wanted to ask the doc or nurse (and I had many, many of them after Luca’s birth) as well as any good advice we got from the midwives
• A list of people I want to contact when Miss M is here (it might also be a good idea to think about the text…Hmmm)
• Biscuits and chocolate: I was constantly hungry after little L’s birth…

For my hubby:

• A change of clothes (you never know how long it will take…)
• A toothbrush (for the same reason)
• Swimwear in case I might want to use the birthing pool and he might come with me
• Snacks (loads?… Last time, my husband kept eating my desserts and drinking my smoothies when I was at the hospital after the C-section haha)
• Energy drinks
• An iPad, smartphone (+ headphones as I don’t necessarily want to listen to Italian football games or similar things) or any other kind of entertainment
• Some cash
• Chargers for our mobiles, iPads, cameras etc.

For Miss M:

• Some bodysuits and sleepsuits: It’s a good idea to take different sizes as you never really know how big your baby will actually be… And to take quite a few of them cause they get dirty very quickly. The other lesson I have learned is to take only super practical ones that you can open in the front. Honestly, you don’t care about super cute at 2, 4 or 6am when you need to change your little one’s diaper…
• A hat: we never really used one for Luca but I am honestly afraid of the AC here in Dubai
• Socks
• The hospital usually provides nappies, wipes etc. but I am a bit picky, so I will bring some.
• Cotton and saline solution: In Switzerland, we were advised to use this to clean little L’s eyes and nose. Actually, we still use it…
• A swaddling blanket or (light) sleeping bag
• Muslin squares
• A foldable changing mat: I didn’t bring one for Luca’s birth but wished I had thought of it
• A baby car seat and a blanket for the way home

For little L:

• A gift for him that Miss M will offer him when they will meet for the first time

No way, won’t take that with me this time:

• Anything else than maternity (or at least super comfortable and loose-fitting) clothes. When I had Luca I honestly packed a pair of pre-pregnancy jeans in my hospital bag. Haha. Well, I don’t think I wore it until months after little L’s birth…
• Any thongs or G-strings. They rarely go with the super huge pad you’re wearing in the days after the delivery. I’ll go for maternity knickers this time – as much as I hate them…
• Books. Novels. Took them with me the first time as I thought I would get bored (??!!! I honestly thought that??!) at the hospital while the baby was sleeping haha. Magazines or surfing on your mobile / iPad seems much more realistic.
• All these super cute, super expensive baby clothes that you need to pull over baby’s head or (un)button at the back… Think liquid yellowish poo all over your baby’s back at 3am… If I have learned one thing from the first weeks with little L than it is to appreciate baby bodies and sleepsuits that you can open in the front.
• “Le Petit Larousse des Enfants de 0 à 3 ans” or any other baby encyclopedia that explains the life of a baby / toddler during the first three years and weights about 2-3kg. Honestly, what was I thinking?!
• A baby book where you can write down the baby’s weight, size etc. and add a first picture. I know it’s a very nice idea. But I just had no motivation whatsoever to fill it in… and it added to the weight of the baby encyclopedia and the novels I took with me…
• Our camera… Yes, we filmed little L after his birth but no, we never used our big camera for that. Only our iPhone. Yup, that’s the truth…

If you have any other ideas about what to take or not to take to the hospital, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment! I would love to hear about your thoughts 😉

Must haves for Miss M:
It happened last weekend at the ARTE market at Times Square Centre: I fell in love with a little owl. Well, to be honest, I fell in love with a whole bunch of absolutely beautiful crocheted little animals, all handmade in Dubai:

You can’t but adore the little toys made by Komeropuoti! They are simply super cute. One of the little owls has been adopted by us and is now sitting in Miss M’s bed, patiently waiting for her arrival 😉

If you want to have a look at the whole collection, simply check out or, even better, visit the Komeropuoti Little Craft Shop twice a month during the ARTE market at Times Square Center.