Becoming a mom is one of the toughest things that you will ever have to do. It’s rough on your body physically and mentally. Yet, it’s also one of the most rewarding things that you can do. When you’re about to become a parent, you have a million things racing through your mind. You can’t prepare for everything that’s going to happen. There are a million little things about parenthood that you can’t know until you have the experience yourself. However, there are a lot of little things that you can do to get ready.
For example, as your due date approaches, you can pack an overnight hospital bag. Fill it up with all of the things that you’re going to need to make your stay more comfortable.
Here are a few ideas you can work with.
Notebook
You may want to write down your thoughts while you’re at the hospital. Everything is digital now, but some people still feel connected to pen and paper. If everything goes smoothly, your written words can be used to recall a wonderful moment in your life. If there’s a problem, suddenly you have an extra record of what happened.
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Makeup
Okay. We get it. The day you give birth, the last thing that should be on your mind is your looks. However, people are probably going to be taking pictures of you. There’s nothing wrong with deciding to go makeup-free. But there’s also nothing wrong with applying a fresh coat before the cameras start clicking. If you do want to put on a little bit of makeup, pack everything that you may want into your overnight bag. That way, you won’t have to think about it again.
Snacks
Hospital food is notoriously bland. It’s only a few steps above regular cafeteria food. Yet, after you give you birth, you might be ravenously hungry. Instead of forcing your partner to make a fast-food run, you can come prepared with snacks. It may be the first thing that you put in your mouth after you give birth. Try to bring your favorite snacks. You may not have eaten them for the past nine months.
Champagne
You may have spent the last nine months abstaining from alcohol. Now that you’re body is your own again, you may want to celebrate with a drink. A post-birth glass of champagne is popular for many women. If you decide to go this route, however, you have to be prepared in advance. Champagne, wine, etc., are all popular choices. You won’t be able to buy it at the hospital.
Chargers
If you’re going to have multiple cell phones, as well as tablets or perhaps laptops, you need to bring the right chargers. It would be very annoying if your phone died right when you wanted to take pictures. If you forget to do this, you may be able to get a charger at the hospital. But it would be one more thing to worry about.
Clothes
Hospital gowns are comfortable yet you may be glad to throw it off as soon as possible. You have to have a spare change of clothes ready for that moment. Try to go for comfort rather than sex appeal. You will likely feel very under the weather. It takes a long time to fully recover from giving birth.
Books and Magazines
Giving birth can take a long time. There’s not a lot for you to do for most of it. To keep yourself from going crazy with boredom, pack books and magazines into your overnight bag. They will help keep your mind entertained while you’re waiting. It’s not unusual for women to be in labor for more than 10 hours. Anything that you can do to make the process easier on yourself should be investigated.
Your overnight bag is a source of joy. It’s a sign of what’s to come, the next adventure in your life. You can keep packing it and repacking it until it’s perfect. Ideally, it would be ready at least a week or two before your due date. You don’t want to go into labor early and be unprepared.