12 Hospital Bag Essentials

As birth workers, we see a lot of hospital bags and a lot of birth situations. Some things we see over and over again so we start to suggest to clients that they add them to their birth bags. Keep the essentials in your bags like clothes for you, phone charger, toiletries, and some items that bring you comfort like a pillow and blanket from home. Now that you have your essentials covered, here are the 12 things our doula team thinks you need to add to your hospital go-bags:

Overflow drain protector for the standard bathtub because the sound of draining water while you're trying to relax in the tub isn't relaxing. It's a common annoyance we hear from laboring people in the tub. If you are hoping to snag the water birth suite, bring a drain protector just in case you don't get the room you desire.

Oil diffuser and your favorite oily blends. My favorite blend right now is jasmine and orange. It's good for anxiety. Most people enjoy lavender during labor but you can get creative. When using aromatherapy in labor remember not to put anything on your skin because if you decide you don't like the scent it will be really hard to get it off your skin. Most birthing places carry aromatherapy, but it can take them awhile to get it to you and you may not like what they are offering.

Other oils you may want to pack include:

• Frankincense is a great scent to help calm anxieties

• Citrus (orange, lemon, lemongrass, grapefruit) is great for a boost of energy

• Peppermint can provide energy and relief from nausea (this one can also be used post birth, drop a few drops in the toilet to help you pee)

• Clary Sage can help strengthen contractions if diluted and put onto the skin or can be used to help clear emotional blockages along the way, it could be a great one to get out of the fear tension pain cycle