Hospital bag luxuries to help you feel like a true goddess after giving birth
When packing and preparing your hospital bag, you might already have thought of packing your pyjamas, toothbrush, and spare undies. However, you might not have thought of little luxuries to make yourself feel extra comfortable, and even experience a little bit of luxury after you have your baby.
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The idea for this post came to me when I thought about my own experience of having my second baby. I’d had an emergency c-section and had laid in bed for almost a whole day before being allowed to get up. That first shower was the most powerfully comforting, cleansing and healing experience. It felt like such a luxury to have the warm water pour over my body. I also distinctly remember buying a fancy, scented body wash and shampoo set, and using this in my first shower felt amazing. The scent carried through the shower and made me feel like a goddess. As someone who usually uses supermarket products, these products felt so special to me during my post c-section hospital stay and early postpartum period.
When we are recovering from our birth, we deserve to not only have our basic needs met, we deserve comfort and joy. So here is my list of what comforting items I would put in my hospital bag for that bit of extra comfort.
Many of these items can be found in our online store in our Hospital Bag for Mum collection.
That feeling of having your first shower after birth is simply heavenly. Adding some beautifully scented products to it only adds to the experience. Even though a hospital shower right next to the toilet doesn’t feel particularly luxurious, you can make it into your own little spa with products that make you feel like the goddess you truly are after giving birth. When looking for toiletries and skin products for new mums for our hospital bag for mum collection, one of the most important things I looked for was something that smelt amazing and would give brand new mums a feeling of luxury while they recover from birth. I love these Kudos Spa packs, and these are filled with gorgeous scented products, as well as essential items including: shampoo, conditioner, lotion, body wash, as well as a toothbrush, toothpaste and shower cap. You can purchase them here.
2) Delicious snacks:
I am sure I’m not alone when I say that I was STARVING after giving birth. It was a hunger that I had never experienced before nor since. I had been many hours without eating, and had felt too nauseous to touch any of the snacks I had packed for labour. However, these snacks were amazing for after giving birth. I recommend packing a variety of snacks, including delicious, filling snacks that will help get you through the hours between meal times in hospital. Things like lactation biscuits, protein balls, muesli bars, and, of course, some chocolate! If you’re a baker, you can also bake some brownies, biscuits, or a healthy slice to add to your snack pack and keep yourself satisfied.
3) Quality coffee or tea:
Hospital coffee can be utterly terrible. Packing some delicious coffee for yourself can feel like a real luxury. Cappuccino sachets from the supermarket, coffee bags, or even a coffee plunger can be packed into your hospital bag and will help you feel great throughout your hospital stay, and of course, help keep you awake while you are utterly exhausted. If you are a tea drinker, pack yourself some delicious tea varieties and make yourself some wonderful hot cups of tea in the hospital.
4) A heat pack:
This is a wonderful little luxury for helping to comfort you in the days after giving birth, and is also wonderful for back pain which is very common after giving birth. We have heavenly aromatherapy heat packs available that you will love to heat up, smell the delightful scent, and also get some relief from back or tummy pain after birth.
Some beautifully scented skincare can really add a little extra luxury to your postpartum recovery. My personal favourite is our Belly Oil, handmade right here in Australia. You might even like to get yourself a clay face mask to give yourself a relaxing spa experience while in the hospital. Any skincare products with lovely scents that feel special to you are absolutely worth packing your hospital bag.
Don’t underestimate how lovely a nice pair of pjs feel after giving birth! Look for pyjamas that are comfortable, stretchy, and avoid putting pressure on the tummy or on a c-section scar. We have just received stock of these beautiful bamboo maternity pyjamas from Angel Maternity, and these are just like the pyjamas I bought for myself after my first baby was born. These are super comfy and made from breathable bamboo and cotton materials.
7) A good book:
If you love reading, go and choose yourself a brand new book to read in your early postpartum period. Find something other than a parenting or baby book, make it something that is just for you to enjoy. If you love trashy romance, fantasy, or chick lit, throw at least one brand new book in your hospital bag for you to enjoy in the early postpartum days. Plus you will definitely want something to read while you are feeding baby, in the early days.
The early days of breastfeeding can be tough. Getting yourself some hot and cold soothing gel packs to place in your bra in the early days of breastfeeding can relieve discomfort and promote healing for sore or damaged nipples. Needless to say this is the type of comfort new breastfeeding mums need from the beginning.
9) Comforting postpartum products:
Anything that helps you feel more comfortable during your early postpartum recovery is well worth packing in your hospital bag. Products such as perineal heat and ice packs, peri spray, or a nursing balm will help you feel extra comfortable during the postpartum recovery period. Check out our collection here.
I know that traditionally hospital bag packing lists (including the one I wrote myself! Which you can find here), can tend to only cover the basics and essentials, and don’t tend to include extra comforting and luxury items that new mums also need in during their hospital stay.
When you are packing your hospital bag for mum and baby, don’t forget to think about what will help you feel special, comfortable and like a true goddess after you give birth.
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