It’s super important to find out what (if anything) your hospital provides for the birth. I won’t lie, I’m not too sure what other hospitals provide and since I had Arabella at Joburg Gen – so this is just a guideline (one can never be too prepared though!)
Since I had no clue I was in labour, I couldn’t have been less prepared. Luckily, we had Arabella’s baby bag packed and ready to rumble – mine, not so much. My survival in hospital was mainly down to the fact that Daddydaims went back and forth bringing us whatever he could in plastic Pick n Pay bags.
So, Joburg Gen provides almost diddly-squat. They provide the maternity pads, a hospital gown and a well-used muslin for the baby cot. If you are having your little one at Joburg Gen I suggest you pack all of the following.
FOR BABY
- 1 pack of newborn nappies
- Baby wipes
- Baby bum creme
- Disposable nappy bags (these were a lifesaver!)
- x3 blankets (one for the cot, one for the baby and one back-up for the inevitable oopsie)
- x3 baby onesies
- x3 pairs of pants
- x3 pairs of socks
- A beanie
- A manual breast pump (just in case!)
- A tin of newborn formula (double just in case!)
FOR MOMMA
- A blanket
- A pillow
- Some slippers/slops
- Socks
- A shawl or night gown
- Underwear x100000000
- Heavy duty sanitary pads
- A towel
- Toiletries – soap, shampoo, conditioner, deodarant, lip ice/Vaseline
- Breast pads
- Nipple Cream
- Clothes to go home in (seriously wish I had thought ahead with this one – going home in my ‘birth-shirt’ was not lekker)
- Your phone, charger and two pin plug
Tash’s Tip: In hindsight I would 100% recommend having two hospital bags. One for mom, one for munchkin.