Full disclosure . . . I LOVE a good list. I have notepads all around my home listing everything from books I want to read to goals I want to smash, groceries I need to buy, and questions to ask at our next pediatrician appointment. This “type A” mommy’s love language is lists on lists on lists. So when we found out we were expecting baby No. 3 and decided to pursue an entirely new birth experience at a private birth center, I immediately went on the hunt for a birth center bag checklist.
I was surprised when Pinterest turned up virtually nothing. There are countless hospital bag checklists, but the resources are minimal for birth center births. Our birth center is fully equipped with almost everything you’d expect to see in a labor and delivery room but in a more comfortable and natural environment. Like a hospital, a birth center provides all supplies and medical equipment needed for delivery. However, unlike a hospital birth, we will bring home our baby in four to six hours after the birth. Because of that, there are a few comforts from our previous two hospital births that I would like to replicate at home during postpartum.
Birth Center Bag Checklist
This is where our birth center checklist comes in. I’ve put together a resource guide that I hope will provide a good starting point for women gearing up for a birth center birth. Whether it’s your first or fourth baby, you can never be too prepared, so I have broken down our list into three sections:
- First, labor essentials. These items for you and your partner may enhance your birthing experience or make you more comfortable during labor.
- Second, baby’s essentials. This is a minimal list of what you’ll need to bring the baby home.
- Lastly, and probably most importantly, are postpartum essentials. These are the items you will need as you transition back to your home for the postpartum period.
Labor Essentials
- The bag
- Birthing gown
- Nursing bra or tank
- Hair ties and a headband
- Toiletry bag with makeup removing wipes
- Comfortable flip-flops and non-skid socks
- Swim gear for mom and partner
- Change of clothes for mommy and partner for going home
- Quick, healthy snacks and drinks
- A great birth playlist and a Bluetooth speaker
- Massage oil
- Phone and charger
- Camera
Baby Essentials
- Stocked diaper bag
- Baby’s coming home outfit
- Swaddle blanket
- Newborn scratch mittens
- Nursing pillow
- Infant car seat installed
Postpartum Essentials
- Organic sitz bath spray and soak
- Organic nipple balm
- Reusable/washable bed pad
- Perineal cleansing bottle
- Dermoplast spray
- Tucks medicated cooling pads
- Perineal cold packs
- Organic maternity pads
- Mesh disposable post-delivery panties
Your baby’s birth is bound to be a unique and memorable experience. I hope that this birth center bag checklist aids in your preparations for what is bound to be the best day of your life. For additional tips for any type of birth, from vaginal to Cesarean, be sure to check out all of our birth tips here! You will find countless posts on everything you need to know for your upcoming labor and delivery.
