Breast milk is best for your baby

Breastfeeding is the best nutrition for healthy growth and development of babies. Exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is the optimal way of feeding infants. Thereafter infants should receive complementary foods with continued breastfeeding up to two years or beyond. Good maternal nutrition helps sustain an adequate supply and quality of breast milk. Unnecessary introduction of bottle feeding, partially or fully, or of other complementary foods and drinks may have a negative impact on breastfeeding, which may be irreversible. Consult your doctor and consider the social and financial implications before deciding to use breast milk substitutes or if you have difficulty breastfeeding. Follow usage, preparation and storage instructions of breast milk substitutes or of other complementary foods and drinks carefully as improper or unnecessary use may pose a health hazard.

Hospital bag checklist for pregnant moms

My Pregnancy My Way

Packing For Hospital: What's In Your Bag?

For many first-time parents-to-be, waiting for labour may be one of the most excruciatingly stressful moments in their lives. Sit back, relax, and be prepared for the next few days ahead by packing the essentials needed for you, your partner, and your baby.

For Labour

Save ample of time and hassle by bringing the most important things - your official documents such as hospital forms, insurance card(s), and personal identification cards are crucial to ensure a smooth check-in to your ward. You’ll save a lot of precious time not going back and forth from home and the hospital.

Being comfortable is extremely important for a smooth delivery. Pack up a dressing gown, bathrobe, toiletries, slip-on slippers, socks, an old night dress or t-shirt, and comfortable pillows.

Besides the necessities, bring entertainment materials that will help time pass easily. Entertain yourself with some light reading from books and magazines, watch movies on a laptop and listen to music on a phone or music player. You can also ask the father-to-be for massages using massage oils or lotions to soothe swollen feet and tight shoulders.

These essentials would be more than enough for ultimate relaxation!

For the Fathers-to-be

Since fathers-to-be will be supporting and accompanying the mothers-to-be overnight and in some cases, more than a night, it is important for them to feel comfortable too.

They would basically need toiletries, spare spectacles and/or contact lenses, phone, camera, video camera together with extra batteries, clothes, a pillow, clothes and whatever they need to keep themselves entertained. If needed, a blanket should do the trick for a good night’s sleep.

When the night gets long and cravings strike, some loose change would be perfect to use for vending machines. Consider bringing along some snacks and water too.

Other Preparations

Don’t forget comfortable clothes! Prepare proper attire such as comfortable home clothes and frontopening shirts for easier breastfeeding. Make sure your nursing bras are not underwired, so that you can breastfeed comfortably. Stretchy or disposable underwear would be ideal so that they don’t come in too much skin-to-skin contact with fresh wounds. And with wounds, don’t forget maternity pads as the bleeding from your womb will start right after giving birth.

With these fundamental tips, we hope that you and your partner will be more than ready for a great journey in parenthood!