Preparations before you go into labour
You may feel like your baby’s
birth is turning into a full-scale military operation, with the bags packed,
and notes and plans printed up. But here are a few more ideas to help
everything run smoothly both before and after the birth…
Practice your drive to the hospital
You’ve probably driven there
often, but time how long it takes at busier times of day and during the school
run just in case it adds valuable minutes to your journey.
Cook ahead
When you get home from hospital
all you’ll have time for is caring for your newborn baby. The last thing to
cross your mind will be cooking so it might be useful to spend a few days
batch-cooking lasagne or simple pasta sauces you can freeze to use in the
couple of weeks after your baby is born.
Get your new baby kit ready
Stock up on newborn-sized
diapers – babies can get through up to 10 diapers a day and running out at
midnight is not an option! You’ll need to put some in your labor bag too – for
advice on what else to pack.
Other children
You can go into labor at
anytime, including at 3am, so think about who can you can ask to look after any
other children you have if you and your partner need to make a mad dash to
hospital. And don’t forget to make arrangements about who’ll pick them up from
school if you go into labor during the day.
The information in this feature is intended for
educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the
health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a
doctor or other healthcare professional.