The Secret Weapons of a Former Nursery Teacher and Mom-to-Be: 5 Items for the Labor Bag and 10 for the Hospital Bag

Hello, I'm Bob.
For the past nine years, I have worked as a nursery teacher, caring for many children and supporting numerous moms and dads.

Because of my job, I felt fairly confident in my knowledge of child-rearing and how to handle babies, but...
Now, as a first-time mom-to-be, I spend every day feeling nervous.
When it comes to my own experience, the anxiety is definitely real.

The other day, I was flipping through a standard magazine I bought to prepare for childbirth, and I was shocked.
Written in big letters on the page was: "Make sure to separate your labor bag and your hospital bag!"

"Wait, I have to split them into two bags!?"
"And the contents are completely different!?"

For someone expecting their first child, this was truly uncharted territory. "For labor" and "for the hospital stay." I really didn't know where to start or what to put in each. I froze for a while, wondering what to do about the bags themselves.

Of course, I managed to pack the "basic items specified by the hospital"—like pajamas, underwear, toiletries, maternity shorts, and jelly drinks I prepared for energy during labor—by referring to blogs from experienced moms until the bags were bursting at the seams (lol).

In this article, I will introduce the items that I, a complete novice, have carefully selected and sorted into15 items I've seriously selected and sorted as a nursery teacherthat I believe are absolutely essential. I actually put these 15 items in my bags.

Aside from the mountain of basic supplies, I am sharing my professional perspective on "creating a comfortable environment," which I cultivated over nine years of nursery teaching.

To all the moms-to-be out there currently staring at two bags, wondering, "Is this really enough?" or "I have no idea what to pack!"
I hope to provide some tips to help ease your anxiety about your hospital stay and turn it into excitement.

👜 Labor Bag (5 items) — Ready for action in the delivery room —

First, I will introduce the 5 items I carefully selected for the "labor bag" after much deliberation. The theme of the labor bag is, quite simply, "immediate help to survive the delivery room."

When the storm of labor hits, you won't have even a millimeter of energy to spare searching the bottom of your bag.Being able to use it in one second, with one hand, and with zero delaywas my criteria, and I narrowed it down to 5 items, incorporatingheat countermeasuresfor the summer season when I will be giving birth!

1. Pet bottle cap with a straw

This is a classic, but I think it's truly a lifeline.
At the nursery, I am always mindful of the children's hydration and ease of drinking, and it's the same for moms during labor.

Even while lying down or looking up,this cap allows you to hydrate in one second with one hand without changing your position,making it an absolute partner in the delivery room.

2. Tennis ball

This is another item you often hear about, but it's essential for managing labor pain.
By having someone press the tennis ball firmly against your aching lower back or hips, ithelps the labor progress.

It's great to have your partner press it for you, or you can sit on the ball yourself. As one of the items to care for my body, I didn't hesitate to put it right on top of the bag.

3. Favorite lip balm/Vaseline

Something surprisingly easy to overlook is dry lips.
During labor, you use breathing techniques where you exhale intensely, like "Hoooo," to manage the pain. Because of this, your lips can get incredibly dry.

I've always practiced proactive care for the children's skin at the nursery, but this time, it's proactive care for myself.
Using a lip balm with your favorite scent can also act as a bit of aromatherapy in the tense delivery room,which is effective for relaxation.

4. Mini fan (handy fan)

Giving birth is a physical challenge on par with a full marathon. Giving birth in the summer makes you even hotter, and sweat will pour out. In those moments, you won't have the energy to fan yourself with a paper fan.

A handy fan that you can place by your pillow to automatically blow air is amust-have item to conserve even a millimeter of energy.I'm taking this piece of modern technology, which was a huge help for heatstroke prevention during nursery sports days and outdoor play, into the delivery room!

5. Face towel

It's for wiping sweat, of course, but it actually has a bigger role.
It's for gripping with all your might when the intense pain of labor hits. By grabbing or squeezing something, you candistribute the pain.

Also, I packed one with my favorite texture in my labor bag as a versatile item that can be wrapped around my neck when I want to feel the breeze from a handheld fan more cooling.

👜 Hospital Bag (10 items) ~Turning the postpartum room into a 'comfortable nursery'~

The hospital room where you will spend time after overcoming labor and safely giving birth to your child. The theme from here on out is, quite simply, 'transforming the postpartum room into a comfortable nursery'.

In the childcare industry, there is an important term called 'environmental composition.' This means arranging a room so that children and teachers can spend time safely and comfortably without stress.

I heard from senior moms that after giving birth, you start non-stop childcare every three hours with a battered body. To conserve my energy as much as possible and make caregiving smoother.

Using the wisdom of a nursery teacher, I selected 10 items to thoroughly predict and organize the 'flow' of the hospital room, divided into mom goods and baby goods!

【👩 Creating a comfortable environment for mom (5 items)】

6. S-hook & small tote bag

• My little trivia: Securing 'flow'

At nursery schools, because multiple teachers are busy moving around, we always think about an arrangement where we can reach what we need without wasting a single step.

I heard that for a postpartum mom, even just standing up is a struggle.By hanging a shallow tote bag on the bed rail with an S-hook, you can create a system where you can take out your smartphone, lip balm, tissues, etc., in seconds 'while sitting or lying down.'

I believe that reducing my own movement by even one step is the best trick to take care of my postpartum body, so I will put it into practice.

7. Masking tape (maste) and permanent marker

• My little trivia: Professional techniques for safety and preventing lost items

It is no exaggeration to say that 'masking tape and a pen' are always in a nursery teacher's apron pocket. At the nursery, I used them every day to write and stick children's names or to temporarily hold small notes.

The good thing about masking tape is that it is easy to cut by hand and easy to peel off, making it very convenient. There are many types, so it's fun just to choose your favorite pattern.

Water-based pens sometimes don't write well on wet surfaces like plastic bottles, so I recommend a permanent marker.

I saw a story on a senior mom's blog about how a smartphone charging cord hung down to the floor and almost got caught on her foot in the dark room in the middle of the night. So, I exercised my occupational hazard as a nursery teacher—predicting danger (lol)!
I tucked them into my bag to fix cords to the bed rail with masking tape or to write names.

8. Extension cord

• My little trivia: The first step to a comfortable environmental composition

It seems that the location of hospital outlets is not necessarily at the head of the bed. The basis of 'environmental composition' is to predict inconvenience and prepare for it in advance.

Just having one long extension cord (2-3m)allows you to charge your smartphone or run a mini fan while lounging on the bed. It's a strategy to shut out the small stress of 'being frustrated because the cord doesn't reach' in advance.

9. Desk clock (digital)

• My little trivia: Room creation that establishes 'foresight'

In a nursery room, there is always a clock that is easy to see from a child's eye level. This is to help them have foresight, like 'Let's clean up when it's X o'clock.'

Postpartum life often messes up your sense of the day of the week and day/night due to nighttime feedings, etc. I heard that it is subtly stressful to look for your smartphone in a dimly lit room in the middle of the night every time you think, 'Wait, what time was the last feeding?'

By placing a clock where you can tell the time just by glancing at it, the goal is to make it easier to plan your own sleep schedule, thinking, 'I have one more hour until the next feeding, so I'll sleep.'

10. Compression socks

Nursery teachers are good at organizing not only the room environment but also the environment of 'their own body.'
I heard from senior moms that 'after giving birth, your feet will swell like an elephant's!' so I seriously prepared these as a countermeasure. Compression socks.

They are also my partner that has fought against swelling from standing work at the nursery, so I believe they will surely support me through the dramatic physical changes after childbirth, so I am bringing them.

【👶 Meeting Your Baby for the First Time (5 Items)】

11. Ziploc Bags (several in different sizes)

At nursery schools, 'change-of-clothes bags' to separate dirty laundry are essential, and I am bringing that system into my hospital stay.

Newborn babies are geniuses at getting their clothes dirty, whether by spitting up milk or having diaper leaks. In those moments, Ziploc bags, which allow you to seal and sort dirty clothes in seconds, are your greatest ally for hygiene.

Packing a few in different sizes is also handy for separating things like your used compression socks.

12. Baby Wipes (deliberately thick and high-quality ones)

While hospitals often provide baby wipes, I have deliberately tucked one pack of 'thick, high-quality wipes I chose myself' into my bag.

As a nursery teacher, I have wiped thousands, no, tens of thousands of baby bottoms, and thin wipes require stacking several sheets, which wastes a new mom's precious time and energy. You might even end up wiping repeatedly because you couldn't clean them properly.

To be kind to my own body after childbirth, as a professional's preference, I have prepared
thick wipes that clean smoothly with one sheet without applying pressure to minimize the stress of care.

13. Gauze Handkerchiefs (plenty, in favorite patterns)

Whether for feeding, wiping their mouth, or wiping away sweat...
they are all-rounders you will use 24 hours a day. While the hospital may lend you some, I am bringing plenty of my own, chosen for their cute, favorite patterns.

During those middle-of-the-night feedings when you are exhausted and waking up repeatedly, just catching a glimpse of a gauze in a pattern you love will surely be a motivational item for mom that instantly soothes your tired heart.

14. Spare Hand Towels (2-3 towels)

・ My little bit of trivia: The art of 'positioning' for peace of mind

This is rarely on standard lists, but as a nursery teacher, it is a hidden gem I absolutely wanted to bring.

In the 0-year-old class at nursery school, to care for a baby's preference for turning their head a certain way or to settle their tummy and avoid triggering the 'back switch' (waking up when laid down), we roll up towels and tuck them under their back or bottom to fine-tune the posture where the baby feels most secure (positioning).

Since hospital cots (baby beds) are flat, babies sometimes have trouble sleeping well. In such cases, just by rolling up these spare hand towels and gently tucking them in, you can transform the bed into a magical one where your child can sleep soundly and peacefully.

15. Disposable Waterproof Sheets (Pet Sheets)

• My little bit of trivia: 'Crisis management' to prevent the spread of contamination

Magazines feature cute cloth diaper-changing mats, but nursery teachers are pros at crisis management, focusing on 'not making a mess and not creating extra work'.

A newborn's loose stool or an unexpected spray of urine the moment you open their diaper can happen at the most unpredictable times.
If you soil the clean hospital bed or nursing pillow, it causes too much mental distress when you are already feeling overwhelmed.

That is why I use large pet sheets for diaper changes. If they get dirty, you just roll them up right there and toss them in the trash. It is a piece of practical, real-world wisdom for creating peace of mind so you know it is okay if things get messy.

Conclusion

What did you think about sorting items into two bags?

At first, I froze at the idea of splitting things into two bags, but by drawing on my experience and knowledge as a nursery teacher to pack these carefully selected items—5 for the labor bag and 10 for the hospital bag—my mind feels much clearer.

And above all, it has given me a reassuring sense of security, like receiving a small charm that says, 'Okay, I am ready whenever the time comes!'

Although I am a professional who has looked after many children and seen off many moms and dads over nine years, this is truly my 'first time' holding and raising my own child. Behind the excitement and anticipation, there are, of course, many anxieties and tensions that I cannot put into words.

However, I realized something while preparing these bags.

It is that, just as you cannot create a perfect nursery from the very beginning at a daycare center, I do not have to be a 'perfect mom' from the start either.

In an unfamiliar hospital room, I can use masking tape and S-hooks to make my own worn-out body a little more comfortable, and take it one step at a time, fumbling along to become a 'mom and baby' team with my child.

To you, the expectant mom reading this article who is about to give birth: It is our first time, and we are both nervous, but let us make these favorite bags we have prepared our reliable partners and go meet our babies for the very first time.

Let us do our best, one step at a time, to meet our precious little ones!

I would be happy if you could feel free to like or follow me.
Please let me know in the comments what you decided to bring after reading this article, or what you were glad you brought along.😊

Thank you for reading until the end.

▼ Things I wish I had done before giving birth

▼ Click here for my self-introduction article