You can divide the items you pack into what will add to your comfort in labor (your birthplace might have some of these things) and what you'll need after the birth.

For Labor Comfort

• Birth plan
• Pillows with their familiar smell
• Gown or nightshirt
• Beanbag or birth ball for positioning
• Rolling pins that can be filled with warm water or ice
• Hot-water bottle
• Ice pack
• Rice-filled sock (1 1/2 pounds of rice in a tube sock) to heat or freeze
• Massage tools that relax you
• Music
• Snacks and beverages

Postpartum Essentials