Packing your bag for hospital comfort can be stressful!! Then add on needing all the items and tools you think you may or may not need for labor comfort. Luckily the hospital usually has items that you can use for those comfort measures to cut down on what you need to pack. All you have to do is ask for any of these items!
Comfort Measures Available
Towels: Most hospitals have some sort of towel whether it’s a hand towel or washcloth to provide by making them cold or warm with water. You can run the hand towel under cold water in the bathroom, then spin it really fast to make it super cold! Or you can ask for a bucket of ice to place the wet washcloths on top of to chill them before use.
- Sheets: For jiggling, or something to hold onto when doing partner or door supported movements. It can also help you with cushioning the bed when lying down to rest.
Door: all hospital rooms will have some sort of door that you can put the sheet through to provide a place for supported deep squats if that’s comfortable. Tie a knot in one end of the sheet to throw over the door, then pull all the slack out so you can use the sheet as a hanging tool. Would recommend this be the bathroom door and not the door to the entrance of the room!
Peanut balls: Most hospitals now a day should have some shape or size of a peanut ball because studies show it can help shorten labor and prevent unnecessary C-sections. There may be a limited number of balls available though, so if you think you may want a peanut ball, request it as soon as you come into the room. This will especially be important if you decide to get an epidural!
Birthing Ball: This is a great tool for labor comfort and most hospitals will have some shape and size of this as well, but the same as the peanut ball numbers may be limited. You can wrap a sheet around the birthing ball or purchase a cover* to keep yourself from sticking to the plastic surface, or you can lay a pad on top of it. *The link is to the Oxytocin Emporium Etsy shop. It is not an affiliate link, we just really love their covers!
Heat packs: This is a great tool for back pain or even lower abdomen pain but not all hospitals provide them, and the ones that they have may not last more than 10mins so bringing a heat pack of your own may be beneficial.
Hydrotherapy: Hydrotherapy is a great tool to help relax the body, and can include a shower or tub. This would be a great question to ask during prenatal visits or hospital tours to see which one is available to you. Not every room may have a tub or shower, and some hospitals may only have one or the other. If you plan to use hydrotherapy, ask about monitoring options!
Squat Bar: All beds should have a squat bar attachment that goes on it to help create a supported squat position in the bed. But there may be a limited number of squat bars; this can be really helpful to attach sheets, hold onto, or use while pushing.
Stress Ball: Sometimes it can be helpful to have something to squeeze in your hand during a contraction, so you can relax the rest of your body but your hand. If your unit does not provide one maybe throwing one in your labor bag can be helpful.
Comb: You can squeeze this in your hand during a contraction and this is a way to distract yourself from the pain of the contraction. It takes your mind off the contraction pain and on the pain on your hand from squeezing the comb. If your hospital doesn’t provide these (sometimes it’s in their toiletries kit) then bringing your own could be beneficial.
Nitrous Oxide: Some hospitals have this available as a pain relief option. This is similar to what is known as laughing gas at the dentist’s office but it’s not as strong. Its patient-controlled so you decide how much you receive through a mask. There may be current restrictions because of COVID, but may hospitals are lifting the restriction.
The Labor Bed: The Bed itself is a GREAT labor tool because it is like a transformer. It can go up and down to provide support when sitting or standing, the feet can go down to create a “throne” in the bed. It can even tilt so you can be in an inversion without having the need to support your upper body. Ask your nurse for help adjusting the bed, and have them show you all your options with it!
Aromatherapy: Some hospitals provide aromatherapy tabs or stickers to help with nausea, so this would be a great thing to ask for during a tour. If they don’t have them then bringing some sort of essential oil for yourself to help with nausea or just relaxation, in general, would be a good tool. Alcohol swabs can also be incredibly helpful with nausea!
Music: Most have a TV that you can put the music channel on if you are wanting to listen to music during your labor, but if you want a specific soundtrack bringing a Bluetooth speaker or headphones can be helpful for this comfort technique.
Toilet: This is a great tool to try during labor, not everyone likes it (Gina hated it) but it can provide comfort and relaxation as this is a spot most of us relax our pelvic floor daily!
Step Stool: All labor and delivery rooms should have some sort of stool because this is a tool we will use in the event of shoulder dystocia. So, this can be a great tool to help do the elevated lunges in the labor room, or even elevate the feet when sitting on the toilet!
Pillows: I would recommend bringing your own pillows as the hospital pillows are sometimes are to find or they’re thin as paper. But pillows are a great tool for labor comfort, you can use them when sitting on the toilet backward to give your head a cushion, use them to cushion around your body when lying down in a rest position, or use them to wedge from side to side when sitting up!
Birthing stool: Some hospitals have a birthing stool that you can use to sit in a supported squat that has an opening below the vagina for the baby to come through. Some hospitals have a plastic-type (Kaya) that may not be super comfortable but others have the CUB birth stool something similar to a birthing ball material and could be much more comfortable to sit on for longer periods of time. These are not available everywhere so asking your hospital during a tour or prenatal visit would be important.
The hospital room has a lot of available comfort measures! Your nurse or doula will likely have great ideas on how to use different items in the room for relief. If you feel unsure, ask! The staff is there to support your birth. If you want more information on how to apply different comfort measures, check out our childbirth education courses.