Writing this post only after I am discharged from hospital so that I can look back on hindsight and share only the essential items to bring.

Seen many daddies pulling luggage that looks like a 2 weeks vacation stay, while the mum has her hands full with carrying the newborn and the free maternity bags from hospital. Thus I want to pack only the minimal items essential for the stay.

Pre-labour items:

1. Socks for the cold labour ward
2. Personal items to help lessen pain during labour (for me it is lavender essential oil and ear piece & handphone to listen to music)
3. Charging cable (in case of long labour)
4. Important documents (IC, hospital admission letter, receipts to claim prenatal medisave, letter to donate cord blood)

Post-labour items:

1. Home clothes for discharge
2. Nursing bra (packed one set for discharge only hence it is easier not to wear bra during the hospital stay for breastfeeding)
3. 3 sets of disposable underwear
4. Extra long and thick pads (did not get to use as hospital provided one huge pack)
5. Toiletries (facial wash and facial wipes. personal preference not to shower in hospital)
6. Skincare
7. Slipper
8. Plastic bags for soiled clothes
9. Glasses/ contact lens & solution (for myopic mums)
10. Makeup (optional)
11. Syringe for hand express milk (optional)

For baby:

1. Two sets of baby rompers
2. One pair of socks and mittens
3. One baby swaddle

I packed the following items but did not get to use them.

1. Clothes for hospital stay (prefer wearing hospital nursing gown as it is comfy, easy to nurse baby and no need to wash when you are home)
2. Breastpump (hand express colostrum was much easier than pumping)
3. Nipple cream (used breastmilk as “moisturiser”)
4. Marriage cert to register baby’s birth cert at hospital (did not decide on the name yet so did not register the birth)
5. Toothbrush and toothpaste (used those provided by hospital)

I stayed in Thomson Medical Centre (TMC). Though most hospitals provide similar items, it is best to check what they have beforehand.

Based on my 2020 TMC experience, the items I received are…

Didn’t expect an additional maternity black bag from TMC as they only advertise on their green essentials bag (which pales in comparison to the 2019 bag).

The combined items are better than Mt Alvernia maternity bag imo. The black bag is more stylish and comes with a thermal insulator bag for milk and a huge ice pack. I especially like the light nursing cover, the thomson essentials toiletries for baby, the thomson swaddle and romper set (now didi has another set of new clothes!) and the cute milestones cards (3 different sets!!).

Most vouchers are useless discount vouchers but there were a few gems such as free nursing bra, lactation cookies and bottle soap to redeem.

The purple bath tub was not featured here, it is incredibly small and I used it to store diapers instead. The nurse told me that the bath tub is meant for newborn up to 2 months old. Mt Alvernia’s bath tub is certainly better!