Five things I think all mums-to-be should pack in their maternity bag

There are so many guides on what to bring to the hospital with you that it can feel overwhelming.

One guide I read while I was pregnant told me that I would need to pack three bags! One for the delivery room, one for during my stay and one for going home. That's a lot of bags when you're already carrying a tiny human being. There were so many things that I packed that I really didn't need and other things that I wish I had brought, so that is why I put my own personal list together of things I think all mums should pack in their maternity bag. Putting outfits into ziplock bags https://www.instagram.com/p/BkU4ORbFehB/?tagged=ziplockbag When I had my son in 2012 he had to be delivered via emergency C section. I was in the recovery ward while my husband was with the baby. I had a nurse come into while I was resting to tell me my husband couldn't find 'x,y and z' of the baby's clothes in the bag even though I had packed everything neatly. The second time around I decided to make it super straightforward in case I needed to have another C section. I packed individual outfits into ziplock bags. Each bag contained a vest, babygrow, hat, scratch mittens and a nappy. This way an entire outfit could be pulled out of the bag in one go. Spray water bottle Maternity hospitals are hot! It's something that most people don't realise, I know I didn't before I stayed in one. On top of the energy you're putting into labour making you sweat, the hospital has it's heating on 24/7, even during the summer months. You'll easily find a refillable spray water bottle in any discount store and trust me, it'll be a couple of euro well spent. Tena pants https://www.instagram.com/p/BV8ByjADkps/?tagged=tenapants They're not glamorous but after giving birth to both of my kids I was so thankful for Tena lady pants. Usually recommended on 'what to bring' lists are maternity pads but let me tell you, they're not nearly strong enough for the amount you bleed after childbirth. There's also some other stuff that comes out too and no amount of panty pads are going to suffice. Trust me these were an absolute lifesaver. Snacks When I was having my son we were in such a rush to get to the hospital that neither myself nor my husband remembered to grab money on the way out the door. We couldn't buy anything when we arrived so by the time I was checked in I was starving. Eventually, a woman came around with a trolly and said it was meal time for the patients. She said it was meal time but nothing that was put in front of me could be described as food. When I started to have contractions on my daughter I knew better than to make the same mistake twice and packed as many snacks into my bag as possible. It was a lot easier to avoid the microwaves dinners on offer when I had a huge bag of Doritos stashed in my bedside locker. Charge pack You're going to get a lot of phone calls and text messages asking how you're doing while you're in the hospital and it can wear your battery out fast. You may not always be near a socket or the socket may be in an awkward place so having a charge pack is always really handy. It's also a good idea to have a charge pack our two because it'll allow you to watch videos on your phone if you're bored without making you worry that your phone may go dead when you need it.