In the Bag with Jessie Wong: The Baby Bag Edit

Pregnancy was a steep learning curve. The first thing I googled was, “What to do when you’re pregnant?” The strange thing about being pregnant for the first time is how information is drip-fed to you over nine months. At my 37-week appointment, my midwife wanted to discuss two topics: first, had I finished up at work yet (no), and second, had I packed my hospital bag?

For someone who has made a career and brand out of the ‘Art of Packing; I was slightly embarrassed to say I hadn’t. “What do I pack?” I asked. Not much, was the answer—and definitely not a suitcase worth. My midwife referred me to the list on the Domino Midwives website.

Here is my spin on the Domino’s list alongside a few extra things I picked up from other mums at Calmbirth and antenatal classes. All of the below has been organised into a set of UTILITY by Yu Mei pieces: The Landscape Tote and Large Organiser, which were designed as a baby bag set (before I had any idea I’d be using them so soon), layered with the Pouch, Envelope and Cable Ties to keep all the small things easy to find. You might also need an extra bag for bulky stuff like track pants, speakers, and change of clothes for your partner.

Mum gear for the hospital, the essentials:

Baby gear for the hospital:

Labour and baby gear, these things were not on the Domino’s list, but I heard would come in handy:

Also important:

Also not for the hospital, but a special mention to Cribsheet by Emily Oster. Simply presented data to help you frame up your pregnancy and parenting decisions. I wish I’d discovered her series of books earlier. Thank you, Brooke Roberts and Toni Moyes, for the recommendation.