What to Pack in Your Postpartum Doula Bag: ABG’s Favorites

At ABG, we like our trainees to feel equipped for the diverse parts of this work– logistical, practical, emotional, skill-based, and so on. This month, we have a super practical topic for you: what to pack in your postpartum doula bag.

Each person will have unique needs that should be incorporated to this list, and as you gain experience, you will probably have some important edits to make to match your preferences, need, and schedule.

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What to Pack in Your Postpartum Doula Bag

In a single shift, you may spend time tending to baby, parent, and household. Thus, there are a range of items that may support you in each of these realms. Additionally, it is crucial that as a caregiver, you are also caring for yourself, so don’t skimp on those items!

Items for supporting YOU:

• Water bottle: Stay hydrated! And often, we suggest electrolytes, not just water, to stay on top of hydration.

• Snacks or a meal: Depending on your shift time, you may need to pack a full meal. Don’t skip on necessary nutrition, otherwise you will leave your shift feeling depleted. We highly suggest protein-rich meals and snacks like nuts, cheeses, yogurt, and some easy-to-throw-in-the-bag bars. Take note that many postpartum fridges are full, so we suggest bringing your own small cooler or lunch bag. Occasionally, families will offer you food– great! While it’s okay to accept, don’t plan on families providing food for you.

• Change of clothes: Just in case a blowout or big spit-up happens!

• Pillow or neck pillow: If you are working overnights, you may require that families have a proper sleep spot for you (we highly recommend it!). Regardless, your own pillow may be just what you need in order to catch some z’s in between baby care.

• Toothbrush, chapstick, and other personal care items

• Phone charger

• Comfort items: Whether this is socks (choose non-skid for extra safety), a sweatshirt, a blanket, a heating pad, all of the above or something else, we recommend packing the seemingly small items that can make you feel more comfortable as you navigate a caregiving shift.

Items for supporting the parent(s) and baby:

• Client intake info: Oftentimes this info is digital but some folks still use paper and pencil. It’s nice to have access to notes while on shift so you can check there first before asking the parent(s).

• Baby carrier: It can be helpful for you to model how to use carriers, so if the families already has one, and it’s one that works for your body, we suggest using theirs. If, however, it doesn’t work for your body, feel free to add your own to your bag. If you have the same one the family has, bring it along so that both you and the parent can put them on together, as you guide them step by step.

• Gifts for the parent: Occasionally, you may want to gift something like sitz bath herbs, c-section recovery cream, or a meal. If these are part of your packages, awesome! If not, there’s no pressure to make a regular practice of gifts.

A note about supplies in the family’s household: If there’s something you need that the family might be able to supply, such as hand sanitizer by the diaper changing table, we suggest speaking up and asking. Additionally, if you are using a household product (from toilet paper to baby lotion to the parent’s favorite snack that you are serving them) and use the last of it or it’s down to the last serving/use, replace it if you see what you need. If you can’t find a replacement, make note of it with the family.

Join Us for Postpartum Doula Training

ABG offers both online (self-paced) and in-person trainings for folks who are interested in becoming postpartum doulas. We’d love to be a part of your journey in offering postpartum care and education to growing families.

*Photo credit: Erol Ahmed on Unsplash

Thanks for reading ABG Postpartum Doula Blog! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.