What to pack for the delivery ward

If you search by the keyword ‘BB-väska’, there will be bazillions of items suggested by the Swedish internet. Bring the camera! And three spare batteries for it! Don’t forget the make-up and ten changes of clothes! Ten more for the child! Some lists are almost endless. A surprising number of them puts great emphasis on bringing your own toilet paper lest the one provided by the hospital is not soft enough.

On the other side of the spectrum you can find the advice from 1177 or the particular delivery ward: they usually say you just need some inside shoes for the mother, some food for her partner, and a special car seat for the baby (babyskydd) if you’re going home by car.

Here's a list which is something in between (hell yes, I'm channeling my lagom).

Things provided by the hospital

• diapers for the baby
• blanket for the baby
• food for the mother throughout the stay
• special pads for the mother and the special underwear that fits them.

Depending on the particular hospital you end up in, there might also be a bag of promotions/gifts. I got a 20% off code from H&M (HELLO20) and some cream from I don't remember who, as well as a Libero hat for the baby.

Things commonly listed as essential

• mother’s ID
• inside shoes, preferably such that you can go into the shower in them
• baby car seat for the journey home (aka babyskydd)
• lip balm
• two or three changes of clothes for the baby (size 50 if not premature), preferably as easy to put on as possible. Some babies don’t like clothes going over their head, so omlottbodies are a popular choice
• a hat (mössa) for the baby, to hide the shape of the head on those first photos :)
• in winter, something warm for the baby’s journey home
• some food for the partner, especially if home is far away; the delivery ward will usually have some (limited) fridge space and a microwave
• personal hygiene items like a toothbrush, if the mother is not planning on going home 6 hours after the birth
• a couple of nursing t-shirts and bras, soft and roomy pyjama pants or similar. Keep in mind that you might be in pain and have a catheter in your arm and/or your groin when you'll have to change clothes because blood or something else ended up on them. You can also just stay in the hospital gown
• underwear suitable for big, big pads (but you can use the special 'mesh' the hospital provides — people even take a couple of those home)
• mittens (vantar) — baby nails are super sharp and their coordination sucks, so there’s a chance their face will get quite some scratches if not protected by mittens

Nice to haves

• förlossningsbrev — a letter about your preferences with regards to pain management, presence of students, cutting the cord, etc
• katrinplommon (prunes) — commonly recommended to help with digestion
• some tvättlappar (burp cloths)
• a blanket for the baby, if you don’t want to use the hospital’s one
• earplugs — the after-birth rooms are usually shared
• inlays for the nursing bras — reusable or disposable
• phone chargers
• if you’re coming by car and the hospital parking isn’t free: coins (in case cards don’t work)
• something to take photos with.