The Muslim Woman's Hospital Bag

I remember researching for hospital bag lists and watching countless YouTube videos to make sure I was all ready and prepared - making myself (and my mother, my husband, my grandmother, my village clan...) feel better.
But I also remember, very clearly, not ever coming across any list that would cater for the Muslim woman who covers herself from head-to-toe and what extra things she would need.
So I've decided to list the things I took with me.

The usuals that I took with me:

• Notes!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
• 2 toothbrushes & toothpaste (I took toothpaste with me, I remember packing it and when I'm looking for it completely disappeared!?!! I put an extra toothbrush for hubs!)
• Deodorant, soap, moisturiser, Tresseme shampoo & conditioner, hairbrush, lip balm, (nothing beats the shower in your own home though!)
• A gown & towel - for after the shower. 
• Backless, comfortable slippers - these were sooo comfortable and I went home in these too.
• Hair scrunchies
• Socks, underwear & nursing bra
• Nursing pads, Maternity pads & Nipple cream (I've also heard coconut oil works well as nipple cream and to moisturise baby's dry skin)
• Phone, phone charger & headphones
• Long, loose top (with buttons!) & pyjamas/leggings to give birth in & another pair, at least, for after birth.
• Cardigan - in case you get cold, of course
• Plastic bag for dirty clothes
• Little jug/water bottle - for bathroom purposes

Baby things:

•  Carseat & carseat newborn insert
• (16 for a 2 day stay) Nappies, nappy bags, 1 bag of cotton wool, little pot for water, vaseline/nappy rash cream
• 6 bodysuits & 6 babygros/sleepsuits
• 2 cellular blankets
• Baby jacket for home
• Baby socks - (these work as good mittens too)
• Bibs
• Going home outfit - I didn't put this on, because of the weather even though they were warm clothes.

The extras you want to think about:

• Long black pashmina (your scarf) - this can also serve as a breastfeeding cover & also if you just feel to cover in front of any visits you get in the hospital/whoevers barging into the room.
• Open-front (either with buttons or velcro) abayah (a full-sleeved floor length dress) - I used mine as a hospital gown and as an extra layer it kept me warm - especially with the thin blankets at the hospital!
• Overhead Hijaab (dress that is worn from head to toe) - wear this and a pashmina to go to and come back from the hospital!
• Niqaab (veil)  - this is if you wear it regularly and want to wear it to/from the hospital.
• Ka'bah compass - to find the direction so any one who visits can pray & if you are able to duringlabour/induction
• Mushaf - if you have the time during labour/induction/want to recite it to your newborn
• Zamzam water
• Dates - these are soooo good for you, your digestive system & also to practice the sunnah of tahneek

Things I didn't take that you may want to:

• Birthing ball
• Extra pillows
• Breastfeeding pillow
• V-shaped pillow
• Flip flops for shower
• Lip balm
• Hair dryer
• Money/coins
• Lotion
• Glasses
• TENS machine
• Big bag to put gifts in
• Gum
• Vests
• Make up
• Hand sanitizer
• Toilet roll
• Paracetomol/Ibuprofen
• Notebook & pen
• Facial wipes
• Tennis ball in a sock 
• Breast pump

Sunnah of things to do with labour/ a newborn:

• The Manners of Welcoming the Newborn Child in Islam
• Ruling on Aqeeqah (sacrifice) 
• Praying with labour signs 
• Natural Blood of Women Shaykh Uthaymeen Dr Saleh-as-saleh 
• Breastfeeding ones child
• Menses and Dhikr of Allaah & Recitation of the Quran 

5 Things All Women Want to do During Pregnancy

I always see blogs/vlogs about what mothers aspire to do during pregnancy that they never get round to doing as much as they would like. These few things are so recurrent that I've decided to do them again, because no one can get enough of it. Simple as.

1) Drink more water. 

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Said every woman/person/alien ever.
If this is the case in normal every-day non-pregnant state of life then why don't you get started before pregnancy or, better yet, afterwards?

A quick google search will tell you the recommended amount is: eight 8 ounce glasses/2 litres/half a gallon. So if you divide this by 500ml bottles that's about 4 bottles in a day? Not bad - have one when you wake up (refreshing!), have one with lunch, have one after tea-time (you'll have peed so much you're tired of counting the trips to the bathroom) and have one with dinner. Sorted!

And if you're a breastfeeding mother you'll actually want to drink all of that. You will force yourself to as well while you cry about how much you miss coke. (I know it's not just me)


2) Keep Fit

I really tried this one (said no normal, average woman ever).

Everyone always want to keep in shape while pregnant, not gain too much weight, and prepare for the birth and after-birth. This does not go well, because we get lazy!

Pregnant women are lazy, hormonal and are dealing with bodily changes that they find disgusting. They want to cut some slack on themselves even though they did want all those benefits from exercising. It's just so hard right now. Let's try tomorrow morning instead?

Or let's say we do get round to doing it, and we feel pretty okay afterwards and a bit lighter and happier, and tired and in need of another shower, because wow sweating 3x more than I did pre-pregnancy. We all know it's only going to last a few days - a week or two MAX. There is no way we are going through the whole pregnancy doing squats and crunches up until the baby evacuates. We are too tired and too fat and too in need of ice cream.


3) Eat healthier

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Okay this one is a bit more  doable if you don't mind or like veggies. There's tons of yummy recipes that you can make with that bursting-full-of-food fridge of yours.
The problem goes back to a recurrent feeling we've been having since this post began: laziness.

The idea is that you're never going to look after yourself more than anyone else, but the point being is that you are growing your child who is depending on YOU and no one else to feed them - therefore you should be offering them the best. Sometimes it's really easy to lapse and I can understand that, but you have the time to eat so, oh my days, get over yourself and your laziness! Get in the kitchen and pull up the recipe that sounds, looks and already tastes good without you making it already!!





4) Organise the house

I love organising the house when I'm pregnant. I want to do everything and clean everything and organise everything and the tidiness!! I want everything to be tidy! There's something so satisfying about everything being ready and put into its proper place. It's the safety of it, isn't it? The satisfaction of knowing that everything will be  fine and good and in its place when you really, really need it to be.

The problem is that it's not always possible to do the whole nesting phase - especially when you can't do the heavy lifting that needs to be done and time with your hubs is quite limited and, frankly, you don't want to spend it cleaning do you? You're getting ready for a baby - you want to do everything you can possibly do without the baby right this minute. Tidying up is not on the list.

Alternatively, you have too many kids and it's just not possible because they keep making a mess of everything they can get their hands on and, to be honest, they can climb now so there isn't anything they can't get. So you're screwed, really.

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5) Answer back to all those invading questions in the most cheeky way possible

There's so many comebacks in our head that pop up whenever someone asks us those awful questions or give us awful advice about babies and kids in general. Please, I could write a novel about this, but that would mean this post gets too long.

In short, stop being so kind and polite to everyone - be tongue-on-cheek and be cheeky! Deliver that comeback with a smile on your face and walk off like you've always wanted to. Do it at least once in the sea of people you've passed off and ignored and then raged over later with your hubs over the phone.

Go on, you know you want to.