What's in the (Doula) bag?

Every doula is different in what they carry in their doula bag to support clients for birth. Over the years, I have learned that less is more. However, there are quite a few tried and true tools that I continue to carry to every birth, regardless of their frequency in use.

I used to carry everything under the sun that I thought I needed. As the years passed by, I learned which items in my bag were merely just taking up space vs. ones that I actually used. That being said, there are some random items that I thought would never be used and just recently, they were a life-saver to a client.

​Certain items I thought I needed but don't are:

• A deck of cards: I thought I would use them during boredom...nobody has ever been bored.
• Portable speaker: Clients usually bring their own.
• A notepad and pen: Phones fix that
• Rebozo: A hospital bed sheet has helped many situations where a rebozo could be helpful
• Flashlight: Just in case we have a surprise baby in the tub and I happen to be there, but our phones have them

What Kind of Bag do I bring?

I like backpack diaper bags for my birth bag, along with a fanny pack (with LOTS of pockets) for the small things I need while moving around with my clients.

Here is the list of essentials, in my opinion. After attending over 150 births:

• Phone: for photos, birth notes, flashlight, contraction timer app, any websites or eBook downloads on birth (for those pesky OP babies)
• Snacks: honey sticks are WHERE.IT'S.AT. So are walnuts, coconut water and nut butter packets
• TENS unit: So helpful during an intense labor pattern.
• Kleenex: Hospital tissue paper will rub your nose raw.
• Stevia & Dairy-free creamer packets: Hospitals offer coffee, but regular sugar/creamer.
• Massage tools: My hands are the primary tool, but others can come in handy for partners.
• Phone charger: Long hours.
• Energy tablets: For doula or partner, they dissolve into water for long births.
• Portable fan: Surprisingly popular and it can hang around mom's neck if need be.
• Batteries: For the fan and TENS unit
• The Labor Progress Handbook: When it's 4am and I can't think straight, a handbook on all the how-to's come in clutch.
• Soft White Tea Lights: Usually used for bathtub birth cave ambience.
• Scissors: Honey sticks don't open well with teeth. 
• Personal toiletries (face wipes, hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash, dry shampoo, eye drops, etc)
• Doula certification: Hospitals ask for it nowadays
• Non-scented massage lotion: Massage is necessary
• Yoga pants/jacket/Doula shirt: The professional doula uniform
• Neck pillow: For labors when we all can get some shuteye
• Eye mask: See above
• Hand sanitizer: Just in case
• Medical Emergency Kit (gloves, baby hat, chux pads, blanket): accidental home births happen!
• Stress balls: A big hit for stressful contractions
• Ball pump: Hospitals will either over or under fill birth balls
• Icy Hot Pack: Laboring is strenuous and moms get hot or cold
• Colgate Wisps & Breath Mints: Vomiting is normal, stinky breath shouldn't be

Certain items not listed because I always keep in my purse:

• Breath mints/spray/gum: See above
• DONA certified doula name tag: So I don't get confused with being a nurse
• My business cards: Networking with new provideres
• Water bottle: Doulas need hydration too
• Hair ties, clips and headband: For laboring mom and myself
• Cash: For vending machines for partner or myself
• Ear pods: If there is downtime, Netflix on my phone is nice. Keep one ear alert!
• Bach's Rescue Remedy: Back to back births are no joke on a doula 
• Deodorant: BO is not pleasant for a laboring mom to smell from support people
• Chapstick: For mom and myself
• Ibuprofen: Long births can create headaches

I am adding to my bag:

• A new Rice sock: They get dirty quickly because they are used to often for back pain. Use a pillow case to keep it clean and not direcltly on client's skin (lesson learned).
• Kneeling pad: For bathtub support time between partner and myself
• Alcohol pads: A trick I learned from an L&D nurse. The smell quickly dissolves nausea faster than medication or even essential oils
• Handheld mirror: For those crazy mamas who want to see their baby come out
• Energy shots/Liquid IV: Mostly for partners, but if I need a jolt, HEYO!
• Ice pack: Because hospitals take forever to grab one