What’s in My Doula Bag
What is in your Doula bag?
As a birth doula, I get asked this question A LOT! I have a feeling expecting parents like to think my bag is similar to Mary Poppin’s bag (which would be so dope!!) but the truth is, it is way less magical. New Doulas always ask this question of me too, so I thought I would simply make a post about it!
No two Doulas are alike, and neither are their tools!
What I bring may not be magical, but in the words of Ludacris…. “what you got in that bag?”, is still a good question to ask! I am a Doula who believes in finding a balance between being well-prepared and also not overpacking. So here it is, the inside scoop on my Doula Bag.
Camera equipment: The thing that takes up the most space in my doula bag is my camera equipment. I am a Nikon girl, and I carry a professional camera, two lenses, a flash, extra memory cards and batteries, and a lens cleaner for every birth. If you are going to call yourself a birth photographer you need to have professional equipment and it needs to be charged and packed for every birth.
Rebozo: A rebozo is a large Mexican shawl/scarf that can be used in many different ways to support a laboring mom. My rebozo is from Mexico and was a gift from my sister-in-law so it is very special to me.
Massage tools: I have two different hand massage tools that I like to bring to births. In most circumstances, I just use my hands, but sometimes you need something a bit more specific to get the job done, so there’s a tool for that!
Spare clothes: Birth can be messy yo! I bring an extra shirt and sweater, which also doubles as a pillow for those extra-long births.
Hand fan: Because even when the room is freezing cold to me, to a laboring woman it may feel like the room is roughly the same temperature as the surface of the sun. Don’t believe me? Ask literally any laboring woman!
Snacks: This one should be obvious right? Pro-tip, choose snacks that are quiet and do not have a strong smell. If momma can’t eat, I promise she will not want to smell your snacks. Also, I choose snacks that I can eat in quick bursts and still get a lot of energy from them. I may be shoving food at dad or scarfing it down myself in the two spare minutes between contractions that I have to refuel.
Honey sticks: Depending on where in Kansas City you decide to deliver your baby, your ability to eat may be severely limited. Birth is hard work! It is like running a marathon. Sometimes you just need a little boost of energy to get you through and thankfully honey is considered a “clear liquid” 😉
Toiletries: I always have extra chapstick, hair ties, bobby pins, nail file, toothbrushes, mouthwash, breath mints, and deodorant on hand. You never know when you will need it and these are items often forgotten (and if you need them, you NEED them) so I always have them in my bag.
Code of Conduct Form: Most of my clients choose to have their babies in hospitals. I recognize that it is a privilege that I get to offer my services in these locations and I want to be sure that the medical staff knows that I am professional and a team player. I also want my clients to know that I respect all of their choices, including where they have chosen to welcome their baby.
Business cards: I honestly hand out my cards to more people when I am at a birth than anywhere else. If a nurse or OB/Midwife thinks I have done a good job supporting their patient they often will ask for my card, and I am always happy to give them one… or six.
Phone charger: I am pretty much always on-call so I can not be without a fully charged phone at all times…. plus how else would I mindlessly scroll through Instagram while my clients are in triage with no battery 🤫
Dollar bills for vending machines: Seriously who even uses paper money anymore? Not me! If I have it, then my kids (or more likely my husband) will take it. Besides, it is not the 90’s!!! But at 3 am when nothing is open and you desperately need chocolate to get you through, you will be grateful for that $5 stuffed in your birth bag.
That’s it! Nothing magical, super simple stuff. Honestly, It is your knowledge, intuition, and skills that make you a good doula and that simply will not fit in a bag (unless you do in fact have Marry Poppin’s bag!). So keep it simple and bring the things that make you and your clients comfortable.
Are you a Doula? What is in your bag?
Did you have a Doula? What was the one thing she had in her bag that you loved?