Your Doula Bag?

[phathui5]

At our doula meeting the other night, one of the ladies in our group shared the contents of her doula bag with us and it was pretty extensive.

My backpack is pretty worn out, so I'm looking at replacing it and setting myself up with a new doula bag.

Can you tell us about what you carry in your doula bag and why?

[homewithtwinsmama]

birth ball and pump
2 rebozos
a hand fan (use this more than anything)
a couple massage tools
some massage oil
a bag of homeopathic remedies and a homepathics and birth guide books
and another with a couple tinctures and a handful of RRL teabags and some honey packets (thanks Starbucks!)
a copy of Peggy Simkins Labor Progress Handbook
about four different types of hotpacks (two that strap on belly and back and one good for over the shoulders and another rectangle with relaxing smelly herbs if they are stuck in a bed can be tucked in their pillow)

That's about it. Its a canvas messenger bag with an embroidered pregnant woman with the earth in her belly and it says Peaceful Birth for a Peaceful Earth.
I have a matching Tshirt I often wear to births in warm months. Husband got them for me years ago.

[momto9kidlets]

I have two bag - one with stuff for me that I keep in my car (change of clothes, tylenol, feminine products, rebozzo, etc)

The other I have massage tools, massage oil, flameless candles, fan, small combs, some position cards on a ring, relaxation cds, hot pack to put in the microwave, bath pillows (that's all I can think of off the top of my head). Quite honestly I hardly use anything except the massage oil and my hands, heart and voice.

I used to carry a ton of stuff thinking i needed to use it all, and now I carry a very small bag the size of a larger purse and honestly all except for the massage oil most of it is for the dads to use.

[generationsbirth]

Massage oil and tools
Peppermint essential oil
Suckers and luna bars
New hair ties and chapstick for each mom
A really awesome flax and lavender heat pack
A stress ball
A garden kneeling pad
A rebozo
A few different CD's
A couple soft washcloths
A couple pairs of latex gloves
A few gallon ziplock bags
Plastic combs
The Birth Partner- Penny Simkin

My birth ball comes along if my client wants me to bring it.

In a smaller bag I keep my stuff:
An extra shirt and pair of socks
A small deodorant, toothbrush, mouthwash, hairbrush, etc
Ibuprofen and Emergen-C
Cash and quarters
A bottle of water or gatorade and granola bars

I'm nursing, so if I'm going to a hospital out of town, I bring my pump. If I'm staying local, my dh brings my baby up to nurse, if needed.

Out of all of it, I've used the hairties and chapstick for mom, a gallon bag for when mom got sick, the gloves for changing chux, and the extra shirt.

I'd rather have all the rest of it and not need it than the other way around.

[thorn]

for mom:

heat packs with slipcovers, rice sock
ziplock bags
washcloth
rebozo
nukkles massage tools
massage cream
vanilla and peppermint essential oils
chapsticks
hair ties
hard candy
gum
honey sticks
battery operated fan
speakers for ipod
"nada chair" - http://www.nadachair.com/Natural.html
kneeling pad with slipcover
LCD "candles"
Labor Progress Handbook

for me:

extra pair of contacts
instant coffee and liquid creamer
phone charger
pens
emergency cash
waterless toothbrushes

[JessicaE]

Originally Posted by thorn

"nada chair" - http://www.nadachair.com/Natural.html

Interesting! I haven't seen this before... Can you please tell us how it us used?

[wombjuice]

In my birth bag:

small plastic bowl (for ice water and washcloths)
clean washcloths
rebozo-like scarf
honey sticks, herbal tea, Emergen-C, Luna Bars
peppermint, lavender, and grapefruit essential oils with cotton balls
hand-held mirror so mom can see baby's head
two combs
Rescue Remedy
Labor Progress Handbook by Penny Simkin
huge rice pack that I made myself
flameless candles (I never use these...)
ear plugs
birth ball and pump
my business cards
a toiletry bag for me

Out of all this, what I use the very most is the small plastic bowl and the washcloths (to wipe the mama's face when she is sweating in transition and pushing). Other than that, I use my hands and my voice. I rub a lot of feet.

[thorn]

Originally Posted by JessicaE

Interesting! I haven't seen this before... Can you please tell us how it us used?

do you know the move where mom sits in a chair with a back, and then you kneel in front of her and press on her knees, pushing her legs back towards the back of the chair?

the nada chair does that same pressure and pushing on the legs, but is easier to hold for longer and the mom can adjust the amount of pressure herself

[April422]

Originally Posted by thorn

do you know the move where mom sits in a chair with a back, and then you kneel in front of her and press on her knees, pushing her legs back towards the back of the chair?

the nada chair does that same pressure and pushing on the legs, but is easier to hold for longer and the mom can adjust the amount of pressure herself

Knee press, and this is genius!! Thanks for posting it!!

[phathui5]

thorn, that's the first time I've seen vanilla on a list. Can you talk about what you do with it for and when it's been helpful?

[singin_angel]

My bag has:

- bath pillow
- hair ties
- face cloths
- tennis balls and golf balls
- small combs (for acupressure)
- nausea bracelets
- peppermint candy and lotion (for nausea)
- rebozo
- flamesless candles (never used them)
- hot water bottle or rice sock
- birth ball
- The Birth Partner and handouts about positions for labour (I often will give it to a partner during labour as a cheat sheet so they feel in control too)
- lolipops (never used)
- pens, birth notes book, granola bars, water bottle, money, change of clothes for me, cell phone charger, buisness cards

[thorn]

Originally Posted by phathui5

thorn, that's the first time I've seen vanilla on a list. Can you talk about what you do with it for and when it's been helpful?

I just like the smell of vanilla, I find it calming, so I thought I would have another option for moms if they want it on a washcloth, or to add a drop to my unscented massage cream.

I don't know if it is actually used for anything specific, although a quick google search says calming, relaxing, etc, so apparently I'm not the only one who feels that way

[phathui5]

I like it too; I was just wondering if there was something else I should know about it.

[Camarell]

I haven't doula'd in a while but my bag was mostly for me
a couple pads
change of clothes
toothbrush
comb
deodorant
gum/mints
change
hair ties
I always carried a brand new toothbrush and chapstick in case moms found themselves without theirs
vegetable glycerin
orange, lavender and peppermint EO's
I carried an "emergency birth kit" in case of a precipitous birth, cord scissors, cord clamps, infant hat.
honey
pens and small notebook

everything in a backpack

[phathui5]

Ladies who carry the Labor Progress Handbook, has it been helpful to you? I've been looking at it online, but I'm not sure about buying it.

My new backpack came in the mail today. So far I have packed:

- travel toothbrush and toothpaste
- deodorant
- tampons
- scented massage oil
- unscented massage oil
- peppermint oil
- Nukkies
- 2 rice socks

I think I'm going to get a couple of the handouts I like for attending births laminated and stick them in there (Comfort Measures for Labor, etc).

[Beccadoula]

I have in my bag:

-rebozo
-two long rice socks (with handles on the ends)
-massager
-mirror
-snacks
-massage oil/lotion
-birth ball/pump
-hand sanitizer
-gloves
-instant ice packs

I normally only use the rice packs and gloves, snacks...maybe ice packs.