Where on earth did you get a sandalwood fan? It sounds lovely! A great item to have, I would think.

Love this thread!

My answer...way too much. I swear, I never use 90% of it!

The things that tend to come out are:

massage oil (unscented, natural stuff)
rebozo
hard candies -- these get used every time
chapstick
camera
notepad and pen for taking notes
book (who knew -- but it has come out a few times now as dad leaves and mom is getting some much-needed rest)

I must say this was an amazing thread for a first read for me. I'm actually getting ready to attend my 4th birth this month (she's due in a couple wks). And I never knew what to pack with me, and I would always feel like I was forgetting something. But since I'm a massage therapist, somehow I never forget my oils. And for anyone unsure, essential oils (single notes and blends) should not be used directly on skin (pregnant or not) unless diluted with a base oil. And unless you are familiar with proportions to dilute the EO (each oil is different), then just a cotton ball with the EO on it for mom to smell, is a better option.

Like I said, I'm new here so gotta work on my signature block, lol.

Crystal S, NCMT, LMT
Certified Prenatal Massage Therapist, Certified Infant Massage Therapist and Instructor
Completing my Fertility Massage Therapy certification
Recently completed my Massage Doula certification
Active Peace Therapeutic Bodywork, LLC

Army Veteran and Army Wife, mom of 1 DS 6yrs old (and 3 furbabies)

Check out http://yourdoulasite.com/yourbirthbag/. I refer my clients to this website when asking what to pack in their hospital bag. Her sister site is geared to the birth pro.

one thing in my doula bag that I've used without fail at every birth is straws. Hard to drink water from whatever position you happen to be in without a straw...