CHECKLIST : WHAT TO PACK IN YOUR HOSPITAL BAG

It's been over a year since I last gave birth. But I just thought to share with pregnant moms my hospital bag necessities. 

FOR YOU:

1.  Philhealth Member’s Data Record and SSS forms – There are different procedures or requirements for those who are employed and self-employed. I suggest you give your hospital a call to ask what exactly you need to bring. You may ask to be transferred to the hospital’s Philhealth Department. Don’t call the actual Philhealth trunk line because they might give a different answer from your hospital’s Philhealth Department.  Some hospitals require the actual Philhealth MDR plus a copy of the contribution, some just require your MDR or your husband’s. You better inquire about this few months before your actual due date, so that you’ll have enough time to sort out your documents. If your requirements are incomplete, you’ll end up shouldering all the expenses that could have been deducted by your Philhealth. You can reimburse it, but it will take more than 3 months and you’ll need to go back to the hospital to get your reimbursement.
2.  Insurance Card – If your delivery and hospitalization will be covered by your insurance, you’ll need to surrender your insurance card to the hospital staff. Have this ready together with your documents and place inside an envelope. Give it to the husband because if you’re already in labor, you won’t have time to get these from your bag.

Bath Time!

When you’re a new mom, or a mom to be, you tend to become too excited with shopping for baby stuff. Most of the time, we buy things that are not really necessary. One of the basics that we buy is baby wash. There are a lot of brands out there and it’s really confusing which one is the best. Sometimes, the best brand may not be the best one for your baby, so it is not advisable to buy a lot or a big bottle of a specific brand unless you’ve tried it already. Besides, most hospitals include a baby wash in their package anyway. Having 3 kids with different skin types, I have already tried a lot of baby wash. Among those products, the ones that I will keep on buying are the following: