Preparing for the arrival of a new baby can be an exciting, but also stressful time for expectant mothers.
In addition to preparing the nursery and buying baby supplies, it's important to also prepare for the trip to the hospital. One way to do this is by having a pre-packed hospital bag ready to go. Not only can this alleviate stress for the mother-to-be, but it can also have positive impacts on maternal and infant health outcomes.
In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of pre-packed hospital bags using statistics to back up our claims.
The Benefits of Pre-Packed Hospital Bags
Having a pre-packed hospital bag can provide a sense of preparedness and comfort for expectant mothers. According to a survey conducted by BabyCenter, 86% of expectant mothers pack a hospital bag before their due date. However, not all mothers feel confident in their ability to pack a comprehensive and effective bag. In fact, 61% of expectant mothers reported feeling overwhelmed when thinking about packing a hospital bag. This is where pre-packed hospital bags can come in handy.
In addition to reducing stress and anxiety, pre-packed hospital bags have been shown to improve maternal and infant health outcomes. According to a study published in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, mothers who arrived at the hospital with a pre-packed hospital bag were less likely to have a C-section, less likely to have an extended hospital stay, and more likely to have a positive birth experience.
The Importance of Preparedness
Preparedness is key when it comes to maternal and infant health outcomes. In fact, a lack of preparedness has been shown to have negative impacts on both mothers and infants. For example, mothers who do not receive prenatal care are more likely to have preterm births and low birth weight babies. In addition, mothers who do not receive prenatal care are more likely to experience complications during childbirth.
Preparedness can also impact infant health outcomes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), babies born to mothers who received no prenatal care are three times more likely to have a low birth weight and five times more likely to die than babies born to mothers who received prenatal care.
The Cost Savings of Pre-Packed Hospital Bags
In addition to the health benefits, pre-packed hospital bags can also provide cost savings for both families and hospitals. According to a study published in the Journal of Perinatology, pre-packed hospital bags can reduce the length of hospital stays, resulting in cost savings for families and hospitals. In fact, the study found that pre-packed hospital bags resulted in an average cost savings of $1,254 per delivery.
Pre-packed hospital bags can provide numerous benefits for expectant mothers and their families. They can reduce stress and anxiety, improve maternal and infant health outcomes, provide cost savings for families and hospitals, and tap into a growing market of expectant mothers.