What the world's women pack in their maternity bags – in pictures

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From plastic sheets, thermos flasks and torches to touchscreen tablets and massage oils, WaterAid has revealed, as part of their Deliver Life initiative, what women in Australia, Zambia, Madagascar, Malawi and a host of other countries pack in their maternity bags. Depending on where in the world they are giving birth, the items taken to the hospital might be luxuries or life-savers

  • Agnes Noti, 22, is in the Kiomboi hospital, Iramba district, Tanzania, expecting a third child. The hospital serves an 80km radius. There are three rooms used for both antenatal and postnatal women. There are no basins. The labour ward has one broken toilet and no shower. After giving birth, women wash in the toilet, or climb into the sluice-room sink which is used to dispose of waste and wash medical equipment. She says: ‘The water for drinking, we buy from the shop. Last time the water came from the river, which is not safe. Many people who fetch water suffer. You can’t trust that water.’
    Agnes Noti, 22, is in the Kiomboi hospital, Iramba district, Tanzania, expecting her third child

  • Agnes’s bag: – baby clothes, socks and cape (blanket)– basin– flask– tea
    Agnes’s hospital bag contains: - baby clothes, socks and cape (blanket)- basin- flask- tea

  • Ellen Phiri, 23, from Malawi, gave birth in the Simulemba health centre, which serves 70,000 people and delivers more than 90 babies a month. It has no clean running water, four toilets for 400 people, showers with no doors or roof, and no sterilisation equipment. Water is collected from a pump shared with the local community of 2,000 people. This water is not clean and queues to access it are long.
    Ellen Phiri is 23 and from Malawi

  • Ellen’s bag: – torch, as there is no electricity supply– black plastic sheet to put on the delivery bed– razor blade to cut the umbilical cord– string to tie the umbilical cord– 200 kwacha (20p) for food– three large sarongs for Ellen to wear and to wrap the baby in
    Her hospital bag contains: – torch, black plastic sheet, razor blade, string, 200 kwacha, three large sarongs

  • Hazel Shandumba, 27, is from Hamakando village in Monze district, Zambia. ‘We have a borehole at the clinic but there is no running water in the maternity ward,’ she says. ‘I have heard elderly women telling different do’s and don’ts [for pregnancy]. I was told not to sleep too much during the daytime. If I do, the baby would also sleep at the time of delivery. I am not supposed to stand in the doorway because the baby will do the same while being delivered and will delay. I was told not to put a scarf or necklace around my neck because the baby’s umbilical cord will wrap around the neck.’
    Hazel Shandumba is 27 and from Hamakando village in Monze district, Zambia

  • Hazel’s bag: – baby blanket– cotton wool– chitenge (like a sarong)– babygrow – napkins– bowl– polythene roll to put on the delivery bed
    Her hospital bag contains: – baby blanket– cotton wool– chitenge– babygrow – napkins– bowl– polythene roll

  • Claudine Razafindrabary, 26, is due to give birth at the Soavina health centre, Betafo district, Vakinankaratra region, Madagascar. ‘We have running water near our house in my village,’ she says. ‘It was built by WaterAid a few years ago so I don’t have to walk very far to fetch water. My family told me about the taboos around pregnancy. For me, the main one is not putting a scarf around my neck during pregnancy because if I do my baby could be born with the umbilical cord wrapped around their neck. So I don’t wear a scarf. I don’t even have one at home.’
    Claudine Razafindrabary, 26, is due to give birth at the Soavina health centre, Betafo district, Vakinankaratra region, Madagascar

  • Claudine’s bag: – new clothes– cotton wool– alcohol for cleaning– nappies– flask– bucket– sanitary pads
    Her bag contains: – new clothes– cotton wool– alcohol for cleaning– nappies– flask– bucket– sanitary pads

  • Deanna Neiers, 39, lives in New York City, US, and is expecting her first baby. She says: ‘I am very fortunate to live within walking distance of one of the best hospitals in New York City. Being pregnant certainly heightens your awareness of how fortunate we are to have access to great birthing facilities and clean water. You want the best for your baby and it’s devastating to think about dangers such as contaminated water and unhygienic facilities. I imagine a world where all women have a safe, clean place to birth their babies.’
    Deanna Neiers, 39, lives in New York City, US and is expecting her first baby.

  • Deanna’s bag: – music player– coconut and lavender oil– arnica gel – snacks – nursing bra and pads – nursing pillow– clothes for baby and for Deanna– swaddling blanket– book
    Her bag contains: – music player– coconut and lavender oil– arnica gel – snacks – nursing bra and pads – nursing pillow– clothes for baby and her– swaddle blanket

  • Katy Shaw, 31, is pregnant with her first child. She is originally from the UK but now lives in Melbourne, having spent two years in Malawi. She says: ‘I feel it is unbelievable that heavily pregnant women are collecting dirty water themselves in the countries where WaterAid works, dealing with the everyday stresses of pregnancy, as well as the additional burden of collecting water. Even carrying the maternity bag is too heavy for me, I couldn’t imagine how I would cope if I had to carry 25 litres of water over a distance.’
    Katy Shaw, 31, is pregnant with her first child

  • Katy’s bag: – toiletries – snacks – nappies– hat– socks– mittens– clothes and swaddles for the baby – clothes for Katy– night dresses – maternity underwear – maternity pads and nursing pads – massage oils
    Katy’s bag: toiletries, snacks, nappies, hat, socks, mittens, clothes and swaddles for the baby, night dresses, maternity underwear, maternity pads and nursing pads, massage oils

  • Joanna Edwards, 32, in London, UK is pregnant with her first child. ‘I have packed a water bottle,’ she says. ‘My sister suggested I bring something to make [water] easier to drink [during labour]. I will bring it empty and I am assuming the hospital will have somewhere I can fill it. They must have a water fountain. I am taking that for granted, unlike people in Africa. The most important thing in the bag is the blanket my mum gave me to bring the baby home in, the same one my mother brought me home in.’
    Joanna Edwards, 32, in London, UK is pregnant with her first child

  • Joanna’s bag:– nappies – little white clothes for the baby – some knitted trousers– lots of snacks– my clothes – my own towel– toiletries – a TENS machine – maternity pads – iPad– water bottle– medical notes– a blanket
    Joanna's bag: nappies, little white clothes for the baby, knitted trousers, snacks, clothes, towel, toiletries, TENS machine, maternity pads, iPad, water bottle, medical notes, blanket

  • Zaituni Mohammed, 29, and her baby, Mariam, in the post-natal ward at Kiomboi hospital in Iramba, Tanzania.
    Zaituni Mohammed, 29, and her baby, Mariam, in the post-natal ward at Kiomboi Hospital in Iramba, Tanzania

  • Zaituni’s bag:– thermos– drink– a meal– swaddling clothes
    Zaituni’s bag: thermos, drink, meal, swaddling clothes

  • Marie Lucette Ravonjinahary, 38, at the health centre in Soavina in Madagascar. She is expecting her fifth child. For much of her pregnancy she had to fetch water. ‘We don’t have running water in our village,’ she says, ‘so, even though I’m pregnant, I still have to fetch water every day from an open source near the ricefield at the bottom of a hill. Only at eight months did I stop fetching water because I could no longer carry a jerrycan and the path was becoming quite dangerous and slippery because of the rain.’
    Marie Lucette Ravonjinahary, 38, at the health centre in Soavina in Madagascar

  • Marie Lucette’s bag: – thermos– bucket– baby clothes– cup– nappies– cloth
    Marie Lucette’s bag: thermos, bucket, baby clothes, cup, nappies, cloth

  • Zoenabo Karane, 33, holds her fifth child at Kampoaga village health centre in Burkina Faso. She has benefited from a ready supply of clean water. ‘Thanks to God, where I live, we have boreholes and I didn’t get sick from drinking dirty water whilst pregnant,’ she says. ‘My children also didn’t get sick as newborns because of dirty water. This is good fortune because I know there are areas where people don’t have a clean water point. If you are pregnant and you live where there is no clean accessible water I can imagine how you’ll be suffering, being obliged to deal with dirty water.’
    Zoenabo Karane, 33, holds her fifth child at Kampoaga village health centre in Burkina Faso

  • Zoenabo’s maternity bag: – hats– socks– a change of clothes– trousers– pants– pieces of fabric– baby sling– basin– tumbler
    Zoenabo’s maternity bag: hats, socks, a change of clothes, trousers, pants, pieces of fabric, baby sling, basin, tumbler

  • Chadla Suyhidy Morales Benjamio, 16, in Bilwi, Nicaragua, at the Casa Materna. The well serving the Casa Materna is contaminated by the nearby septic tank and the water is not safe to drink, but it is used for bathing and washing, which has led to a skin rash all over Chadla’s body.
    Chadla Suyhidy Morales Benjamio, 16, in Bilwi, Nicaragua at the Casa Materna

  • Chadla’s bag:– towel– baby clothes– bottles– bowl– cup– comb– toothbrush and paste– deodorant– perfume– roll of toilet paper– ballpoint pen– notebook
    Chadla’s bag: towel, baby clothes, bottles, bowl, cup, comb, toothbrush and paste, deodorant, perfume, loo roll, biro, notebook

  • Kemisa Hidaya, 27, at the Kawaala Health Centre III in Kampala, Uganda. She is thankful to be in a clean environment. She says: ‘I have been here for just a day, but the toilets are clean and the labour ward has been cleaned twice. I found the toilet in the hospital clean but it is not a toilet with water; it’s for squatting though it is not easy for pregnant women like me to squat.’
    Kemisa Hidaya, 27, in Kawaala Health Centre II, Kampala, Uganda

  • Kemisa’s bag:– two nylon sheets– two pairs of gloves– a pair of new razor blades– cotton wool roll for padding and cleaning blood– washing soap powder for cleaning the labour room after delivery– bottle of disinfectant– flask– a cup– a roll of toilet paper– baby wrapper to cover the baby– nappies– bedding for use while in the hospital– emergency money
    Kemisa’s bag: two nylon sheets, two pairs of gloves, a pair of new razor blades, cotton wool roll, washing soap powder, bottle of disinfectant, flask, cup, a roll of toilet paper, baby receiver to cover the baby, nappies, bedding, money

  • Merina Milimo, 30, from Kagoli Village, west of Monze district in Zambia, is expecting her third child at the Hamapande clinic. ‘All my children were delivered at Hamapande clinic and I am OK with the place,’ she says. ‘[It] is clean and has enough water since there is a borehole. Here at my home I draw water for various uses. We have a borehole and it’s not far from my home. I don’t have body pains as a result of drawing water.’
    Merina Milimo, 30, from Kagoli Village, west of Monze District in Zambia

  • Merina’s bag:– bowl– baby clothes and socks– hat– nappies– towel– tissues– cotton wool– baby wrapper– change of clothes– talcum powder– cream
    Merina’s bag: bowl, baby clothes and socks, hat, nappies, towel, tissues, cotton wool, wrapper, clothes, talcum powder, cream

  • Mestawet Legesse, 30, has just delivered her fourth child – a boy – at Akaki health centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She says: ‘In 40 days, according to our religion, he will be baptised. Until then I will stay at home while my mum nurses me, feeds me, does everything for me. I am going to be treated very well as I am a new mother again. The nursing could go on for up to two months. But after a month, I will start doing small things for myself.’
    Mestawet Legesse, 30, at Akaki health centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Mestawet’s bag:– towel (to hold the baby)– sanitary towels– underwear– sweatpants – a long, loose dress– socks– a bottle of Mirinda (a soft drink)
    Mestawet’s bag:·A towel, sanitary pads, Underwear, Sweatpants, dress, socks, soft drink
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