From razor blades, bleach, plastic sheets and buckets of water to smart phones, breast pumps and cotton wool, international charity WaterAid reveals a thought-provoking look at what expectant mums globally are packing in their maternity bags, as part of its Time to Deliver campaign.
Through striking photography and filmed testimonies, women across 13 countries – including the UK, Ethiopia, Japan, Canada, Ghana and Malawi – share their excitement, hopes, expectations and rituals ahead of childbirth, to mark International Day of the Midwife.
But, while the universality of motherhood shines through in commonly packed items such as baby clothes, blankets and water bottles or vessels, the contents of each bag offer a powerful insight into the delivery room that awaits, exposing a deep injustice shaping maternal health globally.
Globally, a woman gives birth every two seconds without these basics, exposing more than 16 million women each year to preventable, life‑threatening infections. So, depending on where in the world a woman gives birth, and the water and hygiene facilities available, what she packs can mean the difference between survival and comfort. In settings without clean water or hygienic conditions, these items are life‑saving protections against deadly infection; elsewhere, they are simple comforts for mother and baby.
At the Nankumba health centre in Mangochi, Malawi, Rose, 20, has brought a bucket (to collect water), a razor blade (to cut the umbilical cord and thread (to sew it) as well as a chitenje cloth to wrap her newborn and baby hat.
Rose, who is expecting her first child, says:
“We don’t have running water inside the bathrooms. We collect water from the standpipes. Most things are missing or in short supply here such as brooms, soap and mops. The number one thing that I would like … is soap, because we need to wash our hands, like when we use the toilet. Washing your hands without soap is not enough. It is a disheartening situation.”
In the UK, Amira, 34, is also expecting her first child. Among the items she’s packing are a water bottle, toiletries, and special items that her mum has given her. She says:
“I packed this water bottle, with a straw because it’s meant to be really good for you to keep hydrated during labour. Also, something that’s special to me that I’m taking for luck, is this bracelet my mum wore when I was a kid. I’m going to be wearing this and it reminds me of her, and of home.
“I had no idea that every two seconds a woman in the world gives birth somewhere without clean water, decent toilets, and good hygiene. I think that’s terrifying. It’s essential that every woman has clean water during childbirth… being able to clean yourself, your baby, have water to drink during the process and worry about infection is such an important part of all healthcare, but especially during birth.”
WaterAid found many women around the world want change.
Lloyid Aklilu, 31, who runs her own hair salon in her home city of Addis Ababa said:
“People living in cities like Addis Ababa have the privilege of a better quality of life because they have easier access to basic services. However, when we consider the women across the country, many do not have access to even the most basic necessities. I believe there should be a focus on improving access to water and increasing awareness about hygiene as a first step towards a better life.”
“The items I pack in my hospital bag include comfortable pyjamas and possibly some painkillers. …Of all the items, the most meaningful one for me is the wrapping blanket my mother-in-law gave me. My husband was wrapped in it, and now his children are.”
Away from Ethiopia’s capital, Anshiya Haji Hussien, 28, lives in Gada Tokuma Kebele. Like many communities impacted by ethnic conflict, her family was relocated there. Although now safe, the area suffers water scarcity. She is expecting her sixth child.
Explaining about the things she’s taking to the health centre, Anshiya said:
“I have prepared some baby clothes and wrapping cloths. I’m also planning on taking a bucket, because water may not be available at the health centre and having water is essential… Water remains my top priority because I value cleanliness.”
Hindiya Abdulkadir, is a midwife working at Gada Tokuma Health Centre where Anshiya is due to give birth. She explains the challenges:
“The two main challenges we face are electricity and water. I empathise deeply with the mothers here, as many of them carry water on their backs even while pregnant. Sometimes, we go without water for more than a week, which makes our work extremely difficult. Although electricity is also a challenge, the lack of water is the most serious issue. Water is essential for everything we do.”
Ayako Kato, 43, from Tokyo is a mother of three children. Ayako is preparing to give birth to her fourth child at the Yajima Midwifery, where two of her children were born previously. In Japan, it is common for the healthcare facility to provide a ‘hands-free set’ of essentials: nappies, pyjamas and clothes for the new baby. She’s taking along a ‘safe childbirth’ charm, bought by her husband and her ‘boshitecho’ – a maternity record book. Ayako explains:
“I’m bringing my ‘boshitecho’ as it’s particularly meaningful for me, it has the whole history of my pregnancies. I’m also bringing some water I received at a concert of an artist I really love. It lifts my spirits, so I wanted to bring it.”
Helen Hamilton, WaterAid’s Head of Policy – WASH and Public Health said:
“As a mother, I know how daunting preparing for birth can be. The excitement of meeting your baby is often bound up with natural fears about how the birth will go and whether your child will be safe.
“This powerful series reveals a stark truth: women’s safety and their birth experience is a dangerous lottery, determined by where you live and the care available to you. Too often, mothers preparing for birth must pack not just baby clothes, but essentials their healthcare facilities lack. One in five facilities still does not have clean water and basic hygiene, meaning midwives cannot wash their hands properly or sterilise equipment, and women are forced to bring plastic sheeting, disinfectant, or water to keep themselves safe.
“Maternity bags are not only about what women need – they expose where health systems are failing women. The solution is simple and proven: clean water and good hygiene save lives. Governments and decision-makers must prioritise investment in these basic, lifesaving foundations of care. Women across the world are calling for change. It’s time to listen.”
WaterAid is calling on world leaders to take urgent action to ensure that every healthcare facility has access to clean water. This year, governments and world leaders have an opportunity to turn long-recognised commitments into measurable progress – protecting water finance, and mobilising action ahead of the UN Water conference in December.
You can join mothers and healthcare workers calling for change globally by supporting WaterAid’s Time to Deliver campaign and signing our global petition to world leaders. It is time for governments to deliver, for every birth, every woman, every future.
