There are some first aid supplies that I don’t leave home without. A wipable pouch sits at the bottom of my backpack and pushchair, essentially forgotten about…. until it is needed! One of my three children will inevitably have an accident when we are out and about. And that’s when I thank my future friend for being so organised.
The way my brain works, is I would rather have the supplies and never need them, than not having them when I absolutely need them. I suppose I have the same attitude to learning first aid- better to be prepared and learn these life-saving skills and never need them, rather than spend your days scared that something will happen and you won’t know what to do.
So, here is a lovely starting point if you want to put something together (and yes- if you want me to do the leg work for you, our “Ouch Pouches” are full of the absolute essentials!).
1. Plasters. All the plasters. Different sizes, characters, shapes, whatever. Such a great distraction tool.
2. Small instant ice pack. Crush and it is cold. Perfect for soothing head bumps and other minor injuries. If it gets too cold, it will need to be wrapped in something before applying.
3. Sterile water to wash out wounds and eyes. You can buy these in 20 ml vials- perfect. Or else, bottled water would be great.
4. Disposable sterile gloves, and a spare face mask (thanks Covid).
5. Alcohol-free cleansing wipes to wash any wounds.
6. A bandage.
7. A pair of tweezers for splinter removal/ the spotting of an unruly eyebrow hair.
8. A sachet of burn soothe to treat burns and scalds if you don’t have access to cool, running water
Things you probably already have packed:
9. Water. It can cool down, it can hydrate, it can cleanse. Winner winner chicken dinner.
10. A credit card. No, not for that hefty ice cream bill. Use the flat edge of any card to remove a bee sting. Don’t pinch or tweezer it out as that releases more venom.
11. A clean muslin wrap or similar. It can support, it can have pressure applied to stop bleeding, it can even be used for a game of peek-a-boo if a tantrum occurs.
12. Snacks. Or as my kids are forever screaming “snaaaaaaccckssss!!”. Be that parent that has a few favourites slipped away for when the hanger is real. Again, you will thank your future friend if you ever need them.
Some other things to consider:
13. Antihistamine tablets if required and old enough (think Piriton) and Calpol sachets. Number one thing to remember is you do not want little hands getting to these- could you keep a couple in your purse instead?
14. Triangular bandage. Oh my goodness this is the number one thing people think of when they list contents of a first aid kit. The reality is that, yes, they do have a place and they can have multiple uses. But would you know how to supportively apply one?! You would probably do a better job using a scarf, or the child’s jumper!! If I am completely honest, I don’t actually have one of these in my kit!
15. A plastic face shield. Nice to have one of these if you ever need to do rescue breaths on a child that wasn’t your own. (Oh my goodness, sorry, that got a bit scary then. It’s okay… you have totally got this).
16. A guide reminding you what to do in case of injury or emergency. Sometimes we worry that we will panic and not remember what needs to be done. Having a quick reference guide can act as wonderful reminder to give you an extra boost of confidence.
Hopefully that helps!
Purchase an Ouch Pouch for £28 here.
