Less than three months until my bunchkin arrives, and I (like most first-time moms) have become a bit neurotic and detail-oriented. I hear this passes with later children, but to be honest, it's kind of fun- reading everything I can get my hands on, learning new things, studying new baby products and comparing it all, and the general high level of excitement that comes with a first baby. Actually, it's a lot of fun...and my husband is very amused by it all.
I'm now focused on packing the perfect hospital bag, and while many women who've been there/done that already know what to bring, I've gathered a list for new moms (like me!) to help us out. For the been there/done that moms, feel free to add to my list if I've forgotten something you find necessary or useful!
The Perfectly-Packed Hospital Bag
1. Overnight toiletries- toothbrush and toothpaste,face and body soap, a hair brush, moisturizer, contact lense supplies, deodorant, and whatever else you'd pack for an overnight trip.
2. Make-up, for all those pics you'll be taking soon.
3. Comfy pj's if you don't want to wear the hospital gown (I've heard there are even pretty new-mom hospital gowns, but I haven't found any yet), non-slip socks in case it's cold.
4. Nursing bras, a nursing pillow or extra pillows from home, and nursing pads.
5. Comfy shoes that are easy to slip on.
6. Extra underwear (depending on length of hospital stay).
7. Magazines, a cd-man, a book of crosswords, etc, for the hospital stay after.
8. Heavy flow pads (a few of them at least).
9. Hair clips.
10. Snacks, to munch on after labor, and maybe a favorite drink (in case the hospital doesn't have it).
11. A camera!! Make sure it's charged and has lots film or room on the memory chip. A videocamera too, if you have one (this may be a good time to look into buying one, to catch all your baby's firsts).
12. A change of clothes for yourself, to prepare for visitors.
13. Your baby's scrapbook, if you want to have your baby's footprints added in :), or a memory book so you can jot down your feelings, memories, experiences (don't forget the pen!)
14. ID and insurance cards.
15. A spray-bottle so your husband can mist you during labor, and candy and lipbalm for dry mouth.
16. A fully charged cell-phone (only if allowed at your hospital).
17. Glasses- you'll be exhausted and may forget to take your contacts out before falling asleep.
18. A list of people to call with the news.
19. A coming home outfit for the little one, and a receiving blanket.
20. And finally, of course, an infant car seat should be installed and ready to hold baby for his first ride home!
I got very relaxed with the next kids, by #4 I waited until the last minute to get my bag together it drove Hubby crazy.
ReplyDeleteI wore a nice nursing gown in black that I got from motherwear.com. It was inexpensive & was great for the hospital (and later at home). Especially since you need to have regular checks in the hospital after birth, changes of pads, and using ice packs. The gown was great for that & nursing in it was a breeze.
Look like a pretty comprehensive list that almost any women could use if a hospital stay were necessary, even if it were not for giving birth.
ReplyDeleteI know friends that have had multiple children started out like you with the first, all prepared, then after each one "slacked" more and more! :-)
Hmmm. i am on #3 and I could not have lived without my ipod or my laptop in the hospital. We have wifi in our hospital. Yay! Pajamas are sort of a waste since they have to check your privates a couple of times a day and it is NOT comfortable to be putting things on and off. A nursing gown is great although I think I brought one both times and ended up staying in hospital gowns (they will being you new clean ones whenever you want) since it was so much easier and more comfortable to have them be able to fully open. Honestly the stretchy hospital undies were SO much more comfortable than my own. And also - their SUPER pads were more SUPER than mine and were needed. I used the other pads when I got home. I brought snacks since I must munch when I get hungry or I get nauseous. If you are doing (or trying for) natural labor you will want to bring any of the things that your hospital does not have or that you want for labor such as birthing balls, tennis balls for massage etc. I would actually add CELL PHONE to the list and tape it to your front door near the delivery date. If you do go into labor in the middle of the night you don't want to forget your phone so you can tell everyone. I am lucky because we live near the hospital and did not mind my husband leaving to pick up food or anything I wanted for the baby but if you are far away - make a good list and check it twice! Finally, I would add some dry shampoo and body wash to the list. You don't get to just jump in the shower to wash off (and most hospitals have sucky showers to prevent burns and such)and to be honest it is really hard to take that first shower. These are a lifesaver! I will be posting a list soon too. Great minds think alike!
ReplyDeleteI love your list. My first list looked just like yours. By my 4th, I had my hubby running to the store to get the things I forgot as I was heading out the door.
ReplyDeleteYou should have this list saved in an email to send to every expectant mother you know. It seems like a perfect list!
ReplyDeleteThat's quite a list. I do remember a little bit about that excitement of having the first. There is no other experience like it. Enjoy every moment!
ReplyDeleteOn another note: I'm giving away 2 gifts to 2 commenters today to celebrate my 2nd Blogiversary. Go to my blog and enter your comment on the giveaway post to get a chance to win. Ends midnight tonight.
Have a wonderful day!
oh, dry shampoo! That is a good tip (didn't think of that one...have to add it)
ReplyDeleteI hear a lot of new moms forget their cell phone (probably because it's what they often use, and so it's not packed away in their hospital bag)...putting a sign up to remind myself sounds good!
ReplyDeleteYour list sounds great!! I was lucky we live close by so anything I missed, hubby brought it for me. I did forget a few things.
ReplyDeleteEven with my second, I still read everything I could!
I'm excited for you!
don't forget that you can't wear your regular clothes home! yoga pants and a maternity top that fits you about now should work out well.
ReplyDeleteStopping by from SITS.
Congrats on expecting your 1st!
ReplyDeleteAlong with the cell phone - do NOT forget the cell phone charger! And I agree - use the undies and pads the hospital provides and take the extras home. And bring comfy stretchy clothes to come home in.
Great list!
I recommend a robe...just in case you decide to stay in the hospital gown or you make a trek outside of your room. It was a must for me, plus it kept me warm in the freezing room that I had.
ReplyDeletePenelope,
ReplyDeleteyou are probably going to need some comfy socks!
One tip. Dont take your whole house. Some of it you wont even use and you'll just have a ton of junk to cart home with your sweet bundle. If you take your own pillow make sure it has a distinctive case, so you know whats yours when you leave and so they dont change out YOU pillow case. One thing I might recommend if you are going to have lots of relatives or friends there, is EARPLUGS. Because good intentions aside, if you are EXAUSTED from labor, and they arent quiet enough for you to sleep when you need it, you might wanna bite their heads off. Just sayin. ;) Not from experience or anything... hehe. some ice pops for the freezer there. NOT RED (too close to blood if you vomit) Way better tasting than ice chips!
ReplyDeleteThese are some great tips! I didn't even think of a robe, and not red ice pops makes great sense.
ReplyDeleteGreat list!! : ) I'll be bookmarking this page!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, it's so much fun planning and buying and preparing for your little one! I was/am the exact same way!
ReplyDeleteAwesome list you have!
If you don't mind, may I add a few? Some are not so much packing, but during and after suggestions.
1) Change for the vending machine (for DH)
2) Boppy pillow (optional of course) if you plan to breastfeed. Also good just to have to help position you and baby while feeding (bottle or breast). Hospital-issued pillows can be uncomfy and hard to position, depending on the hospital.
3) Chapstick! Trust me, your lips will get SO dry/chapped during labor!
4) Birth plan and copy for hospital/doc.
5) Scrapbook page for bay foot prints, have it laid out and ready for just after baby is born so their little feet can immediately be imprinted.
6) Phone # list of close family/friends so DH (or you, or someone else) can call them to tell them the good news!
7) The hospital will issue your mesh undies (the GREATEST thing EVER after giving birth), pads, etc. Take as much as them as you can! Have flexible re-usab;e ice packs at home waiting. Also, stock up on Tucks pads and Dermoplast spray. I would line my diaper pads with about 5-6 tucks, then spray myself with the Dermoplast. I also put ice packs over my pads sometimes. It helps tremendously! Some hospitals will have Tucks/Dermoplast but you will go through them quickly!
8) TAKE each and every nasal aspirator (booger sucker!) from the hospital you can get your hands on. You will never, and I mean NEVER find an over the counter store-purchased one that comes close to giving the suction the hospital ones do.
9) I brought my own wipes for baby because most hospitals will give you dry paper-towel like things that you have to wet down. If pediatrician okays it, wipes are way more convenient.
10) Big, baggy, comfortable going home outfit for you. Don't bring jeans or anything "pre pregnancy". You still still look and feel about 5-6 months pg after giving birth. Plan to wear something flexible. When I went home I had to have a catheter in ... so glad I brought loose fitting sweats so my cath fit in them!
11) Some people bring a home-made wreath or decorations to put on their door saying "it's a boy" or "it's a girl". I didn't but how cute would that be?!
Ok, I got carried away, sorry!! I have more suggestions if you ever want to ask, HAHA.
Are you getting excited??? How fun!
Oh and what we did was buy small travel sized toiletries so we could have it all packed and not have to worry about grabbing the toothbrush, shampoo, etc last minute!
ReplyDeleteI also forgot: Some women suggest to bring your own toilet paper. The hospital crap is soooo stiff and when you have a vaginal birth you're very sore. You won't really be using TP anyways (moreso Tucks pads and a water bottle) but just in case, I would bring a roll.
Also, the things I did not use:
My own underwear (lived in the hospital ones for a week after. Or longer!
Pajamas, I wore the hospital gown until they made me change into a clean one. It's very uncomfortable to move around.
Books, movies, CDs, DVDs. I was too excited before, too much in pain during and too exhausted after to use them. lol
I didn't use my robe because at that point I didn't care who saw what, lol.
I packed a lot and some of it we just kept in the care just in case. I am the type of person where I would rather pack too much and be too organized than wish I had something.
You go girl, you have fun with this!! It's a memory you will cherish forever and you can pack as much or as little as you want! :))))
Hi Penelope
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my blog. I actually need to remove that ticker because my twins are 7 weeks old today :)
Enjoy these last few weeks of the second trimester - it gets really uncomfortable towards the end :)
Em, that is a great list- don't worry about getting carried away, advice helps! so advise away :)
ReplyDeletesmall, travel sized toiletries, toilet paper, tucks pads...adding this to my list.
ReplyDeleteWow -- what great ideas! I thought your list was so thought out and organized. I'm sure the anticipation is building day by day!
ReplyDeleteI brought a Glamour magazine with me to the hospital (never did get to read it though) when my daughter was born 20 years ago. It's such a interesting memento of the occasion as it has all the fashions and advertisements of the time. Being a 20-year-old female, she thinks it is great to have a fashion magazine from the day she was born in 1989!
fantastic blog.
ReplyDeletenice blog.
ReplyDeleteVery Nice Blog.
ReplyDeleteMy water broke two weeks before my due date ... and I didn't have a bag packed for the hospital. And to be honest, there wasn't anything that I really needed that didn't somehow manage to find its way to my room ... hubby threw a few things in a duffle, and then I had a good friend stop by the house and pick up a few other items on her way to visit ... now, with my second on the way, I may try to be better prepared :)
ReplyDeleteFunny because I am normally super organized and considered Type A, but this major birthing detail just didn't concern me :)
WOW, you did a great job. I am on my 3rd, and the only thing I see that you don't have up here is make up and my hair products. I amone of those that recover fast and I did not want company seeing me look like I just had a baby or something.
ReplyDeleteCongratualtions!