Packing For The Hospital
September 7, 2009 by Kailani
Filed under daily life, random thoughts
The other day my sister asked if I had packed my bag for the hospital yet. I guess I can’t really blame her for wanting me to be prepared since she wasn’t ready to give birth to her son who arrived one month early.
So I got out my rollerboard and started to make a list of things to take. Besides the obvious – toiletries, clothes for me and baby to wear home, a baby blanket, camera, and laptop – I wasn’t sure what else I should add to the list. I did some online research and found lists of endless suggested items. Are you kidding me? How in the world am I going to fit all that into my bag? They’ll think I”m moving in for a month!
So instead I thought I’d ask you what one item you felt was an absolute necessity when you were in the hospital for your delivery. Hopefully, I can start packing this week so I can cross one thing off my must-do list.
Comment spotlight by A Frugal Friend: I brought an extra sheet of cardstock, so that when they went to get the baby’s footprints, I could have an extra one for baby’s scrapbook at home. I actually framed it though! I’m so glad I read about doing this.
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Owner of An Island Life and Family Review Network. Wife, mother, and flight attendant . . . living a blessed life in Hawaii. |
Pack only the bare necessities. Other than your toiletries, a couple of nursing bras (if you are planning to breast feed), underwear, maybe a couple of nursing gowns or tops which allow for ease in nursing, socks or slippers, clothing for going home (both you and baby), a camera, laptop, cell phone charger, your baby book for recording special memories you definitely don’t want to forget and to make available for both your OB/Midwife and nurses to maybe sign, … that should be all you need! If it isn’t remember you will only be away from home, hopefully, a couple of days and if there is anything you definitely need, that isn’t in your bag, someone can bring it to you.
Best of luck you to and your family!
.-= Linda S´s last blog ..I’m Ready to go Fishing =-.
I think my essential items was just my own clothes to wear, pretty much EVERYTHING else I brought stayed in the bag! Good luck packing “light”.
.-= Teri´s last blog ..Happy labor day weekend! =-.
I don’t think you’ll need your laptop at all…I spent most of my time in the hospital taking care of my baby and trying (trying trying trying) to get some sleep!
Just pack clothing for you and the baby…toiletries would be good too, so you don’t stink of hospital soap…bring some of your own hand soap. I remember that my baby didn’t appreciate hospital soap smell.
.-= Renee´s last blog ..Chatting with mom =-.
I actually brought way too many clothes! I brought my own nightgowns though so I didn’t have to wear the nasty hospital ones and that was really nice. Bring an extra one or two and don’t worry about wearing street clothes until you go home!
Oh, and don’t forget your slippers!
.-= Krista´s last blog ..Book: The Blue Enchantress =-.
Your own brand of pads… I hated the ones the hospital offered. I also just brought my own nightgowns & comfy clothes to wear home, plus clothes for the baby. Can’t believe it’s getting close! Look forward to hearing the news!
Okay, I’m going back a ways to think about this. I took, nursing bras, underwear, my own pads, socks (cause my feet are always cold) toiletries, camera, (film. See I told you it was a long time ago!) A present for my daughter so she got something nice when she came to visit, and clothes to wear home. Pack a moo moo dress or something because nothing fit me at all!
I packed a diaper bag with all that I needed for baby. Pampers, t-shirts (or onesies), receiving blanket, one or two dresses so I could chose what I wanted to dress her in, and little socks for baby. The car seat was in the trunk.
I brought a baby book so people who came to visit could sign it, pens and a notebook to jot down events.
Good luck!
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I concur on the pads, but also my own slipper socks. I hate the ones the hospitals give out.
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My computer/camera!!
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You know, I think a lot of this depends on how long you plan on being in the hospital. I was literally in and out in less than 24 hours, so I didn’t need half of what I brought with me! HOWEVER, the stuff I did bring was so completely wrong that I felt incredibly uncomfortable while I was there and on my way home. I wasn’t planning on going home with a belly, but I did, and that meant that none of the pre-pregnancy pants (even the loose ones) fit at all. It hurt my pride a bit, but I wore my maternity pants home. If I were to do it all over again, here’s what my list would look like:
pads
comfy underwear
yoga pants
nursing top
camera
CAMERA CHARGER
a little makeup
a hairbrush, toiletries
quick hairstyle necessities (aka rubber band)
baby stuff (of course!)
slip on shoes, no slippers this next time
a special blanket and one special toy just for the baby
And that’s it… I thought I was spending days in the hospital and planned accordingly. Fortunately for me, we were out to dinner just hours after I had my daughter!
I brought an extra sheet of cardstock, so that when they went to get the baby’s footprints, I could have an extra one for baby’s scrapbook at home. I actually framed it though! I’m so glad I read about doing this.
When are you due??
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Chapstick!! I cannot stand to have chapped lips.
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..International Wildlife Museum =-.
I have already posted my thoughts on packing but something else came to be that we did when Lil Bit was born. We didn’t want Lil Man to feel ‘cheated’ when he came to visit Lil Bit for the first time so we bought gifts for the boys to ‘exchange’. When my daughter went to the hospital to have Lil Bit we took Lil Man’s gift with us. After Lil Bit was born and Lil Man came to visit we had a gift bag ready for Lil Bit to give to Lil Man and Lil Man carried in a gift bag for Lil Bit. Lil Man loved it. He said he knew Lil Bit loved him already.
.-= Linda S´s last blog ..I’m Ready to go Fishing =-.
I brought the following:
clothing for me to wear home, clothing for the baby to wear home, camera, video camera, cell phone and charger, socks, my own pads and depends(this is embarrassing,but they were comfy and less worrisome than pads, pen and pad of paper(to jot stuff down, a few magazines or book (there was time that I just couldn’t sleep and the baby was), reusable water bottle (the hospital’s Styrofoam cups are too small and a waste), a hair tie or two, toothbrush, hair brush, trial size shampoo/conditioner, deodorant, a med sized travel blanket (the blankets at the hospital were kind of skimpy, and honestly, I just didn’t feel like asking the nurses for another), and a nursing bra or two
I would bring the things you use the MOST on a day to day basis. For me it was a MUST to have chapstick/lip balm because your lips can get pretty dry in a hospital. Oh and grippy socks, so you don’t slip and fall and your toesies will stay warm. Pack some comfy clothes and a few MUST have toiletries, like: shampoo/conditioner, deordorant, toothbrush. Don’t forget your camera or video camera! I agree with the comment above “depends(this is embarrassing,but they were comfy and less worrisome than pads)” I had to use them with my 1st child. <—Keeps everything together down there.
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Dont forget your slippers.
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I think everthing is pretty much covered, except I found my eyes (along with the lips) were pretty dry in the hospital, so I brought some eye drops also… there doesn’t seem to be much moisture in the air, to keep down on germs.
.-= Lorie Shewbridge´s last blog ..Emma’s Inspirations =-.