3rd Trimester
speach13
member
What are you taking with you to the hospital?
speach13
member
Forgive me if there is a post about this already! 
BUT- I have absolutely no idea what I should take with me! This is my first child, so I am a little lost.
BUT- I have absolutely no idea what I should take with me! This is my first child, so I am a little lost. This discussion has been closed.
Re: What are you taking with you to the hospital?
Water bottle
hair ties
wash clothes
my own towel for the shower
my own pillows- 2
robe
slippers
water bottle
sugar free candy
money for vending machine and cafeteria
lap top
ipod with labor playlist
yoga pants and tank for going home
huge pads
outfit for baby
blanket for baby
More but this is what I can think of now...
laptop
nursing tank
hair ties
toiletries like shampoo, etc
hair dryer/brush
something to wear home
comfy pants
cell and laptop chargers
i think thats it
I didn't need that much really, but here were some of my must takes:
-Laptop (to watch TV/movies, listen to music, upload pictures, etc...)
-Camera and USB cord (all my family is OOT so we wanted to get pics up asap)
-basic toiletries (toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, etc...)
-nursing tanks and yoga pants
-sleepers and take home outfit for the boys (and carseats of course)
-basket of snacks (my mom provided this for us, and it was really great. I got food, but DH didn't and I was hungry all the time, so I could just grab a snack out of the basket at 3am ;op)
(I had a C-sec, so I didn't need labor supplies. Honestly the hospital provided everything else I needed: pads, nipple cream, soothing gel packs, fuzzy socks, hospital gowns and robe, etc... I was in the hospital for 5 days because my hemoglobin bottomed out. Oh and they had everything for the boys too - pacis, blankets, hats, diapers, A&D, gauze, formula - for supplementing, baby soap, etc...)
Clothing-wise:
- cotton maxi dress
- yoga pants/capris with fold over waist (having a c-section so I need something that will go over-top)
- cotton tank top
- sweater
- nursing bra
- underwear
- flip flops
Baby Stuff:
- onesies and sleepers (NB and 0-3 mth size)
- soothers (a couple different types)
- nail clippers
- swaddling blankets
- nursing pillow or extra regular pillow
Other:
- bottles of sparkling water (my fave)
- munchies
- pillows
- toiletries (overnight pads, hair elastics, make-up, contacts, etc)
- towel
- lap top
- e-reader
- chapstick
- camera
- maybe a table lamp (at the other hospital I delivered at all they had was overhead flourescent lights. not good.)
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living my baby you'll be.
- Robert Munsch
On the posting on clothes . . . I had to prove that my bleeding had mostly stopped and my stitches were healing well before they would let me change out of the hospital gown.
It was an awesome feeling though to take a shower and put on my own clothes. I felt more like a guest and less like a patient.
YES! This is me, exactly. I had a c/s with my first and they let me change into my own clothes the next morning. I showered, blow dried my hair and put on some makeup and wore yoga pants and a t-shirt. I honestly felt like a whole new woman and was thrilled about it!
Some comments:
I don't think I got out of my gown until I checked out. We did not have visitors though.
Baby Nail clippers: don't bother with these and bring an emery board instead. Our hospital gave us one because it is a lot easier to file dOwn soft newborn nails than clip them. I had mittens too.
Baby onesies: we kept t in just a diaper and swaddle. It made things easy.
Pads: you will get more than you need at the hospital. Nothing you can find in the store will come close to these surfboard-sized things.
This time I'm taking:
For Me:
Wallet (ins card, id, etc)
1 pair socks
Hair ties (if my hair grows enough by then)
1 maxi-dress to wear home (didn't want pants on my sore lady-bits)
Toiletries
For DH/Us:
Laptop
Cell Phones
Camera
Chargers
Money for vending machines
Pillows
DVD's (maybe. Came in handy last time while sitting waiting for a room)
For Baby:
Outfit
Everything else was supplied by the hospital last time & we were given a huge canvas bag of stuff to take home for me & baby.
I'm only really concerned about the stuff the hospital won't have: my chargers, camera, iPad, hair ties and nursing bras.
This is my second and I didn't want to wear most of my clothes with #1. I bled so much I didn't want to stain my clothes- better to ruin the hospital gowns.
They also provide most of what you'll need for the baby, save the picture/ going home outfit.
I am 39 weeks Today, and Huge!! Im so ready to have my baby and these are the things im bringing in my Hospital bad
I hope i help!!
- Clothes for leaving the Hospital
- My Hubby's Bag with all his bathroom things and clothes
- My Bathroom things like shampoo, conditioner, body soap, towels, Lotion ect.
You want it to feel as homey and relaxing as possible
- Pillows for comfort
- Extra Blanket for cold, they usually keep it freezing at my hospital
- Change for the Vending Machine
- Hair ties and bobby pins to keep the hair out of my face
- A couple Onesies and a going home outfit for my daughter
- Breast Pump, if your planning on breastfeeding it comes in handy when the lactation specialist is there! They can teach you how to use it
- Smarties candies and sugerfree lozenges, Youll probably need something more than ice chips to keep your mouth busy..usually they wont let you eat anything during labor! and sugar makes your mouth dry but i need my little sweet treats
- Long socks, with the non-slip rubber padding on bottom..youll be walkin the halls and your not gonna wanna be bear footed or be slipping in regular socks
- Maxi Pads, this is optional but the pads they will give your are really huge!! So i buy my own so i can be more comfortable
- Magazines and small reading, to keep your mind off of things..its relaxing just to get into a book when your not in major pain
- a yoga ball, if not given by the hospital. You can bounce on them and it helps labor progress
- Camera's, Cell Phones and there Chargers!! Make sure you have extra batteries and things like that! Your gonna wanna take as many pictures as possible and its a heartbreak if your camera dies
- All of my Medications, they will be asking you what all meds. you take and its helpful just to have them packed and ready.. Your going to be irritated enough, your not gonna want to answer all their questions
- Make-Up Very Optional, some women like to look good in pictures with friends and family, others could care less! I mean you just went through labor, who do you need to impress??
- Your own night gown, that your dont mind getting ruined!! because it will, but you will be comfy!
I hope i helped, and i most likely left out some things, but when its time.. your gonna not remember anything so its best to have everything packed and ready to go!!
i am currently re-packing my hospital bag... as i just found out ths amazing info off a seasoned midwife
dish washing gloves, a 9 litre bucket and some hand towels/or cloth nappies ... in the bucket your birth support person should put hot water (as hot as they can find) and wearing the gloves dip the towel or nappy nto the bucket and wring it out well and use it as a steam towel on the lower back lower belly and pehaps your groin in later labour... a great alternative if your wanting to avoid pain killers..
also your fav scented oil as the hospitals need to supply an electronic oil warmer if requested...
and rescue remedy drops
plus some of my fav dried fruit , musli bars and little snacks to chew on thru labour
and electrolyte icy poles they taste good and they are very good to fight dehydration ....
hope thats helpful
bring snacks for the hubby!
I had also read somewhere to bring soft toilet paper because the hospital's sucks and doesn't feel good after pushing a baby out.
I'm also planning on bringing our boppy since I plan on holding and nursing her a lot of the time that I am there
Don't take everything but the kitchen sink its only going to be a pain. Having done this before I have it narrowed down.....
1 change for hubby
snacks - very handy especially since you don't want hubby away from your side much in the beginning and then you will appreciate them when you are able to eat after.
A present for your labor and delivery nurse. Any little thing will do, even a box of candy. But they catch a ton of abuse during labor so a thank you gift is a nice thing to do. PS...something else I want to say about this I wish someone had told me. If you do not click with your L&D nurse at first get another!!!!! You do not want to spend this incredibly important moment of your life annoyed. Send hubby to say "nothing personal, but can we have another nurse". L & D nurses are all amazing people but sometimes personalities don't jive and this is not the day for you to suffer through.
Going home outfit for baby and blanket. You don't need anything else for baby in the hospital. It will just get mixed up with hospital stuff and you might lose it.
Soft nursing bra/tank, Robe and socks. This is all you really need other than the hospital gown. You trust me, you dont want all that bleeding anywhere near your real clothes.
A splurge item if you want it, I got one last time and I was happy to have it, but this is not a necessity. Just a nice thing to have. Your own hospital gown!! There are a lot of places that make pretty hospital gowns. I got mine from this super nice lady that does it from her facebook site (she also makes car seat covers and floppy seats, you pick the fabric its all custom) Very reasonable and easy to work with. https://www.facebook.com/CCBabyShop?sk=wall Like I said. not needed but it was fun and pretty in pictures.
Speaking of bleeding these are a must. Always Extra Heavy Overnight Maxi With Flexi Wings these will be so nice compared to the paper coated old fashioned ones the hospital gives you but if they offer the meshy/netty looking underpants TAKE THEM! they are awesome and you throw your nice always pad in them. See if you can ask for a spare pair for going home first couple days. Again you don't want to ruin your panties and they really are super comfy.
Soft yoga pants and shirt for going home. I try to at least make the shirt on the cute side because im sure you will have more than a few pics of you rolling out of the hospital with your new addition
For toiletries.......
Chapstick (a nice one like burts bee's) is my most important. All that breathing my lips got so chapped!
nipple cream...I found with my youngest this fab one that changed my life. It is one of those things that really made nursing easier (Earth Mama Angel Baby Nipple Butter) no lanolin, no funny flavor, totally safe for baby and not a cracked nipple in sight. Anyone who has nursed or attempted to nurse knows that a cracked nipple can really ruin your day and at first when baby is not the greatest at latching you kinda catch a beating. this stuff really saved me! it also lasts a long time so the price is totally worth it because a jar of this stuff last a really long time.
Toothbrush toothpaste (for you and hubby)
A little make-up. I'm talking a little. You don't want to look like a hag in photos but you are not going to have full make up time either. I'm talking lipstick, blush, mascara.
The soap and shampoo from home you like to wash with. Makes you feel so nice to have your own when you shower. Also added benefit is that you smell more like your normal smell for baby. FYI for later your smell means a lot to baby. I always had success carrying the swaddle blanket over my shoulder a while before swaddling. made my smell there when it came time to lay down made things much easier.
Deodorant
Brush and hair elastics
Your own pillow! (so important)
Camera and extra batteries
Hope that helps. These are all things I wish someone had told me before the first time. things you really don't think of. Good Luck to you
Looking back, these were the the must-haves for me:
My own 2 pillows (hosp pillows are just terrible!)
More than one size of outfit to take baby home in
Basket of snacks
Smart phone for announcing the big news to everyone!
Comfy LARGE nightgowns (tight across the tummy is no longer cute
Baby book for foot prints
Extra empty bag to take home all the extras you acquire during stay