Hospital checklist - Calling all STMs!

Dawn5481

Sorry if this has been asked before...... I'm a FTM with an impending required c-section due to a previous myomectomy. I'm trying to compile a checklist of crap I should consider packing for the hospital stay. Any suggestions would be great. Mainly looking for things you thought about after your stay that you wish you had remembered to bring along.

okayestmom12

I'm an over packer but I can honestly say I used everything on this list... 

I carried in a small tote bag to have with us during surgery/ recovery that proved helpful for DH to shove full of stuff to take home that night.  
- camera
- wallet (id, med card, debit card, cash)
- cell phone chargers
- snacks (Kind bars)
- bottled water

In baby bag (left in the car until we had our PP room)
- hospital picture outfit & hat
- going home outfit & headband & socks
- extra sleep and play & headband
- A&A swaddle blanket
- pacifier

In overnight bag that was left in the car until we had our PP room.  My pillow and the Boppy were also kept in the car with this bag and brought up together.  
- nursing bras (3)
- black granny panties (5)
- socks (3)
- slippers
- nursing tanks (4)
- zip up hoodies (2)
- black yoga pants (4)
- maternity leggings & top to wear home
- flip flops to wear home
- bath towel
- Always Infinity pads
- makeup 
- nail file
- body wash, shampoo, conditioner
- face wash, toner, lotion
- toothpaste & toothbrush 
- earth mama angel nip cream
- nipple pads
- hair brush
- headband & elastics & bobby pins
- straightener 
- pillow
- surge protector extension cord
- snacks (pop tarts, Kind bars, pb crackers)
- pillow & boppy
- notebook & pen
- water bottle 
- reusable shopping bags to take home freebies

Dawn5481

Omg, you rock. I'm an overpacker too, but this will definitely give me something to go on. Thank you!

JennJay06

Most of what I brought I didn't use. I was very glad that I brought my own pillow... and one for DH. I also used:
Hair brush
Shampoo/conditioner
Boppy
Coming home oufit for myself and baby
Nursing bra

That's about all I actually used! A friend brought me some snacks, which was nice!

SomersIsles

Just came home from my CSection delivery. In terms of what I brought that helped with CSection recovery was loose sweatpants and granny panties.

A lot of pants have a waistband that wants to rest exactly on your incision... So the looser the better. (Although as I also think about it.. I also wore VS yoga pants with the fold over waist part unfolded. It provided a bit of subtle compression).

Also, personally I hated the mesh hospital undies because the pads they provided NEVER stuck!! So annoying!

I also had brought my own pads (with wings! Simple luxury lol) and they wouldn't stick and the wings wouldn't work.

Bring granny panties that have a high waist so the elastic doesn't sit right on the incision.

mooncusp22

FTM here, but just had my c-section/hospital stay around 2 weeks ago. I totally overpacked too! Things I needed/used:

-Robe (long for those post recovery hall walks)

-Slippers

-Comfy pants with loose waistband (was nice to throw on when I wanted to go for walks too)

-Tolietrees

-Snacks

-Comfy blanket from home

-Pillow

-Cameras

-Laptop

-Chargers for phone, laptop

Things I packed that I never used:

-Nightgowns from home (I never put them on because I did not want to get blood on them and I found the hospital ones pretty comfy and easy for taking on and off with feedings)

-Clothes (with the exception of my going home outfit)

-Underwear/Bras (I went braless and found the hospital undies more comfy)

mooncusp22

Oh yeah... a boppy!! Everyone enjoyed that while holding LO

mrscutforth

I will probably have my regular diaper bag with me and put DS stuff in another bag until I get home. That being said (and DH going home to check on the dog):

I will probably make an effort to have with me:

-phone and charger

-wallet (ID for paperwork)

-toiletry bag

-fuzzy socks

-baby go home clothes/nursing bras

-pillow

I used all these things last time. The only thing I would bring for myself this time may be my Nook and/or word puzzles or the like.

Abcollins57

I brought a few pairs of yoga pants that fit thru my sixth month of pregnancy and one pair of full panel maternity tights. I ended up wearing the tights for two days because I couldn't stand anything remotely snug on my waistline. Even if the waist band doesn't fall directly on your incision, the whole abdomen area is sore. Make sure whatever you have is very loose since you'll be mostly sitting/laying!

reb84

This will be my second c section and one thing I am def packing this time is nursing nightgowns. I remember the shorts I brought sat right on my insicision and I ended up wearing my husbands shorts so I could pull them up high. Also if I find some high rise black granny panties because I felt the mesh panties were a little too mesh......

KellyAnne82

A good lip balm is essential. Hospital air is pretty dry.

KellyAnne82

And you'll be kissing that baby tons!

wildflower75

Most of what I brought has already been mentioned so I'll just say that I was really happy that I brought a good size hand mirror (this way I didn't have to  get up from the bed to check my face when visitors arrived).
I am also happy I brought my own pillow, towel and luxurious bath gel (to give me the mindset that I was staying at he W hotel and not the hospital).
This time around I will probably have a special notebook to write down feeding times and notes about the baby (last time I did this all on my phone).
And this time around I will buy some extra nice flip flops. Last time I couldn't fit into my shoes when we left the hospital due to being so swollen!
One more tip... make sure to try the restaurants in the area of the hospital ahead of time so that way you can just say to your DH... "Can you bring me *insert fav meal* from the Diner around the corner?"