Product Spotlight 10/4: Hospital Bag Essentials

marebear15

This week we are discussing what to bring in your hospital bag. Several people brought it up this past week, so I thought I'd move it up a little early and talk about it today! After all, 6 months pregnant is about the size of your belly immediately after giving birth, so be sure to pack clothes that fit you now.

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.  

For S+TMs:

• List your bag checklist:
• Things you brought last time that you didn't need:
• Things you didn't bring last time but needed:
• Must have item in your bag:
• Additional thoughts:

For FTMs:

• List your current bag checklist:
• Questions for STM:

leprechaunlady

I really hope im not the size i am now once I give birth! Lol

A must have item for me was my own toilet paper & toilet paper wipes - the ones that are like baby wipes - these were a god send for me. When youre sore & bleeding, cheap hospital toilet paper is the last thing you want to be using! & the wipes were soothing & make you feel a little fresher.
Another must have was my own big fluffy towels & a soft dressing gown. Im all about home comforts!

i also took my make up in with me, I dont wear a full face every day but that little bit of make up made me feel that I looked a little less like death (i was in for 4 days after i had dd)

I left my going home outfit hanging up at home so dh could just lift it & bring it with him when he came to collect us to take us home & it wasnt taking up space in my bag as
i had enough stuff with me. 

I also sent home my dirty washing with dh each nice so it wasnt building up.

marebear15

• List your bag checklist: The things in italics are packed beforehand, the ones normal are for day-of.

Me

• Labor robe
• 2 overnight nursing bras
• Phone charger
• Pillow
• Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick, makeup, body wash, hair ties, bobby pins, gel, and contacts
• Extension cord
• Socks
• Granny panties
• Sanitary pads
• Breast pads
• Nipple cream
• 2 nursing tank tops
• Nursing nightgown
• 2 loose nursing-friendly shirts
• Sweat pants
• Maternity maxi skirt – to go home in
• Flats – to go home in

DH

• Change of clothes
• Toiletries
• Phone charger
• Snacks
• Change for vending machines
• Caffeine drinks (Red Bull, Starbucks energy drink)

Baby

• 2 Swaddles
• 3 sleepers (NB)
• Hat
• Car seat cover
• Pacifier

• Things you brought last time that you didn't need: My hospital provided stool softeners, diapers, and wipes, peri bottle. They also provided mesh underwear and pads, but I prefer mine. I brought the boppy pillow but it ended up being cumbersome. I also brought prenatals and hair washing stuff that I didn't end up using. Last time I also brought my birthing ball, but this time I'll probably just use the hospital's. 
• Things you didn't bring last time but needed: An extension cord, the normal phone cords aren't long enough to reach. Clothes that fit! Everything I brought was too small. My boobs were swollen, and my belly was still huge. I also didn't buy my granny panties until the day after I got home from the hospital. I hated the mesh underwear and didn't prepare for the possibility of a c-section. 
• Must have item in your bag: My labor robe! I went into L&D around 39 weeks with some odd symptoms and hated wearing the hospital gown. So I bought a cheap black soft robe from Walmart and labored in that and a bra. No epidural, so all they had to have was access to my arm for the IV and my belly for monitoring. I wore that robe through all of labor, my c-section (I think? I had it on when I got back to my room), and for the first 18 hours of DD's life. I finally got a shower the evening of the next day. 
• Additional thoughts: Don't bring EVERYTHING in with you to the hospital. Have a duffel bag and a backpack. In the backpack, put your laboring stuff (labor clothes, snacks for DH, socks, chapstick, etc.), all your other postpartum hospital stay stuff put in the duffel bag. YH will have enough time to go get your other bag when you get moved into your recovering room after you have the baby. This will really help as you move through the hospital in labor and go from your triage room to your laboring room to your recovery room.

FyreFlyeRush

List:
Shampoo/Conditioner/Toilitries
Personal Pillow to sleep with
SNACKS
Books/eReader 
Contact case and solution 
GLASSES
Cheap Undies I won't miss...an entire 8 pack just incase. 
Going home outfit for baby
Socks
Chargers and cables
Tucks pads (hospital may provide them) for your stitches. 
Pajama pants and shirt.

Things I didn't need
A going home outfit for me. I just wore what I came in, in the end, both times. 
Pads. The hospital ones with an ice pack are much better. I even asked for more. 
A robe - if you don't like the hospital one, get a cheap one you won't care gets trashed. 


Things I forgot:
My glasses. 

Must have item:
Snacks, especially if you're nursing and or a picky eater. Both times I've done this, I've been starving because they serve food I detest, and tiny portions of what I DO like. Your metabolism skyrockets after birth, nursing or not. 

Additional Thoughts:
If your forget something, have a friend or relative pick it up at the nearest store and bring it to you, or send SO out and about. It isn't that big a deal. But it's a pain to have too much. ***Take home everything they let you, but definitely don't leave without that Sitz bath and peri bottle!!! The Sitz bath will be your BFF for about 2 weeks, until your perineum heals***

c1kc1kpol1cn1k

For S+TMs:
List your bag checklist:
Me: Labour robe One nursing bra just in case 2 nursing tanks Adult diapers !!!! Water bottle with straw so I can drink ice water Blow dryer for when I wash my hair Toiletries: own shampoo (scent free) toothbrush Socks and my Birkenstock’s for walking around the hospital Snoogle Breast pads Medicine ball the doula will bring Sweat pants / sweater Some form of leggings for going home in with a hoodie. It’ll be full blown winter here so there’s no cute going home outfit.

DH: he’s in charge of himself the electronics / chargers/ iPad money / food and drink haha

Baby: diapers / a hat /2-3 swaddles /2 sleepers NB and 0-3 months my DD was massive and I had to get my sister in law to bring bigger clothes and diapers since Nb size wouldn’t fit. Car seat cover since it will be freezing out.

Things you brought last time that you didn't need: I honestly didn’t pack much and I ended up using everything. I had a quick labour so I didn’t get any use or my iPad or other “killing time” items you might need. Things you didn't bring last time but needed: adult diapers!!! The hospital gives you some and the nurses stocked me a bit but they’re technical not supposed too. I was loving adult diapers and was wearing them like 3 days later even

Must have item in your bag: My night mask (can’t sleep without it) Thick fluffy bathrobe, I just lived in that with my adult diapers and that’s it hahahh My snoogle, I know it’s large but I laboured with it and for after birth I used it as a massive pillow for back support.

 Additional thoughts: this is making me excited ! I would also say that you don’t need to worry about too much clothes. I literally wore my massive robe and diapers the whole time at the hospital. DD needed to be skin to skin the whole time so there was no need for anything other than a robe and a blanket. I will do the same this time since I found the skin to skin was really good for us. Before I left I took a shower and and put on regular clothes to leave but would preferred my robe haha

Question: Would any C section moms recommend anything that would be a necessity specifically for that? I never thought of it and was wondering


edit: formatting issues

c1kc1kpol1cn1k

Omg I did this from my phone, when I get to a computer I’ll update to make it readable sorry !!

cats_in_a_window

Everyone has way better suggestions than I do, so I won't reiterate them here, but I did want to add that if you decide to write up a birth plan/list of birth wishes, make sure to have it in your hospital bag.  With my first, my OB told me that they would send it to the hospital ahead of time, but it never made it there and the nurses were asking for it.  My DH had to run home to get it.  It wasn't a big deal since I was being induced, so nothing exciting was happening yet, but I made sure to have extra copies with me for DD and will for this birth as well!

Two things I'll second are asking for a sitz bath before you leave the hospital (they are seriously a god-send!  Maybe get some witch hazel for home to add when using it.)  Also, adult diapers sound ridiculous, but are really, truly the best item for the job postpartum.  They work better than the mesh panties and you can throw them out when they get dirty!

leprechaunlady

Another must have item for labour for me id lip balm - my lips got so dry during labour for some reason that if I could have, id have torn them off!

MollySm

Must haves for me are my regular hand soap (hospital soap is so harsh and strong smelling), lotion, and my pillow.   And comfortable shoes/slippers/sandals/non slip socks or whatever you like for pacing the halls.  

ponyoisfun

I love lists!  This is a great thread.

This time around I am going to keep it really simple.  I am super lucky that the birth center has almost everything I need and so does the baby friendly hospital I would transfer to if there was an emergency.  Most transfers happen well ahead of time so I would have time to tweak a few things. 

List your bag checklist:
outfit for me
outfit for baby
Bose bluetooth speaker
iPod
snacks for DH
Water bottle
cloth diapers and disposables

Things you brought last time that you didn't need:
So much!
nursing tea
bras - I didn't wear a bra for at least a month after - even in public -  because dd was on the boob 24/7
straws
birth preferences - these are all noted in my file
pads
several outfits, incl. for dh
contact info for family
headphones
hat for baby
nursing pads

Things you didn't bring last time but needed:
I forgot lip balm!
real shoes

Must have item in your bag:
water bottle with my own water

Additional thoughts:
It was my experience that even if you forget something your caregivers will do their best to find you a replacement. Or as @FyreFlyeRush relatives are only too happy to help.  All will be well.  

kbrown2385

Bumping since I clearly missed this the last time

FyreFlyeRush

Oh, look at that! ♥ 

leprechaunlady

So I did the twins hospital bags last night. In each I have:
4 x vest/onsie
4 x babygros 
3 x hats (cotton indoor type)
1 x towel
3 x muslin cloths
1 x blanket
1 x hat (heavier outdoor type)
1 x mittens (knitted outdoor type)
1 x cardigan for leaving hospital
1 x packet of water wipes
1 x grooming kit

then to be shared
1 x packet of nappies (they dont provide those for you here)
baby shampoo/ soap
cotton wool balls

amb0924

@leprechaunlady
thank you for paving the way