Do you bring your hospital bag to your appointments?

bluejayway · February 2012

Just wondering what you guys do--in sort of a just-in-case scenario?

I have my weekly appointments, and they're about 35 minutes away from my house in a building connected to the hospital where we'll deliver. My mom comes up (an hour-plus drive for her) to watch DD at my house while I go to my appointments. And my DH works downtown and commutes by bus to work and back. Today's my 40-week appointment, and based off what my OB said last time, I think they might have me go for an NST or some other monitoring.

I'm wondering if I should throw my hospital stuff and a change of clothes for DH in the car and leave some things prepared for my mom just in case we get sent directly over to the hospital (like DD's car seat). I've no reason to believe anything is wrong, but I'm a little paranoid. With DD, it seemed like they'd find heartrate issues every time I was hooked up to the monitors, which was scary and annoying and why I ended up with an induction and emergency c-section last time.

At what point are you going to start being uber prepared?

jen-dale · February 2012

I don't and didn't but my appts are 10you mins from my house and DH is also usually there. If I was going that far I would keep my suitcase in my car until go time.

runrinserepeat · February 2012

Eh..... I don't, and I probably won't. We only live about 20 minutes from the hospital. I figure worst case, we'll have my sister bring the things we need. I have the carseat base already in my car. Even if I were to be admitted next week, we wouldn't need the carrier for two more days. But that's just me. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants - the bag isn't even packed all the way at this point.

bluejayway · February 2012

kleMcK:
I tend to fly by the seat of my pants - the bag isn't even packed all the way at this point.

Mine either, actually. I have done soooo little to prepare, I think because my first was born at 42+2 (like we didn't even set up the crib or wash baby clothes until this week). But I do have a bag open and waiting for some stuff to be shoved in. I'm just worried that with DD at home and my mom and DH spread out so much that I should be a liiiiitle more ready, just in case. Car seat base is in the car, but I was more worried about camera/cell phone chargers and a change of clothes than the actual "bring the baby home" stuff.

kristin172429 · February 2012

My DH laughed at me every time, but I brought our bag with us to our last three weekly appointments. We never needed it, but it made me feel better to have it with us.

Mrs.MillerJune2008 · February 2012

no, but I figure DH is going to have to go home first anyway. that plus we want to labor at home as long as possible so unless it was a total emergency I wouldn't go straight over anyway. and my house is about 15-20 minutes away.

lancyjo · February 2012

I don't bring my bags... and it's silly, but I feel like I might jinx myself if I did!

I live about an hour from my doc/the hospital. (pretty much the same situation as you... doc/hospital are connected by a skywalk.) Other than the "important" appointments, I have my Mom go with me, and my hubs stays at work. Mom doesn't work and loves to go with me (she's a tad over-excited for this LO!), and I feel like there's no point in having the hubs take a day off work to go to a 15 minute appointment with me.

In the case of me being sent directly over, I'd call my hubs, he'd grab the bags and rush up. My bags have been packed for a few weeks now, and I have a list clearly telling what and where the "last minute" things are. (Seriously, if you had never been in my house before, you could still easily pack them. I'm a bit OCD) If it were an emergency, my hubs would skip the bags and come straight to the hospital. There's nothing in that bag that I can't live without for a few hours. I'd just have my Dad or Sister get it on their way up.

In your case, though... I might consider having some stuff handy in the car, just in case. To me, it's "better safe than sorry", even if that means you have to load and unload stuff every week.

soralette · February 2012

My hospital is 30-60+mins away (depending on traffic), so... I've had my hospital bag in the car since ~36wks. :-/

prncschrsty · February 2012

We are in the same boat, 35 minutes away from home so tomorrows (38 week) appointment will be the first one we are going to start doing that at. I was 1 cm dilated at my last appointment so we figure it can't hurt.

GotMilk9 · February 2012

For me it'd be more the concern that my mom wouldnt' have anything prepared for DD at home. I think i'd always leave for my appointments knowing that if i didn't come back for a day or three my mom would be prepared and know what to do (not in the sense of not knowing how to take care of DD, but just knowing where everythign is etc).

I'd also just get your bag packed and put it together with baby's going home bag/stuff, and a change of clothes for DH to be nice With him commuting by bus, i think it'll be easier to be prepared then to have him go home, get everything and then head to the hospital.

You're also a second time mom, so things could happen faster, AND you're nearing the end. I think it's just being prepared, not over-prepared.

bluejayway · February 2012

GotMilk9:
For me it'd be more the concern that my mom wouldnt' have anything prepared for DD at home. I think i'd always leave for my appointments knowing that if i didn't come back for a day or three my mom would be prepared and know what to do (not in the sense of not knowing how to take care of DD, but just knowing where everythign is etc).
I'd also just get your bag packed and put it together with baby's going home bag/stuff, and a change of clothes for DH to be nice With him commuting by bus, i think it'll be easier to be prepared then to have him go home, get everything and then head to the hospital.
You're also a second time mom, so things could happen faster, AND you're nearing the end. I think it's just being prepared, not over-prepared.

Yeah, DD's my real worry. I don't want my mom stranded at our house without her car seat or insurance info or DD's favorite snacks/fresh milk stockpiled. Luckily, we've had a few trial runs and she already knows where things are, how to set the alarm, DD's routine, has a key, etc.

Also, we only have one car and I'll have it with me, so DH can't really leave work and pick things up on his way. In fact, even though he's close to the hospital, it'd probably take him at least 45 minutes by bus to get there. I'm just a little stressed out about the logistics of things, but I don't want to seem paranoid.

lancyjo · February 2012

bluejayway:

Also, we only have one car and I'll have it with me, so DH can't really leave work and pick things up on his way. In fact, even though he's close to the hospital, it'd probably take him at least 45 minutes by bus to get there. I'm just a little stressed out about the logistics of things, but I don't want to seem paranoid.

In this case then, I say do absolutely whatever you need to in order to not be stressed or worried. If that means leaving the house as if you're leaving to have your LO, then do it. You've got enough on your plate without worrying about this too!

DBride2006 · February 2012

We had a false alarm trip a week before I delivered, and I was too lazy to take my suitcase out of my car. I went to my 39 week appt. and was 5-6 cm dilated, so dr. sent me right over to the hospital. DH left work, ran home to get his stuff and was there about an hour later. I felt funny walking into the hospital alone with my suitcase

but it all worked out!

jf198400 · February 2012

I don't but I live less than 10mins from the hospital, and I always go to appointments alone so DH could pick up my stuff before coming to meet me. If you're concerned about it, it doesn't hurt to be prepared. I would want to make sure your mom had a carseat for your DD. Both my mom and MIL are setup with carseats, so I don't have to worry about that when I go into labor.

GotMilk9 · February 2012

bluejayway:
GotMilk9:
For me it'd be more the concern that my mom wouldnt' have anything prepared for DD at home. I think i'd always leave for my appointments knowing that if i didn't come back for a day or three my mom would be prepared and know what to do (not in the sense of not knowing how to take care of DD, but just knowing where everythign is etc).
I'd also just get your bag packed and put it together with baby's going home bag/stuff, and a change of clothes for DH to be nice With him commuting by bus, i think it'll be easier to be prepared then to have him go home, get everything and then head to the hospital.
You're also a second time mom, so things could happen faster, AND you're nearing the end. I think it's just being prepared, not over-prepared.
Yeah, DD's my real worry. I don't want my mom stranded at our house without her car seat or insurance info or DD's favorite snacks/fresh milk stockpiled. Luckily, we've had a few trial runs and she already knows where things are, how to set the alarm, DD's routine, has a key, etc.
Also, we only have one car and I'll have it with me, so DH can't really leave work and pick things up on his way. In fact, even though he's close to the hospital, it'd probably take him at least 45 minutes by bus to get there. I'm just a little stressed out about the logistics of things, but I don't want to seem paranoid.

At 40 weeks 1 day, with a second baby, i don't think you're paranoid, i think you're smart for thinking ahead. It doesn't hurt to have everything in the car, so why not, right. At least that way your DH knows he can go straight from work and you'll have jeans and a hoodie (or whatever) waiting for him.

halo_tx · February 2012

I had my hospital bag in the car from my 37 week appointment on- I had high blood pressure and was getting sent to L&D for monitoring after every appt anyway, so I knew there was a good chance I might get induced, and I wanted to save the 1 hour round trip home to get our stuff. I did end up getting sent for a surprise induction at my 39 week appt, so it was a good move.

cheese.fiend · February 2012

I don't but we're close to the hospital and don't have another child to worry about. The carseat is installed in my car and I carry a pretty well-stocked purse

I think as long as I had my phone, charger and lip balm, I'd be a pretty happy camper until H could get up there with our bags!

JeepGirl508 · February 2012

I do...but my appts are 30 mins from my house and the hospital is 45 min. DH travels for work so he's all over the state and my mom lives and works about 10 min from my hospital. So, everything is packed and ready to go just in case I get to my appt and they send me to the hosp.

HappyToBe2012 · February 2012

My bags were in my car from about 36 weeks and DH packed his bag at 37 weeks. I drove an hour each way for work and my hospital was between me and work so it didn't make sense to not have them with me. If DH and I went out together, we would transfer the bags to which ever car we were taking so that they were with us at all times. Turned out to have been a smart idea when I went into labor in the middle of the night and his car was the last in line in the driveway - luckily we had gone out earlier that evening, thus throwing all the bags back into his car, so we were ready to go.