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Washington Babies
XP: Hospital Bed Rest Bag?
I have a big chance of being admitted into the hospital at my appointment Wed...DH and I both think this is it. My cervix was 2.5cm short last week and shortening at a rate of .5cm each week. With the horrid cold I am just starting to get over the nurses were worried that all my hacking and coughing (enough to pull a muscle) and my lack of sleep may have progressed the shortening due to all of the pressure each cough causes on my cervix. My Dr. will admit me at 1-1.5cm.
Dh has no clue where all my things are and if I do get admitted this week, I only have 2 days to get my things lined up...or purchased if need be.
This is what I can think of so far:
Comfy clothes (tops and bottoms), Pillow, Socks/Underwear, Slippers, blanket from home (?)
Contacts with accessories, glasses, brush, flat iron, deodorant, makeup, toothbrush/paste, hair ties, lip balm. Room has a humidifier.
Laptop (need to get wireless card), iPhone with charger, camera with charger.
Crosswords? DH can bring movies. They have an art cart for me to use if I want.
I will be allowed to have my family stay with me but they will likely go home each night. I will be allowed to help my daughter dress for bedtime and read her stories before she and daddy leave for home. They also have a kids art cart for her to use and she will be able to use the nutrition room to get drinks/snacks. For my 3 year old to bring: rolling suitcase with jammies, pull-ups for bedtime, sippy, change of clothes, books, movies, blanket and "Lambie" and select toys.
I have a diaper bag packed at home with preemie clothes in it that DH can grab after they are born and able to wear clothes from home.
Anything else? TIA!
Love: 8/2000 | Marriage: 7/2005 | Baby makes three: 3/28/2007 | And one more makes...SIX?
Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
This discussion has been closed.
Re: XP: Hospital Bed Rest Bag?
I hope you don't have to go quite yet but it is good to be prepared. Two different times Dr. Wall sent me straight to be admitted and only once did I have my bag packed and ready. The first time not being prepared was really stressful! For you though, I don't think they will be letting you out after a couple of weeks to finish your bedrest at home.
Your list looks good. Definitely bring your pillow, comfy clothes and a blanket from home. It will make you feel much more human. A couple things to add:
Pictures to put around your room, snacks for you (their food isn't very good and their variety is somewhat limited) and special snacks for DD. Oh, and a towel from home if you like something bigger than a kitchen towel. I'm exaggerating but their towels are rough and small!
The rooms get a little dull after the first couple of days, even though it's quite nice for a hospital room so pictures help with that. I'm sure your daughter will be making all kinds of art to fill your walls though as time goes on. They recommended we give DS his own drawer in the room for his clothes and toys so he knew it was his and this was his place too. They also brought in a small table and chairs for him which stayed in our room during my stay so he could eat, color and play there. If your daughter has some special snacks she likes, you might want to get some of those to have in the room too.
Everyone up there is so wonderful, in some ways I was sad to leave since they took such good care of me. I will mention the one issue I did have there was getting enough calories/protein in my diet. I was in for preclampsia and they were quite sure I was going to deliver by 34 weeks so they increased my calories/protein and disregarded my GD status because the calories were so important, but my meals never came right. Both times I was admitted, it would take 2-3 days to get it straightened out. My nurses were even getting upset because they couldn't seem to fix it! So, if you run into any issues like this, ask to speak to the actual nutritionist, not the person who comes to take your order or the person who answers the phone when you call them. She will come meet with you and she is fantastic! She came up with all these special protein smoothies they could make and other items they don't even tell you are available.
Sorry for the long post but wanted to throw that out there just in case it can spare you that level of stress.
Definitely shampoo/conditioner and just regular soap to wash with.
I hope this isn't it, but if it is, I wish you all the luck in the world! I will mail that preemie outfit to you early this week.
I would bring a couple bath towels from home. The hospital ones are usually tiny and not too soft. Ditto PPs on the shampoo and conditioner. Hand sanitizer for you to use next to your bed, and lotion. And a refillable water bottle you can keep next to your bed.
I'd also bring a roll of scotch tape since Megan will likely be making you artwork and the cart may not have tape at the ready to hang stuff on your room's walls.
I think the ds is a great idea. You can go to Gamestop and buy used games at half the cost (frogger is awesome btw).
Klutz books are great with easy to learn crafts/games, etc. You could save them for when Meg comes to visit and the 2 of you could do a project in the book.
It's a great time to scrap book if you are into that.
Maybe a journal so you can keep track of the experience.
I would be lost without ponytail holders.
You didn't list the charger for the laptop, so I am reminding you just in case.
Also, lots of trashy magazines: US Weekly, People, OK!. Those magazines got me through the first couple of nights of labor, and after my c/s.
Scrapbooking is a great idea, if you do that. Finish Meg's baby book (if you haven't). You can rent gaming systems at Game Stop. I would loan you ours, but DH plays Rock Band nightly. =P
Sudoku, crosswords, and word search books would be another great thing to bring.
Good luck. I am so excited for you, and to see those little squishies. I hope they stay in for a little while longer though.
The only Easter Bunny I can get behind.
Maxwell Joseph 4/09 Lucy Violet 10/12
Do you like to play games (sudoku)? Online game?
Remember Hulu (great source for TV for free on the internet).
Do you knit or crochet or cross stitch? Or would you be interested in learning? knittinghelp.com = awesome source for easy learning. This is how I taught myself and it can be a cheap and fun thing to do.
Do you like to write letters? Maybe bring some stationary so you can write letters to the babies?
Crafting supplies?
Bring your photo collection to organize into photo albums? Scrapbooking? Card Making/Make Xmas cards for next year that you can just slap a picture onto the beautiful card and send out (preaddress all of the envelopes)? Same with birth announcement cards.
This is a funny website (I'm sure we could have a whole thread of good funny websites for you to surf!): https://www.postcardsfromyomomma.com/
Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
You are going to be at Evergreen correct, the 4th floor? Thats were I was sequestered when I came down w/ pre-e last Aug. The rooms were much nicer than the delivery rooms on the 2nd floor. I suggest the body pillow to snuggle with, if you don't have a snoogle you can borrow mine. The beds w/ the railings just got so uncomfortable esp w/ those monitors you have to wear. A fan might come in handy if you get hot and if they need to start u on Magnesium (it makes u very warm) to stop contractions. Snacks! You get very tired of the chocolate & vanilla puddings, graham crackers & apple sauce...I think they are now all my least fav food.
Let us know if you are up for visitors, Jessica and I can stop by to chat. I'm always at parent-baby class on Thursdays at Evergreen, so we (Zach & I)can stop by. Good luck!
Yup! I used to volunteer up there, so its so weird to think I'll be staying there! I have my body pillow on my list now and its hot pink so they can't mix it up
And I'll keep a fan in mind.
I'm sure I'll be up for visitors after a couple of days and I will let you all know. If not, I may start talking to the walls...
Thanks!
Steal my kids picture or pretend they are yours, I will find where you live and ship all of their dirty diapers to your doorstep. Promise.
If you have a body pillow I would bring that. My tush got sore from sitting in the same postion (even though I was allowed to "sit up" I had to be in a laying position in bed). It helpd me lean during my stay in the hospital and my mom even bought me another one which was super helpful. When laying down I could lay on my side really easily with these.
Also, I would ask if you have bathroom privledges. I got to shower, but some women don't. I would bring a towel/slippers/shampoo & conditioner a brush/lotion and maybe some powder and mascara - but I didn't ever use makeup or a flat iron.
I would also suggest you bring what you know you want. And pack a few more bags for at home. then you can tell DH: bring the "red bag" and he can just grab it and go. That would have been helpful for me.
Laptop/games/books and a little notebook for you to jot down your thoughts/questions so you don't have to have your laptop. While I was on bedrest I worked on my boy's blog book - I used blurb and created pages for me to just add photos and details to once the boys were born. Then I could just have it printed out. I wish I would have done their whole first year instead of just through birth, I am so behind now!
Honestly, I did "nothing" most of the time. I slept a lot and didn't find that I wanted to do any big projects. I also found visitors tiring so just go with what you feel like doing. It was nice to just mellow before the boys came!
Maybe go to dinner (or have DH bring some home from your fave place) and go to a movie??? do something for you tonight! Next time you are home you might have 3 little ones. I hope they stay in there for a bit longer though!
Craft Blog: MommyBrained...
When I was stuck in the hospital DVDs to play on my computer were my friends. The room I had didn't have internet access though (boo), but if you do you could watch a bunch of stuff on Netflix Watch It Now if you're a Netflix subscriber - they just added a bunch of stuff.
And again - I don't know how different the room they'll have you in will be from regular hospital rooms, but earplugs were the only way I could get any sleep some nights.
I hope you don't have to go in yet!
I didn't do hospital bedrest, but I do recall my hospital stay. Someone suggested that I bring some colorful pillowcase for my own pillow so it wouldn't get mixed up. Loved having it there.
A camera and maybe a way to post photos on the internet. Might be a good time to blog? DVD's and a netflix subscription so you can watch movies online on your computer.
I also really liked having my own "scents" there - shampoo, shaving cream (did you list a razor?), breastfeeding tank - you get support without a bra, flannel pj pants.