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March 2011 Moms
Packing the hospital bag/what to wear home?
I started packing my hospital bag today and I'm trying to figure out what I can wear home from the hospital. Can I wear maternity jeans or do you think I will only be able to wear yoga pants (assuming I have a vaginal delivery)? What about shoes? Tennis shoes? Boots of some sort because it's cold here? Flip flops because I'm running out of room in my bag?
I packed two pair of sweats, tanks, and bras that can get ruined in the hospital. I also packed a towel and washcloth, travel sized toiletries, slippers, and a zip up hoodie. I'll be adding LO's coming home outfit, my camera, my mp3 player, a few pads and diapers (for the ride home because we're an hour away), a baby blanket or carseat cover since it's cold here, and clothes and snacks for DH. I'm almost out of room in my bag already and that makes me feel like maybe I'm overthinking this and packing too much.
Am I going overboard? Am I missing something crucial? Help!!
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Re: Packing the hospital bag/what to wear home?
The first thing that comes to mind is that the hospital should provide you with plenty of pads and diapers for the ride home (and then some). Although, I don't know if German hospitals are different from the ones here, so that could be a factor.
Everything else you packed sounds pretty good! I would bring the most comfy shoes you can for going home--your feet might be swollen, and it would suck to have to cram them into too-tight shoes. Is it possible to get double-use out of the outfit you wear to the hospital, and just wear it home? (Assuming your water doesn't break all over it...lol.) I'm bringing either non-maternity sweats or yoga pants for to/from the hospital. I'm so over my maternity jeans as it is, good riddance to them!
Here's my list that I'm packing:
- Boppy pillow for nursing (recommended by my hospital, or I wouldn't bother)
- My own pillow for sleeping (because I'm a pillow snob)
- Car seat, blanket, and going home outfit/hat for baby
- 1-2 pairs of pajamas or loungewear--we're expecting visitors at the hospital, and I'd just feel more comfortable in those rather than a hospital gown. I'm packing dark colors so they can be washed and hopefully not ruined forever.
- A sports bra for labor (planning to wear it there, but will pack it if that's not the case)
- My outfit for going home if it doesn't get worn there
- 1-2 nursing bras
- Comfy socks
- Toiletries for me
- Cell phone & charger
- Applicable paperwork (birth plan, short-term disability papers for dr. to sign off on, etc.)
- A pair of slippers or flip-flops for walking the halls
- A couple of protein bars for labor or if I deliver in the middle of the night when the cafeteria is closed. I'm allowed to eat/drink during labor--some hospitals do not allow this.
My DH is responsible for bringing/packing:
- Snacks for him
- All camera gear
- iPod and dock (also recommended by our hospital for labor)
- Toiletries for him
- His cell phone & charger
It sounds like a LOT once I look at the list, but except for the car seat and pillows, everything fits in one smallish bag, so I'm not too worried about it!
Most of what you've got sounds good.
As far as footwear...whatever you wear to the hospital should suffice for going home...no need for multiple pairs of shoes. I wore my runners to the hospital and home again.
Check with your hospital, but they should provide you with more than enough pads to get home...even with an hour car ride, you should be fine to get home. Same for diapers...check with the hospital, but if they provide them for you in the hospital, LO should be good for the car ride (throw 1 or 2 i the diaper bag in case of an emergency, but really it should be fine).
As far as outfits go, in all honesty, unless you have some reason why you need to be wearing your own clothes and bras and what have you, I would skip the multiple outfits. Use the hospital gown and wreck those. If you are planning to BF, I found it easier to be in the gown anyways...you just unhook it and away you go....GREAT for the first few times you nurse and can hardly keep your eyes open!!
For you going home outfit, I would suggest either yoga pants or another soft pant...you will want something that makes all your padding feel secure (TMI sorry), but also something that doesn't rub. Ideally, a maternity yoga pant or something with a forgiving waistband (ESPECIALLY if you were to end up with a c-section) is best. While you will no longer be PG and may be sick of your maternity wear, you will still have a belly that makes you look several months pregnant, so you are likely going to be far more comfortable in your maternity gear than you would be in more restrictive non-maternity...especially with a car ride that is an hour long.
HTH!
I would stick more with sweatpants/yoga pants for going home. Especially if you are going to be in the car for an hour! I was soooo sore!
If you are looking for extra room, you shouldn't need the towel/wash cloth. The hospital will have those for you, and extras for DH, too.
The hospital will also give you pads to wear home. If you are bringing nursing tanks, you probably won't need to pack bras, either. Think comfort in every way possible!