Hospital Bag/Coming home outfit
SarahKate31
member
I'm starting to think I should get this stuff together so I'm looking around for a good checklist of stuff to bring to the hospital. Anyone know where to find a good one? I tried Google searching for a post on here about it, but of course I couldn't find anything!
About his coming home outfit...I was planning to bring 2 outfits - one newborn sized and one 0-3. I'm not really trying to find anything specific, but I'm confused about how warm the outfit should be. It will probably be early June, can he wear just a short sleeved onesie, socks, and hat? Or does he need a sleeper with pants/long sleeves? I have muslin blankets and fleece blankets, but nothing really in between, though of course I could get something. I'm probably over thinking this as usual, but any advice would be welcome!
ETA: I assume the hospital will provide everything needed for his care while we're there, but do we need to bring a diaper bag anyway? I saw some people mentioning that on another board and I wasn't sure?
BFP#1: 01/10, M/C 6w
BFP#2: 06/10, M/C 5w
BFP#3: 09/10, DS born June 1, 2011
BFP#4: 07/12, M/C 5w3d
BFP#5: 12/12, EDD 08/18/13
My Blog: Decorate This
Re: Hospital Bag/Coming home outfit
I think I might have found some kind of list on the bump for the hospital, but I'm not sure. I didn't get anything together until the night we went in for our induction
and then I just threw in some toiletries and a few pairs of sweatpants, t-shirts, tanks, and a hoodie.
For the outfit I would go with something lightweight in case it's hot, you can always put a blanket over him once you strap him in the car seat. John wore a plain cotton onesie and pair of pants home and we just put a hat and blankets on him after he was in his car seat (it was December). I just packed a NB and 0-3 month sized outfits and 3 different weighted blankets.
I think the moms will be able to offer a lot more insight on what to bring and what not to bring to the hospital with you.
I found this list online and plan on using it as a jumping off point. My goal is to bring very little to the hospital and have my mom bring whatever we feel like we might need and forgot to pack.
As far as coming home outfits, I plan on sticking the baby in a plain onesie, some socks, and a little hat with a blanket draped over the carseat. I mean it will depend on what the weather is like but I'm due in August so I have a feeling it's going to be hot as balls.
I'd plan on bringing an empty bag so you can stock up on the stuff they provide for free in the hospital. I believe HCGH provides anything the baby needs while you're staying there.
the hospital will provide everything, and you can take the leftovers home. As for coming home outfits,most of them don't fit. I bought a newborn for my first baby and she was 8 pounds and it didn't fit. For my second baby I bought a 0-3 month sleeper and she was only 6 1/2 pounds and that didn't fit. So she came home in the shirt the hospital provided, the hat the hospital provided and blankets wrapped around her legs, it was January 4th and I believe there was snow on the ground. You have to walk out with her in the car seat, or in a wheelchair with you holding her - hospital have specific policies on that.
For me I bought toothpaste/toothbrush, blanket for baby, snacks, money. Twice I bought clothes to wear home, and it didn't fit, so I wore what I came to the hospital in. I also didn't shower, both times I had a c-section and didn't want to deal with showering with a catheter. If you have a vaginally delivery, you aren't there that long. You don't need underwear, the hospital provided those. Maybe a robe, but I never used it, just stayed in my gown the whole time.
I know some people bring a lot, but I felt it just got in the way trying to store it. Food was the biggest thing I think.
George took at least 2 trips to the car w/o me and E when we left HCGH
I packed two outfits one NB, one 0-3, the NB was 1000x times cuter, but what too light for December, I don't know what what I was thinking! She ended up swallowed in the 0-3 month fleece outfit, hat and blankets. You can barely see her in the pictures.
DD was a preemie in January and it was freezing out. I put her in a hat (they would not let her leave without one), a onesie and a sleeper over that, and socks. Plus, she had two blankets.
Because I was induced, we packed a CRAP TON of stuff. Let's just say I used very little of it. We used our laptops/smart phones (AAMC has free wifi), a book, snacks, sweatpants/comfy clothes for DH, socks for me, toothbrush, robe, slippers and I think that was about it.(I took an old pair of slippers and threw them out before I came home)
I forgot to bring towels to use when I showered and I did not want to use the flimsy hospital towels. Also, I just wore my gown and my robe and slippers because I didn't want to get my clothes icky and it was easier. I also just wore home what I wore to the hospital, since I think I had my outfit on a total of 2 hours.
I brought a diaper bag, but did not need it, since they do give you everything. Also, take whatever you don't use home, i.e. the 1/2 pack of pampers. As one nurse said to me, "Well, you've already paid for it."
Good luck!
It was hot as balls when DS was born (end of July) so I just put him in a onesie, socks, and covered him up with a lightweight blanket in the car. I did not bring a diaper bag for him while in the hospital, it would just be added junk to lug around. Oh and don't take much packing advice from the bump. I remember on 3rd tri back before DS was born people were sharing their hospital bag lists and some people were seriously hauling like their whole sets of luggage to the hospital. Crazy!
I don't have a list I went off of, but I packed a duffel bag with a lightweight robe and slippers, an outfit to go home (yoga pants and t-shirt), nursing bra, nipple cream, some snacks (granola bars etc), stuff to read (although I sure as hell didn't feel like reading when I was in labor or recovering), phone and charger, toothbrush and toothpaste, a neck pillow (one of the u-shaped ones-recommend!). I didn't bother packing undies because they hospital gives you stretchy mesh ones and they just get ruined anyway. And of course the baby going home stuff. I also brought two options since I didn't know exactly what size he would fit into. DH also brought a backpack with toiletries and a change of clothes in it for him, although we were only 10 minutes from the hospital and he ended up going home to shower, feed the cats etc anyway.
I didn't look at the list that Heidi posted, so I'm not sure if this was mentioned. I would bring your camera, a baby book, if you plan to document LO foot prints, laptop for hubby. Then clothes for hubby, toothpaste/toothbrush, brush for both, $ for DH.
I didn't shower while I was the hospital and I stayed three days. I wasn't able to get out of bed until Thursday, the day after DD was born. I was so busy pumping and visiting DD in the NICU that I never thought about it. Hell I didn't even wear the the clothes that my aunt brought from our house. I just wore the hospital gown until I was discharged. And then I just wore some yogi pants and a tank top (this was October) along with flip flops.
As for the baby... I had been bring her clothes to wear to the NICU, but almost all the outfits were way to big, so we ended up just using a sleeper & hat that the NICU provided.
Ha! I just started making my list yesterday!
The list H gave is a good place to start. I'd also suggest your own pillow. Last week while in L&D I found out why. I'm also bringing the boppy and itzbeen so that I can get used to using both of those items with the help of the LC. Oh and lansinoh.
As for the going home outfit, I'm bringing one newborn and one 0-3 months. I'm not sure if HCGH takes pictures, but you might want to bring anything that you could have pictures taken in or want the little guy to have for a picture. AAMC has a professional photog that takes pictures while you are there.
I was so unprepared since LO decided to make an appearance weeks before being due. My husband and neighbor put together a small bag prior to him coming to the hospital. It was sort of better that way because had I packed it, it would have been the entire house, so this way it was minimal items.
I had him pack me an outfit, camera, cell phone charger and some basic toiletries. I did shower at the hospital so I wanted to look half decent when visitors came. He brought the car seat the day we came home. MIL brought the outfit, since I was team green she waited to see what I was having and then brought the washed outfit to the hospital.
I had nothing prepared at home either. Some things I didn't think about were full back underwear...yes I was one that owned NONE. Also, I had no pads of any sort at home and you are obviously going to need normal sized ones at home (unlike the huge ones at the hospital). Some people have those 2 items as a common item in their home, I didn't.
DC was born in May and it was chilly when we came home. I'd pack a long sleeve onsie too, because they are so tiny and their little bodies need that warmth, so while we may be hotter, they may not be.
We had so much stuff to lug home and I didn't even take a lot.
Basic toiletries, robe, yoga/sweat pants (2 pairs or so), t-shirts/tank tops, TUMS (they wouldn't give me any unless they were prescribed, I was in agony), gas-x, chap stick, hair ties, camera, batteries, outfits for baby, a few snacks like fiber one bars, etc.
One thing I'm glad I brought were my slippers. My feet were so swollen from the fluids during my section that I actually couldn't wear shoes for a week. Later I found out that a lot of people have this issue.
I wore yoga pants and nursing tanks all during my stay even with a section, I just needed to be able to show them my incision so I had nice loose gaucho style ones.
Francesca Pearl is here! Josephine Hope is almost 3!
I packed so carefully and thoughtfully - but honestly, I didn't use most of it! Here is what we DID use..
For baby:
- take-home outfit (good idea to bring both sizes!)
- the car seat (already installed/inspected)
- Boppy or BrestFriend pillow if you want to use one while nursing (if you're going to try to nurse).
- a comfy blanket for over the car seat
For you:
- all of the toiletries you'll need to make yourself feel pretty, clean, and relaxed (bring nipple cream if you are planning to nurse)
- tech gadgets and/or reading material (I relied solely on my iPhone, even though I had a book and like 15 People magazines that I had purposely saved up for the hospital stay. I didn't have any downtime to read, with my quick induction, fussy baby, and visitors!)
- camera
- lounge clothes / pajamas for going home (you won't want to put on jeans!)
- lounge clothes / pajamas if you plan to wear your own stuff each night in the hospital, although I personally stayed in the gown until the last day.
- nonslip socks or slippers
For hubby:
- PJs and change of daytime clothes
- Snacks (granola, crackers - stuff he can eat when you can't, lol)
- things to entertain himself
DON'T FORGET CHARGERS for your phones, camera, laptop, etc.
Everything else can/will be given to you by the hospital.
Good to know!
BFP#1: 01/10, M/C 6w
BFP#2: 06/10, M/C 5w
BFP#3: 09/10, DS born June 1, 2011
BFP#4: 07/12, M/C 5w3d
BFP#5: 12/12, EDD 08/18/13
My Blog: Decorate This
Aiden was born early, and we had nothing packed. I sent DH home with a list.
This time you'd think I'd be better prepared, but so far I just have comfy pajamas, nursing tanks, nursing bras, and a coming home outfit for me and baby. And chapstick and deodorant!
miscarriage on 11/26/09 at 5w6d
I think I could have gotten away with chapstick, lotion, brush, cellphone and charger. Everything else was given to me, they even had disposible toothbrushes. I wore home the clothes I came in.
I brought 2 outfits for DD and maybe a blanket, I can't remember, odds are good that we had one though.
The most useful thing the woman teaching the birthing class said was to make sure you brought meds for your DH, then they can't complain when they have a headache or don't feel good.
For the going home outfit for the baby, just bring something that is meaningful to you because you will take tons of pictures (at the hospital, the car ride, first thing when you arrive into the house, etc.) I'd bring a back-up outfit in case there is a spit-up/poop accident and maybe something in NB and 0-3 months, just in case you have a bigger baby. I didn't get too fancy, it was just a nice sleeper but it was super-cute.
Having DH bring my laptop to the hospital was a life-saver, it was nice to be able to connect to the outside world, upload photos, etc. Newborns sleep a lot their first day and I found I had quite a bit of time to update people on everything.
No need to bring a lot of baby supplies to the hospital. I overpacked and barely used any of it. I also pretty much took anything in the room that wasn't bolted down - diapers, those kimono-style t-shirts, blankets, pacifiers, pads, wipes, formula, etc.
For your outfit, pack a pair of maternity pants with the stretchy waistband in case you have a c-section, I heard the soft middle is helpful if you have a scar opposed to a regular pair of pants which may cut into your belly.
Since Evie came early the only thing we had with us were the pillows that were in the car from birthing class. DH stopped at Best Buy to buy the video camera on the way to the hospital. LOL.
The hospital had everything that we needed. And you'd be amazed at how much you can improvize. For example, I was having major back labor and DH took his 20 oz soda bottle and rolled it up and down my back. The cold and the pressure helped a lot! No need for an expensive back massager, $1.50 from the hospital vending machine worked like a charm.