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2nd Trimester
palma44
member
What do you actually need to pack in hospital bags?
palma44
member
If you have been through labor before, what did you bring that you actually used and are planning on bringing again, and what do you wish you had that you didn't bring?
I assume the hospital will have things like shampoo, conditioner, tooth paste and tooth brush, shower towels, ext....?
What did your bring for yourself, DH, and baby that was usefull?
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Re: What do you actually need to pack in hospital bags?
Comfy .. COMFY clothes.... dark (you'll be bleeding and who knows what else) .... a pillow or 2... shampoo/body wash and lotion stuff .... I don't think they had it but if they did I didn't want to use it... Toothbrush/toothpaste....
Dh brought our laptop which was nice... we had the diaper bag for the baby.
My hospital isn't like a hotel. They have a soap pump in the shower with a body/hair wash. I wouldn't want to wash my hair with it. I would recommend bringing your own hair products. They also didn't have a toothbrush and toothpaste in the room; they may have had it upon request though (if someone forgets). Deodorant because your hormones will be going crazy and I got BO bad (sorry if that's TMI) Towels were there. Comfy, stretchy clothes/jammies that will look nice for pictures. Comfy nursing bra if you plan to nurse. Big granny panties (because they give you diaper size pads) and some regular pads (because you may not need the huge ones the whole time). Socks/slippers for walking. Make-up (so you can feel human when visitors come). A camera!
I didn't pack for SO because we lived 10 minutes away. This time I probably won't pack for DH as we live close and he will go stir crazy if he doesn't leave for a little while.
You don't need baby diapers unless you plan to CD from day one. Comfy sleepers/clothes for baby. Blankets if you don't want to use the hospital's flanel ones and at least one to take baby home in since you cannot take theirs. Baby socks since their feet get cold easily. Baby beenies if you want something besides the thin gender neutral one the hospital usually provides.
I may be forgetting some stuff as it's been 8 years since my last baby...
Things that I brought and used:
-My own pillow (The best thing I brought from home-hospital pillows suck)
-My own towel from home (hospital towels suck)
-Basic toiletries
-Snacks for DH during labor
-Change of clothes/toiletries for DH, going home outfit for me and the baby
-Laptop/camera/cell phone and chargers
-Baby book for hand/foot prints
-Slippers or socks for walking around in
Things I didn't use-Magazines/books/things to keep myself entertained. My laptop, tv, and baby were enough to occupy my time.
I chose to stay in the hospital gowns while in the hospital. No sense in creating laundry for myself when I can bleed all over the hospital gowns and have no mess to clean up. The hospital should provide most of the things the baby needs during your stay (diapers, clothes, blankets, etc) unless they specifically state otherwise.
Marriage: 12.18.04
DD1: 5.19.10
DD2: 4.11.12
I would bring your own toiletries. Toothbrush and toothpaste at a minimum, but I also like to have my own shampoo/conditioner, razor, etc. I actually can't remember if the hospital even provides those things. I brought some basic makeup too.
Comfortable lounging clothes, slippers, laptop, phones and chargers.
I want to say that was about it. I didn't even pack an outfit for the baby. DH and I live close to the hospital so I just had him bring something back for the day we were going home.
As far as I know, my hospital didn't provide toothpaste, a toothbrush, shampoo or conditioner, but they did provide towels. I think I only showered once before leaving there though.
Things I remember bringing that we will bring again: an outfit for DD to get her hospital photos in, a coming home outfit for her, coming home outfit for me (maternity clothes that were very comfy and casual), camera, video camera, laptop with cord, phone charger, Boppy, breast pump, make up, my toiletries, hair bands, and magazines.
Extremely comfty clothes. Loose fitting and large.
Something to play music during labor. Sour candy, as hospitals are so dry. (I hate sour candy, but I ate a tons of it during labor! LOL) Something for DH to do, depending on how long things take. Definitely a laptop. DVDs, if your room will have a DVD player. You will be up a lot in the middle of the night to feed, so it is nice to have movies to watch.
Your breast pump, if you are planning on BFing. It is nice to get the lactation specialists to show you the proper way to use it. It is also nice to use it to get you milk "flowing" faster.
Definitely bring your own toiletries. Do not rely on the hospital to provide that stuff for you.
Snacks for DH. They'll feed you but not him....unless you have a super cool nurse who sneaks him granola bars and cranberry juice like we did.
Chapstick. Glasses. Comfy but old (as in you don't care if they get ruined) PJs. Slippers that you're willing to throw away after walking on hospital floors with them
. Laptop to upload pics to Facebook.
Some labors are long and boring so you may want a deck of cards or an iPod. In some cases you won't have an opportunity to use those things.
Your own pillows.
LO's carseat (they'll check it), coming home outfit for you and LO. Don't get too excited - pack maternity clothes for you!
I don't want to post a whole list but here are some biggies that will be on my list.
Flip flops for the shower
Slippers....or multiple pairs of socks. The floors were DISGUSTING at my hospital. My feet were black and would track dust bunnies onto the bed. They must wash their floors with dirty water because I couldn't get over just how gross it was in our room.
Chapstick
Brest Friend nursing pillow
Nail clippers for the baby.
Swaddle blanket or sleep sack. It's VERY hard to properly wrap a baby when you've had about 15 minutes of sleep in the past 48 hours and the baby is pissed off and screaming. Everything at that time is hard. I like the sleep sacks because you can tightly bind them with some velcro. No folding, wrapping and tucking corners into others...one wrap and they're snug as a bug.
Lanolin or breast cream for the nips, a couple hours of a baby nursing is enough to make your nipple want to flip inward.
Pacifiers. My daughter was a "Sucky Baby" according to the nurse. She said, some babies just naturally need to suck on something for comfort but they can't control their hands at that age to suck on their thumb or hand. My daughter wanted to nurse non-stop just for comfort. My breasts paid big time and she ended up over eating and miserable. This is a personal choice by some. Some moms are anti-pacifier but I'll definitely have a couple on hand.
Here's what I brought for myself and actually used.
-3 pairs of black lounge pants (Let's just say I'm glad they were black.)
-3 stretchy-necked shirts for nursing. If you don't plan to nurse, any comfy shirt will do.
-zip-up hoodie
-2 nursing sports bras, in addition to the sports bra I wore during labor, and like 6 pairs of nursing pads
-3 pairs of socks
-flip flops and slippers
-My toiletries included shampoo, conditioner, face wash, body wash, DO, mousse, face moisturize, body lotion, tooth brush and paste
-lap top, camera, camera cord for uploading and sending pics, a few DVD's
-2 pillows in bright pillow cases so we wouldn't forget them
DH brought some athletic shorts, jeans, t-shirts and a hoodie, and a few pairs of boxer shorts. I think he wore sneakers.
For my son, we just brought an outfit for him to wear home, and a few baby blankets. He wore the hospital clothes for the 2 days we were there.
You might want to pack some just in case. I can't tell you how happy I was to finally get out of that awful hospital gown with all its stupid ties that kept coming undone! It would also get bunched up while I was in the bed. I was MUCH happier in my own clothing.
That first shower is heavenly. I will definitely bring the following again:
-Shampoo/Conditioner and travel body wash
- Toothpaste/toothbrush (for me and DH)
- hairdryer - whatever you need to make your hair look decent enough to be OK with all the pictures
- Nursing tank top! (this was one of the best suggestions I received! It is really nice to have this under your nightgown because it's more comfortable than a bra but you still feel covered and supported for guests)
- Nightgown. With a nightgown, you can keep it hiked up so it won't get bloody or anything but it's more comfortable and less revealing than the hospital gown.
- Phone and chargers, camera with charger and memory cards and ipad
- Snacks for DH and me after delivery (I bought them last time and he wouldn't take them because he thought it was silly. After 14 hours of labor, he was hungry and so was I.)
-Flip flops or slippers (Both will be June babies so flip flops were plenty for me)
- Boppy pillow - if you're nursing this is a must in my book. It makes it much easier to handle those first few feedings.
- Diaper bag with coming home outfit for baby
- An empty bag in the car for all the extra stuff you'll come home with
- Other nice but not necessary items - towel from home (hospital ones are small and rough) and pillow from home
I packed my favorite pair of pajamas and a couple of nursing bras. Some comfy socks. I packed all of my own bathroom stuff (shampoo, soap, deodorant, etc.). We always take our leftovers when we stay at a hotel so I had a ton and we just bought little $0.99 deodorants to keep in our bag so we wouldn't forget. I also packed my favorite blanket and pillow. A couple DVDs to keep us entertained while I was in early labor (we did watch one), my laptop and camera cord, my camera, a deck of cards (we played several card games), and a book (I never read it, but my DH got me some magazines from the gift shop and I did read those).
For the baby I brought our Boppy (used it several times in the hospital), two blankets that my mom made, a going home outfit, a Halloween onesie because he was born on Halloween (it said "Baby's First Halloween"), and an extra going home outfit in case he was too big for the other.
The hospital provided everything else: diapers, nursing pads, pads and other supplies you'll need for "down there," receiving blankets, wipes, boogie sucker, pacifier, etc. I didn't need anything and I also didn't feel like I overpacked because I used everything I brought.
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I forgot to add snacks. I had snacks for me and DH for in between meals. Also, hard candy, but I was told it should be a sucker, not like a life saver so that you don't choke while you're having a contraction.
And chapstick is a must, your lips get really dry in the hospital.
Also, I wore my gown the entire time I was in the hospital because I just didn't want to feel the restriction of pants around all of that extra padding (seriously it felt like a diaper!). I didn't put my pajamas on until we were leaving. This time I might bring my lounge pants and wear them just because it makes me feel more put-together and normal. But it could really go either way.
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For me!
CHAPSTICK!! My lips got so dry and cracked it was awful! Hair ties, shampoo conditioner, lotion, face soap, my own over night but thin pads they held more and stayed in place much better than the ones the hospital gave me either time. Dark pj pants I hated the hospital gowns so awful to stay at all covered in. Nursing bras my hospital gave me nursing pads and nipple cream.
For DH
A change of clothing a sweatshirt he gets cold easy and I am always too hot during labor so I have the room cool. A hat to cover his messed up hair. And snacks! He didn't want to leave me to eat during labor or the first night.
For LO
One outfit to come home in! A blanket for him to sleep with and then bring home for the dog and cats to get used to his smell.
For everyone
A camera, phone chargers, some magazines to read encase this labor is calmer than last time and we have down time.
Things I needed:
- jammies/nightgowns
- pillows & nursing pillow
- big overnight pads (the hospital ones were crappy)
- slippers or sandals
- Blistex
- make-up, contacts, glasses, face wash, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, etc.
- laptop/e-reader
- snacks and drinks
- clothes and blankets for baby
- small mirror
- camera/batteries/charger
- pacifiers/soothers
- table lamp (the hospital I was in had a terrible, bright flourescent light directly over the bed and that was all... I had DH bring a small lamp from home ASAP)
Can't think of anything else...
I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living my baby you'll be.
- Robert Munsch
OMG-this x1000. I have never felt better and more refreshed than after that first post labor/delivery shower.
Marriage: 12.18.04
DD1: 5.19.10
DD2: 4.11.12
My Blog on PPD and life in general**