Thought I'd start this thread since some of us are starting to think in this direction. Thoughts from BTDT moms on hospital bags and what was very necessary (and not so much).
@BumpAdmin can we keep this at the top perhaps?
DS1 - 9/21/11
DS2 - 7/4/14
DS3 - 2/21/16
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
Re: Hospital Bag Checklist and Advice
Chapstick
hair tie
Robe
Nursing pads
big ol' pads with wings
granny panties
comfy clothes
nursing bras and pads
phone and charger
notepad
snacks for you and your partner
a book or kindle
makeup and hair brush
gum or mints
toothbrush and toothpaste
Slippers/flip flops
Socks
Contact lens case and solution
Empty bag for extras
A bag for hubby
For baby, an outfit or two, a hat, pacifier, blanket
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
For myself and baby: a few changes of comfy clothes (including nursing bra), cell phone, camera, chargers, socks, lotion (both facial and body, and chapstick), toothbrush and a go-home outfit are necessary. I wore the same pair of flip flops that I walked into the hospital with.
Other things that most hospitals will provide (but probably safe to double check first) are: mesh undies, gigantic pads, rinse bottles for your private part, towels, baby formula, diapers and wipes. The nurses also gave me some nipple cream and nursing pads as well.
For baby: outfit to go home in, blanket, car seat, few diapers/wipes/butt cream. Our hospital gives a few diapers, one newborn outfit per baby, plus one hat and blanket (we have a shop that works with them and people donate new stuff for the hospital to give the babies). They also cloth the baby while you are in there and recommend that you don't put your own clothes on the baby while there as some of the nurses don't ask whether the outfit is theirs or not. They of course wash and dry their own, so if you dress the baby, you might not get the outfit back.
For you: comfy house slippers were a must. Otherwise, pp seam to have everything down.
Wipes - our hospital doesn't provide wipes, so we bring some. They have little clothes that you can wet and use but we found them to be a pain and just brought our own wipes last time. So you might want to check with your hospital
This is our third baby, so we will also bring a present from the new baby for the older two when they come to visit. Just something small from the baby
Things I was really glad I packed for me: a huge soft comfy robe, slippers, and the biggest PJ pants I could find. I hurt so much after labor that I really needed everything to be super baggy. I stayed in a hospital gown a lot of the time and only really got to change into my clothes when we moved rooms (they dismissed me but DS was having trouble regulating his blood sugar).
I second @alligreer88on the folder for important papers and make sure to leave the house with all your insurance cards and everything.
Our hospital provided diapers, wipes, and clothing for the baby until we were ready to leave (make sure to ask what your hospital provides so you can pack accordingly). I brought two different outfits for LO for leaving. One would have been huge on him - even though they were both the same size - so we were glad to have the second on hand.
I was really glad we brought our fancy camera. I love the pictures my husband took (despite me looking like I'd been in a boxing match in all of them).
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
The only things on my list that I didn't see here were:
1. Nursing cover. This will depend on your level of comfort nursing in front of people/your stance on visitors, but I didn't mind nursing while visitors were there as long as I had my cover.
2. Nursing tank. I wore a nursing tank with my robe over it the whole time. And my two cents on pants: I never wore any. Haha. I bled through the underwear, didn't want to ruin my clothes, and just kept the blanket over my legs when people stopped by!
3. Any prescription meds you take regularly. I'm on anxiety meds and if I miss even a day I start to go crazy. Haha.
So far, I have all the basics for me covered and have put a few things for baby together - but I'll definitely be having a look at these lists to see if/what I've missed!
All seems a tad daunting to think about when my brain has officially stopped working lol
I feel like this time as long as I have the essentials I need (contact case and solution, glasses, toothbrush and paste, lotion, Chapstick, earplugs) and my phone and charger I'll be fine. My husband can be in charge of packing what he needs. I'm just bringing one outfit to change little man into to go home. Keeping it simple this time.
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
*BFP #1- 11/12/12, m/c 11/16/12 @ 6 weeks
*BFP #2- 1/23/13 EDD 10/4/13
*Emma Rose: 10/8/13
*BFP #3- EDD 03/9/16
March '16 December Siggy Challenge- Favorite Christmas Movie/Quote
I'm anti-lanolin but love the ameda nipple cooling pads.
I want to build a stash and develop a great supply before returning to school in August so my baby will get breast milk until 1... I will need to order anything extra from Amazon/Internet as there isn't a store that carries these types of things in Key West (driving to Miami is the only way to see basic stores that are everywhere else!) so being prepared ahead of time is very important!
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
I pumped in my classroom with a hands free nursing bra and a nursing cover (just in case - a maintenance person walked in on me twice, even though I had a sign up) so I could answer emails or whatever.
If you have a mini fridge in your room you can just rinse the parts and put them in the fridge between uses.
Look up milk storage guidelines and make sure you rotate through your freezer stash even before you go back to work so that you don't end up tossing old milk. Everyone has different opinions on this, but I liked the milk storage bags and how easy they were to stack in the freezer.
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Our family of 5 is complete!! Love our boys!
I'd bring your pump to ask questions but also ask if you can set up an appointment 2/3/4 weeks post partum to get pumping 101. You'll be more mentally alert and be more in a BFing rythm. I agree about other PPs not to pump too early or you may have oversupply at a week 2ish (I think like 10 days post partum) I started pumping (by the advice of my doctor) because my supply was a little low, it did help! But if I had a regular supply I can see how that would be rough!
I'm not planning on bringing any bf supplies to the hospital this time because they had everything for me last time, and I want to take advantage of that again!
My nipples grew during the first month after delivery. I started out with the standard 24mm and had to move up to 26mm by week 2.
Also I second the pillow and blanket for Hubby and a small gift for older children to feel included while everyone is loving on new baby:)
Hair ties (I lost the one I had and looked like Albert Einstein until Dh finally grabbed some for home)
Brush
Granny panties
Throat lozenges (dry cough with c section scar is no joke)
Comfy lounge clothes
Sleep nursing bra
Nursing pads
Nipple cream
Chap stick
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste and toothbrush (travel size)
Phone charger
Phone
DVD player (was a godsend for late night feedings)
DVD case
Boppy
Toy for ds