@jas1982 FWIW, my BFF used one when she gave birth and it was a medium one, not the carry-on size. They took that and a small gym bag and, as far as I know, didn't get weird looks.
You can totally use a wheelie suitcase. I didn't this time because I packed a lot lighter than last time, but no one thought we were weird for bringing one (or they just didn't tell me).
Fwiw all the "entertainment" items (magazines, games etc) that most lists suggest were not necessary at all for us. Between visitors, nursing and trying to sleep, we didn't have time for anything else.
I finally have my bag almost packed. I'm waiting for baby's going home outfit to arrive (yes, I bought a special outfit, and yes, DD1 will get leggings to match. I'm apparently THAT mom). When that comes I'll wash the rest of her stuff and put that and a onesie with leggings in and then we're good to go. I fit mine, DH's, and baby's stuff all in one bag!
Totally planning on bringing a wheelie suit case and probably a duffle bag for FI. Pillows are being brought too...I cannot do the flat ones I saw in the hospital!
We used a carry-on wheelie bag last time and that's what I'm packing again. We all share the one bag (me, Dh and baby) and it's so much easier for Dh to transport.
Totally use a wheelie! So convenient. I also suggest throwing in a old reusable shopping bag or something to take home all the extra crap they give you!
Definitely have your L&D hospital wheelie/carry-on packed!!
It was such a lifesaver for me when LO decided to arrive 3 weeks early on the dot (yay, full term). It was way more convenient to throw everything in there for me as well as the few things we ended up using for LO. A full on diaper bag which we packed was not needed. For me, the going home outfit, a Bump in the Night nursing chemise, hospital slippers, basic toiletries, hair bands, phone charger, and organic nipple balm were an absolute must. All the other crap I threw in the bag were frivolous (full makeup bag including false lashes...). Yeah, I looked sh--eous, but that was the last of my concerns. LO was only in diapers but swaddled up during the hospital stay since they do a lot of periodic checks and DH and I did a lot of skin to skin. All she needed was a onesie or basic outfit to wear home. I should have packed way better snacks.
The hospital gave (relevant to the mothers): hospital non-slip socks; postpartum vaginal/perineal care items (included pads, three total mesh undies, ice pads, witch hazel pads, numbing spray, sitz/squirt bottles), puppy-like pads (for leakages) to put under my seat. The sitz bath and donut had to be purchased separately. The rotating nurses literally said take everything in the room since they'll have to throw it out anyway.
As relevant to the babies, ours gave diapers, basic cloth beanies, and dry wipes (to wet with water). They allowed us to take the swaddles in the room home (we had three in the room and only took one - ugh, I should have taken them all but I didn't know since they are imprinted with "hospital property"). They provided the foot prints certificate which were taken before discharge.
I just packed my bag this weekend! I used a duffel wheelie/weekender bag...it hardly has anything in it...just my going home outfit and the babies...my husband will put some clothes in it as well...aside from clothes I'm not bringing anything for baby, it's all there at the hospital...I'm hoping to have lots of spare space to fill with things from the hospital
We ended up going bag shopping this weekend and spent like $100 on snacks. Obviously, most of these will be eaten well before the hospital. I guess we mostly just needed to go snack shopping.
I did get some cheap flippy-floppies, slippers, and pj pants all in slightly larger sizes than I would normally wear. And some friggin chapstick. Everyone emphasizes how much you will need chapstick. So I think we are now prepared as we will ever be to have the baby, and we can just sit around holding our breath for the next several excruciating weeks (yay?).
Ah, still no (34 weeks). Every time this gets bumped up I think stop yelling at me lol. So, our birthing class instructor said to have two bags, one for L&D and one for recovery. I thought this was odd, it's not like I'm packing more than a carry on for the whole thing (or so I'm assuming).
@jhems776 With DD, we just had the one bag. Though I will say that all of the stuff we brought for L&D went completely unused. So if it had been in its own bag and could have easily been taken back to the car afterwards, that might have been nice...but it also didn't hurt anything when mingled in with my recovery supplies.
@geminigirl16 I got granola/ protein bars, some squeezy fruit things (like applesauce, but with other fruit), some single serve peanut butter and pretzel packs, some junk food like poptarts/ mini oreos/ candy, some beef jerky for DH, some cracker/ cheese sandwich packs, just a bunch of shelf-stable things. I am not going to pack all of that but I am definitely bringing protein bars and sour patch kids. The essentials.
Suggestions from the doula teaching our birthing class: tennis ball, honey sticks, 12 inch piece of pool noodle, Chapstick, fake candles, and chocolate covered espresso beans for DH.
Suggestions from the doula teaching our birthing class: tennis ball, honey sticks, 12 inch piece of pool noodle, Chapstick, fake candles, and chocolate covered espresso beans for DH.
Oh wow. I did fine last time with only 1 of those things (Chapstick).
Unless you're taking a pretty big bag some of it probably doesn't have to come. I think fake candles would probably be the first thing I'd send overboard on a sinking boat.
Suggestions from the doula teaching our birthing class: tennis ball, honey sticks, 12 inch piece of pool noodle, Chapstick, fake candles, and chocolate covered espresso beans for DH.
Ooh. I like the honey sticks idea. They're yummy anyway and seems like they'd be a good source of a sugar rush and some extra energy without going caffeinated.
I'll definitely overpack. I usually overpack for everything. It's nice
to go efficient and ergonomic with the absolute minimum needed, but
everyone is different and especially as FTM you never know what you
might want to have with you!
Over the past few weeks I've definitely changed my list, taken things out and added other things in, but my bag is gonna be stuffed. DH is gonna have to have his own. LOL
@Bibliobebe yes! She suggested dissolving in hot water and taking a drink after each contraction to keep energy up
If you're in a hospital, they won't let you drink anything it's torture. Im not sure if they would have a problem with honey though? I know you can have ice chips and Popsicles! I'm pretty pumped about the Popsicles, but I wonder if they'll let me have all 30 that I will inevitably request?
I suggest throwing in a gallon sized ziplock or two. Doesn't take much room and if your LO peed on their swaddle like mine did, you have a place to put it without getting your other stuff wet LOL. We had a ziplock with the hospital supplies given to us here so I lucked out.
@Bibliobebe yes! She suggested dissolving in hot water and taking a drink after each contraction to keep energy up
If you're in a hospital, they won't let you drink anything it's torture. Im not sure if they would have a problem with honey though? I know you can have ice chips and Popsicles! I'm pretty pumped about the Popsicles, but I wonder if they'll let me have all 30 that I will inevitably request?
I was so excited when they offered me a Popsicle last time because I hadn't eaten since breakfast and it was around midnight, so I was starving! Then I promptly puked up every bite. So now I'm debating whether I'll have one this time
I asked the nurse when I was at the hospital for my NST and she said past about 6 cm they don't let you eat. They won't admit you until you're at least 3 or 4 cm dilated, so you get a 2 cm window to eat, but they discourage anything heavy. After 6 cm, they'll let you have all the clear fluids you want including popsicles. And you don't have to just have ice chips, thank God.
Last night H was like "our bag is good to go, right?". I casually informed him it wasn't. Cue his freak out! (I am only 36 + 4....figured I was fine). So now we are *mostly* packed. All we have is last minute stuff that won't take long to gather - phone charger, makeup bag, slippers, wallet. I also am trying to convince H to pack a change of clothes. He insists he will be fine in whatever he wears. But he dresses business casual at work - dress pants, dress shirt, tie....But if we get a shared recovery room, he's not comfortable wearing PJs, which makes sense! I'm sure he will put something comfier in there this weekend, even if its just to make me shut up about it. Haha
Finally got all packed up today! Feels good, even though I hope I have 2.5 weeks left. Will just need to toss a phone charger and my makeup bag in when it's actually time to go.
@MrsVoorhees@mamadomino I totally ate like 8 cups of orange and cherry jello and 4 popsicles during labor. Haha.
@geminigirl16 Snacks seriously weren't cutting it - I wanted FOOD! DH made a run to a fried chicken place across the street from the hospital so that was helpful and visitors (my mom, friends) brought food during our two night stay.
Re: Hospital bag - Do you have yours packed?
Fwiw all the "entertainment" items (magazines, games etc) that most lists suggest were not necessary at all for us. Between visitors, nursing and trying to sleep, we didn't have time for anything else.
It was such a lifesaver for me when LO decided to arrive 3 weeks early on the dot (yay, full term). It was way more convenient to throw everything in there for me as well as the few things we ended up using for LO. A full on diaper bag which we packed was not needed. For me, the going home outfit, a Bump in the Night nursing chemise, hospital slippers, basic toiletries, hair bands, phone charger, and organic nipple balm were an absolute must. All the other crap I threw in the bag were frivolous (full makeup bag including false lashes...). Yeah, I looked sh--eous, but that was the last of my concerns. LO was only in diapers but swaddled up during the hospital stay since they do a lot of periodic checks and DH and I did a lot of skin to skin. All she needed was a onesie or basic outfit to wear home. I should have packed way better snacks.
The hospital gave (relevant to the mothers): hospital non-slip socks; postpartum vaginal/perineal care items (included pads, three total mesh undies, ice pads, witch hazel pads, numbing spray, sitz/squirt bottles), puppy-like pads (for leakages) to put under my seat. The sitz bath and donut had to be purchased separately. The rotating nurses literally said take everything in the room since they'll have to throw it out anyway.
As relevant to the babies, ours gave diapers, basic cloth beanies, and dry wipes (to wet with water). They allowed us to take the swaddles in the room home (we had three in the room and only took one - ugh, I should have taken them all but I didn't know since they are imprinted with "hospital property"). They provided the foot prints certificate which were taken before discharge.
I did get some cheap flippy-floppies, slippers, and pj pants all in slightly larger sizes than I would normally wear. And some friggin chapstick. Everyone emphasizes how much you will need chapstick. So I think we are now prepared as we will ever be to have the baby, and we can just sit around holding our breath for the next several excruciating weeks (yay?).
@jas1982 what did you buy for snacks? And @frogdog06 in hindsight what snacks do you wish you'd brought with you?
tennis ball, honey sticks, 12 inch piece of pool noodle, Chapstick, fake candles, and chocolate covered espresso beans for DH.
DS1 -- 9/30/2016
Unless you're taking a pretty big bag some of it probably doesn't have to come. I think fake candles would probably be the first thing I'd send overboard on a sinking boat.
(Insert thumbs up and hair flip emoji here)
Ooh. I like the honey sticks idea. They're yummy anyway and seems like they'd be a good source of a sugar rush and some extra energy without going caffeinated.
I'll definitely overpack. I usually overpack for everything. It's nice to go efficient and ergonomic with the absolute minimum needed, but everyone is different and especially as FTM you never know what you might want to have with you!
Over the past few weeks I've definitely changed my list, taken things out and added other things in, but my bag is gonna be stuffed. DH is gonna have to have his own. LOL
DS1 -- 9/30/2016
BFP - 01/04/2016; EDD - 09/15/2016 DS #1 - 07/2014
@geminigirl16 Snacks seriously weren't cutting it - I wanted FOOD! DH made a run to a fried chicken place across the street from the hospital so that was helpful and visitors (my mom, friends) brought food during our two night stay.