July 2018 Moms
SmashJam
member
Product Spotlight 5/7: Preparing for Labor (Meal Prep/Hospital Bag)
SmashJam
member
This is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... Meal Prep/Hospital Bag! What things did you do before your previous births that you feel made life easier when you got home or during your time in the hospital? This could be meal planning/freezer meals, specific things you had set up and ready at home for your return, or what you had in your hospital bag (or your husband/children's bags) when you packed in prep for labor. Feel free to go SUPER out of the box on this topic and list anything you did to "send yourself into labor," or prepare your body because selfishly I expect to go way late and find this particular topic interesting. 
Please feel free to completely blow off the format below, as I find it completely awkward for this topic.
For S+TMs:
For FTMs::
Please feel free to completely blow off the format below, as I find it completely awkward for this topic.
For S+TMs:
- Favorite [Meal Prep resource/item or Hospital Bag item]:
- Link/picture:
- Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
- What you like about it:
- What you don't like about it, if anything:
- Is there a [Meal Prep resource/item or Hospital bag item] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
- Is there a [Meal Prep resource/item or Hospital bag item] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?:
- Additional thoughts on [Meal prep resource/item or hospital bag item]:
For FTMs::
- [meal prep resource/item or hospital bag item] you're interested in:
- Link/picture:
- Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
- Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?:
Re: Product Spotlight 5/7: Preparing for Labor (Meal Prep/Hospital Bag)
I sort of want to do some freezer meals/meal prep this time around, wondering if I'll actually have the energy. What are some good recipes that freeze well and are easy? I'd usually go to soups and chili, but it's going to be July...
TTC December 2016
BFP 2/28/17 // CP 3/1/17
MFI Diagnosis: Aug 2017
BFP 11/1/17 // DS born 6/18
TTC January 2019
BFP 3/21/19 // D&C (MMC) 5/8/19
@MrsMiller8588 I feel like 32 weeks or so is a good time, but definitely by 36...although I never had my own bag ready, just my son's. I kind of never thought I would go into labor the second time, and first time we lived 5 minutes away so I was like, I'll just grab essentials and send DH back. I say 32 weeks as a "just in case," I had some friends who went in unexpectedly that early (and earlier!) and people go that early all the time! People will probably vary on their responses.
My must have for the hospital is face wipes!!! Even when I could not get out of bed I could at least wash my face and feel like I had a little control over my body.
I don’t remember when I packed my bag, definitely by 36 weeks. It might be good to make a list ahead of time so you can grab everything in a pinch if you don’t pack it early enough.
I second @acunamatada on snacks!!! I'm sorry but the liquid diet during labor is miserable, you need food to sustain yourself and give you energy, and this time I don't care that eating is not allowed, I will be sneaking bites of granola bars and almonds and gold fish when they're not looking (this was actually my midwife's suggestion since they believe in eating during labor but the hospital policy is against it). It's also good for postpartum, personally I was ravenous after giving birth and with trying to get your milk to come in you want to be eating enough.
So for baby if I only need a coming home outfit what does he wear while we are there?
TTC December 2016
BFP 2/28/17 // CP 3/1/17
MFI Diagnosis: Aug 2017
BFP 11/1/17 // DS born 6/18
TTC January 2019
BFP 3/21/19 // D&C (MMC) 5/8/19
I'll put a bag together in the next few weeks, but mostly for me. I think I will buy a few "extras" to pack and keep in the bag while it sits in the car. @zande2016 my body doesn't like to eat when I'm in labor. I throw it all up! So the snacks aren't for me
I will pack:
phone and charger
chromebook and charger
wallet
toothbrush and toothpaste
my preferred winged pads
a couple of undies for the last day
soft pants and easy access top for the last day
loofa and shower gel
head massager (the spidery-looking ones)
my own towel
robe
slippers/flip flops
socks
water bottle
some snacks for DH
going home outfit for baby
I'm hoping to get another sleep sack from the hospital this time and all their freebies. It's summer so we won't need many layers.
We do have to get the car seats all installed in the car around the same time, too, but it could really wait until after I've given birth since I know we'll have at least 48 hours there.
- phone chargers
- lap top and charger
- face wash
- makeup
- dry shampoo
- deodorant
- cash/change
- snacks
- yoga pants, a hoodie and a couple tank tops, maybe a cute maxi dress to go home in
- change of clothes for DH
- going home outfit for baby
- a little gift for DD for when she comes to visit with my parents
- toothbrushes/toothpaste
Last time I also brought an adult coloring book and color pencils because I read that it can be soothing during labor. I LOL at that so hard now.
For me, I just take toiletries (toothbrush, deodorant, etc.) and a change of clothes. First time I wore the gown the entire time. Second time, I needed to change to feel like I was getting a jump start on feeling better. For c-section (although I've never had one, this is from the recommendation of my friends that had one), make sure your pants are not tight. You don't want the added pressure on your stitches. I looooooooove my nursing cami, however, last time I had a LC tell me those aren't great for the first few days because it makes it harder for skin-to-skin.
I don't remember when I packed my bag =/ I think it was around the 36 week mark??
+100000000000000 for extra space for take home "goodies"
Oh also, I made DH bring a folder for all the paperwork. My hospital gave us an envelope, but the folder was great too to separate stuff for us and then stuff to take to the ped's office (our pediatrician has never had privileges at my delivering hospital).
https://www.thebump.com/a/checklist-packing-a-hospital-bag
Also, anyone that has labored in a tub or shower at the hospital, did you wear a swimsuit? Or did you skinny dip? At my hospital the rooms have showers, but they don't have tubs. There is a separate tub room available for laboring in, but it's on a first come first serve basis. I currently don't have a swimsuit that can contain my enormous hooters, and kind of thinking I don't really care about buying one and just wearing a robe to and from the tub room. Is that weird?
I need to make my packing list, but for sure I'm bringing my own gown because when I was in triage back in Feb and had to wear one of their gowns, it was so scratchy, hot and heavy to me. So irritating that I think it will really annoy me during labor, so I want options. I've since talked to two other moms that delivered at my hospital and they both thought the same thing and opted to be totally nude rather than wear the hospital's gowns.
As for bags, DH and I each packed a gym duffel bag. I felt like it worked well, we had enough space for our stuff and space in each bag for everything we brought home.
I will say I disliked tub labor, and one thing that contributed to me not trying it the second time was that it wasn't worth being wet in the bed afterwards, plus its so hard to dry off and get your wet clothes off when you are in pain (my contractions were so close together). Second time around I avoided all wet labor helpers once I got close to transition, so I would be dry when I was in the bed pushing or getting checked or whatever, lol.
Basically, if you are totally comfy with naked go naked and where a robe to walk there. Sorry for that book!
Also, I was listening to the radio the other day and one of the DJs, whose wife just had their 3rd baby recently, knew enough to say that you're not supposed to labor in the birth tub (just deliver there) because the water makes your vag swollen and soggy and increases the risk of tearing. I was impressed he knew this!
I wanted to get myself a(useless) cute duffle bag but then I realized that 1)I don't use the million ugly duffles I already have and 2)we live 7 minutes away from the hospital.
Obviously I'm hoping for an uncomplicated vaginal birth and in that case I'll really only be at the hospital 2 days. I have a doula to (hopefully) labor at home so I'm wondering how much I'll need but I guess I will pack for the worst case scenario because you never know. Maybe I'll go to Target and see if I find something cute there to scratch my itch of something new.
Thanks for all the helpful lists and advice, keep them coming!
Re:snacks during labor, my doula is absolutely pro snacking and I hope if I go unmedicated it will be easier to get away with it at the hospital (need to check on what they normally do there). I have a recipe for a 'gingerade", basically a home made clean Gatorade, I'll share it if anyone is interested.my doula suggested saltines during early labor, overnight oats at room temp (can be brought to hospital in a small mason jar), frozen grapes and trail mix.
I leaked blood on my gowns, so I was glad I didn’t change into my own clothing. However, I was only in the hospital 24 hours after giving birth. I probably would have wanted my own clothing if I stayed longer.
ETA, seems like research is inconclusive, this is the takeaway I found from the evidence based birth website:
"Here’s the main thing— if you labor or birth in water you are less likely to have an episiotomy and less likely to have a severe tear, but may be more likely to have a minor tear. Birthing people tend to assume different and more positions in water than when outside of water. This could affect the frequency and location of tearing, as might differences in how attendants handle birth in and out of water. More research is needed to better understand how water immersion affects the perineum during labor and birth (e.g., its elasticity) and if the effect depends on the duration of time spent in the water."
https://evidencebasedbirth.com/waterbirth/
https://www.birthandbabies.com/category/103-labour-and-birth/page/2/
Also I plan to have an empty box in my car. We were sent 4-5 vases of flowers from family and friends and it was difficult to transport them home the first time around.
Also, ask about what meals are provided during the tour. At my hospital you can order food 24/7 and as much as you want. While technically all food is supposed to be for the mom, they essentially turn a blind eye as long as you don’t order two full meals at once. So we’d order a meal, then an hour or two later order DHs meal. And they had plenty of snack type options (muffins, bagels, etc).
I literally don’t have any preggo PJs that fit; no robe, no gowns, hoodie or even yoga pants... don’t own slippers or even rubber throw away flip flops. No nursing tops or bras as a FTM. So this is next weeks goal.
Separately, I’m 1 hr from my hospital. So now I’m super stressing over making it in time. Hmm...
We took tons of snacks and change when we had DS but hardly ate any of it or bought from the hospital.
I'm a little nervous because I don't have any of this stuff ready but I'm also excited because it's a fun part to prep an buy things for!
I had a 3 day stay in the hospital in August and after being really sick and only having a hospital pillow to keep me comfortable I am definitely going to bring my own pillow (and perhaps a blanket and maybe my own towel) it’s a little excessive but dang it I want to be comfortable.