November 2018 Moms

Hospital Bag Essentials

It might be a little early for this, but I know I can't be the only planner here thinking about what to pack in my hospital bag. I thought we could just add to this thread as baby day approaches and we think of more suggestions!

What is everyone planning to bring to the hospital, birth center, midwife group, etc.? Any special comfort items? For ST+Ms, are there things you forgot or didn't think to bring to earlier deliveries? Absolute essentials?

Can't wait to see everyone's recommendations!
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Re: Hospital Bag Essentials

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  • @emjohn517 Love the slippers suggestion! I had almost everything I needed for baby, but really neglected myself with DS. I was pretty uncomfortable a lot of the time. Definitely going to pack my slippers now!
  • @emjohn517 yes to the snacks!! I didn't bring any with my first, but did with my second and they were the best thing I packed. I was starving and wanted random things all throughout the day and night. DH appreciated them also.

    I think most of my necessities have been covered. I will emphasize your own pillow, a nursing pillow (if you plan on BF), nursing tanks, cozy socks or slippers, and loose waistband lounge pants. Those are probably my favorite things. I didn't care what I wore home from the hospital either time. 
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  • I didn't have a bag, as I went into labor so early. I only spent about 24 hours in the hospital. I sent DH home for toiletries (so I could take a shower), change of clothes, and phone charger. That's all I needed. The hospital wouldn't "allow" me to take my own medications, which sucked since I was starving and had to wait hours for them to bring me insulin. 
    I need to tour the hospital I'll deliver at this time. I hope they have showers available. The shower after giving birth to my son was the best one ever. 
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  • @lurvleybunchococonutsoh yea, good to get that done sooner rather than later! mine stops tours starting in october because of cold/flu season.
  • EveinshockEveinshock member
    edited July 2018
    I brought a bunch of stuff and used barely anything.  I was in so much pain and so exhausted I barely got out of bed. The hospital gown was full coverage and like an old lady pj so that was good enough for me even though i brought my own pjs and robe.  Hospital supplied pretty much everything you would ever need, including a nice big bag to bring it home in. 

    Our house is 5 min from the hospital so my husband just ran home to change/shower and brought food/snacks from the hospital or nearby. Only things I think I actually used were chapstick, meds, baby outfit, charger, going home outfit for me.  

    Just another tip....eat before you go. I was told this by my sister in law and didn't listen. I went sunday at 5pm to start pre-induction procedures. Was going to be induced Monday morning. So I go in expecting to be able to get dinner since....well nothing was happening yet. NOPE.  I hadn't eaten since lunch and I had the baby the next day at 2:45 PM and I am pretty sure I had my husband hand me a bag of chips while I was still getting stiched up....
  • @honeybeebub Awesome point about snagging the nasal bulbs! The hospital seriously provides the best ones. The one I got in my little safety kit at my baby shower sucks compared to that big blue hospital-supplied nasal bulb. I still use it sometimes on DS.
  • I could never make the nasal bulb work. I don't know what I did wrong. The nose frida will always be my absolute favorite, gross baby item that is a necessity. 
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  • @lachnessmomster @wannaflickone So we liked the hospital bulb too, but I couldn't figure out how to clean it real good so once it was on it's last leg we moved to the Nose Frida. Lachness-How did you clean your bulb? I'll second the nose frida as a favorite, gross baby item that I push for my new mom friends to get - not one has regretted it :) 
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  • @honeybeebub The nurse just told me to rinse it out with warm water after each use, but I would mostly use hot soapy water and rinse it multiple times. Turn it upside down to dry.
  • ClobertClobert member
    edited July 2018

    This was my list from last time.  I was at a hospital and I’m glad I packed thoroughly because I had a 56 hour labor and stayed 2 days.  I will actually need to change this a bit because I’m at a birth center this time so I’ll add a peri bottle and baby clothes for after birth like kimono tops and hats and pads and receiving blankets.  I also brought cloth diapers to the hospital the first time and will do that again.  

    The best things I brought were music playlist, rice sock for labor comfort and my own pillow and breast friend pillow.   


    Car Seat

    Extra Pillows (and breastfeeding pillow)

    extra towel


    Purse:

    Insurance, ID, Hospital papers


    Labor Bag:

    phones and chargers, (pack one iphone charger)

    Laptop and charger with music and playlist 

    camera and memory cards and charger, (packed for now, but double check)

    earphones

    snacks for Dad

    labor friendly snacks, energy gels, gum, bars, etc.

    “small, low-fat meals/snacks for energy such as energy bars, crackers, clear soups and fruit”

    (I have: Luna bars, kind bars, dates, gum, preggie pop drops)

    socks with anti slip bottoms

    lip balm for mom

    lotion (tiny travel ones)

    Massagers

    Hair Ties

    Bathing suit (try to find the one that would fit me! or pack the sports bra last minute)

    Dads extra bathing suit

    rice sock

    oil for perenium (jojoba and olive oil)

    money and change



    Recovery bag:

    toiletry bag with: emab body butter, hair serum, deodorant

    Makeup Bag

    robe for Mom,

    going home clothes for mom  (stuff that fit around 6 months pregnant),

    Pajamas or comfy clothes that open in front

    toiletries for mom (backup deodorant, travel toothbrushes and paste, shampoo and cond., razor)

    slippers

    big stretchy underwear

    Nursing bras (fitted at 38 weeks) (for now pack the black sleep one)

    nipple cream

    Pads (a few in bag)

    Witch Hazel or tucks

    Bottom spray

    Nursing pads if you have them

    Cloth Diapers in wet/dry bag with snappis and wipes.


  • A lot of people have mentioned hospital paper work. Most hospitals allow you to pre-register and you should definitely do this! Ask your OB or on the tour how you should do this and what you will need to print out and bring with you. 


  • I literally can’t remember what I brought or wore last time, but I do remember wishing I had comfy socks, so I’ll definitely be packing those!
  • We took our hospital tour last night and it got me thinking about my bag so I started making a list. 

    -coming home outfit for baby
    -yoga pants and nursing hoodie for me
    -towel, shower stuff
    -phone charger
    -pillow
    -flip flops

    trying to be minimal since I know myself and at the 24 hour mark I’m going to want the hell out of there! Anything major I’m forgetting, STM+? 
  • those who have had a c-section: anything special to pack that you’d recommend? what types of clothes are the best during recovery?
  • @highsteaks highwaisted pants and underwear. Loose shirts, nothing worse than clothes that get stuck to the incision. If you are nursing, a good pillow/s for supporting babies. 
  • @highsteaks +1 for COMFY high-waisted underwear. Even 6 weeks after my c-section, I couldn't wear my cute, lacy underwear and favored high-waisted, cotton boy shorts. Like @wildrainbow mentioned, I HATED underwear that would irritate my incision, so the lace and frill had to go for awhile.
  • @MouseMama817 a few questions: how fast do they arrive once ordered? can you find them in store anywhere? how’s the sizing?
  • @highsteaks I ordered mine online over 3 years ago so I can't remember how quickly they shipped or honestly from where I bought them, but I do believe you can buy them in-store at Buy Buy Baby. The sizing was spot on for me. I got a medium, which was my normal pre-pregnancy size. You want them to be tighter-fitting so that they support you and hold everything together. I felt like I could move around the house so much better with these on. I will say that because they're tight and it's a pull-down panty as opposed to something like the Belly Bandit, going to the bathroom was a pain. Just because I had to be careful moving them up and down without rubbing against my incision. 
  • Bumping this back up to ask: What did your SOs pack? I had a list for DH and he said he wanted to do it himself so I tossed it when I re-wrote mine to be neater. Last night while packing the bags for baby and I, he asked if I had a checklist for him to use *facepalm*. I put one together quick but just curious what everyone else's SOs are doing?
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  • ashkee05ashkee05 member
    edited October 2018
    @tessiesmom26 my husband just packed sweat pants, boxers, T-shirt’s and a hoodie. we both packed deodorant and tooth brushes. I packed a brush. It is however our plan to leave after 24 hours as long as we can. I’m so over hospitals 

    eta chapstick! All the chapstick lol
    nws
  • highsteakshighsteaks member
    edited October 2018
    @tessiesmom26 pajamas, couple changes of clothes, slippers, a thick blanket, a thin blanket, his pillow, toiletries, phone, wallet, and his work laptop.
  • @tessiesmom26 oh man that sounds exactly like my DH--although if i left it to him, it would never get done.  I just plan on tossing in a pair of sweats, a tshirt, and an extra pair of boxers.  He also has a daily medication, so I've tossed in a few of those as well.  As it gets closer I'll probably throw in some treats for him (oreos, protein bars, turtle chex mix) as long as he eats them far away from me.  :)

    Unless I get induced I don't foresee being able to pack our own pillows--even our Kindle/ipad stuff we use every day at home, so I'm not sure what the odds are that we'd actually get to pack them.  I might pack them in the car on the days that I have doctors appointments just in case.
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  • @soehlerk  we packed stuff that we didn’t need everyday in one bag and preloaded it in the car, then had a separate bag we kept in our room to throw in last second stuff (like our pillows). i think if you go into labor naturally, you should still have time to last minute pack because the hospital will want you to be somewhat along before you’re admitted.
  • @tessiesmom26 unless you live very far away from the hospital, or you plan on a quick release I would bet on DH going home after 24h to shower/change, check on Tessie, and pick up anything you forgot (especially if family/friends are visiting you in the hospital). 

    Some good things to bring are just the basics for an overnight stay - a change of (comfy) clothes, essential toiletries, chargers, wallet (ID/insurance). Snacks are a good idea for both of you. 


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