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December 2018 Moms
hkom
member
The Hospital Bag Thread
hkom
member
Drop all of the recommendations for what you needed or didn't need for your hospital stay!
Re: The Hospital Bag Thread
- Food / snacks (I was starving and there was nothing open just vending machines!)
- My own pillow
- cell charger / extension cord
- breast feeding pillow (if you plan to BF)
- Water bottle
- pads (hospital ones were massive)
- breast feeding tanks
- pj pants that are loose fitting
- slippers
- wipes for baby (my hospital only provides dry ones which I don't like)
- underwear
- going home outfit for me (leggings, BF top and hoodie, plus shoes that will fit my fat feet)
- going home outfit for baby
- hair elastics
- wallet with hospital cards
What I didn't need last time:Me:
- comfortable shorts
- comfortable pants
- nursing tanks
- zippered hoodie
- always discreet (way better than the mesh undies!)
- toiletries (soap, shampoo, conditioner, face wash)
- hair ties
- slippers or flip flops
- ipad
- phone charger
- promptly journal for footprints
- boppy pillow
- nipple cream
- pillow
BabyTTC #1 January 2016
BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018
BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
-Baby book for foot/hand prints
-A folder for all of the docs you are given and need to keep track of
-A Notepad and pen for random info they throw at you that you will need to remember later
-Hair ties
-Snacks
-Car seat with cover
-Outfit to wear home (Most likely maternity)
-Outfit for baby to wear home
-Chapstick
-Mints
-Toiletries (Don’t stress too much about this because they will most likely have a stash there in case you forget something)
-Cash for parking/ vending machines, etc.
-Chargers
I know all hospitals are different, but mine provided:
-All meds for during my stay (prenatals, stool softeners, ibuprofen)
-A hat and onsie for LO to wear during our stay
-Diapers
-Birthing balls
-Pacifier (For his circumcision, I’m not sure if you have to request them for girls)
-Pads of varying sizes
-Mesh underwear
-An electric breast pump to borrow, but I got to keep the tubing, flanges, bottles, and parts that touched my milk,
-A manual breast pump (A friend recommended that I ask for it, because if you use it, it’s yours to keep and saves you $40 since lactation services are covered by insurance)
-Slipper socks
-Nipple shield
-Nipple Cream
-A belly binder (I ended up with a c-section, so I’m not sure if it is given to those who have vaginal births)
Keep in mind that everything you take has to be packed up again along with baby and any gifts/flowers you receive, as well as all the loot you take home (swipe all the pads, mesh underwear, and diapers you can!!!), so you will want to pack lightly. Plus, who wants to come home with tons of dirty laundry?
Here's what I've needed or very very much wanted over the course of my stay here (going on 10 days, which is insane):
- My own pillow. I went the first two or three nights with just the hospital pillows and I was miserable. My own pillow made an immediate difference.
- My own clothes as I was pretty uncomfortable in the hospital gown the first day or two. I will probably only bring one or two sets of clothes in the actual bag, but have a ready-to-grab stash at home in case I have a c-section and a longer stay and H needs to bring me more (He tries, but hasn't the best at picking which clothes to bring me for the past week. Plenty of hits but definitely some misses as well). I will probably bring a nursing nightgown for if nurses need easy access to my nethers. Whatever type of loose, comfy pants you prefer - I've been living in a-size-too-big yoga pants since I've been here. Soft nursing bras and/or nursing tanks, and nursing or easy-access shirts.
- I've clearly needed my own underwear here, but I know they provide the mesh ones. I may keep some pads and big undies in the car for H to bring in in case the mesh ones aren't my jam. If I don't use them at the hospital, I'll use them at home.
- Toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, unscented soap, facewash, moisturizer, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste
- Some basic, unscented wet wipes / baby wipes. Can be used for baby or for you if you're feeling yucky but can't / don't want to shower.
- Hair brush and hair ties
- Chapstick
- Contacts/glasses
- Snacks
- Phone charger with a loooong cord
- A bag for dirty clothes
Things I haven't needed:- Grippy socks - my hospital provides them
- Water bottle - they have 750ml pitchers and the good crunchy ice
- A towel - The hospital ones are small and scratchy, but using them for 30 seconds to dry off after I shower hasn't bothered me enough to request one from home.
- Peri bottle - I only know this because there is a pre-stocked supplies bag in the bathroom with mesh undies and a peri bottle. Haven't investigated further to see what else is in there.
- Any medicine, including OTC stuff like colace or tylenol. It's a hospital - they should have everything and anything you need.
This I haven't needed this time, but only because I don't have a baby yet:*ETA @katy0990 Good idea about the folder, notepad, and pen/pencil. Definitely added that to my list.
*Rainbow 8/2015*
*Expected Rainbows 12/2018*
*Loss of Twin 5/2018*
I mentioned this in the randoms, but I only really packed my hospital bag after my water had broken for both kids. I'm pretty minimalist, though, and I just don't think there are many things that are completely necessary. For me, packing too much is more stressful than not having enough.
What I will have:
-The nice camera
-My phone and watch charger
-My slippers
-Comfy clothes/pajamas for me (I hate wearing hospital robes for extended periods of time)
-Clothes for baby to wear home
My hospital provides:
-diapers, wipes, butt cream, and snot sucker
-clothes for baby to wear while we're there
-pads, mesh undies, peri bottle, and dermoplast
-ibuprofen, stool softeners, whatever other medicine I might need
-water bottle
Things I just don't care about:
-my pillow (I'm not going to be getting much sleep anyway)
-breastfeeding pillow (somehow I managed to BF two children for 4+ cumulative years without one)
-food/snacks (the hospital allowed me to order plenty. DH was a doll and took coffee and food orders when the cafeteria wasn't open)
-a breast pump (I don't expect my milk to come in when I'm there anyway)
Unnecessary items
Multiple baby outfits
Diapers
Wipes
Multiple outfits of real clothes for me
Robe
Music for the birth
Pump, I didn't pump for like 2 weeks after
A bunch of snacks
Birthing book
Necessary items
Phone charger
Boppy pillow (breast feeding in the hospital beds was super uncomfortable) Must be a preference thing because I absolutely loved my boppy. So much so i bought one to keep upstairs and one downstairs and I bf'd my son for 2 years.
Nursing tank tops
Comfortable clothes that you feel ok about in front of visitors
Slip on shoes
Space in your bag for hospital supplies to take home (pads, mesh undies, witch hazel)
Car seat
I second the room in your bag to take stuff. I hoarded as much as I could so don’t forget that.
I didn’t bring a pillow from home or a boppy nursing pillow last time, and doubt I will this time. I work in a hospital and there are serious resistant germs everywhere in hospitals. I have zero desire to bring pillows from home into contact with those germs and then back home again. So if I need to I’ll roll a regular hospital pillow and use it for support during nursing.
Other things on my list:
-phone, ipad, chargers
-snacks (sometimes not many options with my food allergies)
-nursing tanks tops, leggings, and nursing nightgown
-basic toiletries (the standard I always have packed & ready to go for weekend trips)
-coming home outfit with hat for baby
-carseat and blanket for the ride home
-leggings + sweater or cozy dress for me for heading home
-makeup bag (when feeling awful, I find comfort in looking better than I feel)
things the hospital provided:
-pump parts for use with hospital grade pump
-tiny bottles and related parts
-formula for supplementing when needed
-onsie, hat, and blanket while she was there
-pacifier (she never really used it but still)
-peribottle, dermoplast (amazing stuff!), amd the mesh panties
-baby shampoo, comb, tiny basin for bathing
-really terrible food at limited hours
-any needed meds
-the stylin’ gowns I wore
-extra pillows as needed
For me:
Comfy clothes for me after (tank top, nursing bra, planning to make a robe for after birth, socks, comfy pants or leggings)
Toiletries
Makeup
Hair ties and brush
Phone and charger
Maybe a snack or two. Our hospital has the kitchen open 24/7 if I remember right, but it still took time to get our food. A snack to hold me over would have been nice.
Cloth menstrual pads. I'll bring these but may not use them until I'm home anyways, we'll see.
For baby:
Going home outfit
Carseat
Maybe one extra outfit, but hospital provides a shirt, hat, and swaddler
Hospital provided:
All meds (ibuprofen, stool softener, etc)
Mesh undies, pads, perri bottles, ice packs, witch hazel pads
Pacifier (given during circumcision)
Nipple shield (I don't plan to buy a new one beforehand unless it's needed)
I had plenty of pillows at the hospital, so I didn't need the boppy or my own pillow. I need a new pillow anyways so mines pretty crappy lol. Plus I'm not about to carry all that crap in while laboring and out while transporting a new baby.
DS2 due 12/12/18
+1 for chapstick, toiletries, ipad/iphone chargers, hair tie
I packed a set of clothes for DH and enough medication for him (he has nightly meds) for three days I think. I figured he would and could go home at some point, but I didn't know how long I'd be laboring for.
I didn't bring my own pillow or nursing pillow, and won't this time around.
I did bring a pacifier (my hospital is pro-breastfeeding and told us not to use pacifiers), and my own wipes. They only have the dry wipes at our hospital, and I don't like those.
I also didn't change the baby out of the hospital onesie or blanket until we left.
The hospital provided: mesh panties, pads, dermoblast, numbing wipes, peri bottle, meds (extra strong ibuprofin, my daily acid reflux meds, stool softener), diapers, bulb syringe for baby, baby body wash/shampoo, clothes, blanket and hat for baby.
Don't forget the carseat!
And room to steal all of the things! Don't feel guilty about taking anything, they've already charged your insurance for it all lol
I would definitely check with your hospital about the availability of food. I will be taking snacks because my hospital’s Cafeteria is only open during certain windows for meals and any food that is down there in between is ridiculously expensive. Plus, they are closed from like 10 PM until 6 AM. I’m so jealous of those of you with 24 hour service and snack rooms!
TTC #1 January 2016
BFP April 18 2016 | EDD December 29, 2016
Welcome baby A! January 9, 2017
TTC#2 March 2018
BFP March 30, 2018 | EDD December 12, 2018
I can't imagine wearing pant right after birth because all.the.bleeding. I would just roll off my mesh underwear and pad and throw them away and get a new set. I'd pick up the old ones with my toes and trash them
Probably one of the most important things for me was my phone/long charging cable/head phones. I was induced and had to get there at 9:30pm for them to try to start dialating me, so it was a LONG NIGHT. I was so very nervous and my husband was asleep, so they gave me an Ambien and I put in headphones and listed to music and closed my eyes and tried to doze. I'd have driven myself crazy if I didn't have those head phones. Oh, also earplugs. Because everyone is sofaking loud.
*Rainbow 8/2015*
*Expected Rainbows 12/2018*
*Loss of Twin 5/2018*
It's a matter of preference, but I will definitely be bringing a nursing pillow with me this time. It was SO HARD to position the baby in the hospital without one.
Last time I lucked into a private room but I can't count on that again so I'll definitely want them for TV/music
I will also agree that you bleed a lot at first. With my first I didn't change out of the hospital gown until going home time. With the twins I changed the next day after I showered, but I can't remember what I put on. It may have just been a night gown. Their birth was way easier and I was up doing more much faster and it felt good to get some of my own clothes on. However, that is why I'm packing the depends or always discreet. I put those on with the giant pads and ice packs and everything feels more "secure".
My hospital also has a room that has a ton of snacks and they provide a giant water bottle and refill that for me, so I don't plan on packing any of that.
@Katzalia I am the one always freezing and DH is always hot. But after DS1 was born he was in my room freezing cold and I was asking for an extra fan to be brought in. I even gave him the warm blankets from my bed to sleep with because I did not want them on me. If he stays the night this time (I might send him home to be with the kids depending on exactly when baby is born) I'm definitely reminding him to bring some warm clothes for himself.
DS2 due 12/12/18
For me -
my baby blanket (that I sleep with every night), 2 comfy outfits, undies, socks, slippers, toiletries (travel sizes - shampoo, conditioner, face wash, deodorant, chap stick, tooth brush, toothpaste, hair brush), phone charger.
For baby -
a blanket, coming home outfit (I like soft and comfy for baby, COTTON outfit), and 2 onesies
For husband -
An extra pair of clothes, and deodorant (in case he wants to shower)
I will most likely have two large blankets in my van and will have husband bring them up if we feel like we need them. (I've never had a winter baby so I'm super excited about that. Both times I've given birth before it was over 100 degrees outside)
My hospital provides while in the hospital -
a blanket, beanie, diapers, formula if needed, baby soap, wipes, pacifier if needed, a breast pump for me to use there, pads and hospital underwear which I actually love
Might be forgetting some things..
Kade Wayne born July 23, 2015
MC in February 2017
MC in November 2017
Oliver Dean (Ollie) due December 17, 2018
Labor bag:
Being a FTM I figured I would have hours of labor ahead of me so I packed lots of things. Well I labored so quickly I only used a handful of items. Bold for what I did use:
Bluetooth speaker
Birthing ball
Massage oil
Lavender & another Essential oil
Small hand massager
Grippy socks
Hair ties
Deck of cards
Crossword puzzle/ word search
Post labor bag:
Boppy
I don't remember if I brought my own pillow but I think DH did
Blanket for DH and I
New button down pajamas
Toiletries : shampoo, conditioner, powder make up and mascara
Swaddle blanket for baby- I hate the hospital provided one. So UGLY lol
Camera
I'll probably pack the same this time except for the laboring bag.. Dr has told me the first sign of labor to get to the hospital ASAP. While I was still there with DD the nurses joked I better get a hotel room across from the hospital when I have another one.
My hospital doesn’t have robes. They say we can do the backward gown thing or bring our own. I have a regular heavy winter robe, but I sometimes get too warm wearing it. I’m trying to decide if it’s worth it to buy a lighter one.
I did joke about bringing the ps4 and playing some games because they said the TVs in the rooms have htmi outlets, but,... that probably won’t realistically happen and I’d be super upset if the console broke in transit.
Also, we put an empty duffel bad inside my suitcase and used that for all of the supplies we got from the hospital.
DS2 due 12/12/18
We watched plenty of tv. I can only amuse myself on my phone for so long.
*Rainbow 8/2015*
*Expected Rainbows 12/2018*
*Loss of Twin 5/2018*