Packing for the Hospital...

[christymc33]

Any tips on what to pack for the hospital? I am due in two weeks. This is our first :-) I should have started sooner...just too nervous/excited I guess. Thank you in advance!!!

[brittone2]

FOOD. Seriously. I was starving after labor and my labor was a relatively easy, unmedicated 6 hour delivery from start to finish. I missed breakfast and was famished about an hour and a half after I gave birth. My nurse, who I asked very little of during my actual labor and delivery, promised to bring me a bagel and it never arrived :( Neither did my dinner that night!! I'm not kidding. By the time we realized it we decided we'd rather have food from somewhere other than the hospital anyway.

A nightlight can be handy...our hospital allowed them but not all of them do.

Super duper pads. Use the ones at the hospital if you want, but the ones at the hospital I delivered at didn't have wings and I preferred having them.

Comfy PJs/slippers or slipper socks (consider being able to nurse in it if you are planning to BF). I bought a cheap-O robe for less than 20 bucks at Kohls so that if it got ruined in labor I wouldn't care (my regular robe is white and from Victoria's secret.). I wore it during labor and in the hospital while recovering.

You own pillow (a must have IMHO)

Flip flops for the shower

Camera, baby book, video camera, etc. Extra batteries just in case. Chargers for any cameras.

Cell phones and chargers, along with phone number list

Toiletries (contacts, contact solution, soap, shampoo, conditioner, possibly a razor and shave gel, makeup, blowdrier)

Hair tie/barette for labor

BIrthing ball if your hospital doesn't provide one if that is something you are interested in, may want to bring something to go into the jacuzzi or tub if you plan to use one/if your hospital has one. You can go in naked most of the time but some people prefer to have something on. You may want to have a portable CD player if you plan to listen to relaxing music in labor. I used hypnobirthing so I had my hypnobirthing CDs in my CD player.

Drinks...I had midwives so I was encouraged to drink throughout labor. I guzzed a LOT of gatorade and water. Things went well so I recommend this route ;)

If you are planning to BF you may want a nursing bra or two and a boppy or Breast Friend Pillow. Bring some BFIng books if you plan to nurse (such as The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding). A digital camera may be helpful to take pics of various nursing position set ups until you get the hang of what it is supposed to look like (such as football hold vs. cradle hold).

Carseat is an absolute must obviously. Preferably already installed and double checked by state police, etc.

If hubby/partner is coming along and staying the night, he may want his own pillow, some extra snacks or money for food, flip flops/toiletry items, change of clothes, etc.

2-3 changes of clothes for you, going home outfit of some type for the baby. Most people still end up wearing maternity or bigger clothes home from the hospital. I had some comfy sweats for hanging out in and some maternity clothes that looked pretty "normal" vs. super maternity to wear as well. You may want to bring mittens so baby doesn't scratch his/her face, or a baby nail file. It isn't recommended that you cut a newborn's nails right away.

That's what pops in to my mind. I'm sure there are other things. Some people pack more, some less. I didn't pack all of the things I named I'm sure, but you can decide what you'd like to bring. Those are just some starting points for you!

ETA: my hospital provided you with the lovely "net" underwear, which was sort of like the top part of pantyhose. I didn't love them, but while you are bleeding quite heavily, you may or may not want to use them. Once the bleeding eased up a bit, I switched over to my own undies. I bought black granny panties (several sizes larger than my usual to accomodate the post-baby-still- distended-uterus and the big old pads) and that worked well for at home for the first few days of heavy bleeding, etc. I had 4-5 pairs from target. That way you don't have to worry about ruining your nice undies or staining.

[geochick]

In addition to what the pp said, I used:

Chapstick
Hard candy
Lansinoh for nursing
Gum
Phone card
Change for the snack machines

[brittone2]

I forgot a toothbrush and toothpaste on that list LOL ;) Very important :)

Yep, chapstick and Lasinoh as the PP mentioned are also really good ideas. I definitely used both in the hospital.

I recommend buying duplicates of items if you can so that you can have your bag packed and worry about as little as possible when the time comes (buy and extra toothbrush so you aren't trying to throw yours in your bag at the last minute for example).

My water broke in bed at 8 am. I thought i'd have quite a while before I went into the hospital because it was my first baby, and I was working w/ midwives. When I called they wanted me there within an hour (and I had a 45 min drive as my midwives don't deliver at the hospital that is closest to me). So....we had 15 mins to get ourselves presentable and out the door. I was 3cm dilated 2 days before my water broke, so that is why they wanted me there quickly, but my point is that you never know. So hurry up and get those bags packed ;) Good luck! It is one of life's most amazing experiences :)

ETA: (again!) I put a shower curtain under the sheet on my side of the bed about 3-4 weeks before I went into labor. Kind of annoying, but it saved my mattress since my water broke in bed. Also, with each contraction in the car, more fluid kept coming out (for a 45 min drive !). I was VERY glad I had also put a shower curtain liner in my car to have just in case. It totally saved my upholstery. So...that's something else you might want to do. They are only about 2 or 3 bucks a lot of places.

[Momof3Labs]

Pack soon! My first was exactly two weeks early, much to all of our surprise!

Bring a calling card, too, as you may not be able to use your cell phone in the hospital. Rules vary on this one.

[lisams]

You've gotten great advice already! Here's what I packed and used:

For baby:
going home outfit, including booties and hat
carseat
blanket

For me:
robe
thick socks
nursing bra
maternity panites that I didn't care what happened to
thick pads (the hospital ones did not stay in place and leaked)
going home outfit that was baggy/loose fitting
toothpaste/brush, hairbrush, little make-up
snacks, snacks, snacks!! Power bars, dried fruit, juice boxes, bottled water, etc

For labor:
chapstick
camera w/back up battery charged and ready to go at moments notice

Best advice I can give is to take anything they give you (ask to see what you can take home) Some things I took home were: diapers, wipes, petroleum jelly, alcohol wipes (for the umbelical stump), sitz bath, spray (peri) bottle, spray pain reliever, stool softener, pump parts (I needed to pump a little to help with breastfeeding). I'm sure there's more but it was nice to have some of those things the first few days home.

Good luck!!
Lisa

[christymc33]

Thank you so much everyone.
These lists helped so much.
There were lots of items I wouldn't have thought of!

Thank you!!

[tny915]

It's really easy to focus on preparing for the hospital, but try to prepare for your first few days at home as well. I had everything at home ready for the baby but failed to think about my own needs, and then DH had to scramble to get me extra pads, sitz bath salts, witch hazel pads and such after we got home. Also you'll get stool softeners from the hospital, but it's good to have some prune juice and raisin bran at home to help out the plumbing as well.

The shower curtain/mattress protector idea will be good for your first few weeks postpartum as well. I sweat like a pig for weeks, and I'm so thankful my mattress was covered.

Good luck and congrats!