What supplies to expect from delivery hospital?

[rgors]

I have had several friends tell me "take everything they give you for free from the hospital when you deliver." Most of my friends can only remember a couple of the things that they received, however. I'm wondering what types of things will the hospital give me?

Some things it seems I've heard of:
- basic black diaper bag from a formula company
- free formula
- soothie pacifiers
- newbie hat
- maybe side-snap t-shirts?

Does that sound about right? What else might I get?

Thanks!

[val01]

Newborn Diapers
Free Samples (wipes, lotions, shampoos)
Aspirator
Long Sleeve Side Snap Shirts (I got 3)

That's all I can think of (plus your list).

Valerie

[LarsMal]

I got:
-receiving blankets
-nasal aspirators
-diapers
-wipes
-Lansinoh cream
-the black diaper bag w/free formula (with DS, I didn't take it the 2nd time around)
-a couple side-snap shirts
-hat

Wow- sounds like I went shopping!

[JBaxter]

LOL side snap tshirt with WCH stamped in big black letters? NOPE I left that. our hospital says to take nothing they launder.

Take the extra diapers, wipes, vasoline, alcohol pads ( for cleaning the belly button) extra 4x4gause ( you never know why) ask for a few extra 2 oz premix formula in case you would have to supplament "some day" extra pads, blue chuck pads ( I had some bleeding issues) I had the lac consultant bring me a SNS ( supplamental nursing system)

[MarisaSF]

In addition to what's been mentioned, they gave us a couple digital thermometers, post-partum pads, and premie diapers.

[C99]

Depends on the hospital. I delivered my first two kids at a very large university-affiliated, research hospital and breastfed them both (that is relevant, believe it or not). With my second, I got:

- diapers
- 1 side-snap long-sleeved t-shirt
- 2 pink hospital-branded hats
- disposable cotton cloths for use as wipes
- 1 receiving blanket
- nasal aspirator/bulb syringe (aka "snot sucker")
- peri bottle

My first child was also born 5 weeks premature and spent a week in the NICU. I got:

- diapers
- 1 blue hospital-branded hat
- nasal aspirator/bulb syringe
- Medela Universal pumping kit (obviously they charged my insurance for this)
- nasal aspirator/bulb syringe
- peri bottle
- 1 Medela nipple shield
- 1 Soothie pacifier
- disposable cotton cloths for use as wipes
- blue newborn socks
- Enfamil infant plastic beaker bottles
- Enfamil nursery water glass bottles
- Enfamil preemie nipples

[lisams]

Things that are nice to take home:

nose sucker/bulb thing
baby comb
peri bottle for rinsing (great bath toy when you're done using it for post partum!)
sitz bath
diapers and wipes
pads

At the hospital I delivered at, you aren't supposed to take anything that is laundered.

[fortato]

diapers, wipes, blankets (we all have the striped ones), PP pads, bulb syringes (I got 3), Formula samples (we got 3 dozen of the 2 oz Similac Advance bottles and one time use nipples- which came in handy with my pumping issues), An avent bottle, cups for cup feedings.
Anything that didn't have "Property of Eliott Hospital" on it was MINE.

I took 2 peri bottles- thank goodness, one for upstairs and one for down stairs.

Hemmorhoid pads and cream.

My free diaper bag came with ice packs and pro nursing stuff. Like breast pads, coupons for nipple shields and stuff like that. All Avent products.

[elaineandmichaelsmommy]

I took home tons of stuff with dd. It was 4 years ago so I'm fuzzy. Ds i took diapers,wipes,a&d ointment. But the biggest gimmie was the breastfeeding stuff. The umm whatchamacallit- the tubes,horns and other suction stuff that you need in order to use an electric pump. Pretty expensive at the store and all I did was mention to the nurse that i might need to pump later and she brought in the whole set. Who hoo. don't know if you're planning to bf'd or not but if so hth.

[alexsmommy]

>
>I took 2 peri bottles- thank goodness, one for upstairs and
>one for down stairs.
>

If you live in a two story home with bathrooms on each floor, I strongly suggest asking for a second peri bottle so you have one in each bathroom. Someone recommended this to me and I was so grateful b/c I didn't want to go upstairs each time I had to pee and I needed that peri bottle.
I'd also ask for some extra chux (waterproof absorbant thin pads they put under you) - they were perfect when I began to have the lovely post-partum night sweats. I would literally soak my pillow w/o these.
Those lovely ice-pack pads. Worth their diaper like size to me for the beautiful cooling properties. My nurse was awesome and brought a bunch as I was packing w/o me asking. Ahhhh.


Alaina
Alex Feb '03
and #2 in early summer '07

[Momof3Labs]

I got disposable chux from my first hospital, but DS2's hospital used washable ones so didn't come home with any from there. Didn't end up with any side-snap t-shirts from either baby, but somehow ended up with quite a few hospital blankets from DS1 (I think that they kept giving them to us to take home to let the dogs smell).

No one mentioned the lovely skinny but thick and long pads that they give you at the hospital. Probably because you don't *want* to take those home!

Disposable undies for you - some like them for early postpartum days, versus messing your own panties. Those ice packs are good to get; they come in handy for many things!

[table4three]

Here's what we left with (DS was 5 wks early and we had a 2 wk NICU stay too):

2 peri bottles
2 baby hats
a couple of side snap shirts
3 receiving blankets (used to position DS in the carseat to pass the carseat test)
2 sets of Medela horns/tubing
3-4 packs Soothies
2 pacifiers
diapers
wipes
vaseline
tons of glass Enfamil bottles to pump into
newborn nipples
diaper bag from Enfamil
a few tiny tubes of Lanolin
2 nasal aspirators
nipple shield
brush for washing his hair
post partum pads and mesh undies
3 of those large rectangular basins (they just put all our stuff in these to bring stuff home) They were actually handy - storing bath toys, etc.

Man, we got a lot of stuff! I also recommend a peri bottle for upstairs and for down as well, as PPs have said.


ETA stuff I forgot about

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[jgriffin]

Wow, you guys all got a lot from your hospitals! I think it really varies from place to place. Here's what we took home with E:

-baby hat (but no other article of clothing)
-aspirator
-digital thermometer
-foam "sunglasses" (E was under lights for a day)
-2 packages of diapers (N and 1, I believe)
-package of heavy-duty pads (for me)
-peri-bottle
-cheesy plastic zippered bag (for pads, not a diaper bag)
-tote bag (they were out of formula company's diaper bags)
-a couple of tiny bottles of premade formula, which we had used a bit while there
-Medela pumping kit (tubing, horns, etc, although they may have charged us for that)
-syringes (which we were using to feed E)
-packet of promotional junk and parenting magazines

That's about it. No pacifier, clothes, formula samples, blankets, etc. He wore hospital clothes while there, but we were told ahead of time that we had to provide clothing and blankets for going home.

[rgors]

Thanks to every for the responses. What a wide range of "loot"! It's nice to have an idea of what to expect -- and now I have a couple questions to ask my hospital as well about laundered items, etc. Very helpful responses!

(ps - I had to look up what a "peri bottle" was :) )

[dontdoit]

I don't think anyone mentioned tucks pads, but maybe they did. These were the BEST thing, besides my new baby, that I got to take home. Oh, and the ring to sit on.

[lisams]

Agree with taking two peri bottles for a two story house! Also, don't forget to take the benzocaine spray (two also if you live in a two story). It really helps the area feel better. I used the spray each time I went to the bathroom for the first two weeks. The hospital gave me a generic form of it, but you can get it at the store, it's Dermoplast.

[gatorsmom]

I didn't read all the other posts so this may be a repeat but there were a few things I"m SO glad I brought home (besides the baby :)).

-the large sheet-protector pads that they sit under you the first couple days post partum
-reusable nipple gel disks. They were soooo wonderful for the first couple days when your nipples are sore from starting breast feeding. You can put them in the fridge and set them directly on your nipples after you feed the baby. When they didn't give em to me after the second baby, I asked for them. twice. Had to have extras to take home.
-I had an emergency c-section and they gave me these ultra soft, ultra unattractive, gauzy, boy-short type things to wear instead of underwear. I lived in them for the first couple of weeks. I was just very sensitive about my incision. Didn't want it getting irritated in any way, so these were wonderful.

Lisa
Mom to Gator July 2003
And Cha-Cha July 2005

[KrisM]

Hmm. I always read these threads and wonder why I never end up with much!

I was at 2 different hospitals. Neither told me to take any diapers, wipes, pads, bottles, or anything. I did end up with 2 diaper bags from DD and 1 from DS's birth. Also, the bulb syringes, since they used them on the kids.

Other than that, nothing. I had diapers packed in my bag that I brough with me to have them for the trip home, just in case (an hour drive almost).

I'll have to ask friends who delivered at other hospitals around here what they were told to take!

[roysmom]

Make sure you get/ask for the aspirator. That one is so much better than the ones you can buy. I had that one, but got the idea that I might buy another one to keep in diaper bag...WRONG. I can't find one that will even touch the one from the hospital.

We took everything that was given to us. In DS's basinet, from the hospital, they would put diapers and wipes, ointments and creams. Steril strips for the circumsition and lotion. They day we left, we just took all of it. You, or your insurance, is paying for it anyway. That is why they put it in there. Also, the wipes the hospital provided were the softest wipes I have ever found. You will also be provided with various meds and stuff for stitches, if you have an episiotomy. Make sure you take it. I got spray, witch hazel wipes, pads and a squirt bottle that was my best friend. If you have to travel more than 5 minutes to get home, ask for a circle pillow to sit on, if you have stitches. We lived about 25 minutes from home and if I hadn't had the pillow, I would never have made it. I was just way too tender.

[BeachBum]

We got a few things that were clearly "gifts" or promo items.

But all the hospital stuff, diapers, nasal aspirator etc was line item billed on our insurance.

[maestramommy]

Everything on your list except the t-shirts darnit! I loved them, but they belonged to some linen company, as did the blanket. They also gave me the rest of the dipes and thick wipes they were using on her, as well as the aspirator. I'm actually counting on the aspirator, because it was an awesome one and I'd like dd2 to have her own.

The hospital also gave me the squirt bottle I had been using to clean off everytime I went to the bathroom, as well as the rest of the pads. The pads were so-so, but the bottle was great, just the right size, and I used it for at least a couple of weeks after I went home.

[Ceepa]

double post