**post update- i've refined the list based on all of your wonderful input here and on facebook. thank you so much! i'm feeling much better about this smaller haul of stuff. and as always, more recommendations are welcome!**
alrighty friends, the time has come. i need to start gathering up everything we need for the hospital! i know this is a wee bit early, but the last week of may and first week of june will be spent packing and moving and i want to have this stuff packed separately so i don't have to look for it in the mass of boxes the week before our due date {talk about stressful!}. i want to get it all together before we move so i can sleep well, knowing we are ready to go, even if the house is still an unpacked mess.
i've been looking at hospital bag lists online all week and they vary so much, i'm really not sure what i need and what's going to just be extra baggage- so! help me out here. this is everything from every list i've read- please tell me what i don't need and what i'm missing?
baby's bag:
going home outfit
mittens {so he doesn't scratch his little face}
two swaddle blankets
baby book {our hospital will only give us footprints if we bring the book}
carseat {installed in car}
hand sanitizer {i don't need this. but i'm neurotic and bringing a travel size anyways}
mom's bag:
2 sleep bras
nursing bra
nursing pads
lanolin
bathrobe
nightgown
going home outfit
underwear
socks
flip flops {wear there and home}
popsicles {for labor, there's a mini freezer in the l&d rooms and you can bring all your favorite popsicles}
powerade {again, for labor. i'm picky about my powerade, so i'll just bring some}
chapstick
lotion
shampoo, conditioner and body wash {travel size, genius!}
makeup
gel
blow dryer {hospital doesn't have these}
toothbrush and toothpaste
contacts
glasses
deodorant
hair elastic and bobby pins
dad's bag
snacks
hypnobirthing guide
laptop and charger
phone chargers
camera and charger
gum
pajamas
change of clothes
toiletries
copy of our birth preferences for nurses
thanks so much!
9 years ago
Holy COW! That is quite a lengthy list. I think if I brought all of that I would have had to bring luggage. I did not....I bring a couple of backpacks. I try to minimize because I don't want to lose anything, nor do I want my crap all over my hospital room. Seriously, I think less is more. Here's what I would do:
ReplyDeletebaby's bag:
hat- They give you one. Plus, it's june...he won't need one coming home.
mittens-JUNE!
socks-I think this is included in the going home outfit, so bring one pair for him. He won't need to wear them in the hospital.
going home outfit-Of course. I usually take two because I don't know how big they'll be. I take a newborn outfit and a 0-3 mo. outfit. Usually they'll both be a little big anyway.
a few swaddle blankets- I took just one for Claire and it was fine; however, boys pee all over the place. I took two for Jared and ended up sending Brian home for a 3rd. I wouldn't have had to do that if I just used the hospital blankets though. you could do that and just have one blanket to go home with. I just think the hospital blankets are so coarse.
side-snap tees.....I don't know why you'd need these.
baby book for hand and footprints- The hospital does these on a piece of paper that I tape into their book, so I didn't bring it.
carseat {installed in car}. Yes.
binkies- the hospital will give you one, so no.
hand sanitizer-What for? They will have a sink and soap in your room which, in my opinion, is more sanitary anyway.
mom's bag:
nursing bra-yes. I bring one to go home in because I wear sleep bra's the entire hospital stay.
nursing pads-bring a few.
pillow- no, they give you pillows and I don't like mine to get all "hospitally" if you know what I mean.
blanket-nope. They have blankets.
bathrobe- I know people that like to bring theres, but I think it's unnecessary. I think this is total preference. I stay in my hospital gown for the most part because I think it's easier to nurse in them when you're trying to get the hang of it. I would nurse naked everyday if it were me, but ya know. :) I'd say no just because it takes up a lot of space.
nightgown- I took one this last time and the only reason I was glad to have it was pictures that the hospital took. I didn't want to be in the gown for those. Other than that, I had to take it off every time I wanted to nurse...which was annoying.
comfy pants and tops- That's what I go home in. Again, I wear the gown.
going home outfit. of course
underwear of course.
socks- These are a YES. Bring some comfy ones. Those hospital floors can be GROSS!
flip flops-sure.
lanolin- i didn't need this until I got home and even then I didn't really use it. They gave me a sample with Claire.
popsicles- WHAT????? THEY BRING YOU FOOD!!!
powerade- if you'd really like, but they bring you drinks too...what a deal.
maxi pads- they have them. TAKE THEM HOME TOO! You pay for every little thing
chapstick-Yes.
lotion-Yes.
shampoo and conditioner-Yes. I get the trial size so it's not huge
makeup-yes
gel-if you need it.
blow dryer-they have one
toothbrush-yes
toothpaste-trial size is also what I go for
contacts-yes
glasses-yes
deodorant-yes
hair elastic-yes
bobby pins-i needed them
body wash-trial size
CONTINUED...sorry, I couldn't do that long of a post at once....
ReplyDeletedad's bag
snacks-YES!!! I get these weeks before just in case! you don't want him passing out! I just take these in the grocery sacks so we can throw everything away when you're done with them.
powerade-if you want...but dad gets drinks too
hypnobirthing guide-if you need it.
laptop and charger-yes
phone chargers-yes
list of phone numbers to call after baby's arrival-don't you have them in your phone?
camera-yes
gum-yes
pen and paper....for what? You have your laptop...
pajamas-yes
change of clothes-yes
toiletries-yes
pillow-We had extra pillows in our room for Brian too.
copy of our birth preferences for nurses-If you have that, sure.
Anyway, that's my opinion. Even still, I think you'll be surprised at what you don't use. Love!
WHAT!!! SO STUPID! It didn't post my first post. Ok...here it goes again. That is quite a list. WAY TOO MUCH STUFF for me at least. I take one to two backpacks, not luggage. I don't want my stuff all over the place and I personally don't think you need it. Less is more.
ReplyDeletebaby's bag:
hat-No, They give you one.
mittens- No. It will be JUNE!
socks- I think that is included in the going home outfit. You don't need them to wear socks in the hospital because they're all wrapped up anyway.
going home outfit- of course. I usually take two. First, because i might change my mind. Second, because you never know how big they'll be. I take a newborn something and a 0-3 mo one too. He'll probably be to small for either though.
a few swaddle blankets- Yes. I took one for Claire and was fine. I took 2 for Jared and he peed on both. I had to send Brian home for another. I don't know if your hospital does pictures, but I was glad to have them so the pictures weren't in the ugly hospital blanket. PLus, the hospital ones are so coarse.
side-snap tees-No. I don't know why you'd need these.
baby book for hand and footprints- No. Unless the hospital doesn't do this. I just tape the piece of paper they do it on and put it in the baby book.
carseat {installed in car}- Duh.
binkies-No, they give you one.
hand sanitizer-I don't know why you'd need this. YOu'll have a sink and soap, which is more sanitary anyway.
mom's bag:
nursing bra-Yes. To go home in. I recommend taking 2 sleep bras to wear in the hospital.
nursing pads-Yes. Take a few.
pillow-No, use theirs. That way yours doesn't get all "hospitally".
blanket- No. They have some.
bathrobe-this is preference. I've never taken it because I think it's bulky. I just wear my hospital gown the whole time. It's nice that they unsnap when you're learning to nurse.
nightgown-I took one this last time and was glad to have it only for picture purposes. Other than that, It was annoying to hike it all the way up to my neck to nurse. I didn't use it for long. I went back to the gown
comfy pants and tops-I went home in these.
going home outfit-yup. Stretchy comfy pants just in case you tear.
underwear-Yes
socks- YES! Take soft ones to lounge in. Those hospital floors are gross.
flip flops-I would if your'e going home in them.
lanolin- the hospital gave me this with Claire, but I didn't end up using it.....ever.
popsicles-WHAT???? THEY BRING YOU FOOD!!!
powerade-I guess if you want, but they bring you drinks too!
maxi pads- They provide these. USE THEM! and take them! you're already paying for them.
chapstick-YES
lotion-Yes
shampoo and conditioner-Yes. Trial size. Way better on the packing volume. Plus, that way you can pack your bags and not worry about packing something you use everyday in the shower.
makeup-Yes. A grab and go kind of bag.
gel-Yup. if you need it.
blow dryer- NO! THey have one
toothbrush-Yes
toothpaste- trial size
contacts-Yes
glasses-YES
deodorant- yes
hair elastic-yes
bobby pins-i did.
body wash-Trial size
Breath mints!!!!! I loved having them. You're breath will be stinky from breathing and laboring, so pop a few breath mints and you'll be fresh again! I hated blowing poopy breath in Erik's and the drs faces.
ReplyDeleteI didn't read all these comments so sorry if any of these are repeats.... I was way stressed about packing the hospital bag as well there are a few things I didn't think of and aren't on your list. Take lanolin (nipple cream) I didn't have any, Estelle was tongue tied , she ripped me apart, it hurt, the hospital billed me 5 bucks for an itty bitty tube! It was lame! Somethings I thought i needed but ended up not using... Robe/ night gown for when you're there. Maybe that's because I wasnt allowed out of bed for 2 of the 3 days I would have been just fine with my going home outfit. Also swaddle blankets for baby.... My hospital had unlimited swaddle blankets (we messed several during our stay) for us to use and when we went home we just had our car seat blanket. But really if having clothes for your stay and swaddle blankets makes you feel better then just take them! Better safe than sorry! So there you go thats my 2 cents! So excited to see pics of baby boy!!! Not too much longer!
ReplyDeleteGirl, you are NOT going to want to be blow-drying your hair two days postpartum. And if you are, I think you're nuts :) I didn't take anything, they give you shampoo and soap and toothpaste (at least both my hospitals did) as well as towels and wash cloths for showering, etc. I didn't take any make-up or anything like that. You'll want to be enjoying your baby, not primping. You probably won't need a nursing bra or pads in the hospital, milk usually doesn't increase a lot until day 3-4, so you should be fine with just the hospital gown. Plus, it's easier to nurse without a lot of extra layers to deal with. I brought my own swaddling blankets too... the Aden and Anais ones. LOOOOOVE LOOOOOVE them. We didn't bathe Tallulah or dress her or anything, she was just on my bare chest 99% of the time with the blanket covering her. We pretty much just brought her an outfit to go home in and then our cameras/books/etc. plus clothes for Tim. I just wore home what I wore there (yoga pants and tank top, I think)
ReplyDelete