[name]Hi[/name] All, I am 35 weeks pregnant with my first bub and thinking I should start getting a bag together for hospital and labour. The thing is there are a million lists out there but none are very conclusive and they differ in many ways. I am having my bub in the local hospital (public) unless something goes wrong where Ill be transferred to a larger town to a private hospital. I plan on having a natural birth, but once again I might need a c-section if it doesnt go to plan. The positive is that if everything goes ok at our local hospital we only live a few minutes away so could send hubby home if needed. My question to you is what did you pack that you didnt use/need and what do you wish you had of included. Because its my first bub my widwife says I will most likely be in hospital for 3 days. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Can’t say I’ve had experience with this (yet!), but I found these two articles a while back that might be helpful. I’m sure other Berries with RL experience can also offer additional advice.
My bag was packed full of stuff. Clothes, blankets, entertainment, robe, slippers, all sort of stuff that I didn’t even use! I was official induced at about 5 am and I had my baby about 1 pm. I did, briefly, use a robe to walk around in before I was completely induced. I didn’t get much sleep before, so I spent most of my time either talking to relatives or trying to sleep. After she was born, I was breastfeeding on a schedule and didn’t have time to do much else. Plus, being in pain after the epidural wore off didn’t help. I was only in the hospital for about a day and a half. I don’t think my bag got opened except to get my clothes to go home and her outfit. I [name]DO[/name] wish I would have brought a cuter outfit for pictures and some make-up. They actually took them at the hospital in my room. But, I am guessing each hospital is different.
I packed reading material and things like my iPod and speakers which we NEVER used. Once we got there we were way too busy to need those, and once the babies arrived we were even busier! I never used my robe I had packed either.
Things I wish I had packed:
slippers for trips down the hall to the dining room
more clothes for my husband (he had a little bit, but not nearly enough with all the messes the babies made and with how long we stayed)
I think the most important things for us were the clothes for the babies, comfortable clothes for me, toiletry bag, a camera, our cell phones, snacks for my husband and mom for during the labor, and our baby name list.
Good luck!!
To bring: olive oil in a small bottle. Seriously. Rub it on the little one’s bottom early on and the meconium will wipe right off. Reapply when changing diapers. Perk: it’s a moisturizer too
I packed a ton of stuff I never used, like an ipod and speakers. Here is a list of things I found helpful (besides the standards like clothes and such).
Your own pillow. I was very glad I had my own pillow. The ones in the hospital were terrible.
Lanolin- the hospital I delivered at stopped providing this for some reason and my nipples were bleeding by the next morning when my mom brought some for me. TMI, but true.
A robe
Mittens for baby- I also didn’t bring these and had to have someone run and pick some up for us. Newborns tend to scratch themselves in the face.
I’ve heard that hospitals in [name]Canada[/name] and Europe don’t always supply things like diapers, and after care things for you. If that is the case then I would make sure to bring giant pads, cheap panties you don’t mind ruining, you also might want to get some witch hazel pads and Dermaplast. Definitely get the Dermaplast.
Slippers!
Flips to wear in the shower
[name]Camera[/name]
Cell phone
Clothing for baby, mom, dad
hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste
[name]Maxi[/name] pads-I recommend using the provided underwear from the hospital so as not to ruin your own
Nursing pads
Snacks
I highly recommend the witch hazel pads, their very soothing and your going to be hurting.
Old pajama bottoms that you don’t mind being ruined with blood, and a nice shirt to take pictures in.
Thanks so much everyone! I have started compiling my own list from the stack that i have found to be more suited to me. [name]Just[/name] a question what are witch hazel pads and dermaplasts?
They are for your sore, post birth ‘area’. You can find them both at the pharmacy, just ask the pharmacist where they are located. The hospital might provide them (and if you’re lucky, epifoam), but I would make sure beforehand. If you tear, you’re going to want this stuff.
When we took our childbirth class, I remember the instructor saying to pack lip balm in your hospital bag. She didn’t explain why, and I though it was very weird. When the time came and we were heading out the door, my husband asked me if I had remembered to bring the lip balm, and I asked, “Why the heck would I need lip balm during labor and delivery?” Well, sure enough, about six hours in, my lips were so dry and cracked, I was begging the nurse for lip balm. Forget about an epidural, give me lip balm!