Hospital Bag – What to Pack
I remember being about 32 weeks pregnant and all the conversation at work switched from, "How ya feeling?" to "Are you packed yet?".
You really don't need much to have a baby. Got your vagina? Packed!
However, if you're having a hospital birth, there are a few things to make your stay a little more pleasant. Here's the list I came up with, but feel free to let me know what you took, or are taking.
For You:
Pillow: Hospital pillows are about the thickness of a communion wafer – maybe it's so you can't smother someone with them to get your inheritance early, dunno – so it's always nice to have a pillow from home. Not only is more comfortable, but your pillow kind of smells like your bed and that's always comforting.
Flip flops: There's a good chance you will need to walk around at some point so a lot of women take slippers. A friend of mine told me to take flip flops because you can wear them in the shower and I will be forever grateful because the shower in my hospital looked liked a scene out of Seven. My feet also swelled beyond the width of a slipper, so I was lucky to have the flip flops to accommodate the charming loaves of baked bread formerly known as my feet.
Socks: I wore them with my flip flops. I didn't see any sign saying "Victoria Secret runway", so Haters could suck it.
Sports bra or Nursing Bra: You may or may not need this one but it's nice to have if you want to contain the post birth boobs. I was so obsessed with breastfeeding the first time around that a bra was the last thing on my mind, but bras are small enough that they can get tucked in a bag without taking up too much space and if you want one, there isn't much of a substitute, so you may as well take it, or even better, wear it when you go in.
PJs and robe: Again, I didn't wear my pajamas or robe because I wasn't in the hospital very long, but it is nice to have a little sliver of home to make you feel that much more human. There's only so long you can walk around in one of those shear sheets with your ass hanging out before you lose your mind.
Underwear: Bring something ratty that can be thrown out or burned later. You will have to wear some kind of maxi pads to deal with lochia (a lovely term, I know.) so this isn't the time to pack a thong. Maternity underwear is probably your best bet to guarantee a comfy fit.
Maxi Pads: Most hospitals will supply you with maxi pads to deal with the post birth bleeding, but I suspect they are shipped by the crate with ACME printed on the side. They are usually thick and kind of diaper'ish so it's nice to have something that has wings, propellers and whatever other cutting edge technology maxi pads keep coming up with. That said, hospital pads are free so load up on the thunder pads if they don't bother you.
Towel: You can never go wrong with a towel – they are the multi-tools of a hospital stay. Use it to sit on if you're in labour on the way to the hospital to spare your seats if your water breaks (a bit). Take it in the shower with your during your stay. Cover anything gross that you may need to lie on like a questionable pillow or couch arm. It's always a good go to item to always have on hand.
Trash bag: Don't take this to the hospital but leave it in your car to sit on if your water breaks before or on the way to the hospital. Saves on detailing and isn't a bad thing to have in your glove box anyway.
Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, brush, contact lens solution and case, glasses, chapstick, hairband or hair tie, hand sanitizer, or anything else your would take to stay over night somewhere. There are some gross moments that sometimes comes with birth so don't add chapped lips to them.
Lanolin or nipple cream: If you're planning to breastfeed, take this along just in case the road is a little rocky.
Makeup: You can also add makeup to the list if that's important to you for photo ops. I didn't wear makeup because I thought it seemed petty and, "who the hell was I kidding?", but now I wish I had because I looked like death in those first photos – hot, puffy, death – so there are no first photo of me and each of my kids where I don't look completely awful.
Gum and Gatorade: I don't know what kind of desert air they pump through a hospital, but it's dry. My hat goes off to you if you work in one because I don't know how you don't look like a raisinette. I ate ice chips by the metric ton when I was in labour but the odd stick of gum and sip of gatorade really hit the spot when I wasn't allowed to eat. Gum is also good for your spouse who may have been drinking a gallon of coffee just before getting up in your face to say your doing a great job and to practice breathing exercises. Feelings may get hurt if you scream, "you breath smells like the ass of alley cat" in the heat of the moment. Take gum.
Snacks: If you are in labour there is a good chance you will not be allowed to eat in case you need to have surgery quickly, however, if you've been given the green light to nibble have a little something delicious on hand so you're not stuck with hospital apple sauce at 3am.
Trashy magazines: Especially if you're being induced, there is often a lot of hurry up and wait time. Take something light so you don't have to think too much and you can just thumb through. When it's time to go home, try to leave them as well. It's doubtful you'll want to read them at home and the nurses or other patients may enjoy reading them too.
I.D. and Insurance: "I'm sorry, you want to know who I am and to pay for this birth?!"
Tech stuff: If you're like me, you'll need to take your cell phone (even if you're not allowed to use it) to get everyone's number if you want to make a call. You can also play games and surf the web if you're in a bit of a labour limbo. Take your charger too.
Pen and phone numbers: Pens are always scarce and you, or your partner, are going to need to fill out forms. Phone numbers are good to take so you can keep playing Angry Birds while your husband goes off to call your hysterical sister to say, "the baby still isn't here yet."
Birth Plan: I've talked about birth plans and how my plan was "to have a baby", but it's never a bad idea to have a general plan of what you'd like to do (or not do) so everyone is singing off the same song sheet.
Camera: Someone, at some point, will want to see a photo of this kid so here's a good chance to capture a couple. Here are some cool photography ideas in this post and on one of my Pinterest boards too.
Going home outfit: Let me be really straight here, you ain't leaving the hospital wearing pre-baby clothes so don't bother packing them. Pack something clean and comfortable and that's it. Maxi dress. Yoga pants and a t-shirt. Nun halloween costume. Doesn't matter, just make sure it's comfy.
For Baby:
Diapers: Most hospitals will give you a few but it's a good idea to bring your own whether you're going to use cloth or disposable. It's not a bad idea to bring size newborn and size 1 as my 10lb baby never fit the smaller size.
Wipes: Again, hospitals may or may not supply you with wipes so it's a good idea to have them on hand.
Soothers: I was all anti-soother until my son was born and my milk didn't come in. Soothers are awesome and I will fight that fact to the death. Take a few different kinds with you to see what fits the bill, although, I had one child that loved soothers and one that didn't care for them so they are a little hit and miss. Again, small enough to tuck in the bag so take 'em along.
Scratch mittens: My baby wore scratch mittens in the hospital and that was it because they kept falling off and he'd scratch both of us with their little talons so I ended up trimming his nails after and few days at home. Newborns have wafer thin nails so wait until you're a little "with it" before you trim their nails (whether with trimmers or by biting them) as there isn't a huge difference between the feeling of their nails and the feeling of their skin. There are plenty of things to feel guilty about with being a mother so let's not add removing the tip of a finger to the list in the first few days.
Hat: The hospital will often give you a hat, but take a little one just in case. Personally, I didn't use hats much once I got home but people believe in hats on babies with an old lady vengence and a hat war was pretty low on my priority list at the time so I just rolled with it.
Receiving blanket: Like a towel, receiving blankets can be used for a variety of things. Wrapping a baby up. Used as a nursing cover if you're not feeling comfortable with putting on a boob show yet. Wiping little mouths, hands, feet. As a car seat cover to block the sun when you leave the hospital. You can't go wrong. I recommend a cheap thin one as they seem to be the most versitile in the beginning.
Going home outfit: Some people go all nuts with this (I did the first time around) and dressed them like they are greeting the queen. If you aren't sentimental about this, take a onesie or sleeper to take them home in. I didn't factor in the inexperience of dressing a newborn (less than a day after giving birth) into the equation and it was an awkward and unpleasant experience for both of us. Keep it simple and axe anything with buttons – zippers and snaps are the way to go.
Baby book: If you have a baby keepsake book and a kind nurse that has time to help you out, you may be able to score some footprints from a seasoned pro that can get a good impression for you.
Nursing pillow: I wasn't going to add this to the list because I personally think home pillow trumps nursing pillow and you don't want to rent a uhaul to take all your crap to the hospital, but a lot of women listed this as an essential. Breastfeeding can be really tricky for some people (me included) so every little bit helps. Even if you don't want to take it in for the initial check in, you can put it in the car and send someone down for it if you want to use it.
Car seat: I don't think there is any hospital out there that will let you leave the hospital without a car seat (I guess if you're taking the bus home it's another story). So leave it in the car and bring it up as you're packing up to leave.
For Your Spouse:
Toothbrush, deodorant and underwear: My friend thought she was going into labour and called her husband at home and told him to pack a bag and meet her at the hospital. It was a false alarm but when he got there he had packed his hockey jersey, some toothpaste (no toothbrush) and a pair of her socks. I shit you not. More than likely your spouse will be able to leave and take care of himself (or herself) but if never hurts to take some emergency essentials just in case they unhinged in the flury of birth.
What not to take:
Jewelry: You will need to take it off and leave it unattended. Leave it at home.
Baby nail clippers: Manis and pedis along with hair brushing, bathing, etc. can wait for home so don't bother bringing those things along.
Nursing pads: If you're lucky enough to have your milk come in right of the bat you're not going to be leaking anytime soon. They can stay at home.
As with all things, what some one finds essential, someone else will find frivolous, but this gives you an idea of all the things you may or may not have thought of. If you want a list to print off, you can download it here.
Lastly, it's always a nice gesture to leave a "thank you" for the hospital staff.
I brought a jar of Hershy kisses the first time and that went over really well. My mother took in a basket of bananas, apples, granola bars, and other healthier snacks that didn't need to be refridgerated, for the hospital staff that took care of my grandfather.
Nurses in particular do a lot of gross shit for you while you're in there so, even if it's small, it's nice to say, "thank you for holding a bed pan while I vomit. I really appreciated that."
I forgot the second time. I'm a dick, I know.
Hope the list helps and let me know what I forgot.
24 Comments
Reader Comments (24)
Ooooh, I'm due any day now and forgot about a thank you gift for the nurses-- thanks for the reminder. I've got all this energy now so will go off and bake some cookies for them. Only half joking. Maybe a jar of candy's more appropriate, it wouldn't go bad or stale ...
Love the list! Great reference.... I completely forgot to bring any clothes for my son in my hospital bag, even though we were there for 4 days and only lived a couple miles away. I had to have my mom go home and grab a onesie right before they were going to discharge us! Though, on the nursing pad note: I was wearing nursing pads daily from about 26 weeks, I kid you not, so that was definitely in my bag. Drove me up the wall. (And then had trouble maintaining my supply, go figure!)
"Got your vagina? Packed!"
You are so freakin' hilarious :)
Seconding the poster above me - I understand having a vagina during L&D is absolutely essential.
I'm 37 weeks now, and finding out tomorrow if I should expect to be induced in a week or so (because apparently no one believed me when I said I fully expected a 12-lb boy until my last appointment, when I grew 4 inches in a week). I've had the go-bag packed for at least three weeks, and the diaper bag for the boy. Our hospital keeps new moms a minimum of two days, 3-4 if you have a C-section, so I've got a few more clothes than just the go-home outfit (maxi dress, fyi). I had a nurse friend suggest Crocs vs. flipflops for safety and ease of wear - she had a patient fall in the shower during labor because her wet flipflops slipped.
I hadn't heard any thank-you gift mentioned - I'm glad you did. I wouldn't have thought of that!
Definitely the car seat. We weren't even ALLOWED to go home on the bus. We had to have a car seat and take a taxi. (Which kind of sucks if you live on the same bus route as the hospital and you don't have a car, but I got my car seat free with my stroller so it wasn't too bad. And honestly, I couldn't have managed the bus that soon after delivery anyway.)
Having been through this 5 weeks ago, I have these notes:
-Make sure the pillow you bring has a pillow case the can't be confused with the hospital's (so something not plain white)
-I didn't mind the hospital gown and it was convienent for breastfeeding. But I loved wearing a pair of my shorts underneath.
-We liked a deck of cards for killing time.
Prunes are a good snack food to eat so the poo experience is more pleasant. I also liked having some good soothing music like Enya to listen to during delivery. I had a collection of music I new would help me relax.
Prunes are a good snack food to eat so the poo experience is more pleasant. I also liked having some good soothing music like Enya to listen to during delivery. I had a collection of music I new would help me relax.
I also took along a white noise machine. It really helped to block out hospital noise, and helped to soothe my baby girl to sleep.
phone charger! learned that one the hard way!
A big sister/brother gift for your older child(ren) to open when they come up to meet baby for the first time. It's tough sharing the spotlight - and mom's attention!! - so I brought my girlies a little something so it wasn't just "all about baby" but about all of us as a family. Otherwise, spot on!!
1. Take Depends instead of maxi pads. Think of them as disposable underwear instead of adult diapers. You'll need them for at least a few days.
2. Snacks for Daddy - you never know how long you'll be or when the cafeteria will open.
3. Sort of like the prunes, stool softeners. Because that first poop can really hurt.
I'd suggest having the bag all ready to go by the door. Everyone made it sound like I'd have hours at home to gather a few last minute things...and I had a list (which included start the dishwasher.) Let's just say I didn't have any time to gather anything and ended up with nothing to wash my face with at the hospital.
DO NOT PACK ANY SORT OF JEANS TO GO HOME IN! Even maternity jeans will fit stupid. Just go with yoga pants. The ones you wore when you were about 6 months preggo. You will thank me. ANd wear a comfy sweatshirt or tee. You *will* feel flubbery. The belly does weird things after delivery. Do not compress that shit. :D I'm preggo with baby #6. I have *some* experience.....
I LOVE the idea of a big brother/sister gift! That is absolutely a great idea. If you have older kids, and even if you can't do the gift thing, definitely pay attention to them as if it's an ordinary day for them at home--I mean conversation-wise--so that they don't have to feel right off the bat that their whole world has turned upside down. And that was good advice for us for after we got home too--we made sure the older boy (who was under 2 at the time!) got some special mommy-time and some special daddy-time with him every day, no matter what the baby got.
A thank-you note for the nurses is great--we also put a little picture in it of the baby so they could post it on their bulletin board with all the other baby pics.
And whatever you do, don't forget your vagina.
I have to say, I hardly used anything I took with me. I do recommend maxi pads (Always in the purple pack I think is what I got)- my hospital only allows so many in their "birthing pack" and I went through them quick (then they gave me these things that looked like a giant puppy pad- I was like, no way- glad I brought my own!). I wore the mesh undies the whole time (and stole some to take home) so underwear wasn't needed.
They provided amazing toiletries (mine stayed in my bag), the food was great (delivered from nearby restaurants), they gave me stool softeners and diapers and wipes and onesies and hats, plush towels and pillows. I gave birth at a nice specialty hospital so maybe a regular hospital is different.
I do recommend slippers of some sort and socks and pjs (with easy access because they check you quite a bit afterward). Other than that, nothing came out of my bag. Oh and my daughter's coming home outfit (a cute sleeper) and my camera.
I thought scratch mittens were a thing of the past? I read that, and they didn't have them at the hospital, and they (*They, you know, of those that tell us everything somehow) say that they scratch at their baby faces in the womb and it's more comforting to be able to feel than have a mitten on. Oh, I know where I read this, in the baby booklet from the hospital. Anyway. Good list. I didn't bring anything but a few cute onesies and my toothbrush/paste. I was fine. I ain't fancy.
Ladies - my son was born three weeks early and I was NOT packed for the hospital. It was the single most important mistake I made. My water broke after childbirth class and I was not able to leave the hospital, which meant...my husband had to pack things to bring for me. BIG. MISTAKE. He was not able to bring me everything I really wanted, or brought me the wrong thing on my list. Plus I was not in a good state of mind to begin with and couldn't think of everything. Pack in advance!!! This time around, I'll be doing it three months in advance, no joke.
OMG you are hysterical! I love this blog!!! I am 36 weeks pregnant with my first child. Thank you sooo much for the list! :)
I seriously die when I read your posts! You are hilarious. Nothing makes a pregnant mama feel more clam than a good laugh. Thank you. Great list.
Oooh, so useful! I've booked marked this and a couple other lists to make sure I get it all! I can't believe I'll have to start packing a bag in a couple weeks! Yikes! Better buy some jumbo sized pads soon!
I think the thing I remember is not having change. Both my spouse and me would get cravings for candy or need a pop and we'd only have bills. Toss in a roll of quarters so your set no matter how long your their.
I just wanted to add a couple of things that I wish someone had told me that I would totally bring next time around.
1. A little hand held fan: Not only do you pee out all that extra water weight but you sweat it out in giant buckets. Even better a lot of newborns have a hard time regulating temp. at first so you can only turn the A/C down so far before the guilt of turning your new baby into an ice cube takes over. I sat in bed at all hours praying that some angel would show up with a fan...did not happen.
2. You might get lucky enough to use the really thin pads that can absorb a lake so I would take some of those. At least during the day when you can change them often, it is so much more comfortable.
3. All those creams, sprays, and what not they give you to care for those stitches are WONDERFUL. ASK FOR A NEW TUBE OF EVERYTHING TO TAKE HOME!!!!!!!! Some of it will be over-the-counter but the one cream that was my savior was not and I left the hospital thinking "Oh I have plenty of that one!" WRONG!!! Beg, plead, cry for a new tube before you leave.
That last one might not apply but I wish I had done that for my packing to leave the hospital and I didn't.
Along with the big brother/sister gift... hubby and I baby sat older brother while parents delivered. We took tons of pics with our digital camera of everything we did- park, mc donalds lunch, playing with puppies, etc. We then made him a Shutterfly book along the lines of "The Day I Became a Big Brother." Like a little celebrity :) and I think the parents enjoyed having it later.