What’s going in your hospital bag?

[peggyhill]

The to do list thread made me realize I have no idea what to put in a hospital bag! 😱
What did you guys have in yours in the past? Anything you’ll be adding this time around? Anything you’ll just leave at home?

[Ken Adams]

I am an under-packer.
With my first:
-A couple outfits for baby (basically one to go home in but I wanted options lol) he wore the hospital kimono shirt while we were there.
-two nursing tanks that I could throw on when we had visitors
-a robe
-toiletries
-phone charger
-boppy pillow
-outfit for me to go home in (which was just yoga pants and a tank)
-nip cream



I’ll probably do the same this time except I’ll leave the boppy pilllow since I didn’t really use it while there.

ETA- I was induced with my first, so I did bring a few magazines and a book. This time I’ll be RCS so I won’t need time killers. Ha

[cmb]

I’m stubborn and use my own things, so this is more than a lot would recommend
- L&D gown. I have ones that provide back coverage so I can move around without worry
- pads, I only use the hospital ones until I shower, same with underwear and my own clothes
- 2-3 pairs of yoga pants and 2 tanks.
- t shirt for going home
- onesies for baby. I hate the kimonos.
- swaddles. The hospitals only had receiving blankets and swaddling my Houdini babies in those were impossible
- boppy. It makes holding baby that much easier
- laptop or tablet. There’s a lot of downtime once baby arrives before you get released
- flip flops or other sandals. They pump you full of fluids, so you’ll likely start to swell upon discharge (it can take a day or two before you get swollen). Real shoes aren’t happening at that point
- take home outfit for baby in NB and 3m. While DS2 wore preemie onesies and diapers, he went straight to 3m sleepers because his legs were so long
- if you usually wear contacts, pack glasses. Hospitals have different policies on whether you can wear contacts or not (I’ve been able to, but I know others who haven’t)

I also bring my own Advil because my nurses refuse to listen to my MWs and give it to me (because I won’t take opioids and am allergic to tylenol, they force me to go without pain management once I start my lovenox injections), so I pop it as soon as I get in the car

[moonandback141]

Just to add to the above:

If you have a baby book going where there is a page for footprints, bring it and the nurses will do it for you when they are doing footprints anyway.

Sometimes babies nails grow crazy long and then once born they are slashing at their faces so I bring my Nail Frida and try to clip them.

Shower shoes. Showers be nasty.

[doodlemommy]

I’m at bit of a special snowflake as we use a birth Center and leave about 3 hours post birth... but here’s my list:

- bikini top (for water birth)
- comfy robe for after birth but before real clothes
- going home clothes for me (yoga pants and a baggy top, nursing bra)
- sleepers for baby in NB and 3m
- blanket and hat for car seat
- iPod (they have speakers for me to connect it to)
- clothes for DH (the birthing room gets hot with a water birth so he brings a pair of shorts and a clean T-shirt just in case)
- phone charger just in case

That’s about it. I usually have my straw water cup with me in the car so that comes in but they provide everything else and we will only be there a short time. Obviously if there are complications before or during birth and we end up in the hospital I will adjust my list

[thinkchocolate05]

My top items are phone chargers, Gatorade (my hospital doesn't have it), Velcro swaddlers, chapstick, hair ties, comfy leggings for going home, nursing tanks, make up (we do newborn pics in the hospital and I feel so much better if I can put on a little make up before.)

[cmb]

Oh, a big yes to chargers AND an extension cord. The close outlets to the bed are all taken by hospital equipment

[stayingblonde]

I brought way too much stuff with me last time and didn't end up using a lot of it. I think my bag was actually 2 bags. 🙈

I did use...
my own pillow
slippers
comfy clothes
going home outfit for baby
phone charger

My friend had a baby recently and brought a gorgeous swaddle blanket for those first photos of the baby (vs the generic hospital receiving blanket) and I loved the pics so much that I have been browsing for a gorgeous one to bring. There are tons of "girl" prints out there and fewer "boy" ones, but I have a couple in my Amazon cart for now.

[Ken Adams]

Oh yes, I may bring a pretty swaddle and a cute headband for a pic or two. I forget I get to do girly things this time around.

Also my own pillow is probably coming with me this time. Good idea.

[cmb]

stayingblonde check Etsy! Our center does newborn photos there, and I found what I wanted for DD on Etsy. We were caught by surprise with DS2 but luckily had our own swaddle with us. This time, I’m prepared lol

[stayingblonde]

cmb Good call! I have 2 A&A ones in my Amazon cart, but I definitely want to check out more options.

[goldenlove]

Jul 10, 2019 12:18:11 GMT -6 cmb said:

Oh, a big yes to chargers AND an extension cord. The close outlets to the bed are all taken by hospital equipment

If you can find an extension cord/power strip, that is even better! H brought one last time and it was so useful. 

[goldenlove]

I can't even remember what I brought last time but I don't think we overpacked too much. The only things I remember not using were my robe and a bag of quarters. We read somewhere to bring quarters for vending machine snacks but we ended up eating our own or using their food service anyway.

We still need to setup a tour with the new hospital to see what we need but I plan on bringing my toiletries, blowdryer, makeup, a pillow, boppy, a couple comfy pants and tanks, robe, slippers, outfit for baby in various sizes, swaddle/headband, chargers, Chromecast or Firestick (in case they have newer TVs that work).

[babystandish]

Camera
phones + chargers
laptop + charger
Take home outfit for baby
velcro swaddle
2x nursing cami, button down + kimono top, comfy pants, pair of socks
PJs + change of clothes for H
toiletries (hair brush,tooth brush/paste, deodorant, wash, hair ties, chapstick)
SNACKS
Bring bag with room to spare for things to take home like pads/diapers, etc

[randomosity]

Phone and charger
Kindle and charger
Loose lounge pants and a few loose shirts
Maybe a maxi dress
Chapstick
Slippers/nonslip socks
Shampoo
Toiletries + mascara (I like to look a little alive the day after 😉)
And an outfit or two for the baby, plus some little hats and blankets.

The hospital is right down the street from my new house so I guess it's not a big deal if I forget anything. I always tend to overpack, though.