What’s in the Bag?
For the most part, I’m going to try to be very minimalistic in what I bring to the hospital. I just don’t see the point of bringing everything but the kitchen sink for a 3-4 day stay. Not to mention, because we have a son already, my husband will be going back and forth between our house and the hospital, so he can bring any items I fail to pack anyway.
So here is my list of essentials for the hospital (this list is already longer than I expected, and I’ll need to print it out because I haven’t actually packed all this stuff yet).
Clothes:
- One pair of granny panties so big you can’t tell the front from the back
- Two pairs of hold-my-guts-in underwear (AKA shapewear)
- Two nursing tanks
- Three stretchy tank tops
- One pair of flip flops
- Two pairs of Hubby’s old boxers for sleeping in
- One pair of jammie pants and one pair of old yoga pants (you know, for entertaining)
- Three pairs of slipper socks
- Two cardigans
- Bathrobe
Notes on my clothing items: I will most likely wear the mesh panties the hospital provides but they aren’t very comfortable and I really like a snug fit when I need to wear a gigantic pad, so I’ll be bringing the ones I liked most after having my first son. And for the first day, I’ll likely just stay in the hospital gown to facilitate the frequent wound checks and other exams that I’ll be subject to.
I ran hot after having Big Brother, so I have to assume I’ll be hormonely overheated this time too. For that reason, I’m packing light clothes, tank tops and cardigans that make for both easy layering and easy nursing, and like I said, if I find I’m chillier than last time, my darling hubby can bring me some warmer clothes from home.
I forgot to bring flips after having my first son and didn’t even think about the grossness of taking a shower barefoot, so I’ll be bringing my flip flops this time around.
Last time, I slept in the hospital provided robe, but I felt like such a blob the whole time, so this time, I’ll be bringing shorts to sleep in. Hubby bought me a super plush and comfy robe for Christmas this year, so I’ll probably bring that and avoid the thin and scratchy one provided by the hospital.
Lastly, socks, because the floors are cold.
Toiletries:
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Soap
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Moisturizer
- Hand lotion
- Chap stick
- Hair brush
- Hair ties
- Barrettes
- Glasses case
- Nasal spray
- Deodorant
- Face powder so I don’t look like a grease monkey
- Eyeliner and eyelash curler (my one vanity item so I look halfway decent)
All of these things are geared toward feeling somewhat normal and human in the days immediately following the birth of the new little guy. Keep in mind that I won’t be laboring and I know that ahead of time, so nothing on this list is aimed at soothing labor or helping me through delivery.
Electronics:
- Phone and charger
- Camera, battery and charger
- Laptop
Last time, I wouldn’t have dreamed of bringing my laptop, but this time, I’ll be missing my sweet boy something fierce, so I’m going to bring my laptop so that we can Skype when he can’t come and visit. The rest of this short list is obvious. There are lots of phone calls to make, texts to send and of course, lots and lots of pictures to take.
For the baby:
- A going home outfit
- A blanket to make the car seat warm and cozy
- A hat in case it’s chilly that day
- A journal: Will I have time or energy to write anything? Don’t know, but we’ll see.
- Big bro present: A little something for the baby to give his big brother so he sees it’s not all bad.
What I’m not bringing and why:
- Books, magazines, knitting: Basically, anything that will fall under the “entertain yourself” category. I’ve had a baby by major surgery before. Entertaining myself will consist of being poked and prodded, nursing every 2-3 hours and fending off visitors who show up just as I’m trying to nap. Besides if I have my phone and laptop, what more do I really need to amuse myself?
- Extra clothes for the baby: He will wear a onesie/T-shirt and diaper and be swaddled for our time in the hospital. There is no point in dressing him in anything else since he’ll be bothered by exams almost as frequently as I will be.
- Extra pillows: I mostly just don’t want to have to deal with carrying bulky pillows; the hospital pillows are not exactly 5-star hotel quality though, so if you like comfort, bring yours.
- Nursing pads: With my first, I didn’t leak until he was about two months old, so I just don’t see the point.
- Pads: The hospital will provide the biggest pads you will ever see in your life. I see no reason not to use them.
- A birth plan: Cut me, not the baby; let me hold him ASAP; no eye gunk. Pretty basic, it can all be dealt with verbally.
- A baby care book: Whatever I don’t remember from the first time, I’ll ask the nurses. But those first few days are fairly mellow: Feed him, change his diaper, let him sleep, repeat.
- Diapers (for the baby, not me): Use the hospital’s.
What I’ll be taking home with me:
- Nasal aspirator: We didn’t take it last time because we’re far too honest. We’ve been kicking ourselves ever since. We’ll be snatching that bad boy up as soon as it makes an appearance.
- Diapers: I am totally committed to cloth diapering, but in the first couple weeks after a c-section, I will not be going up and down the stairs and carrying laundry baskets around, so we will be using sposies and yes, the hospital’s supply will be making its way into my bag.
- Anything my baby has worn: Because I’m sentimental.
At the moment, all of this is packed in my plum stripe Super Organizing Tote from Thirty-one, but we’ll see if I change my mind about which bag to bring.
