Packing For The Hospital: 7 Things to Not Forget
Posted in Pregnancy on 29. Sep, 2009
It was 2:03 am. I had been dreaming that I was walking in a park, and then suddenly something started hurting. I felt like I was having a huge cramp in my back, and then it spread to my middle. Groggy, I woke up and looked around my bedroom. It was my due date, which was the one day I had always joked that I would not go into labor. No one has the baby on their actual due date, right? Wrong.
We were up and off to the hospital in no time. I was glad I was already packed – those contractions were coming fast. Since it was my second baby, I knew the routine a little bit better and felt more prepared. One thing I was glad about was the extra few things I had put in my hospital bag this time around. The first time I was in the hospital delivering my daughter, I was packed and prepared… but definitely learned that there were a few specific things I had neglected to bring with me. Things that I’d never thought about until I was wishing I had them in the hospital.
Here are 7 things I recommend packing for the hospital, based on my personal experience. (And make sure you pack them at least two or three weeks in advance – you never know when you’ll go into labor, and no one wants to be packing while they’re in the middle of contractions!)
- Bring chapstick. I learned this one the hard way. I did pack regular makeup, knowing that I’d (a) be in pictures, and (b) see family and friends who would come by after I had the baby. The one thing I didn’t include in my makeup kit was chapstick, which I regretted later on. The reason for this is that when you are in labor, you often get dehydrated. This means your lips will get pretty chapped, which of course isn’t the end of the world when you have much bigger things happening to your body at the moment. The problem was that my lips became so chapped that my bottom lip actually split while I was delivering my daughter. I did remember to bring chapstick the second time, and applied it right before I started pushing. It helped tremendously.
- Pack a nursing cover. With so many visitors and a brand new baby, you can bet you’ll need to nurse your newborn while someone is in the room. You may feel pretty uninhibited at this point and may not care if anyone catches a glimpse, but for the sake of the male relatives in your family, buy a good nursing cover and bring it to the hospital with you.
- If you love your slippers, bring them with you. Hospital floors aren’t terrible, but I’d prefer a good pair of slippers to the cold linoleum floor any day of the week.
- You’ll want to be wearing comfy, comfy, comfy clothes. Don’t bring “regular” clothes, either. No matter how quickly you may bounce back from having the baby in the coming weeks or months, you won’t be wearing your old jeans in the hospital. Think about cute, comfy pajamas, yoga pants, etc. I underestimated how sore I’d be after delivery, and even my maternity jeans that I came into the hospital wearing felt uncomfortable. Also, keep in mind that you’ll still look about five months pregnant in the hospital, so don’t pack anything form-fitting.
- Bring fantastic nursing bras and plenty of nursing pads. After you give birth, you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible. The first time around, I brought cheap nursing bras to the hospital, which made the whole “new at nursing” experience much more uncomfortable than it needed to be. I am a big fan of Bravado Bras, and will never wear any other nursing bra. Also make sure and stock up on Lansinoh nursing pads. I’ve tried other brands, but these are my favorite. You may not need them until you are home and your milk has come in, but it’s good to be prepared.
- Bring Your Boppy. If you are pregnant and don’t know about the Boppy nursing pillow, make sure and buy one of these before the baby is born. I neglected to bring mine to the hospital with me, and spent my stay there propping my newborn on bed pillows while I tried to nurse her.
- Splurge on good toiletries. If you have a favorite shampoo or body wash, bring it to the hospital. That first shower after delivery is wonderful, and having some nice bath items to pamper yourself is something you’ll be glad about. Skip the Dial, and head to Crabtree and Evelyn. (Just make sure not to use something that smells too strong. Little newborns aren’t used to perfumes or any strong smells, so just keep that in mind.)
There really is something so precious and sentimental about those days in the hospital with your new baby. You’re totally in love with your newborn, and it seems like the world stands still as you just sit in bed and stare at them for those first couple of days. Enjoy this time, and don’t rush a moment of it. Soon enough, you’ll be back at home and normal life will slowly start to pick up again. So go grab those last few items, pack them in your hospital bag, and good luck!
- Grace
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