What Was in Our Hospital Bag

I remember vividly being 30-something weeks pregnant and anxious at the thought of packing our hospital bags.  Don't get me wrong- I was beyond excited.  I was worried about knowing what to pack and being without something once we were there  (never mind that we live 11 minutes from the hospital!), so I stalked list upon list upon list of labor bag items.  I think we did a pretty good job packing, and I had meant to blog our packing list.  Well, that never happened.  But, actually, this works better-now that we are on the other side, I can tell you what we took, used, and never needed.

Keep in mind that every hospital is different, and that yours may provide items that ours did not or vice versa.  We took the birthing and breastfeeding classes at our hospital, as well as the hospital tour, to get a better idea of what we needed. To read my birth story, click here.  I did not attempt a natural birth.  I like drugs.

First things first-I wrote down every single thing we were packing so that I could check it off as it went into the bag.  Also, there were some things we couldn't grab until the last minute because, lets face it-I wasn't going any length of time without curled hair or makeup, canIgetanAmen.

• Toiletries- we traveled quite a bit this year between vacations, family visits, and business trips, so I keep our travel toiletries ready to go all the time.  Saves a lot of time!  Daniel has his own man bag.
• 3 Ironed Shirts- You are going to take pictures and these pictures will be in your kids wedding slideshow one day.  Don't shlep.
• 3 pairs underwear, socks, undershirts
• Extra Jeans (assuming he would have a pair on when we went to the hospital)

I loved what I planned to wear in the days following Lillie Kate's birth while we were hanging out at the hospital.  I wanted out of that gown as soon as she was out and I never looked back.

•  All of your important stuff, aka whatever is in your wallet.  We pre-registered at the hospital, so I never needed it, but it was nice to have it in case.
• 2 nursing tanks
• 1-2 sleep nursing bras (no underwire, I found mine at Walmart)
• 2 robes (this was awesome and made nursing so much friendlier!)
• 2 pajama pants or sweat pants (big size.  I got XXL Old Navy sweats and love them still!)
• 1 regular nursing bra
• Toiletries (shampoo, etc)
• Maxi Pads- Did not use (I preferred the jumbo hospital ones and the newborn dipe filled with ice on my crotch)
• Sports Bra- Did not use (was for laboring in the tub, which I did not do) (and I need to use a bra because I haven't worn a bikini since I was a toddler when chubby bellies were cute)
• 3 pairs socks
• Slippers- Did not use
• 3 pairs Granny Panties- Did not use (Again, I preferred the hospital ones! Held the pads better)
• Nipple cream and nursing pads- Did not use either
• Zip Hoodie- Did not use (those hormones are going to make you wake up in a pile of sweat at 2am. Robe was plenty!)
• Coming Home Outfit- Again, pictures.  Look cute.  You can ditch it all as soon as you get home. Just make sure it FITS your pregnant belly because you will still look it.

(all of her items were in my diaper bag so I knew where they were)

•  Going Home Outfit- Pictures.  Make it cute.
• Nail File- Did not use.  Most hospitals won't give you nail clippers and you always hear about babies scratching themselves.  Their nails are like paper, not matter how long they are.  Bite them if you have to but otherwise, you probably don't need to touch them.
• 2 Cloth diapers (Only used one coming home)
• Wetbag- for dirty dipes, didn't use
• 3 Headbands with bows-yes, used them all!
• 2 hats- didn't use. Used the hospital "just born" one and then shoved a headband on her
• Socks- didn't use.  She was swaddled 24/7
• Scratch Mittens- Didn't use, swaddled 24/7.  Our lactation consultant said not to use them because babies need to root and want their hands.
• 2 Newborn Outfits- we brought onesies with leggings
• Burp Cloths- still don't use them
• 2 receiving blankets- cuter than the hospital ones
• Muslin Swaddles- are the best.
• Nursing Cover- never used.  When you don't have visitors, let em jangle and if you do have visitors, kick them out.

• Boppy- never used.  The nurses hooked me up with 5000 pillows.  It didn't fit around my waist anyway.
• Pillows for Mom and Dad with colored pillow cases- the hospitals are plastic, no joke. Colored cases so they don't get confused with the white ones from the hospital.
• Hard Candy, for labor- my breath was awful
• Vending machine quarters- mostly for Dad, Mom gets hospital food (which was phenom).  Our hospital also had snacks for moms and dads 24/7 like pudding and graham crackers and pop.  We brought $5 and it wasn't enough for Daniel to get the soda he wanted every day! Bring $10.
•  Hand Sanitizer- Um, it's a hospital.  It's everywhere. Didn't use it. I mean, we used it, just not our own!
• Tic tacs- Daniel loves them
• Video Camera- can you believe we never used it!  We used our phones.
• File folder (you know, the kind with the little rubberband at the bottom) for all the paperwork they give you for baby and to hold your birth plan-which we never really pulled out despite being told in the class that we needed one.
• Notebook-for keeping track of notes during labor and memories
• Thank you cards- for nurses and people who bring you gifts (ya, we got one gift don't bank on it).
• Laptop with labor music- we totally forgot, didn't use
• Exercise ball to labor on- no way in heck I was getting back on it after back labor.  We brought it in the house after being sent home the first time and never put it back in the car.

Keep this list by the door or on your hallway entry table so you don't forget it all!

• Makeup (I am so vain, I know)
• Hair Dryer-Actually, I didn't take mine because I saw they had them in the bathrooms like a hotel.  Wish I would have taken it, because I felt like someone was blowing on my hair with their mouth it was so weak.
• Curling Iron
• Camera
• Chargers for phones and cameras
• Gifts for nurses- I baked cookies ahead of time and left them in the freezer
• Sparkling grape juice and cups to celebrate!

Honestly, we were so busy with all of the "new baby" things (like lactation consultants, etc), that we really didn't have a lot of time for anything extra.  I don't even really remember watching TV that much.  We didn't have very many visitors, and I still felt like we had 1000.  Let people visit later when you are home, other than your family of course.  Nurse, nurse, nurse, and love every minute of your new family.

I asked my husband for any advice- all he said was "Mo money".

My tip- take anything not bolted down and ask for extras of everything- even peri bottles.  I know, I sound like total trash.  But, you're paying for it.  Take the newborn dipes, even if you are going to cloth diaper. Ask for extra tuck pads, mesh panties, and hemorrhoid cream. Take the newborn kimono shirts that magically start piling up in your room from the nursery when they come get your baby at 1am every night to weigh them (don't worry, they come right back).

Good luck if you're almost there, and shout out to Amy Jo @ Not too Comfortable for the request!  Praying for you girl!