Hospital Bag Question

By
Elena @ Every Avenue Life
-
49
492
Hospital Bag Question

As I am working on the list for my hospital bag, I thought I’d ask you about some of the items you took to the hospital and found useful.

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Hospital Bag Question

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49 COMMENTS

  1. Honestly I barely touched anything in my hospital bag. I packed my iPod and speakers, books, tennis balls, all kinds of crazy stuff. I pretty much ignored it all until I was in the postpartum suite, at which point I was THRILLED to have a clean set of comfy maternity pajamas and my toiletries for a nice shower. That was the best shower of my life, hands down.

  2. i brought my maternity yoga pants, and lived in them for the next day after i gave birth. i wanted to get the gown off ASAP since it was covered in nasty things lol. and a nursing tank and nursing bra (the sleep kind). i made sure to bring a headband (the kind you use for working out that are elastic) to keep the hair out of my eyes while i was in labor and after, and chap stick. i hate hair in my face and dry lips, so those 2 things were crucial! my family came and brought us nice food after i gave birth, or i would’ve packed snacks. the hospital food was kind of gross (i’m picky), so i didn’t eat any. the hospital provided tucks (amazing – take them home with you), the mesh underwear, diapers, a plain white long sleeve tshirt for my baby (he went home in that – he was too tiny for the shirt i brought for him, and he was a summer baby so i just put a blanket over him after he was buckled in), hairbrush for him and a bulb for his nose/mouth. make sure you take the bulb home with you since it’s better than any bulb you can buy elsewhere!
    oh, and i also made sure to bring my own facewash, lotion, etc. i did not put on makeup b/c i saw no reason to/i was too tired to put it on.

  3. Especially if your hospital has a ‘no eating during labor’ rule, defy it and bring a small snack you can sneak when the nurses aren’t looking. That rule is archaic and only does harm. You need all the strength you can get. I had peanut butter m&ms and a smoothie to help keep me going. Plus, the hospital food is gross so bring snacks for after the birth. I remember being up all night and being starved but all the nurse would bring me was a pack of saltine crackers!

  4. All I used was my dress I went home in and the going home outfit for Alexis. Everything else the hospital provided. I had Internet and movies on my tv and also used my cell phone and charger. Ended up staying in the hospital gown because after the c-section I just didn’t care lol. Because I knew I was having a c-section I wore a maxi dress home, so pants wouldn’t hit the incision area

  5. I liked bringing my own clothes. It helped me feel more normal. Just dark sweatpants and a tank top or t-shirt, nothing fancy. The hospital nursing gowns have huge holes in the front and if you are expecting visitors you have to be careful not to flash anyone. ; ) Don’t forget your boppy, I did with Garrett and Mike had to bring it. Notebook and pen to keep track of labor progression, baby’s weights, or anything else you’d like to remember. Slippers or flip flops for walking the halls. Don’t forget to have your hubby bring swim trunks in case you feel like a shower or bath during labor (or if you’re planning a water birth). Lanolin, nursing pads, too. Hmmmm… I can’t think of anything else. Those are some of the things I forgot. ; )

  6. heat/ice packs for my breasts and abdominal area. My milk didn’t come in early or anything but it was on it’s way and my breasts were SO tender after the first couple of feedings. ALSO – your own pads and stuff to take a shower and things like that…what the hospital gives you is bogus!! I’m glad I packed a duffel 🙂 because I would have been miserable.

    I didn’t answer for the CD (obviously) but just to answer

  7. I brought a ton of things, however, didn’t use 90% of them.
    The things that were god-sends: toiletries, make up, camera, chargers, a movie, sleep nursing bras, going home outfit for baby. snacks for daddy (and mommy sometimes) headbands/hair band. tooth brush for mommy and daddy.
    The things I didn’t touch: magazine, book, ipod, underwear (why ruin a pair of mine when the hospital gives you theirs?) boppy pillow, Because of the c-section I didn’t want to wear my yoga pants or PJ pants I packed. I wore a maxi dress home.

  8. I felt so much better knowing everything was READY TO GO. Even my husband,Matt, had got a little antsy when everything were extra-prepared. There was nothing to do but wait,she was born at 41 weeks,(and organize/clean everything in sight. I took nesting to a whole new level. Our kitchen drawers were perfection, you guys). 1) Matt’s bag : Matt packed his own bag, so who knows what‚Äôs in there. J/K! He packed a couple changes of clothes, bathing suit, notebook and pen, slippers, chapstick, gum/mints, etc; 2) Pillow and soft blankets (for car and hospital) I can’t live without my Pier One blanket; 3) The Birth Partner (this is THE BEST book); 4) Soft nightgown for labor,my bag had a few options for “labor wear”; 5) Point and Shoot camera (with extra batteries) and also our DSLR; 6) Labor book and birth plan; 7) “Going home” clothes for me (something pretty, but loose and easy), everyone has told me NOT to pack my skinny jeans. So I’ve packed some loose clothing and maternity pants to wear home; 8) Back massager and Scentbug,these are helpful for a natural birth. Our doula had also had her own bag of tricks; 9) Swaddle blanket and bunny (of course!) Violet’s bag had a few different blankets. I LOVE one from swaddlekinz – by far the softest; 10) Clothes for Violet,we packed a few options for Violet to wear home. I’d prefer her to be naked all the time, but that just doesn’t seem right; 11) My bag and Violet’s bag,I bought some amazing bags from Bungalow 360. I want one in every pattern. My bag had nursing bras, large undies, extra clothes, maternity robe, lanolin, vitamins, etc; 12) Toiletry travel bags ($1 bin at Target!),we stopped by the travel section at Target and loaded up on miniature toiletries: soap, toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, etc. This made packing much easier & lighter! ; 13) iPod and speakers; 14) Soft, comfy socks for mama. We also had a great assortment of snacks ready to go!! The hospital has healthy snack options for munching. We also have lots of nuts, fruit, Gatorade, and coconut water.

  9. Having clean, comfy and pretty pajamas after my post-birth shower was really amazing. I was also glad I brought my Boppy pillow along, since the hospital pillows suck. I brought my iPod but I don’t remember using it, however, I still think it was good to pack. Camera… um, do I even have to say that!? And of course, going home outfits for you and the baby!

  10. I’m a FTM, but after a long discussion with the L&D nurse I packed:

    For me: 3 Nursing tanks, with cardigans to wear over them. Robe. 2 pair of PJ pants (That I didn’t mind to toss). Toiletries. Blow dryer. Lots of extra socks. Light reading material. Breast pump (I’m going to get specific instructions on how to use it, LOL). Body pillow. Lip Balm!! Makeup compact for quick freshening up. Body spray.

    For DH: Razor. Body wash. Short book. He will pack his own clothes when it’s time to head to the hospital.

    For LO: Car seat, of course. Boppy. 2 onesies. 1 coming home outfit (I packed clothes in NB & 0-3 sizes). Warm blanket for the ride home.

    We have kind of a long drive home from the hospital, so I stocked the diaper bag for anything I might need for a diaper change on the way as well.

    Plus we’ll be bringing our laptop, camera, phones & chargers to all these things, as well as my wallet so I’ll have my ID and insurance card handy. You might want to consider bringing an iPod dock and an iPod for labor. I’m planning on having some soothing music playing.

    When we toured the maternity ward our nurse showed us everything that would be available to us in the hospital. They cover pretty much everything for both mother & baby. The lobby has lots of snacks in cupboards for laboring mothers and families. The nurse also told me that I will be bleeding out so much to not bother bringing any clothing for myself that I don’t con’sider “disposable”. Duly noted.

  11. Lara bars, Burts Bees chapstick. A wrap skirt for after, makes cleaning yourself easier! I brought my own pillow, which turned out to be a godsend. I forgot shampoo, and that was a mistake. My hair was insane post labor, and I really wished I had my shampoo. I loved having sandals for walking around the hospital, since my feet were still puffy. Hubby needed his own pillow too. That helped a lot!

  12. The things I found I needed the most was a nursing bra, comfy flannel pj’s (I hated wearing the hospital gown) and chapstick. Warm socks were also very nice since the hospital is cold! Oh and of course, your camera!

    We brought an iPad, magazines and all that stuff and didn’t even touch it! I didn’t even take a shower there. I was released a day early cause I wanted to go home!

  13. We actually had my whole bag packed and then left it in the car til the next day. The only thing we really used was our laptop so we could video chat with our families (our closest family members lived 6 hours away and the soonest anyone could make it into town was 3 months later).

  14. I was surprised how much i enjoyed having my OWN toiletries, My blanket and My pillow. That an a good pair of spandex pants, i hated, and didnt wear the hospital gown i just wore spandex pants and an over sized shirt i stole from my hubby.

  15. I always bring my own towel because the ones at the hospital are usually small and hard. Comfy clothes you don’t mind getting blood on. Pillow, all toiletries. We pack a separate bag for hubby with his towel, toiletries, pjs and a couple of changes of clothes, depending on how long you’re at the hospital.

  16. i packed a huge bag, but here is what i really used, pardon the typos, i am typing with one hand while nursing…

    1. chapstick – they are not kidding when they say that your lips get dry, despite all the fluids I got pumped in me
    2. hair ties – you do not want your hair to get in the way during labor and esp. when holding and feeding baby, which will be constantly
    3. robe – it gets cold and it is good to have a cover up
    4. my own shampoo, soap, face wash, cream, etc – to take a shower and wash my face
    5. toothbrush and toothpaste – obvious

    i ended up with an emergency C section, plus they constantly come by and want to check you, look at the incision, bleeding, etc. so it was just easier to wear the hospital gown. plus, after the birthing process you do lose all / any inhibitions. i could not wear my own underwear because of the surgery, so the mesh undies provided by the hospital were excellent. I ended up using their pads too – was softer than Kortex maxi I brought.

    my husband used the laptop, i barely touched it. camera, cell phones, respective chargers all got used, a lot.

    my husband used all his comfy clothes, so make sure there is a set or two “for him”, unless you let him go home and freshen up. i stayed in the hospital for almost a week, including the delivery, so my husband did go home several times, but spent nights with us after the baby was born.

    for baby:
    1. go home outfit – bring 2 sizes just to be on the safe side – newborn and 0-3…
    2. blanket to go home

    in our hospital they advised us not to dress the baby (beyond swaddling in a blanket, which they provided in unlimited quantities) so that the get the most skin-to-skin… my daughter was naked for the first 5 days, but 80% of the time it was on my chest, covered in blanket. other people in the hospital dressed they babies in onsies and sleep-n-play type of things, but I thought it unnecessary. the hospital provided all the diapers, blankets and wipes, as many as was needed.

    general:
    1. ID
    2. insurance card – there is a lot of paperwork associated with the admission

    • oh, forgot: i also used havaianas for the shower and to walk around , UGG slippers (best investment ever) and socks while in bed – feet get cold

  17. quite honestly…..you will use almost none of anything you bring. With #1 I brought all kinds of stuff. The only thing i used was the clean clothes for the ride home. Everything else remained in the bag untouched. With #2 it was a (completely) emergency c-section 3 weeks early. I literally had nothing packed at all (my nursery wasnt even complete). It was nice not to have to step over a bunch of junk. You will (surpisingly) like the comfort of the mesh panties….they provide all pads etc that you need. If you want music during the delivery (which you might….take the type of music and a player if the hospital doesnt provide one….but during childbirth you may decide that the music is annoying and take the player and throw it at your husband)

    I did take have my husband bring my kindle to me for #2. Babies sleep a lot and I was alone for 3 days most of the time and television was annoying to me (long story…my hsuband couldnt stay at the hosp. or drive because he had just gotten out of the hospital himself and visiting didnt open until 2pm)

    The one thing I did miss with the lack of things with #2 was my own shampoo and conditioner and soap….so pack those (along with deoderant) My mother finally brought me some stuff when I called her telling her how nasty my hair was because of the combination soap/shampoo I was using…..

    • oh slippers….take slip on slippers. Do NOT take slipper socks. If your feet swell up you wont be able to wear them. Plain backless slippers. Flip flops wont work either because, again, if your feet swell up…….

  18. Bring make-up, a camera, your toiletries, and an outfit for you and baby to go home in. Beyond that, they provide EVERYTHING. And would you really want to re-use pillows, blankets, socks, outfits you wore in the hospital while you’re leaking various bodily fluids? Gross.

    • FYI : If you do choose to bring your own pajamas, remember that for the short time you’re there, a nurse will be needing access to your girly parts for several hours after birth to change pads, check bleeding and clean you. Whether you have a c-section or vaginal delivery. And considering the accommodations and all that is going on, it’s more likely your husband will want to run home to shower vs. getting in the hospital shower. People always pack for these things like it’s a hotel stay; trust me, less is more.

  19. Yoga pants! Your laptop. Your camera. Your phone charger. Sandles. Your ipod. Nursing tanks. I liked not wearing the hospital gown as soon as I was able to get out of bed after my unplanned c-section. I packed way too much.

  21. I loved having my own slippers and robe for walking to the bathroom, etc. Comfy clothes for leaving. Toiletries including shower stuff. A big comfy towel (they are so small there!). Your own pillow and a Boppy for nursing. Coming home outfit for baby. Pads. Extra underwear! A book, a notebook and pen for writing notes, cell phone, camera, chargers.

  22. Pajamas, comfy shirts, bathroom stuff- ESP my own shampoo and conditioner, hairbrush, makeup, slippers, sandals for bathroom, go home outfits for everyone

  23. Pack lightly. You really will not need that much during labor. As for postpartum, I would bring a favorite pillow, a boppy, a couple pairs of cruddy sweats (you will be bleeding like crazy, don’t bring anything that you can’t risk getting ruined), a couple nursing tanks, a zip up sweatshirt to put over the tanks if you get cold or if you have visitors, slippers, and some basic toiletries. Remember that it’s only a couple days and you won’t exactly be going out to dinner while on your little weekend getaway. For the baby you will want an outfit and a blanket for coming home, and of course a carseat!

    The rooms are relatively small (even at the fancy newer maternity hospitals), and you don’t want to fill the room with STUFF. And worst case scenario, if someone is coming to visit and you realize you didn’t pack enough socks, ask them to grab you a pair on their way.

  24. You honestly do not need very much at all. I used my own toiletries for that first shower after giving birth and comfy pajamas/clothes. We also brought our own baby clothes and blankets and that was nice for the baby. The best thing for me was my body pillow. It let me sleep comfortably and gave me a place to prop the baby.

  25. Some things I took that I was thankful to have:
    My own shampoo, soap, etc.- The hospital furnishes a bar of soap and that’s it. Giving birth is dirty business, and you will feel soooo much better taking that first shower if you have your own things.

    Flip-flops- It would have been hard to bend down to tie shoes, and walking the halls barefooted grossed me out!

    Swaddleme- I took one of these and loved having it with me. I was too nervous about messing up the real swaddle, and this thing is a cinch!

    Hair bands- Most people forget this tiny little thing, but it’s extremely important to keep your hair out of your face!

    Snacks- Husband is pretty grumpy if he doesn’t eat on a regular schedule, so keeping snacks in a small bag was really helpful.

    What I wish I had known-
    I wish I had taken my breast pump and started using it immediately. The lactation consultant told me to wait two weeks to start pumping, but my supply diminished because DD’s latch wasn’t right. I never did get a good supply. If I had started pumping from the beginning I could have been fabulous! I was able to EBF for about three months before the demand became too much for my supply. I tried everything (all OWT and all medical advice) to get the supply up, but nothing worked. If you miss that early window of opportunity your body may not be able to make up for it. It’s not worth taking that risk again.

  27. The things that saved us were a robe, toothbrush and toothpaste, nursing bra and nursing friendly clothes, and my breast pump. The pump ended up being the most important since my daughter had a hard time latching on. The toothbrush and toothpaste were my comfort zone since it was the only way for me to feel somewhat clean (no showers or baths allowed for me). Good luck!

  28. The best thing I packed was my own pillow and my own throw blanket it made the hospital bed a little more like my own. Other than that I had phone and camera along with chargers for both. For clothes for me I packed a couple nursing tank tops and a zip up sweatshirt to change into after delivery. I also brought a couple pair of my husbands boxers. They were loose and comfy and if they got ruined I didn’t mind tossing them. I also had slippers because you might want to walk around and the floor is cold. I packed my own bathroom stuff for the shower and my toothbrush. For my son I brought a few outfits since we put him in his own sleepers after his first bath and a going home outfit. The boppy for nursing. I didn’t need my breast pump because they hospital provides one for you to use which is nice.

    oh and lanolin!! I forgot it after many people told me not to and had to send my husband to buy some right away.

    My husband didn’t pack a bag. He went home at night because our son had to be in the nursery due to complications so he slept at home which is only a mile from the hospital.

  29. Out of fully packed bag, I only used camera, change of clothes, lotion, toothbrush, hairbrush, going home outfit, baby blanket. And I pretty much packed the bag right before heading to the hospital. The first ones sure take time to come out. lol

  30. Great minds think alike, huh…I (finally) packed my bag last night! I had the list made for a few weeks now though. The items I’d read as suggestions from other moms (post hospital visit) have mostly been mentioned, but I think the key ones were as follows: chapstick (your lips will be so dry after labor), shampoo/conditioner/soap (hospital may not provide and if it does, it’s probably crappy), and comfy clothes for after the birth that you don’t mind getting “ick” on. The other thing someone suggested that I thought was good was an extra (empty) bag to carry all the goodies the hospital gives you. We are just bringing our diaper bag since the only items I packed in there were 2 outfits (one newborn, one 0-3 months) for baby. Ahh, you are getting so close! 🙂

  32. One: super duper soft and comfy lounge pants for afterwards.
    Two: Bring a couple of your favorite brand/style of extra heavy flow period pads. If your postpartum bleeding ends up not being extremely heavy, like what the hospital pads provide for, (which, by the way, resemble a small mattress) you may appreciate something you are more familiar with and comfortable wearing.

  33. I just delivered two months ago and was in a nice hospital where I felt totally comfortable, but I didn’t wear the gown after I was able to stand. It felt SO much better being in soft yoga pants (snug enough to give some support while wearing basically a diaper/icepack), a loose tank (nursing or something easily lifted or pulled down), a sweater, socks, and slippers. It was freezing in the hospital but with the horomones and some pain meds I was warm the whole time, but it was nice to have layers. You’ll definitely want a boppy. I used my pregnancy pillow too after delivery because I couldn’t sit directly on my tailbone (still hurts – he’s 10 weeks old!) and hospital pillows aren’t really firm enough to help you position yourself in the bed. I also used it to sit in chairs to eat, etc. Makeup because it makes you feel partially human when people come to visit. Lotion for yourself that is baby friendly (incase of allergies). I also washed all of our clothes and pillow cases in baby detergent (also our sheets and blankets at home). I did dress him in the hospital, using mostly gowns, hats, and socks. We mostly used hospital blankets for swaddling (I took the velcro and zip swaddles, but they weren’t tight enough for a newborn – even at 7lbs 12 oz).
    I didn’t turn on the tv, listen to any music, or read any magazines (which is totally unlike me). I brought my camera, extra memory cards, battery charger, laptop – mostly for just uploading photos (honestly, I had other people do these things because I was very tired). The baby is really all the entertainment you need.

  34. The softest socks you can find, and foot lotion. With every other part of the body feeling so tender, that was the one part of my body I enjoyed just pampering. My mom gave me some super soft socks that totally relaxed me,and after all the strange fluids coming down my legs, lotion felt beautiful.

  35. It is not objects I reccommend; Your own Board Certified Lactation Consultant and a Doula, Hospital Lactation consultants are a gamble, you may get one who helps you wonderfully, or you will get one that is very un-helpful and many times they will be uneducated and even spread myths… Granted if you are very prepared for the nursing baby you should still keep a IBCLC’s number close in case you need help!

    As for a doula, regardless of weather you are having a natural birth or getting an epidural a doula is immensely helpful in keeping you calm and helping you get through the birth, I probably would have lost control if I hadn’t had a Doula! She kept me focused on my birth and I gladly made it through without any intervention.

    As for material items, PADS— comfy overnight pads, they give them at the hospital but never enough! Lanolin for your nipples, (use it right away don’t wait until you ‘need’ it) and comfortable clothing to go home in. I also brought my sling, I put my baby in it for the walk home.. (I lived close to the hospital so I walked there and back).

  36. Honestly?? I spent so much time trying to plan what to bring and did I use any of it?? Not really! I forgot my own pillow and I do suggest you bring a pillow from home other than that just stuff you need to shower with, a clean set of clothes to go home, and going home outfit for your baby. I was so busy just bonding with my baby that I didnt care about anything else!! Oh and chapstick but my hospital had that for me 🙂

  37. Sorry don’t have time to read all the other comments so sorry to repeat… I ended up with an emergency c so pants were out for me for the next 4 days. I wore a soft nursing bra and/or nursing nightgown the whole time I was there. You will be in lots of pics so you will want to ditch the hospital gown asap. Bring all your toiletries, I gave birth at a SUPER nice hospital and they didn’t have anything including soap. Some people say bring a towel and I would agree except for the fact that you are bleeding everywhere so I say deal with the small scratchy towel for one day. Chapstick and hair bands are key. Bring an outfit and whatever you want your baby to look cute in. I would bring some blankets for pics, the hospital ones are ugly. My babied both lived in a diaper and a blanket until I took them home so don’t bother with tons of clothes. Oh but do bring an extra outfit. Mia puked all over her going home outfit 5 mins after we put her in it, all the excitement of packing up I guess. Don’t forget your mom or hubby can run out and get anything you need after the first few hours too so don’t panic if you forget something! We packed way too much the first time so maybe pack your car and leave some of it in there. 🙂

  39. Thank you so much to everyone who answered! That is probably the best resource on hospital bag packing I could have found! I’ll link to this post in the pregnancy resources for future preggos.

    I’ll also re-read all your comments again and try to put together my own list (and post it).

    Really appreciate you all taking the time!

  40. I had 2 bags. 1 for labor and delivery and one for post partum. This was baby #2 for me so I knew what to expect this time around. We brought the small bag with us into L&D. Then once I was moved into postpartum room, hubby brought the 2nd bag up from the car. In my labor bag, chapstick, hair ties, headband, hairbrush small makeup bag(powder and lip gloss), camera, phone, chargers, a book to read, snacks for hubby, lollipops and hard candy for me. Plus we had the laptop and charger. If I had an Ipod, that would have been in there too.

    In my postpartum bag, nursing bras, nursing nightgowns with matching robes(so I would look nice during the day when I had visitors…my plan was to wear my stuff during the day and the hospital gown at night in case I leaked/bled, etc), my own shampoo, lotion, toothbrush, etc…the basic stuff you always pack for a trip, makeup bag(with just basics, powder, neutral eye shadow, blush, gloss). Boppy pillow and my own pillow since I am picky about pillows(note…do not use a white pillowcase since hospital linens are white) A comfy outfit for me to wear home. Slippers. I also packed a couple cute blankets and hats to use as props for some photos(never got used since I had major complications and my son wound up in special care/level 2 NICU) I had the baby’s coming home outfit on a hanger ready for hubby to bring to the hospital along with carseat on release day(he went home each night to keep the routine for our older son). I put the outfit on a hanger, put all the accessories(onsie to under it, socks, hat) in a ziplock bag, and attached bag to the hanger. That way everything was together.

    Since I had an emergency c-section, I wound up staying in the hospital gown and just throwing my robe over it when I had vistors.

  42. Besides the obvious toiletry items you’ll need, I found that I used a few things the most. Camera (of course), my own pillow, comfy pajamas, and nipple cream (for breastfeeding). Everything else was barely used or not at all.

  44. Nursing tank top. HANDS DOWN best item I brought. Your bra size will change throughout the first weeks of nursing. But the tanks were great. It was stretchy material that made my stomach feel supported and it just felt so good on my body. After being in labor it was nice to be held comfortably snug and it made nursing comfortable and easy. DO IT! AND comfy and cute pj pants for after. During labor! EH. you’ll never know what you personally want.

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