I remember being about 32 weeks pregnant and all the
conversation at work switched from, "How you feeling?" to "Are
you packed yet?".
However, if you're having a hospital
birth, there are a few things to make your stay a little more
pleasant. Here's the list I came up with, but feel free to let me know
what you took, or are taking.
For You:
Pillow: Hospital pillows are
about the thickness of a communion wafer – maybe it's so you can't smother
someone with them to get your inheritance early, dunno – so it's always nice to
have a pillow from home. Not only is more comfortable, but your pillow kind of
smells like your bed and that's always comforting. Use a non-white pillow case
so it's not confused with a hospital pillow that someone could walk off with
when you're in the "loo trying to poo".
Socks: I wore them with my
flip flops. I didn't see any sign saying "Victoria Secret runway", so
Haters could suck it.
Sports bra or Nursing Bra: You may or may not
need this one but it's nice to have if you want to contain the post birth
boobs. I was so obsessed with breastfeeding the first time around that a bra
was the last thing on my mind, but bras are small enough that they can get
tucked in a bag without taking up too much space and if you want one, there
isn't much of a substitute, so you may as well take it, or even better, wear it
when you go in.
PJs and robe: Again, I didn't wear
my pajamas or robe because I wasn't in the hospital very long, but it is nice
to have a little sliver of home to make you feel that much more human. There's
only so long you can walk around in one of those shear sheets with your ass
hanging out before you lose your mind.
Underwear: Bring something
ratty that can be thrown out or burned later. You will have to wear some kind
of maxi pads to deal with lochia (a lovely term, I know.) so this isn't the
time to pack a thong. Maternity underwear is probably your best bet to guarantee
a comfy fit.
Maxi Pads: Most hospitals will
supply you with maxi pads to deal with the post birth bleeding, but I suspect
they are shipped by the crate with ACME printed on the side. They are usually
thick and kind of diaper'ish so it's nice to have something that has wings,
propellers and whatever other cutting edge technology maxi pads keep coming up
with. That said, hospital pads are free so load up on the thunder pads if they
don't bother you. Depends or adult diapers are also another option which may
sound a little strange but they actually work really well.
Nursing pads: This was
originally on the "Don't Bother" list, but many women in the comments
said that they did need them so tuck a few in your bag.
They don't take up much space and you can always use them as coasters if you
don't end up using them.
Towel: You can never go
wrong with a towel – they are the multi-tools of a hospital stay. Use it to sit
on if you're in labour on the way to the hospital to spare your seats if your
water breaks (a bit). Take it in the shower with your during your stay.
Cover anything gross that you may need to lie on like a questionable pillow or
couch arm. It's always a good go to item to always have on hand.
Trash bag: Don't take this to
the hospital but leave it in your car to sit on if your water breaks before or
on the way to the hospital. Saves on detailing and isn't a bad thing to have in
your glove box anyway.
Toiletries: toothbrush,
toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, brush, contact lens solution and case, glasses,
chapstick, hairband or hair tie, hand sanitizer, or anything else your would
take to stay over night somewhere. There are some gross moments that sometimes
comes with birth so don't add chapped lips to them.
Lanolin or nipple cream: If you're planning
to breastfeed, take this along just in case the road is a little rocky.
Makeup: You can also add
makeup to the list if that's important to you for photo ops. I didn't wear
makeup because I thought it seemed petty and, "who the hell was I
kidding?", but now I wish I had because I looked like death in those first
photos – hot, puffy, death – so there are no first photo of me and each of my
kids where I don't look completely awful.
Gum and Gatorade: I don't know what
kind of desert air they pump through a hospital, but it's dry. My hat goes off
to you if you work in one because I don't know how you don't look like a
raisinette. I ate ice chips by the metric ton when I was in labour but the odd
stick of gum and sip of gatorade really hit the spot when I wasn't allowed to
eat. Gum is also good for your spouse who may have been drinking a gallon of
coffee just before getting up in your face to say your doing a great job and to
practice breathing exercises. Feelings may get hurt if you scream, "you
breath smells like the ass of alley cat" in the heat of the moment. Take
gum.
Snacks: If you are in labour
there is a good chance you will not be allowed to eat in case you need to have
surgery quickly, however, if you've been given the green light to nibble have a
little something delicious on hand so you're not stuck with hospital apple
sauce at 3am.
Trashy magazines: Especially if you're
being induced, there is often a lot of hurry up and wait time. Take something
light so you don't have to think too much and you can just thumb through. When
it's time to go home, try to leave them as well. It's doubtful you'll want to
read them at home and the nurses or other patients may enjoy reading them too.
I.D. and Insurance: "I'm sorry, you
want to know who I am and to pay for this birth?!"
Tech stuff: If you're like me,
you'll need to take your cell phone (even if you're not allowed to use it) to
get everyone's number if you want to make a call. You can also play games and
surf the web if you're in a bit of a labour limbo. Take your charger too.
Pen and phone numbers: Pens are always
scarce and you, or your partner, are going to need to fill out forms. Phone
numbers are good to take so you can keep playing Angry Birds while your husband
goes off to call your hysterical sister to say, "the baby still isn't here
yet."
Birth Plan: I've talked about birth plans and
how my plan was "to have a baby", but it's never a bad idea to have a
general plan of what you'd like to do (or not do) so everyone is singing off
the same song sheet.
Camera: Someone, at some
point, will want to see a photo of this kid so here's a good chance to capture
a couple. Here are some cool photography ideas in this post and on one of my Pinterest boards too.
Going home outfit: Let me be really
straight here, you ain't leaving the hospital wearing pre-baby clothes so don't
bother packing them. Pack something clean and comfortable and that's it. Maxi
dress. Yoga pants and a t-shirt. Nun halloween costume. Doesn't matter, just
make sure it's comfy.
Big Sister or Brother gift: If you have older
children, you could consider having a gift that's from the baby for them to
open when they come to visit. They're probably going to feel pretty displaced
over the next few months so it's a nice way to introduce them to the new
addition to the family.
For Baby:
Diapers: Most hospitals will
give you a few but it's a good idea to bring your own whether you're going to
use cloth or disposable. It's not a bad idea to bring size newborn and size 1
as my 10lb baby never fit the smaller size.
Wipes: Again, hospitals may
or may not supply you with wipes so it's a good idea to have them on
hand.
Soothers: I was all
anti-soother until my son was born and my milk didn't come in. Soothers are
awesome and I will fight that fact to the death. Take a few different kinds
with you to see what fits the bill, although, I had one child that loved
soothers and one that didn't care for them so they are a little hit and miss.
Again, small enough to tuck in the bag so take 'em along.
Scratch mittens: My baby wore scratch
mittens in the hospital and that was it because they kept falling off and he'd
scratch both of us with their little talons so I ended up trimming his nails
after and few days at home. Newborns have wafer thin nails so wait until you're
a little "with it" before you trim their nails (whether with trimmers
or by biting them) as there isn't a huge difference between the feeling of
their nails and the feeling of their skin. There are plenty of things to feel
guilty about with being a mother so let's not add removing the tip of a finger
to the list in the first few days.
Hat: The hospital will
often give you a hat, but take a little one just in case. Personally, I didn't
use hats much once I got home but people believe in hats on babies with an old
lady vengence and a hat war was pretty low on my priority list at the time so I
just rolled with it.
Receiving blanket: Like a towel,
receiving blankets can be used for a variety of things. Wrapping a baby up.
Used as a nursing cover if you're not feeling comfortable with putting on a
boob show yet. Wiping little mouths, hands, feet. As a car seat cover to block
the sun when you leave the hospital. You can't go wrong. I recommend a cheap
thin one as they seem to be the most versitile in the beginning.
Going home outfit: Some people go all
nuts with this (I did the first time around) and dressed them like they are
greeting the queen. If you aren't sentimental about this, take a onesie or
sleeper to take them home in. I didn't factor in the inexperience of dressing a
newborn (less than a day after giving birth) into the equation and it was an
awkward and unpleasant experience for both of us. Keep it simple and axe
anything with buttons – zippers and snaps are the way to go.
Baby book: If you have a baby
keepsake book and a kind nurse that has time to help you out, you may be able
to score some footprints from a seasoned pro that can get a good impression for
you.
Nursing pillow: I wasn't going to
add this to the list because I personally think home pillow trumps nursing
pillow and you don't want to rent a uhaul to take all your crap to the
hospital, but a lot of women listed this as an essential. Breastfeeding can be
really tricky for some people (me included) so every
little bit helps. Even if you don't want to take it in for the initial check
in, you can put it in the car and send someone down for it if you want to use
it.
Car seat: I don't think there
is any hospital out there that will let you leave the hospital without a car
seat (I guess if you're taking the bus home it's another story). So leave it in
the car and bring it up as you're packing up to leave.
For Your Spouse:
Toothbrush, deodorant, underwear, pillow and blanket or sleeping
bag: My friend thought she was going into labour and called her husband
at home and told him to pack a bag and meet her at the hospital. It was a false
alarm but when he got there he had packed his hockey jersey, some toothpaste
(no toothbrush) and a pair of her socks. I shit you not.
More than likely your spouse will be able to leave and take care
of himself (or herself) but if never hurts to take some emergency essentials
just in case they unhinged in the flury of birth.
What not to take:
Jewelry: You will need to
take it off and leave it unattended. Leave it at home.
Baby Do-Dadery: Manis and pedis
along with hair brushing, bathing, etc. can wait for home so don't bother
bringing things like nail clippers, snot suckers, soother clips, etc.
As with all things, what some one finds essential, someone else
will find frivolous, but this gives you an idea of all the things you may or
may not have thought of.
Lastly, it's always a nice gesture to leave a "thank
you" for the hospital staff.
I brought a jar of Hershy kisses the first time and that went
over really well. My mother took in a basket of bananas, apples, granola bars,
and other healthier snacks that didn't need to be refridgerated, for the
hospital staff that took care of my grandfather.
Nurses in particular do a lot of gross shit for you while you're
in there so, even if it's small, it's nice to say, "thank you for holding
a bed pan while I vomit. I really appreciated that."
I forgot the second time. I'm a dick, I know.
Hope the list helps and let me know what I forgot.
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