Hey folks! I'm sure many of you, especially you ladies who already have children or are expecting one soon, have come across blog posts and articles on what you should pack in your hospital bag for the arrival of your baby. This is another one of those posts...with a twist.
Now that we're expecting baby #2, my well-meaning mother sent me a pin on Pinterest the other day linked to one of these very posts. It's not the first time I've seen one of these posts, but I still found most of the items on the author's "essential list" to be, well, a bit silly, in my opinion, and superfluous. So, it got the gears turning for me to come up with my own list. After all, I can't be the only one who doesn't consider makeup a necessity, right?
*Comfy Clothes-Whether you have a vaginal birth or c-section, you'll want some comfy clothes to mill around in after you're able to take a shower. I'm mainly talking about pants, of course. If you have a vaginal birth, I'm guessing you probably don't want them too snug in the crotchal region. If you have a c-section, make sure the waist fits away from your incision so it's not rubbing or pressing against that area. (Most incisions are made very low these days, so unless you're wearing hoochy mama pants, you should be ok.)
*Slippers/Warm Socks-I always thought this one was silly when I came across it before I had Myka, but it actually makes sense. Hospitals are cold. Even when you're not walking around, those blankets and sheets aren't exactly thick. Plus, if you end up getting a c-section, the anesthesia can give you the chills, bad! (Like, uncontrollable shaking chills. Trust me. It was annoying more than anything.)
*Camera-Even if you take the majority of your pictures and videos on your phone (and who doesn't nowadays?), still take your camera! You can easily save them to a cd or your computer and/or take them somewhere to make prints right away.
*Chargers for Camera, Phones, Etc.-Don't forget the chargers! It defeats the purpose of having your camera, phone, iPads, etc. to take pictures, let the whole world know about your bundle of joy, keep yourself entertained during the quiet times, etc. if you let the juice run out! I think the birth of a child would be just about one of the worst situations in which to not have a camera of some sort!
*Clothes for Baby-From what I have gathered from my own experience and that of Facebook friends, some hospitals let you use your own clothes for baby during your stay and some don't until you leave. So, if you're not sure, bring enough outfits for a couple of days. (That means extras because babies can be messy. :) )
*Blankets-Even if you have your baby in the middle of summer, I would still at least bring a receiving blanket or two because, again, hospitals are cold!
*Cash for Snacks, Drinks, Etc.-Hubby needs to eat too. ;)
*Car Seat!-Ok, obviously you can't fit this in a bag, but it's still very important to remember, of course! You won't be getting far from the hospital if you do.
Optional
*Toiletries-I was hesitant to put this on the optional list since some of you may not think they are, but most hospitals can provide you with soap and shampoo while you're there. And towels and wash rags, of course.
*Nursing Bra & Pads-If you're planning on nursing, you definitely might want to bring these items. Leaky boobs happen. Heck, even if you're not going to nurse, you may still want to bring some nursing pads just to be safe.
*Postpartum Pads-You'll get some of these from the hospital too, of course, but you might want to bring your own (can you say "way more comfortable mama cloth"?) for comfort's sake.
*Entertainment-Unless you just have a bajillion guests, let's face it: It can get kind of boring in a hospital, especially if you have no visitors, the baby is sleeping, or you just can't sleep. You might bring something to keep you occupied in the down times, such as a book, a craft, Kindle, etc.
*Cloth Diapers-If you're planning on using them and really hardcore about using them right away, you might go ahead and bring them. Honestly, I don't know what most hospitals' policy is on them since I'm guessing they're probably "weird about it" like daycare centers, so you might check ahead of time.
What did you take with you to the hospital? Did you stick to the basics or did you bring everything but the kitchen sink?
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