The Best Thing Since Aquaphor

Discussion in 'The Hens' Nest' started by user3695, Mar 8, 2018.

  1. ThatOneGirl

    ThatOneGirl Dear Diary

    What was in your hospital bag?

    There's a million "What You Need (and Don't Need)" articles but I want to know what real, tried and true, bad ass mothers put in their bags.
     
  2. CoolWife

    CoolWife Chicken

    My wallet and keys.

    Lol I got admitted with my handbag and survived.

    Sent husband home for a non-structured bra, cetaphil cream, lip balm, and the tablet. And one decent pillow.
     
    CJ, user63 and ThatOneGirl like this.
  3. ThatOneGirl

    ThatOneGirl Dear Diary

    See, that makes me feel a lot more at ease about packing. I knew I wouldn't need a whole luggage-set but also didn't want to forget something that might be necessary.
     
  4. CoolWife

    CoolWife Chicken

    He got super annoyed by all the stuff I had by the time I got discharged, but I was giving him things to find just to give him a reason to leave and something to *do* for the most part. I appreciated having my own clothes and toiletries, especially lotion. Hospital air is so dry.
     
    Fitz likes this.
  5. Comet

    Comet Instigator

    Haven't done this yet, but snacks. Always pack snacks. For everything.
     
    Honey, user63 and user4350 like this.
  6. ThatOneGirl

    ThatOneGirl Dear Diary

    I'm still a while out (unless we get a surprise) so I've been throwing in things I won't need until the delivery bit by bit.

    Snacks are a good one! I may wait until closer to add those after I do a Costco run.
     
  7. user4350

    user4350 Chicken

    I second, third and fourth this. And a water bottle to refill.
     
    user63 and ThatOneGirl like this.
  8. user5076

    user5076 Chicken

    Don’t forget a phone charger.
     
    ThatOneGirl likes this.
  9. megatron

    megatron Wordsmith Staff Member

    I packed a lot that I didn’t need. I wore the hospital gowns so really didn’t need any clothes until I left. Maybe pack one pair. Toothbrush and paste, comb, face wash, lip balm. Hospital gave me shampoo and body wash. Depends (yes, seriously, for when your mesh undies get ruined). Slippers/flip flops. Phone and charging cords. Something to do for long labour (cards, book, tablet, etc). Snacks.

    Baby stuff: two sizes of outfits - NB and 0-3, swaddle blanket, socks or mitts for hands, some diapers/wipes/cream. Hat. Car seat. Blanket. Your nursing pillow.
     
    ThatOneGirl and user4350 like this.
  10. nym711

    nym711 THIS IS MY LIFE NOW

    Snacks, chargers, lip balm, a brush and hair bands, lotion and moisturizer, and I found that a power strip really helped.

    If you're in the hospital for a while afterwards, comfy PJs. For babies, lots of NB to 0-3 month clothes like sleep and plays, hats (babies get cold). I got a set like this that I really liked for the hospital and beyond for the baby.
     
  11. antisocialite

    antisocialite Chicken

    Phone charger, book or Kindle, nursing bra, something comfy when you are over the gown (I wore black yoga pants), glasses/contacts if you wear them, comb/brush, going home outfits,and snacks. They'll feed you but not your husband! And the hours were wierd in our hospital too for meals.
    Hospital provides formula if needed, breast pump and parts, basic toiletries, diapers and baby stuff. We didn't need anything but his car seat and going home outfit. Don't bring an outfit that snaps all the way home or you'll get in a fight about how snaps work. Zipper4ever!
     
    ThatOneGirl likes this.
  12. user63

    user63 Chicken

    So with S (baby number 1 lols), I had a bag packed with WAY more than I needed. I wasn't expecting to get admitted to the hospital right after my regularly scheduled dr appointment (I was having contractions all weekend, but I was still walking and talking) so I didn't have my bag with me since we use public transit. J brought me my bag the next day, but I still barely used anything in it. The second time around, I packed much smarter.

    • Manual breast pump. The hospital has electric pumps you can rent, but sometimes they don't get it to you as soon as you'd like. (and only in the even that breastfeeding isn't going well.)
    • Water bottle. It's hard to drink out of a cup in a reclined hospital bed sometimes. And the little foam cups suck anyway.
    • I liked having a thin silky robe, but didn't want my own PJs. I wore the hospital gown the whole time. It's easy to breastfeed in and easy to change when it gets messy.
    • Charger for my phone. Didn't bring my laptop. Didn't regret it. The 1st time I brought it but didn't use it.
    • Baby wipes- the hospitals I went to just had the dry cloths that you have to wet yourself with water. It was just easier to have wipes.
    • Snacks- who knows what time you'll give birth, and then you'll be STARVING. D came at like 4am so I was super grateful to have some poptarts stashed in my bag.
    • Maybe headphones? Hospitals are noisy. I definitely tried putting in my headphones with some music off my phone to try to get some rest/drown out hospital noises when I was in labor.
    • Slippers or flip flops maybe? But they also give you those hospital socks with the non slip soles.
    • Going home clothes for you and for baby. Your clothes should still be maternity clothes. Heck, they can possibly just be the clothes you wore when you got there if they're not dirty lol I was induced for #2 so I was freshly showered and in clean clothes when I got there. For baby clothes, you might want to bring newborn size and 0-3mos size.
    • If you have the space in your car, pillows might be handy. Hospital pillows SUCK.
    • An empty tote/duffle bag to fill with hospital "goodies"- mesh underwear, pads, diapers, etc.

    That's about it really. I didn't bring toiletries because the hospital provided them, including a toothbrush. They weren't as good as my own obviously, but for just a couple days I managed. If, Jeff Goldblum forbid, something happens and you need to be there longer, the rooster can always go back for it later. Same for baby clothes. They provide little kimono tops for babies, and the swaddle blankets (don't forget to steal some of those too- I forgot with S!). You can bring your own baby clothes if you want, but they undress the baby fairly often so you may not want to bother with it.

    OH! and your baby book if you have one- they might be able to help you get the ink hand and foot prints for the baby book. Plus filling it out gave me something to do.

    Mostly, when you go on your hospital tour, ask them what they provide/what they suggest you bring and it gives you a pretty good idea.
     
    ThatOneGirl likes this.
  13. user4917

    user4917 Chicken

    I would pack as little as possible. You’ll already have so much to drag out to the car after you raid the room. I’d say for essentials: going home outfits for you and baby, lip balm, glasses/contacts, shower stuff and shower shoes, phone charger, toothbrush, baby book if you have one (the nurses will stamp baby’s footprints in it for you). I honestly didn’t need anything else! Hospital provided what snacks I was allowed, I was totally fine wearing the hospital gowns, I needed no entertainment beyond the tv in my room.

    For when you get home, my #1 essential has been a Babyfrida and a bottle of witch hazel. I know the hospital will send you home with a squirt bottle but this thing is soooo much easier to use. Next time around I’d buy another one, so one could live in my shower and one near the toilet.
     
  14. MagnificentCat

    MagnificentCat Chicken

    What’s the witch hazel for?
     
  15. ThatOneGirl

    ThatOneGirl Dear Diary

    Soothing things downstairs after baby's grand debut.
     
    hallokween, nym711 and MagnificentCat like this.
  16. nym711

    nym711 THIS IS MY LIFE NOW

    My hospital did not provide toiletries.
     
  17. user4917

    user4917 Chicken

    Definitely this. My hospital provided me with tons of stuff I might have otherwise packed - a huge water cup (N wouldn’t let me take that home and I still miss it... thing was like a pitcher lol), clothes for the baby to wear in the hospital (just basic kimono tops but I did not care), diapers, wipes, pacifiers, saline for baby’s nose, a manual breast pump, a nipple shield, lanolin. We got probably 6 baby hats too - a knitted one that we love, a cute pink one that says Future Member of UCONN Nation on it, and at least 4 of the standard pink and blue striped ones, because every time one fell off her head and landed on the floor the nurses got her a new one and I pocketed the contaminated one lol. I did bring mittens for her hands which the nurses all thought were adorable but she was so sleepy this first few days - and usually swaddled - I’m not sure we really needed them yet.

    If you’re not particular about what you use for a few days, my hospital did also provide shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrush, toothpaste and mouthwash.

    I also got a bunch of things I had already needlessly purchased, like a couple of baby snot suckers, and breast shells for my nipples.

    I brought my Boppy but never bothered to get it from the car. I just inclined my hospital bed and wedged a regular pillow where needed. I love the Boppy now that I’m home but I don’t think it was necessary in the hospital. I way overpacked in general, don’t be me! Clothes I couldn’t be bothered to wear, makeup (lol no), books to read, headphones, the Boppy, an exercise ball (the hospital had these too), my own bath towel, snacks.
     
    ThatOneGirl likes this.
  18. user4917

    user4917 Chicken

    Yes! Fill the bottle most of the way with lukewarm water, then add a couple tablespoons or so of witch hazel. Then every time you pee, you spray yourself down to clean up, and just gently pat dry with toilet paper. And you can also use it in the shower.

    I also love the Tucks pads... I packed those just in case but the hospital gave me some too. I’d stick a few in my underwear and (no shame) between my butt cheeks and they were so damn soothing on both my swollen skin and the hemorrhoids.
     
    ThatOneGirl likes this.
  19. user4917

    user4917 Chicken

    UCONN did! They do them for you on a little card regardless but will also stamp your book. They even reminded us to bring baby books during the hospital tour. L wasn’t feeling the handprints and we still haven’t done those (oops) but the nurses got perfect footprints in her book (which N promptly smudged, grrr).
     
  20. MagnificentCat

    MagnificentCat Chicken

    And how long roughly before I can resume my normal toilet wiping routine? (She asks with growing horror as she wonders what has she done.)
     
  21. nym711

    nym711 THIS IS MY LIFE NOW

    You could get the baby cut out of your mid-section and not have to worry about it!
     
    hallokween, CJ and CoolWife like this.
  22. MagnificentCat

    MagnificentCat Chicken

    Let’s assume normal case scenario before I start on my contingency plans.
     
  23. user4917

    user4917 Chicken

    *whispers* I’m still using the bottle.

    But I also just really like it? I am so not a pad person so bleeding but not being able to use tampons is killing me... using the bottle every time I use the bathroom makes me feel cleaner.
     
    CJ likes this.
  24. ThatOneGirl

    ThatOneGirl Dear Diary

    Speaking of cutting the baby out of your mid-section! What did you wear home/during recovery with a c-section? There are whispers of a possible c-section in my future and I want to be sure my going home clothes don't irritate anything.
     
  25. user4917

    user4917 Chicken

    No Jonathan unfortunately!