I know, I know. There are a zillion of these packing lists out there, but I just had to add my own! So many of the lists are so repetitive, vague, obvious or just plain overkill, and when I was packing my hospital bag it became overwhelming reading countless blogs on what to take. I needed to find a balance between being WAY over-prepared and only bringing the bare minimum. I am a total list maker, early packer and over packer, but I was able to restrain myself and ended up with everything I needed plus only a few extras I never touched.
Obviously what you need while in the hospital depends on several factors including the type of delivery you are having and, most importantly, what your particular hospital provides for you. Many things seem to be pretty standard, but every hospital is different. If there is something specific you are wondering about, a great time to ask is during your childbirth classes at the hospital. I guarantee every other couple woman in there is wanting to ask the same question. We got super lucky..the hospital we delivered at gave us everything imaginable..and more. Seriously...they even sent us home with a badass baby bathtub. It looked like we had had another baby shower when we loaded up the car and left. Maybe they just felt sorry for us...ha! I was looking pretty rough by going-home day. Anyway...here is what I couldn't have lived without in my hospital bag (not including items for baby). This obviously wasn't everything in my bag (..toiletries, etc), but these were my favorites/couldn't live withouts.
(starting at top left)
- Slippers (preferably boot slippers) - These were the exact slippers I wore in the hospital (and every single day afterward for months..still wearing). Trent was in the NICU for several days, so these were great to have for all those trips back and forth down the hallway. They still half resembled real 'shoes' more than house shoes, but they were lighter and comfier than Uggs. I hardly took them off...even slept in them. Slipper boots are a must for any hospital stay in the future.
- Nursing Cami - I know I said I hated the nursing camis, but they were actually great for while I was in the hospital. They have the little built-in shelf bra so you don't have to wear any sort of actual bra...which is a nice little taste of comfort in the middle of so much discomfort. Plus it is way more convenient when you have the lactation consultant asking you to whip out your boob every 15 minutes. I would recommend a darker pattern and/or black to disguise the inevitable leaking...not to mention those extra 15 pounds that didn't go away the moment you delivered. Damn. Yes, lots of black..
- Nursing Pads - Just make sure with the no-bra-only-cami route you bring some disposable nursing pads. Having two giant wet marks/stains on your cami right when all your visitors arrive is so not cute and just makes everyone feel awkward. Trust me.
- Robe - I have never been a big robe wearer, but I took everyone's advice and bought a robe for the hospital stay...and I owe everyone big time. I think this is probably my "top must-have" hospital bag item. Just make sure it is long enough to cover your bum..because you will basically be wearing a giant diaper and ice pack in your pants...and again, no one wants to see that. I would have felt SO self-conscious walking down the hallway and especially seeing visitors without it. I wish they still sold the one I got..it was so cute. Anyway this is your chance to get a fun print/color to break up all that black ;) I love these robes from Target. They are super soft and very light..great for all the crazy hot flashes and night sweats!
- BIG Pajama Set - This set of PJ's was perfect for the hospital stay. I got a size up from what I usually wear (pre-pregnancy) to make sure they would still have plenty of room after delivery. Anything tight is about the last thing I wanted to wear. The waistband is really thin, loose elastic so there is nothing constricting you. Like the robe, they are nice, soft and light. I loved that it came with the button down shirt, because I could wear it on its own and have easy pumping/feeding access with the buttons, wear it as kind of a 'jacket' over one of the camis or not wear it at all when it got hot. Because of the hot flashes, many people recommend shorts/capri PJs for the hospital, but shaving my legs was my absolute last priority..so these pants are a great compromise. Again..go for the black. You'll thank me.
- Flip Flops - This one is up for debate. I actually didn't bring them and thought everyone was just being a little too prepared, but this was one item I wish I had had. I'm sure the showers are clean enough, and our hospital was super nice and everything...but there was just something about that shower floor (and knowing what had probably been on it) that creeped me out. A cheap-o pair of plastic flip flops would have made me feel worlds better.
- Head Band - I brought my hair dryer and some hair products, but actually fixing my hair fell really low on the priority list once I was there. I was so dead tired, and standing up for 30 minutes to dry/do my hair was just not happening. Of course my hair is a total mess if I let it dry naturally though, so I just half-dried it and then put it up in a head band to still look like I made some sort of effort. Also good for those days I just didn't dry it at all. (p.s...you can still enter to win one of these awesome ones here).
- Pillow and Blanket - These were also something I was so glad I decided to go ahead and bring. I kind of thought I wouldn't use them at all. I am not very picky about pillows, and our hospital pillows/blankets were just fine, but there was something about having my own pillow and blanket from home that was just so comforting. It is such an emotional, tiring and physically uncomfortable couple of days, and having a few familiar things to snuggle up in really made a difference...especially since you have to sleep in the hospital bed all alone. Boo! And these "Thro" blankets are the shit. SO crazy soft and so many awesome prints. They always have them at TJ Maxx for cheap, too. I got mine shortly before Halloween last year and it has sugar skulls on it, and I couldn't be more in love.
Again...there are so many other things for the hospital stay as far as toiletries, items for baby, etc...but these are the must haves. Look out for my hospital bag must haves for baby post coming soon! Now it is time to kick back, relax and enjoy the rest of the weekend/Cinco de Mayo on the new patio. Adios!
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