Are You Ready for the Hospital? What You’ll Need.
You’ve planned and prepared everything for your home for when the little man or miss arrives, but what about while you’re at the hospital for labor, delivery, and recovery?
Pinterest was my go-to when planning what to pack in my hospital bag. I wanted to be prepared for the excursion where all my things weren’t.
I ended up being over-prepared. It’s kind of my go-to move. I tend to overpack, over-prepare, overdo.
But the nice thing is, is that you get to learn from my crazy over-preparedness and not go that route (when it isn’t necessary).
Sometimes you need that extra pair of yoga pants that you don’t wear that often. They fit slightly differently than the other 2 pairs you already packed and you might just be feeling them that day.
But you definitely didn’t need the 3 curling irons and flat iron for your hiking trip for that one night out to dinner. You ended up wearing your hair up anyways, like you usually do.
It’s all about balance and sometimes a little rationality. See, I knew you were feelin’ me!
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Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. The information in this post is for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice in any way. I am not liable for any damages resulting from using the information in this article. Please consult a doctor for your medical advice.
The Checklist
The Bag
– You’ll want a bag that is small enough that you’re not rolling up into the hospital with a suitcase, but big enough to hold most of your things.
– This is the one I found that had all the pockets and compartments I wanted, was comfortable to carry, side handles, an adjustable strap, and a open strap on the side for sliding over the handle of my suitcase (didn’t use this feature for the hospital trip, but I did for several trips after). It was the perfect size.
Diaper Bag
– Bring all of the baby’s things in their own bag, so everything stays separate and organized.
Pajamas
– If you don’t already have a pair like this, you should get yourself some.
– You’ll mostly be wearing the hospital gown the first day into the second, but that next day you’re going to want to shower and have comfy pajamas that are easy to breastfeed from (if you’re going that route)
Nursing Bras
– I love these bras! They double as pumping bras as well. I lived in these for the majority of my first year postpartum.
Toiletries
– Load your toiletries tote up with all your overnight goodies and basic grooming tools. Here’s a good tote for all your things, if you don’t have one.
Hair Ties or Clips
– You’ll want to keep your hair out of your face or off your neck. It gets hot with fluctuating hormones.
Pillows from home
– My bed is my happy place. I make it as comfortable as possible, which includes 3 sets of pillows, each with a different firmness/filling.
– I brought the firmer ones to the hospital. They helped to support me and baby better than the hospital ones and helped me sleep better too (in those limited windows of rest)
Extra Long Charger
– The plugins at the hospital are farther from the bed than your typical nightstand. You’ll need a long charger.
– You don’t want to be taking all the pictures of your beautiful new baby and have your phone die!
A Big, Soft Towel
– The ones at the hospital are not the softest or that big. I would recommend bringing your own.
– The ones I had at home weren’t even wrapping around me towards the end, so I bought a couple of super soft and oversized bath towels from Marshall’s.
Shower Shoes
– I found a cheap pair like these. I knew there wasn’t a good chance that I’d use them again, but I wanted to be safe instead of sorry. These ones are actually kind of cute though.
Yoga Ball
– A yoga ball is a great way to prep for labor, use during labor, and for bouncing baby after. I also work remotely from home on most days.
– There are several out there for you to choose from. I have this one, which has been great.
Slippers
– I got this pair for the hospital and still wear them all the time they are so comfy and I can even wear them outdoors if I need/want to.
Comfy clothes for the trip home
– Pack some loose-fitting yoga pants/sweat pants and a loose-fitting shirt (long or short-sleeved depending on the weather) or if you’re a midwestern like me you’ll grab both, we layer.
– Slip-on shoes (or just use the slippers, no judgment here)
Outfits for baby
– They will have long-sleeved onesies for baby and swaddle blankets to keep them nice and warm, but you can bring some of the cute new outfits to dress baby in.
– You’ll probably have a general size of how big baby will be a couple weeks before they’re born, but you may want to bring multiple sizes (newborn and 0-3 months) just in case.
– You’ll also want to have a cute outfit picked out to bring baby home in.
Diapers
– The hospital will provide newborn-size diapers and may have size one (but not always) and if you have a close to 10lb baby like me, you’ll need those size ones.
Snacks
– The hospital should have a pantry with some drinks and snacks, but if there are ones that you prefer, I’d bring those with. Having a baby is hard work and you’ll get hungry.
Playlist & Speaker
– If you want music, you’ll want to prep a playlist and bring a small speaker or use your phone speaker.
Other Things You’ll Need
ID Cards & Paperwork
– Your Drivers License, insurance card, short-term disability provider card, paperwork for hospital
Baby Car Seat
– Figure out who’s picking you up and whether they are taking your car or theirs. You’ll want to plan ahead and install the base of the car seat in that car.
– You’ll have them bring the car seat up once you and baby have been cleared to be discharged. (If you are still looking for a car seat, check out my post The Realistic Baby Registry: Things You’ll Need (And Actually Use) which has a great car seat on there, and a car seat/stroller combo!)
– The hospital will inspect baby in the car seat to make sure they are safe and secure before you are both wheeled down to the pickup area.
– Don’t forget to grab that car seat cover just in case.
Hospital Rules & Birth Plan
– You’ll want to put together a list of things you want your potential visitors to know and make sure your nurses/pregnancy partner (if you have one) is familiar with the list
– Same goes for your birth plan. This should be an outline of how you would like things to go for the birth, but keep in mind that this should be a general outline. There may be things that are very important to you and you should make those known, but also be ready to pivot from your plan in case of extenuating circumstances.
You should be all ready for the hospital now. Well, at least you’re armed with the tools you’ll need. Happy birthing!
Cheers, Warriors!
I hope you enjoyed reading this post and found it entertaining, educational, inspiring—hopefully, all three. Please be sure to leave any comments or questions you have in the Comments section below.
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