Sorry for the late post this morning guys! I had great ambitions to post early this morning but then my body decided to start having Braxton Hicks and it’s thrown off my whole day… I did think it was a bit ironic though considering Braxton Hicks is your body prepping for labor and I just finished packing our hospital bags yesterday (well, most of it anyway).
Aaron and I are both pretty simple, so we just packed what the packet from our hospital recommended (clothes + toiletries) along with a few extra things that were recommended to us by friends. I’m also keeping our camera (+batteries), polaroid camera (+film), laptops & Ipads handy. And our pillows (because they’re super comfortable and I don’t want to deal with crappy hospital pillows haha). I packed Rylie’s bag a couple days prior and even though I feel like I’m forgetting something, I know I packed all the right things ~ a couple onesies (different sizes in case she turns out to be chunkier then a “normal newborn”), hats, socks, blankets, a couple pacifiers, a couple diapers for the way home, & a couple other things. Oh, and the boppy.
I know my list sounds pretty minimal, but I promise I packed some other necessities that I just haven’t decided to list – like post-partum things.
How did I know what to pack?
Well, at my very first appointment, my hospital gave me a packet and in it was a list of what to bring to the hospital. Between that, Pinterest, & a few friends, I think I got everything we need.
About a week ago, I asked some friends on Facebook what they recommended I pack in our hospital bag. Although most of it I had already planned on packing, there were a few things that stood out to me that I wanted to share with you guys –
“Your own towels for a shower- the ones at the hospital are so flimsy and tiny! Slippers or warm socks- it gets pretty cold in the hospital! Cute robe for pictures with your little one… snacks for the hospital room for you and the hubs!” -Jessica
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“Phone charger! And snacks, definitely.” -Amber
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“Chapstick and moisturizer!!! No one told me this but hospitals and chilly and after giving birth you NEED the chapstick!” -Robin
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“Take your favorite pillow! The hospital pillows suck!! Definitely take snacks! I woke up starving in the middle of the night after giving birth to my daughter!!” -Brandy
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“I would suggest pack as minimally as possible. Comfort items are good in moderation. We packed a few outfits mostly sleepers and a going home outfit. I packed sweatpants and t-shirts. And a sweatshirt because I was always freezing. Socks are also a must and some slip on flip flops if you feel like walking to the cafeteria or around. A couple bows or a blanket or outfit for hospital pictures and lip balm, a candy or tic tacs are so much better than ice chips.” -Leiza
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“Don’t believe the books that say bring the clothes that fit you when you were around 3-4 months because that’s a lie!! lol!! Take the clothes that fit you now!” -Tera
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“Comfortable, loose clothes are my best recommendation. And whatever snacks you think you’ll crave after delivery! They don’t let you eat during labor, so gum is a good idea. Oh, and a comfy nursing bra will probably be helpful.” -Erica
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“An extra empty bag to put all the preemie diapers, wipes etc they give you in.” -Amanda
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“Lanolin was a lifesaver for me during the days at the hospital with breastfeeding.” -Emily
Packing our hospital bags is something I definitely feel like I might do differently the 2nd time around, but for now, I’m feeling pretty confident I got the right things in there.