What’s in my hospital bag?
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For baby #1, I had a slight idea of what to pack for delivery and our stay in Mom’s and Babies. Unfortunately, some of the items I needed I was also using in my daily life; as a homebody I was planning on being home when I went into labor.
Because my daughter was originally due on my husband’s birthday, we agreed to have his birthday dinner celebration at his mother’s, four days before the big day. As soon as we pulled into her driveway (30 minutes away), my first contraction hit. My water broke an hour and a half later, and then we went directly to the hospital. Some of the clothes I had planned on wearing were in the basket on the couch, waiting to be added to the bag. So I just want to say, have a second set of items and leave that bag in your car at least 3 weeks before your due date!
Anyways, back to the list:
White Noise/Sound Machine - At Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Moms & Babies is located near/under the helicopter landing pad. Aside from the sounds of the helicopter, there is always noise in the hallway. Nurses changing shift, physicians checking in, housekeeping closets being right outside the room, the sound of the alarm if a baby is walked too closely to the door, and of course, the sounds of newborn babies. We only had the portable machine you clip on the carrier, and it only lasted 30 minutes at a time. I would absolutely recommend a regular sound machine with batteries already installed.
Tommee Tippee Glow-in-the-Dark pacifiers - Not everyone uses pacifiers, and that is perfectly fine! My milk did not come in until 5 days postpartum, and I never grew comfortable with nursing, so we leaned on the pacifier until about age 1. I recommend this particular style and brand because it is nipple-shaped, which was similar to the bottles we were already using, and because of the glow-in-the-dark feature! When my newborn would wake up crying because the paci had fallen out, it was easy to locate it in her bassinet and pop it right back in.
Perineal Care - Most postpartum wards will load you up with the diaper-like panties and pads, peri squirt bottle, and wipes. I like this pack because it also includes gel cooling pads!
Travel pillow for your support person - the chairs that convert to a bed in the Moms and Babies room is NOT comfortable, and hospital pillows are flat. I say, if you want to go all out and bring a sleeping bag/mat or your own pillows - do it. But at the very least, bring a travel neck pillow.
Sleep mask and ear plugs - Again, the hospital is not a quiet place, and the blinds are not made to black out the room. If you need absolute darkness to sleep, your best bet is to bring a mask. I also recommend ear plugs if your support person is a snorer, like mine. I prefer wax ear plugs, but everyone is different!
Colostrum collector - some women may produce colostrum before the baby comes, or right away. Some not all, I was not this lucky. However, having the vials ready to collect in the event it does come in is a huge help when feeding your newborn, especially if you do not plan on supplementing with formula. You can put them in a ziplock bag and freeze (make sure to date when collected), and give to staff to keep cooled until baby is ready for them.
Nipple Cream and Pads - I know for a fact that Memorial Hospital has packets of lanolin on their PEDS floor, so you could just ask for some from your nurse instead of bringing your own. But this is the brand I recommend, I believe they use Medela for both cream and the hand pump Lactation Consultants give you. I personally liked having the jar. I definitely recommend the pads for leaks and general discomfort between your shirt or bra material and sensitive nipples. I also have reusable pads I like to use, but I feel like bringing disposables to the hospital is a better move (one less thing to wash or keep track of).
Swaddles - Save the cute coming home outfit for right before you leave or plan to take pictures, because that baby is probably going to puke all over it! But swaddles - make sure you bring several. We could never figure out how to swaddle our baby with just the blanket, she was also fairly strong and determined to break her arms out of them every time, startling and waking herself. We loved these swaddles that zipped up so that we could keep her arms secure but still change the diaper when needed. I also recommend Halo sleep sacks. Swaddling with a pacifier ended up being the cheat code to getting our baby to sleep.
Snacks - the problem with giving birth after 7pm is that the cafeteria closes down, and the only option for food is turkey sandwiches with chips and a cookie. We also found that we had to wait for food to be brought during certain hours (when ordering from the cafeteria) and the vouchers for you and your support person were limited in what you could order. I didn’t want Christian leaving my side even to go get food in town, and at the time there were not a lot of Doordash offerings (although there are now). I would definitely recommend packing some snacks to get you through - having a baby made me ravenous, and so will breastfeeding! Rice Krispy treats, protein bars, jerky, basically things that will fill you without needing refrigeration.
Other Essentials - you’ll find examples of these on the list, but my essentials everyone needs are as follows: weekender bag, sweat suit (layers are important as your hormones will cause your temperature to fluctuate), a top that is nursing-friendly (if you choose to breastfeed), electrolyte powder (you will receive the big plastic cup and whatever juice you want, constant water, but for me I love a bit of flavor in my water and love using the Amazon brand electrolyte mixes), travel-sized bottles of your shower products…don’t forget this one! Yes, they have toiletries but you are going to want YOUR products for that first shower after. I advise bringing a body scrub, brush, face wash, your own toothpaste, cleanser, and lotions. Bring multiple outfits for yourself in case you bleed through, leak, or find vomit on yourself (and you probably will). Other essentials include a phone charger with cord & box, and anything you want for photos, like name signs.
