Guys! I am back! Last week we took a much needed break and now we are back as a family of seven and I am soooo grateful for a healthy and happy little girl in the house! Can you even?! I mean….I am a boy mom with a GIRL!?! How did this even happen?! Don’t answer that. I was there. I know how it happened 🙂
The great thing is that having a newborn with a crazy wonderful birth story (I can’t even wait to share it!) and a little bit of a tumultuous recovery (whoa…I thought I knew what to expect!)…well…it is forcing me to sit down a lot and now I can share all these posts I’ve planned. It’s gonna be a jam packed week….and I am excited to share it all!
That being said – I wanted to jump right back on the bandwagon with a post all about the necessary things for your hospital bag. I have done this five times now….packing the bag….and all five times, I’ve had plenty of time to plan out the items I was taking with me to the delivery. So for all you fellow hospital-delivering-mama’s here is my take on what is necessary for putting in your tote before heading to the stork center 🙂
Birth items
Camera – You guys…this is numero uno. If you bring nothing else, bring your camera. You will want to have memories of your little one’s first day in the world! Remember to make a list of things to capture – the clock in the room the moment your son or daughter is born, the doctor who delivered them, the sweet expressions of visitors and a couple shots of the baby so fresh and new! They change daily so make sure to capture everything you can.
Low Light Lens – my favorite lens for low light is the nifty fifty….it is completely affordable and with a small amount of practice, you can capture some really great shots even in dimly lit hospital rooms.
Extra battery – Duh.
Flip flops – The hospital should provide you with a gown and socks – but I hate hate hate the socks. I always ask if I can wear shoes or flip flops instead….they let my swollen feet feel more comfortable in bed (um no thank you to socks under covers) and while I am walking the baby out.
Hospital gown – you can totally just wear the hospital gown provided to you. I have….four out of five times. The one time I brought my own, it was so special. This time with Ella I forgot my new one at home (in my defense, I had it in the bag and took it out to try it on. FASHION SHOW!) but this is the one I had. Believe me…with all the pictures you will take in this thing…you will want a pretty top on 🙂
Face wipes & lotion & other toiletries – Labor and delivery can take a long time….in fact, you might be in there for over 24 hours before ANYTHING happens. So while you wait on little one’s arrival, make sure you have the things that can distract you and make you feel semi human.
Post Delivery Items
Bed blanket – After delivery, you spend about 24-48 hours on average in the hospital. It might seem nuts but having a pretty and soft blanket on your bed will make a huge difference. It acts as a backdrop for photos of little one and it smells less ‘sterile’ than the hospital provided ones….which are usually a thinner weave that is anything but plush.
Lanolin – Girls. If you are at all planning on breastfeeding, don’t wait on the hospital to give you Lanolin….just buy a tube and bring it and use it from the git-go. I call it Boob Crisco….and yes, everything is still gonna hurt….but this makes it hurt just a little less.
Black stretchy pants – I don’t know who wears the white jeans the day after giving birth….that sounds like a tragedy waiting to happen. Get some black stretchy maternity pants….like a cotton yoga type pant with lots of forgiveness. These will be your best friend.
Robe – Your hospital gown will take a beating. If it comes out unscathed you are a chosen one. But seriously…there will come a moment when you won’t want to wear the hospital gown. That’s when it’s time for the stretchy pants and robe combo. Get one that is plush with pockets and is not too long (you don’t want it to get caught or all a twist as you get in and out of bed).
Warm socks – Since you don’t have thermostat control in your hospital room (at least we never did!), it’s always smart to have several layers and bring some warm socks just in case!
Snack – Right after giving birth, you will probably be super hungry. You can totally eat vending machine food or hospital cafeteria food…but a handy snack is priceless….especially if labor was long. In the past I have packed a piece of fruit, a granola bar, even sugar cookies (ok ok maybe those are in my purse even when I’m not going to the hospital).
Nursing friendly tops – I love love love my nursing tops that are extra long…especially in the hospital where it seems like the last thing you feel is human and the last thing you want to worry about is flashing your father in law a full set of raw nips. This year I brought this one with me.
Comfortable nursing bra – I gotta tell you….I’ve been through them all. All the bras. My favorite is the stretchy, thin, nursing bra with no underwire, a little upper back support and it is ridiculously comfortable.
Baby Items
Swaddles – The hospital does provide swaddles….and I know some moms swear that they love them. Since they are thick and smaller in size, there is a bit of learning curve with them. The bigger muslin swaddles are my favorite and I get pictures of the little one in her hospital swaddle and in our own. I even bring extras for covering the hospital pad in the bassinet.
Jammies – In most cases, your little one will be diapered and put in a little white shirt but my babies are so big that it looks like a crop top 🙂 So to avoid the baby looking like it is going to Coachella, I always bring jammies for the little one to wear. It’s not a bad idea to bring footless ones too in case your baby has to have foot pricks for jaundice or sugar testing. This time I got Ella some monogramed ones that I am pretty obsessed with.
Boppy – Of course! It helps too in case you have siblings that want to hold their new baby sister or brother 🙂
Going home outfit – Make sure you bring a coming home outfit for your new little bundle of joy. I always pick jammies over a gown because the carseat may not buckle correctly and keep their tiny legs covered. This is a moment we always take photos of and I made it a tradition to have the boys all wear the same coming-home outfit.
Going home items
Carseat – This is a no brainer. New moms…they won’t let you leave the hospital without a carseat. Keep that in mind. We love the one pictured above and we are on our third one! It is our favorite because most strollers are compatible with it and also it is more narrow so other carseats or boosters can fit on the same row. And yes, we have FIVE kids in carseats or boosters so we know the struggle.
Diaper bag – Go ahead and start from the get-go having a stocked diaper bag in the car. We have a long ride home from the hospital and we have been known to make stops along the way (picking up the kids at moms house, picking up a prescription from the doctor, etc.) so you may need to feed the little one or change a wet diaper.
Blanket – a little plush baby blanket (one that is warmer than a swaddle) is never bad to have in the car. We received this one and love it!
Don’t forget to bring your license and insurance card and all your necessary paperwork too. You will also be sent home with a bunch of papers for the newborn and yourself so make sure you have a spot to keep those safe. I always say that the basic rule is – if you think you may want it….throw it in the back of the car. You don’t have to bring it in….and when I say you, I totally mean your partner in crime 🙂 The point is – you may want it, you may not. For our first, we brought a song list and mini speakers to play for the delivery….after that? nope. but we had it in the car just in case. And for those of you that are needing some post-pregnancy must-haves, I wrote this old post about what I loved after my first. Maybe I should do an updated version of that now that we have five kiddos under our belt 🙂 Happy packing y’all!
A towel! Not sure about there but where I am, the hospital towels are sooo small and rough. Having my own towel was so amazing when I finally got to shower.
They let you stay 48 hours in the hospital? Nice! In Ontario we get kicked out same day if there are no complications or c-section concerns. I had a c and was able to stay 48 hours.
It’s all based on the insurance here…so whatever your insurance policy covers. We had the baby Sunday morning and left Monday night.
xo – kb
Where did you get your cute hospital bag? The striped one? I like the leather bottom! These are all wonderful! My babies were chunkers too 🙂
I love your striped bag that you used to hold all these things! Where did you get it and what else do you like to use it for?
5 kids in car seats… What do you drive? 🙂 we are having #5 in Dec and will have 4 in car seats. I’m looking at 10 to 12 seat passenger vans….
Always Infinity Flex foam pads!! Holy Grail status….because we all know we’re using them for quite some time once we get home. Super thin, work great, and you don’t feel them.
I’m sure it’s been covered before, but you mention nursing bras. Do you have a favorite– the comment regarding upper back support has my interest piqued!
Love your list! I’m due in 7 weeks with our 1st and I’m starting to realize I have nothing prepared! I’m reveling in reading well seasoned moms advise what I should really be packing!
I am not picky later on when it comes to nursing bras but when I give birth, comfort is more important to me than results. That’s why I would recommend the one that is linked. My sister bought two and gave them to me and I love them!
xo – kb
A Suburban! We have two in the very back and then three across the middle.
xo – kb
It’s from Target! It’s from last year but sometimes I still see it 🙂
xo – kb
It’s from Target but I bought it last year 🙂
xo – kb
Congratulations to everyone! What a beautiful baby girl. Enjoy! I don’t know how you do it all. You amaze me.
Congratulations, Bowers! Wishing you lots of baby snuggles and sweet moments as you recover. I was induced and ended up with a c-section with my first. My husband was not prepared for that extended stay (no razor or underwear). With my second, we knew it could end up in a c-section (which it did), but his mantra was, “I can just run home.” We had planned for him to go home each evening to spend time with our daughter. But then the baby ended up in the NICU and our daughter got a stomach bug (so I wanted him to limit his time around her). It was almost comical how nothing went as we had planned. Just a reminder that ANYthing can happen and you can’t count on your plans working out. (He ended up catching the stomach bug and spend most of his paternity leave sick in bed. )
After my first I vowed I’d never again rely on single ply, minimally absorbent hospital toilet paper, so always packed super soft, cushy TP and never regretted it. Similarly, I packed my favorite diaper wipes so we had options other than scratchy washclothes for the diaper changes. And yes, I’m apparently very concerned with everyone’s potty comfort!
hahahaha!
xo – kb
I packed a “nice” outfit for myself for going home. This meant maternity leggings and a cotton dress. But there was something so refreshing about showering, drying my hair, and putting on real clothes.
Also, we brought food- snacks and fresh fruit for our stay.
People told me I would never use everything I brought. They were right, but I don’t regret bringing the small carry-on suitcase. At least I felt like I had something if I did need it. Better to be over prepared in my opinion.
I used nothing but my nursing bra! Also, my twins had to unexpectedly go to the NICU and so I had to pump. Pack a pumping bra!
I highly recommend bringing an extension cord, so you can charge your devices while lying in bed. Hugely helpful!
Shampoo & conditioner. I didn’t know the hospital didn’t provide them, so I didn’t bring them with my 1st and had to ask friends stop at Walgreens for me on their way to visit!