What's in that BAG!?

THE HOSPITAL BAG

It's like this super exhilarating right of passage to pack your hospital bag for your first baby- especially for me. I love making lists and having a reason to shop- so you can only image how my true self (admittedly a little high maintenance) has a little bit of an inner conflict with my nurse educated and experienced mother self when it comes to "what really belongs in THE BAG"

So here is a peak at what I would call my ideal hospital bag, and it closely represents what I packed for my second child. We will not even address my first ever hospital bag with my oldest because it was just ridiculous, I think I brought everything but the kitchen sink, and the only reason I left that out was because I was on bedrest for the last two weeks of that pregnancy otherwise I probably would have tried to make it happen! Also keep in mind, all your clothing items can be kept safe and secure in your bag until after baby is out! The hospital will provide you with all the things you will need during labor- lets face it birth while beautiful is dirty, sweaty, bloody business, you don't need to expose your pretty little things to that.

How cute are Miss O's chubby little hands?!

Right to Left

*Slip on shoes

Ladies if you are new to pregnancy and not in the final stretch let me tell you how invaluable slip on shoes that will not judge how wide your feet become are! Also I think it goes without question that you should not be walking around a hospital barefoot- because ew. 

These particular slip on leather sandals my mother in law gets for me every year when she goes to Mexico, and I have a collection of "Ones ruined by pregnancy" and ones that "have not been stretched beyond recognition" and I am grateful for how forgiving these shoes are. 

*Night Gown, Robe, Nursing Bra 

The most beautiful moment of the whole birth process is your child's first cry. The second most beautiful is when you take your first shower postpartum and put on your own clothes! Ahhh thinking about it just gives me all the feels.  While you are starting to feel more like yourself you will still be getting close monitoring from your nurses- and you will now be entering a world where your breasts will be out pretty much constantly if you chose to breastfeed.  A robe with a night gown allows for nursing staff and physicians to easily view your bottom (and when I say bottom I mean perineum, vagina, and rectum- its just so much easier to say bottom)  as well as feel and palpate for your fundus (top of your uterus) to make sure you are healing properly.  

Choose a night gown that you can easily get your breast out of, and try it out before you pack your bag.  There are a lot of Night gowns with built in support and that are set up like a nursing bra.  I preferred  a regular night gown and bra just because of my breast size, I need more support. 

*Skin care and make-up products

No one would ever expect you to do you hair and make-up, I promise you.  However as previously mentioned I am high maintenance and feel like my best self when I continue of with my beauty regime as I normally would at home.  The things that are my staples are good moisturizers, chap stick, eye brown pencil (bc otherwise I look terrifying) mascara, eyeliner, under eye concealer, bronzer, and my curling iron- they make me happy end of story.  

*Essential Oil Roller

If thats your things and it helps you relax girl do it! Nurses love walking in a room where their patients are using oils bc they reap the benefits as well!  

*Nursing Tank

This is going to not only be something you are glad you brought but it is also going to become a staple for you from here on out.  I love the nursing tanks that have a lot of spandex in them (weird I know) but they support your tummy and your boobies, it really doesn't get much better. 

*Leggings 

You here by have my permission to just wear a night gown and robe or a nursing tank top and robe the entire time... however if you are the kind of lady who needs to be wearing pants, leggings will be your best friend.  Here are some things to remember- you want something that pulls up over your belly button.  It will offer most support and if you had a c-section you will appreciate that support as well as the fact the the waist band is not pressing on your incision. 

*Zip up hoodie or comfy open front sweater

It's likely that you will do a lot of hormonal shifting postpartum. You'll feel on fire, have night sweats and then wake up freezing- all normal but just remember, you will still have to get your boobies out if you are nursing so layer accordingly.

*Nipple Cream

The hospital will provide lanolin, which works wonders, but is an animal product, specifically sheep, so if you are vegetarian/vegan or allergic to wool its probably not something you want to use.  I packed my own nipple cream that is plant based. 

*Hair Care and Soap

Most hospitals will provide you with an all in one cleanser generally labeled, good for body, hands and hair... I can't imagine how one product that claims so much could really be good at any of those things so I brought my own, along with a hair brush and hair ties (which my sweet little one year old is trying to steal in this photo)

*Dry Shampoo

This is also one of those things that you might just use quickly the morning of discharge but then will just become a staple in your life as a mom.  

*Deodorant

I can still vividly remember being in heavy labor, sitting on a birthing ball and leaning over the bed totally oblivious to anything but myself- and there was my husband, God Bless him, putting deodorant on me, and quietly whispering "you are doing amazing baby, but this has to happen" 

Labor and Postpartum are just a sweaty sweaty thing, totally normal, so don't fight it just come prepared and maybe tell your labor partner where the deodorant is located in your bag prior to admission.

*Water bottle

Birthing a baby is like running a marathon, recovering from birthing is also like running a marathon.  During all portions of the process you will need to stay hydrated. Of corse if you don't want to bring your own, the hospital has Styrofoam cups, the most important thing is that you are drinking. 

*Going Home Outfit 

I knew that when I got home my house was going to be filled with loved ones- big Italian family, married to big Mexican family= lots of physical and emotional support. So I made sure that my going home outfit was functional, covered and cute. Pictured is a maxi dress, v neck, which is super easy to get my breast out of, jacket incase I was chilly.

*Scarf

I think the moment it becomes cool enough every mother should wear a scarf! It doubles as a blanket, a burp rag and a nursing cover and because you wear it you don't have to worry about packing it in a diaper bag- just saying.

*Phone Charger

The longer the better.  I know that in the hospital I work at we can always scrounge up a charger in a pitch for someone who forgets theirs but if the unit is full and someone else got to it first we can't help. Also the outlets all tend to be directly behind the beds and if you have a short cord it makes it hard to use your phone while you charge.  

*Microwavable heating pads

I have both a gel pack and a sand filled heating pads pictured.  "Afterpains" or cramping after delivery are common, as is back labor, and if you have a c-section heat can alleviate some incisional pain. I lived and died by heating pads after my c-section, and I have had a few mothers who swore by them in labor.   

I know I know... your probably already wondering "What about baby Stuff?"

Truth is you don't have to bring much

*Car Seat- (not pictured) Make sure to have the base correctly install prior to discharge, and bring just the car seat itself up to the unit to fasten baby into at the time of discharge.

*Muslin Swaddle to cover them with in the car seat if it's cold

*Going home outfit + socks if its not summer

*Burp cloth

You don't really have to bring this, but with our first baby we had a long ride home and he spit up, and I was thankful I had a burp cloth on my lap

*Baby Lotion 

Also optional, but I always found it to be quite therapeutic and relaxing to put lotion on a newborn- probably more so for me than them, but in any case I loved this brand and scent. Also did you know that smells are the strongest correlating sense to memory.  Every time I smell this lotion I think of my babies, so I think being able to place that in my memory bank is reason enough to pack this lotion!