It's that time of year ... when we get to start packing our bag for the hospital to have in the car. We've got about 3 1/2 weeks to go and we just want to be ready. So ... my questions for all of you loyal readers out there are:
2. What did you HAVE that you were glad you brought?
I know it's not absolutely necessary to have everything with you. And I know that if we forget something we'll be fine. However, our hospital isn't very close to our house, so I'd like to be as prepared as I can be to avoid having Gordon make a trip out for something.
(Just a cute random picture of Gordon because he's cute.)
Here's the list we've concocted so far.
For Momma:
-chap stick
-magazines/books
-good smelling body wash/lotion and a loofah
-slippers/socks
-Movies
-snacks
-Rolling pin (our lamaz teacher suggested it, and it feels REALLY good to use as a back massager...I was skeptical too, but try it)
-Comfy, loose clothing to wear home afterwards
For baby:
-several outfits to choose from (some teeny tiny ones and some little bit bigger ones ... depending on his size)
-diaper bag and supplies
-car seat
-blankets
Other:
-Contact list of people to call from the hospital
-Snacks for Gordon
****So, let us know what you think. Are there things on the list that you think we don't need? Things that we really will that we're missing?
Thanks for your help. I know there are lots of great Momma's out there with fabulous advice and I'm happy to hear all of it. :)
p.s. Gordon forwarded me this article today:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-1202potatopie,0,5837005.story
Yikes.
25 comments:
Things you're bringing I never would've used:
Magazines/books & movies - mainly because I couldn't have focused on any of those things while in labor, and then, once the baby's born, your either dealing with baby or visitors or trying to sneak in some sort of sleep. But that's just me.
Something you didn't list that you're going to want:
...but only if you're planning on breastfeeding. Bring a nursing bra. In fact, don't even bother bringing a normal bra at all.
OH! And while I was in the hospital, my mom went out and bought me a snuggly bath robe that was comfortable and purty for modesty and comfort's sake for when I needed to get up and wander the halls (necessary after a c-section, but I've heard normal deliveries need the occasional stroll, too).
I don't know if you'll need snacks. I wasn't "allowed" to eat after a certain point anyway.
Gordon'll need 'em though.:)
Excited?!!!
Oh! And P.S. I didn't get the invite to your shower until the day of... I swear. I opened it and said to David, "OMG! This is in 1/2 an hour!" I would've come. I swear. :(
Thanks, Tiff! Great suggestions. I love the robe idea. It's probably so nice to have something like that to feel comfy and warm in. :)
I'm so sorry about the invitation! The girl throwing the shower told me that it was going out late and I meant to call you and give you directions and the address and totally spaced it. SO SORRY! Hopefully we can see you guys sometime soon!
I agree with Tiff. I doubt you will have time to read while at the hospital unless you have a really long labor.
Bring your own comfy (still maternity) clothes so you don't have to wear the hospital gown the whole time you're there. I hated wearing the gown in the hospital after the delivery. I didn't like feeling exposed for such a long time. Nursing bras are great if you are planning on nursing. Especially the "sleep" ones. Bring your pump if you have one so the lactation consultant can show you how to use it (I didn't do this, but I thought it might be good--who knows).
Don't forget your camera! I didn't see it on the list.
Good advice so far! Something that helped me was games- we took games like phase 10, yahtzee... we played in between contractions to help keep my mind off the pain :)
Snacks are a great idea. I was always starving right after I had my kids- if the cafeteria is closed, you could be hungry for a long time... depending on what time he comes!
I bought a new pair of pajamas (with each of my pregnancies) to wear at the hospital- it's nice to just have something new to wear!
A soft blanket for him- the hospital baby blankets tend to be a little rough.
Good luck!! Can't wait to see pics :)
I am certainly glad you have posted this. I will be reading it again in 6 months when I am getting ready for the big day! I will also like reading all of your suggestions. Sorry I don't have any for you right now. You've beat me on the having kids part of life.
I'm so excited for you to bring your little one home! So exciting!
I'd totally bring a magazine or 2 and some movies. You do focus on labor BUT if you are like me (hope you're not) and have a super long first labor... Trust me, you'll want something to take your mind off things. I remember watching a few movies that first time.
If you're planning or breastfeeding- Nursing sleep bra- it will save you. I get them as baby shower gifts (i know, tacky). But during those first couple of days/nights/weeks they are VERY helpful and comfy. (in fact, there's one here if you don't already have one.
Wow, thanks so much for the suggestions everyone!
Lindsay- comfy clothes is a great idea, I'm sure I'll be ready to be out of the gown too. And I completely forgot to put camera on the list. Thanks!
Melissa- Games are a great idea, too. I hadn't even thought of that, but we love card games. Smart. :)
Jen- I would come and look here too! Congratulations!!! I'm sure you guys are so excited. How are you feeling?
Katie - I'm totally with you. I have no idea how long I'll be in there, so I figure the more movies the better ... they tend to get my mind off of things. And, I just got some nursing bras today at Target and one looks just like the one you linked. Hopefully it'll be just as good! :)
Movies, for sure. And I brought some apple juice that was yummy when they only offer you ice chips. But maybe just some little boxes. I drank too much and then barfed it all up. Still worth it. Other than that I didn't use a single thing out of my bag while I was there. Maybe a tennis ball instead of a rolling pin for massages...but whatever works for you. Better to take too much than not enough.
And who are these women telling you to bring robe and slippers so you can "walk around"? I'm jealous. I stayed IN MY BED almost the whole time. Hope your first delivery is better than mine. :)
Sheesh, people are fast to post! I didn't even know you had a new post until this morning.
I know it's been said about 10 times, but a sleeping nursing bra will be your best friend. Underwear...surely you thought of this and are just more tactful than I am. Something to put his little foot and hand prints on for a scrap book or something. The hospital may provide this (they did for Sam, but not for Lucy). I could have kicked myself. I'm sure I"ll think of more but Lucy is "helping' me type.
I think (cross my fingers!!) that my energy levels are going back up and my not-so-good days are lessening and the I-feel-good days are getting more frequent. My sister encourages me to hang in there until the 2nd trimester, which is a week from Thursday - THANK GOODNESS! I'm hoping my burst of energy will come and I can catch up on, well, life! I've gotten quite a bit behind these last two months!
We are still way excited and it's fun to hear about other people who are having babies now or in the coming months. I feel like pregnant people are everywhere! I love it!
I need to preface this by saying this is for AFTER the baby is born:
HAND SANITIZER!!!!!!! Anyone wants to touch my baby, I made them "wash up" (including me).
I put more lotion on than I thought I would. The hospitals are really dry.
I also brought a book with shorter stories in it. Since I have C-Sections I get woke up a lot in the night and if I don't want to watch TV, shorter stories seem to do the trick for me. None of the three hospitals had DVD/VCR. You may want to call and see what they have available in your room.
The hospitals I went to all had plenty of snacks for both John and I (after the baby was born).
Extra Vasaline for Spencer. The hospital should have plenty, but just in case... (if you are planning on a circumcision.)
It's so fun to check back here and see what people have written!
Steph - Apple juice boxes is a GREAT idea. They did tell us that we could have any clear liquids anytime and that apple juice counted as clear. :)
Bec - Undies is a good thing to include. I was just thinking "labor stuff" and I probably would've forgotten essentials like that. Woops!
Sarah - Hand sanitizer, such a good idea. I hadn't even thought of that yet either! And Vaseline, too, I hadn't put that on our list either. I don't know much about care after circumcision, so thanks!
Have Gordon pack stuff too, because he will most likely not be leaving the hospital.
Gordon - I would make sure you bring a camera with fresh/extra batteries (I didn't see fresh batteries on the list), Extra cash for cafeteria (most hospitals don't take credit/debit), toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss, Location of the nearest flower shop (if you think the gift shop is too pricey or they don't sell flowers there), a cleaned-out trunk (people sometimes bring gifts to the hospital. We came home with A LOT of stuff - flowers, bouncer, child clothes, toys, etc.), a change of clothes, unless your wife will let you go home (don't count on it), cell phone charger, and a pillow for sleeping.
I also bought a newspaper the day our daughter was born so she would know what happened during that time, even though the news was for the day before.
If other family members are there for the delivery, make sure that you and your wife are the first to hold your son after he is delivered. Then you can let other family/friends hold him.
Steven's suggestions were great! Definitely bring money, as vending machines can get expensive. There is probably a Subway nearby the hospital or something he could run to AFTER the baby comes...
I would suggest Lansinol ointment if you want to nurse. It really helped me. You can get the smallest tube you find. It is a little expensive but goes a long way.
We had a DVD player in the five different hospitals I delivered in, but don't plan on really focusing on it. There were movies we had waited to watch for when I was labor, but I didn't get to enjoy them either because of intense contractions or being interrupted by nurses and doctors often. It was more background noise for me, which was frustrating. I enjoyed watching more like CMT as the music videos were short and in between contractions. :-) Magazines and card games are a great idea, too. Wish we had thought to bring those!
I would also add a brush and scrunchie to your list. I loved having my hair brushed.
Gordon - bring your strong hands and lotion to massage lots and lots... and a bunch of "attagirl's," "I love you, honey's", and "You're the BEST!" to the hospital. Oh, and DON'T eat in the labor room when all she gets is ice chips. During a contraction if her labor is long she may throw the remote at you... She may be blessed with the nurse bringing her a popsicle and if so, you could stay and enjoy one with her, but don't go down to the cafeteria and bring up their steak philly sandwich and fries. Chrissy - Don't go to the hospital hungry.
Also, if you have a laptop - bring it so you can post on your blog that he is here with pictures for all of us. Ü
Steven - Gordon will love reading your suggestions. I never would have thought of bringing cash, and we never have cash handy so that's a great tip. And I thought the flower shop suggestion was especially nice. :)
Jen - Thanks for your suggestions for Gordon too. I'm sure it would not be very fun at all to have him eating while I'm sucking on ice. Good tip. :) I'm glad to hear you say Lansinol was good for you too. One of my friends out here recommended that as well and I just picked up a tube yesterday. It's so nice to have tips from expert moms!
Hey Chrissy! Having just left the hospital... I would recommend bringing some PJ's for your husband and as well as a change of clothes for him. The hospital will have all of the essentials you'll need for recovery--I would recommend bringing lanoline if you're planning on breastfeeding--it really helps out the soreness the first few days. If you have a laptop, that's also nice if you want to check your email or make a blog post or something. Good luck! Recovery is kind of hard, but the baby it totally worth it :)
Thanks Helena, and fresh out of the hospital! :)
Pajamas for Gordon is a great idea, I hadn't even thought of that, but I'm sure he'll want to be comfortable over night as well. :)
Thanks, and congratulations! Your little boy is adorable!!!
If you bring a laptop, don't forget the USB cord for your camera.
Holy Cow! I'm a little late on the advice here but I'll give you some anyway.....since you asked:)
I don't feel like seeing what hasn't been mentioned so sorry if there are repeats.
*Slippers
*nursing bra
*nursing pads
*car seat with base already installed in car
*bathroom stuff (shampoo, make-up, face wash, hair stuff, etc.)
*baby book (to record things and also for the nurses to put babies footprints in)
*computer with power cord and way to download pictures
*cell phone and power cord
*your own pillow (if you're particular)
I can't think of what else I used but those are just some things. Anything you might need for the baby the hospital should provide. And if they don't have it they will usually find it for you. They also gave me a tube of Lansinol cream since I asked. It is a life saver for nursing. Same goes for food, just ask and they will find you something.
I don't know if all hospitals do that but I was lucky and they did. I'll find out soon if I get the same service here.
I also wasn't very concerned last time because we lived less than 1/2 mile from the hospital so Steve could just run home. In fact I sent him home the second night so he could actually get rest.
wow smart idea chrissy!!!
The one thing i regretted not having my own of was rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs/ balls
Not sure what your hospital will offer but, ours had just
alcohol wipes which was not enough for her little belly button to heal as fast...
P.s i loved having my own robe/ pj's and also i hate to say this but bring your own sanitary pads and undies
for comfort !!
last but not least, when i was in the second stage of labour i had a focus point, it could be any thing, for me it was an ultrasound picture of chloe.....
It was cool to look at and kept me focus knowing i was working really hard on bringing her into the world!!!
We love you.... you will do great.....
Great ideas, guys. Thanks so much!
And don't forget to bring a picture of Aunt Emily!
Of course, Emily! A nice big framed one, right? That will be right up there on our list and we'll start teaching him your name. :)
You're still coming out in Feb. sometime, right?
From reading the comments on your blog it sounds like you guys will be totally prepared. Good luck with the labor and delivery. We hope that everything goes smoothly. We are so excited for you guys!
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