The 48 hour stay of a lifetime?
A trip you know you'll NEVER be the same after..
How the HECK are you supposed to know everything you need to pack in your hospital bag?!
Woosah, sweet mama.
I'll start by saying that I had a natural birth - at a hospital of my choice - with a midwife on call I had met previously (not my personal midwife from prenatal care) & without any serious complications.
These things certainly factored into how I packed & what I ended up using.
So first, I created a list for me, hubby, baby, our hospital staff & miscellaneous.
Because ladies - you KNOW we're taking care of everyone else too, right?
Let's start with the hubby {or your significant other}.
For HIM:
a sleeping bag + possibly a pillow.. he's going to be on a pull out chair or "love seat" next to you. And you know the saying if you man ain't happy - well, he won't be able to function properly. So get the man his sleeping necessities.
comfy clothes + some warmies because hospitals are FREEZING + clothes he can wear while you labor. I had my husband bring shorts he didn't mind wearing into the birthing tub with me.
phone charger
a bag of vending machine change/bills.. you know he's going to want coffee & snacks. Also, some hospitals charge the spouse for each meal had with momma, which is usually cash only (we paid $5 per meal).
pre-workout blend for a mental/energy boost. I knew we were going to be running primarily on adrenaline, but wanted to have some plant based reinforcement. So I stashed some single serving packets of a blend called energize in hubbies bag & he was MEGA grateful!
(message me for info on "energize" - lindseykollar@yahoo.com)
Snacks.. nothing refrigerated, of course, unless you're wanting to share fridge space with the entire L&D floor. Grab some protein bars, some trail mix & maybe some candy to keep him sweet.
A re-fillable water bottle.
Toiletries.
Now let's hash out a list for that sweet peanut.
BABY:
A "receiving" + take home outfit.
I personally only used two pairs of jammies during our hospital stay!
This was partially because our peanut came out newborn size, which was totally unexpected. We actually had to amazon prime NB diapers & order teeny clothing the morning she was born so we'd have stuff when we got home! You might find that you want lots of options with you at the hospital - jammies, outfits, hats & headbands. I personally just kept it minimal.
a nursing pillow - maybe you'll use it a ton & maybe you won't. BUT nursing that baby around the clock while being half asleep & trying different positions - you might really like the comfort & support it offers. Just throw it in the car.
memory book or something for them to put those teeny tiny foot prints on!
I found this gem on Amazon. It's PRECIOUS, y'all.
carseat.. only if you're planning to leave the hospital. ha
bring your diaper bag, loaded with items like diapers, wipes & more for the drive home. You might be thinking "girl, our drive home is only 25 minutes." Let me just tell you - our 25 minute drive home was the most STRESSFUL ride. We made it across the street from the hospital before we had to stop, soothe & nurse our girl again. Have Z E R O expectations. It might go great! Or it might take a little longer than you expect. So just be prepared!
Honestly, if you forget stuff - you'll be okay.
The hospital is going to technically have everything you NEED to survive your stay. Don't stress about making sure you "have it all" for baby! Ultimately what you & your baby need are diapers & boobs!
And last but not least.. YOU!
For MAMA:
Okay, girl. Your list is a little longer. But that's because you got LOTS going on.
Nursing bras.. go for comfort & get a set of those sleep nursing bras! Maybe bring a set of nursing pads too JUST incase you ooze a bit. My friend Meagan gifted me some sleep nursing bras from Target (THESE) that I ended up snagging more of after Reagan was born.
(I also bought these & use them to this day at 7.5 months PP)
NIPPLE CREAM or balm. Hands down. You need it. Those puppies are going through some SERIOUS changes & are in high demand. That cream is sweet relief!
And be aware that the creams that have a petroleum base will leave marks on your bras & tops so maybe take into consideration the colors you wear to avoid circles on your boobs in photos.
(I used this primarily, but would probably just try coconut oil next time!)
Bring some of your personal toiletries - when you do finally get to take a shower, even though it might be 5 minutes, it'll be so refreshing! So snag shampoo, soap & lotion you like.
This is a great mama spray for your lady bits! While I was at the hospital, I took advantage of the GINORMOUS crotch ice packs they had & used them around the clock - making multiple shameless trips to the desk to ask for more. But once I got HOME, I used these panty pops and they were LIFE. At Reagan's first pediatrician appointment, the doctor came in the room & said "wow it smells great in here - like a spa!" I smiled at Nate as we walked out & said "you know she was talking about my panty pops, right?" They WORK & keep you FRESH fresh fresh! HERE is the link to my panty pop recipe!
ALSO.. because there is literally no such thing as TMI in the world of pregnancy, childbirth & motherhood -- pack yoself some stool softener to start popping after baby. I didn't have any tearing during birth BUT I still didn't envy the idea of having to push ANYTHING out of my body after baby. Go to the store, grab a bottle & run through the self check out!
Comfy undies. You might be surprised how much you like those sexy mesh hospital grade panties after delivery. But once you're showered, you're going to want something a little more snug. I'd definitely recommend some black or navy colored boy shorts!
Water bottle & hydration blend. You'll need to be chugging water during labor & after delivery while you're trying to get your milk to come in. I personally drank an electrolyte blend called "hydrate" to help with this process while avoiding extra sugar from an alternative like Gatorade. Life saver!
(MAMAS: message me for info on "hydrate" lindseykollar@yahoo.com)
Glasses & contacts.
If you use prescription eye wear - I'd recommend bringing both!
Chapstick. You will want this ESPECIALLY if you're having a natural birth & are breathing through each contraction.
Tinted moisturizure.
Maybe you want to fully "glam" while you're at the hospital. Or maybe you're like me & you have the intention of throwing on some makeup, BUT in reality you end up just using your tinted moisturizuring to get a bit of a glow.
You'll be chilly & then you'll be HOT. So be sure to pack some sweats or lounge wear.. because the night sweats are intense while your hormones are on the rollercoaster of a lifetime & you're going to want all the comfy options while your body is recovering. I personally found that a zip-up jacket (old navy for the win!) was easy to take on/off + nurse in! I also wore light sweats because I wasn't ready to wear shorts & be so exposed during the day with visitors or staff in & out.
FLOPS.. because three words. Hospital floors & showers. Nuff said.
Snacks - you'll go from starving to completely forgetting to eat. Pack some snacks that are healthy & maybe even a treat for yourself. Hospital food is BLEH. So have a few options stashed in your bag! So what did I have? Cliff bars, fig bars, trail mix, twizzlers & my ole faithful shakeology {a nutrient dense meal replacement that REALLY helps with digestion + natural energy, mamas}!!
Birth affirmations or inspiration - for me this was some scripture verses that Nate & I chose. Before I started pushing, he read them to me. It was the confidence from Jesus's promises in the bible that got me through that last phase of labor to hold my sweet girl in my arms! I also had some phrases that I ran through in my mind over & over again that I pulled from the Hypnobirthing book I read!
*I STILL have my pregnancy scriptures on cards next to my bed to this day*
What I forgot?
Essential oils! Would have DEFINITELY utilized these postpartum!
You can also use these during the labor process, but I didn't pack any because I labored at home until my contractions were 2 minutes apart.
Something I opted out of using?
Music. I wanted a quite, dim environment. BUT, you might LOVE having some of your favorite tunes playing! Make a playlist & put it on your phones.
And all of those other important, random items!
Miscellaneous:
Birth Plan. HELLO! So so important, I believe, to have a written list of your goals + preferences in the form of a birth plan.
(Here is the link to the PDF I used. SO easy to read, streamlined & focused)
your CAMERA!! For obvious reasons.
Also bring a back up battery.. you're welcome.
Ditch the purse, but bring your wallet with your IDs!
Goodies for your nursing staff!
Some of those ladies just go ABOVE & beyond. And you can't go wrong showing a little gratitude. PLUS, a few little gifts also can soften the staff up a bit to the list of personal preferences you may or may not have for birth/postpartum recovery/baby :) I personally brought some dark chocolates & healthy chocolate muffins for the break room + some starbucks gift cards for each shift nurse that took care of us!
(recipe to these DELICIOUS healthy muffins HERE)
I hope this helps you, mama to be!
Add or subtract to this list.
But at least it'll give you some bones to work with.. some ideas!
Now go get that bag packed.. which is actually more like 4 bags.. & put them in a GO spot with a LIST for whoever is grabbing everything before you head out the door to the hospital.
Good luck!!
As always, feel free to share this with a friend!
