Mornin' friends!
Shall we talk a little shop over our coffee this morning? I thought maybe I should touch on "what to bring to the hospital". Whaddya think?
Well...I guess no matter what you think, you're stuck with this! ;)
So...you think it's "time"? Or, maybe your water broke? Perhaps you're just checking in for your induction? Regardless...you'll probably have packed a bag.
Depending upon which baby this is for you, you will likely be either A. laden down with three large bags (one for each of you), a car seat, a cooler full of snacks, a radio, a camera, a video camera, the baby book, a diaper bag (in addition to the other large bag already packed for the baby), and the kitchen sink, OR, B. yourself, perhaps one small bag that includes what you, your husband and your baby will need while you stay at the hospital.
Can you guess which scenario is the sweet young mother?
Lemme give you a hint...*whispers* it's NOT "B"!
Never fails...when a set of first time parents come for the birth of their sweet little babe, they are ultra prepared. They have read "What to Expect" and every other pregnancy book out there...they've taken the lists from those books and compiled them so as to make sure not to forget anything.
And, they live across the street from the hospital.
I'm here to tell you what you really need to birth your baby. (You know, besides a uterus, contractions and a vagina. ACK!!! There's that word again! I hate it almost as much as "meme"...but, in all reality, you don't really even need that. A vagina...not meme.)
Scrap those "how to books" and listen to your Mama, you hear?
Alrighty then...
When you arrive at the hospital you will need yourself. Your husband or boyfriend or labor coach would be helpful too, but not necessary. Trust me...many a babe has been birthed without a labor coach.
When the babe arrives, you can send your labor coach out to the car to fetch your belongings...which should fit neatly into one...yes, ONE...suitcase, bag, duffel, whatever.
You are probably thinking I'm crazy, sweet young mother, aren't you? Well...listen to me. Please. For the sake of your love's back and sanity...listen. to. me.
Yes, listen to me when I tell you that as much as you'd like him to stay and love on you and the new babe, your significant other will love you even more if you let him leave to shower and change and freshen up, and maybe even take a poop at home.
In his own home.
(At this point in this post you will look at your husband and say, "Hon, this weirdo says you will appreciate leaving me and the baby in the hospital to go home to shower. Is that true?????" And of course he will tell you, "No. Never, sweety. Ever. Never ever ever never would I want to leave you." And then he'll secretly hope that you take my advice and let him leave. I know this stuff. Trust me.)
Back to what you need...so, a small bag for you ('cuz you'll be letting your love leave to go home to change and shower...) that includes the following: clothes to go home in (again, I need your trust in something. Bring maternity clothes. You'll be happier in "too big" clothes than you will be in "dang, I totally thought my fat jeans would fit me and they don't and now I feel flabby and sad" clothes. Trust...it's a good thing.), clothes for the baby to go home in (including blankets), your toiletries, a camera, and a car seat (but, really...that doesn't need to be brought up until after the baby is born.).
If you wanted to, you could throw in a good nursing bra (contact me if you want to know my faves...), perhaps your breast pump, and maybe some hard candy.
Oh, yeah...and chocolate for the nurses. Bring food for the nurses, and you'll become the floor favorite.
Anything else you've got packed isn't really necessary. And, besides...your love will be running home to shower and change, so he can just grab something from home if you decide you simply can't live without it, right?
That's what I thought.
P.S. Okay...no judging. Okay?
Okay???
Promise?
I'm gonna tell you a couple more things I snuck in my bag...my pillow (can't leave home without it), a magazine, and I'd totally bring my laptop now that I have one.
But that's IT!! (I think...)
I took my pillow, and will for this next one too. Very comfy clothes for afters, and warm ones. I didn't back anything for baby other than the going home outfit, so hubby brought back several outfits for her to wear in the hospital when he (hold your breath) left to take a shower and grab something to eat, LOL:)
ReplyDeleteHit the head on the bag for sure! I couldn't agree more! LOL Definitely pack a book or a couple of magazines because laying there in that bed till little one decides to arrive can get boring as all get out! Car seat can stay in the vehicle until it is time to take little one home. I did pack two going home outfits. One in preemie and one in 0-3 months because I didn't know which would fit the monkies better. The C's were totally in preemie's! Oh, and if you just can't bear wearing maternity clothes home...get a pair of really comfy yoga pants and a big tee. You'll be comfy, but not in maternity clothes.
ReplyDeleteI totally took my pillow and my laptop and am ever glad I did. I would say to bring a nursing TANK not a bra, but that's just me. I wore a nursing tank under the hospital gown (which had holes for boobs that were the size of LARGE watermelons... seriously, the holes went down to my belly button!). I liked having my own bag though, since DH tends to pack WAY Too much stuff. I brought the diaper bag for the baby, which only had one outfit, the diapers, etc. I would also recommend bringing newborn sized diapers-- our hospital only provides size 1's, which were WAY too big on my 7lb newborn! And I liked my hubby being at the hospital with me the entire time. I felt like hew as my protector and advocate to the nurses. Not that I had any bad nurses. Well, I did have one. She told me to only feed my newborn every 4 hours, and never brought him to our room on time. I told my nurse about it and I never saw the bad nurse again.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget socks! No matter how hot it is outside, its bloody cold in the hospital. Take cash. I left baby in the nursery and snuck down to the cafeteria.
ReplyDeletePlease please let hubby go home and get a break. it's hard on them too. not as hard as it is for us, but it's still hard. he'll so appreciate it.
i wish i knew about the chocolate for nurses!
always greaat info Mama!
This is great!! I love this. I will be delivering in the next few weeks with my second and I was just thinking about how much less I will be bringing this time around!
ReplyDeleteGreat list! All of my stuff, baby's, and hubby's fit in one bag the first time. All of my stuff and baby's fit in one bag the second time, plus my pump.
ReplyDeleteDH argued with me about staying overnight the second time, but I finally convinced him that our toddler son would appreciate having him at home during this difficult transition. In reality, I was afraid that his yet-undiagnosed sleep apnea would wake me and the babe all night long. I just wanted to sleep for one night where only one person was waking me up...
I totally couldn't have read anything during my labor with my daughter -- we were only at the hospital for three hours before she was born and I didn't use meds. I'm a fast reader, but I don't think I could have concentrated well enough in the 90 seconds between contractions to read anything, LOL!
This is funny! I hope you remind me of this post when i start having bebes! :)
ReplyDeleteI love this post! I have to say, I didn't remember the pillow and had hubby go back and get it for me. It made all the difference in the world.
ReplyDeleteWe were the stereotypical first-time parents from your post, and I concur that you need almost nothing for the hospital. Next time I'll pack an overnight bag and the camera and that's it. I like to think I wasn't completely off my rocker, because I let hubby go home to sleep, shower and change clothes. Thanks for bringing back those first few days!
Ahh the memories LOL With the first I was definitely the stereotypical young mother & way overpacked. By the third time, all we brought was the camera and the baby book because my mom was coming up after to see her so she could bring anything I needed.
ReplyDeleteI do have to say that letting the hubby go home was the best thing. But he actually went home in the middle of my labor with our youngest. (don't kick me for that). I was in labor for 16 hours at that point and wasn't even dialated to a 4 so he went home to eat & shower while my best friend stayed with me. Much better than with our 2nd when he didn't leave and almost passed out from low blood sugar. LOL
I had two deliveries...and this was never me! I grossly underpacked my first stay and totally regretted NOT having my blow dryer, MAKEUP, camera, or extra snacks. Those were the fist things on my list for the second time around. :) I'm way too practical to haul a bunch of crap into a small confined space.
ReplyDeleteBut- I never thought about extra chocolate for the nurses....would have been helpful information 7 years ago!
AND- other than the first night of the first babe (born just before midnight), I let my husband go home every night to sleep comfortably and come back refreshed the next morning. (pats self on back). :)
The side bar pics of your family are great! I'd love nursing bra advice. I have my personal faves but am always looking for recommendations! alyray [at] hotmail [dot] come
ReplyDeleteGreat post...so funny!
ReplyDeleteI was totally "that" mother with my first. Then with my second I knew better...and with my third...I told hubby I would call him when the baby's head was coming out! I brought my DS along and played a few games.
Ya...induction sucks!
LOVE THIS! Must take your advice when we have our first babe!
ReplyDeleteI agree, the more kids you have the less you bring and i agree let that man get some rest while you have nurses. one question does your hospital offer frozen maxi pads. if they do not then i would make sure you have some in your freezer at home and have DH run home and get them. all i can say is AHHHHHHHHHHHH to the nurse who gave me my first frozen maxi pad. i actually have a friend who brought her own sheets. pillow i get but not a sheet
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. When it was time to pack for the birth of my daughter I looked at the lists and said WHY do I need all this? Then I cut the list in half and still grossly overpacked. Hopefully this will not be repeated with any future children. My husband had originally planned to go home both nights I was in the hospital, but I was SO sick the first night because I didn't listen to my nurses (lesson learned!!) that he stayed and then spent some time at home the next morning.
ReplyDeletelove it!!
ReplyDeleteI am 16 days away from due date (and really wanted her here by now) and have my small bag packed. Of course this is #4 for me so I do not pack heavy (actually have no blankets in the bag for baby... I will soon though).
Snacks for hubby, pillow for me, nursing tank (you can still wear that and nothing else on top and still look presentable when visitors come, and while you are sweating your tush off with hormone rush after babe is born) and 2 doz donuts for the nurses....both times!!!
ReplyDeleteI have to reinforce your "going home clothes". My mom helped me pack my back the first time around and when she told me to pack maternity clothes to come home in, I cried. (seriously...let's blame hormones!) She (lovely woman) bought me a new outfit, so that I felt good in what I was wearing but I was still wearing maternity clothes that fit and were comfortable. Best gift ever!
ReplyDeleteI am laughing reading this, thinking about the "kitchen sink" that I brought with me when my 1st DD was born. Second birth was a whole different story!
ReplyDelete