What to pack in your hospital bag for labor and birth

[blushingbride]

Hi! I'm currently taking preparation for parenthood classes, but they have yet to go over what to pack for the hospital. Do I need two bags - one for labor/c-section and the other for post partum stuff? What did you ladies bring with you and what is an absolute necessity? Is there a list online I should go by?

 

[MonkeyPie]

I took all kinds of stuff and didn't use a single thing. The only thing we actually used was the boppy. But if you get a vaginal delivery, bring shower stuff or you will feel gross after a few days - I had a c-section and was really fragile so I didn't shower for something gross, like a week. A brush and hair ties to keep your hair out of your face will be a big plus, too.

 

[fieryred33143]

I knew I would be ok with just wearing the hospital gown so I only packed a going home outfit. You'll need socks because those rooms are cold! Possibly slippers if you plan on walking around and for showers. I forgot to pack shower stuff which was fine since they gave me everything I needed (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste) but you can pack that as well. Agree with the brush and hair ties. That was pretty much all I needed. You can pack stuff for entertainment but I think the better idea is to sleep when you can rather than watch TV or entertaining stuff.

Oh, you may want your own pillow and your own blanket...possibly even your own towel (although that's just more stuff for you to clean when you get home).

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Here's my list-I plan to labor in a hospital gown:

nightgown that I can easily access the girls in for feedings postpartum
short robe
nursing tank
2 pairs of warm socks
toiletries
snacks (nuts and granola bars) and hard candies/lollipops
chap stick
pen and pad of paper
my nook
my ipod
camera
possibly my netbook
something to wear home-most likely yoga pants and a nursing tank
2 outfits for LO, one NB and one 0-3 as I'm not sure how big he'll be
With this list I should have plenty of room left in my bag for the baby/nursery swag

 

[KimberlyH]

I brought a lot that I never touched, and I packed light. Here's what was or should have been useful

My own toiletries (soap, shampoo, etc)
A washcloth
Sports bras (if you plan to breastfeed it's recommended that you wait 7-10 days after baby is born to purchase for correct sizing, I was glad to have some sort of bra to wear in the meantime, but I hate being braless)
2 outfits for the baby (neither one fit, bring a few different sizes)
Camera
Back up batteries
Journal
Baby Book (if it has a place to do hand and foot prints, they will do it for you when they do their own set)
A comfortable outfit to wear home including old underwear
Extra hair ties
Cell phone and charger


I didn't touch my electronics (ipod, laptop) or my books, neither did anyone else.

 

[somethingshiny]

I brought:

2 sets of pajamas with pants (I knew I wouldn't be comfy in hospital attire walking down the halls)
slippers (for walking)
brush, hairties
toiletries in travel size containers
extra contacts and glasses
going home outfit and one pair of underwear (the hospital will supply you with mesh panties and pads)
my own pillows
chapstick
lotion
blow dryer and makeup was added at the last minute

baby book
camera
going home outfit for baby
carseat
diaper bag (didn't need anything out of it but I had already consolidated my purse stuff into the "diaper" bag)


DH brought:

PSP (never touched it)
2 sets of clothes and a set of pj's
champagne and glasses
meds
snacks and soda

DH and I intended on sharing my toiletries but he ended up going to the Children's Hospital with Lily and just used hotel stuff.


I had c-sections for both kids and did use my hair dryer and makeup before going home.

 

[blushingbride]

This is great everyone - thank you! I'm going to print this out. Also, good idea about bringing the baby book - I would've never have thought to have done that!

 

[Mara]

there were some other threads about this on PS1 but i can't find them soo.

3/4 of what we packed i never touched in the 2 days we were there but most of the gals have already covered the basics. i didn't have time to read a book or listen to music during labor.. i just used my iPhone. i brought granola bars i never touched. i brought clothes i never wore.

really all i used was my iphone, camera, laptop, a change of clothes from home, a pair of socks, a toothbrush, a real bar of soap. flip flops for the shower. i used one of my pillows but my hospital bed had like 5 pillows and i would use them all propped in various areas, so i didn't even really need mine.

i never walked out of my room the entire time i was there. i showered only once. i used all the undies, pads, drugs etc etc the hospital gave me. i wore the hospital gown the whole time--i could have cared less what i had on. i prob would have worn the hospital gown home--i hated having to put pants on to leave.

greg went home once to shower and pick up a few things since we lived 10 min away--so in reality i didn't need to bring like 500 things with me and be all prepared. he was gone 2 hours, me and the babe napped and he came back with food.

IMO you can bring a ton of stuff and only use 1/2 but you'll prob feel better being prepared than not.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Oh, and bring a swaddling blanket/regular blanket if you want something to cover the baby in on the way home. I know it's summer, but babies are delicate and can get chilled. I forgot this and so they gave us like 5 hospital blankets...or rather, we asked if we could have them, haha. Poor little guy didn't even get real clothes to wear home, it was 8pm and I was so sick I just didn't remember to do it.

 

[MustangGal]

NB size clothes should be fine for any baby, my 9 pounder fit in his outfit fine for the trip home. I was there 4 days (c-section), and wore the hospital gown the whole time. I also took a book and only cracked it at the begining of the induction before contractions started. A lolipop was great during labor, but that's all I used of the items we took with us. I had to have my mom go buy me bigger undies to wear home, they pumped my so full of fluids that the ones I came in were too tight by the time I left. I'd try to keep it to 1 bag, if your hospital has seperate delivery and recovery rooms it'll be easier to keep track of your stuff and haul it with you. I went through a L&D room, operating room, recovery room and regular hospital room within 18 hours.

 

[Mara]

DOH... yep baby outfit and a swaddle..and car seat in the car!

 

[Sha]

I had two bags. One bag with my stuff - pajamas, camera, books etc. and another bag for baby stuff only (blankets, onesies, rags, etc.). It was a lot easier to find things afterward that way. Re: the list - I did a search and found a good list online - can't remember the site name though.

 

[Nashville]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet...

Big, cotton granny panties.

After giving birth (if vaginal) you will be given a diaper-like bandage thing for the bleeding. The granny panties help to hold it all in (there are a few layers of different liners and such). I was so happy my husband thought to pack them, and because they were so hideous I didn't care if they got ruined.

 

[swimmer]

I also packed 2 bags, one for labor and one for recovery, it worked well for us and our hospital swag removal tactics.

Labor: snacks that I wanted like gingersnaps, chapstick was so necessary for labor breathing, water bottle, ipod (my hospital had a place to plug them into speakers in every room, phone chargers which was good since we were in the labor room for more than 40 hours. Change of clothes for DH, toothpaste/brush, deodorant, facewash. I had a birthtub, so packed a bikini top for a smidgen of modesty. Our hospital serves meals 24/7 but some have time constraints so you might want to find that out when packing food. Not sure how you feel about your DH leaving you in labor to go get food. I was all about being able to eat while in labor, but when it really got going I had no interest in food, and I am ALWAYS interested in food.

Recovery: I didn't want to wear a johnny and was cold so a long sleeved shirt and yoga pants were awesome. Though only because I was totally mobile and going stir crazy from not seeing outside the hospital in days. Added a razor, lipstick, and prenatals to the toiletry bag for this part of the adventure. Also, I had been told that my hospital was stingy with giving anything to make that first bm happen. Sorry, not a fun topic, but whatever you have that makes you go -naturally of course- you want to bring it. Prunes, stool softener, whatever you are doing now, bring it! You will need it. Laptop with power cord, camera with charger and usb cord for uploading baby photos that have better quality than the phone. Nursing Mothers Companion is the bible, any questions are in there and nurses helped out so much before the lactation consultant could get to us. I brought lotion and that was awesome, sweet DH gave me the best massage on the second night there, just brought me back to feeling human.

The hospital gave us blankets, kimono onsies, knitted cap, comb, aspirator, and swaddles, so you might want to find out on the tour what they give you so you don't pack it. They also provided stretchy panties, boob pads, ahhh, the squirt bottle, and tylenol. My hospital does not take money from formula companies so none of that swag, I have heard about formula related goodies from other places though.

We wrote and brought a simple birth plan, 4 phrases really, but put photos of us on it and nurses (all 6 shifts of them) kept saying how great it was to have that as an introduction to our family, they knew we wanted to go naturally, DH's comfort level for involvement, that we were going to bf (no formula) and not to circumcise our little man (religious ceremony later). If you know what you want/don't want, a simple birth plan with bullet points was really welcome at our hospital. We also brought home made cookies for the nurses and it might have helped us get some extra attention, but definitely there is something bonding about feeding people something that you made.

Good luck and enjoy the journey!

 

[Mara]

re: panties... my hospital gave us the big stretchy mesh boy panties that were the best thing EVER. that is all i wore...even after i came home (since they gave us extra), since you have like 2 pads and an ice pack hanging out...so not fun but the mesh panties were fabulous for holding it all in.

 

[Nashville]

I got those too but I wore the granny panties over them so I didn't get waffle butt through my yoga pants!

 

[snlee]

I over-packed my hospital bag with my son so this time I'm cutting back. I wasn't prepared for the week hospital stay so now I know what I REALLY need. here's my list -

lose comfy clothes to go home in
baby's clothes + blanket
chapstick
lotion/cream
slippers/crocs
pillow
laptop + charger
video camera + charger
digital camera + charger
tooth brush + tooth paste (although hospitals will provide this is you don't bring it)
driver's license and insurance card
birth plan
snacks

 

[snowflakeluvr]

I had episiotomies with 4 out of the 5 and I was very sore "down there" due to having large babies. I recommend a VERY soft bathroom tissue like Charmin with lotion. I remember after having my first baby, the toilet paper in the hospital was like SAND PAPER . It made me less uncomfortable...
Good luck on your upcoming bambino!

 

[Loves Vintage]

Bumping because there are quite a few of us packing our bags soon!

 

[geckodani]

Here's a thread I started when my sister was pregnant with a lot of suggestions:

[URL='https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ps-mommies-what-do-you-wish-youd-had-with-you-in-the-delivery-room.101771/']https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/ps-mommies-what-do-you-wish-youd-had-with-you-in-the-delivery-room.101771/[/URL]

ETA: The one thing my sister didn't have enough was was baby clothes! My nephew went through five or six changes in the 24 hours they were at the hospital. Pack extra clothes.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I was in the hospital for five days and all I used was my toiletries, my own pillow, a blanket from home (which was comforting b/c I was quite sick), clothes to go home in, and an outfit for DD to go home in. They provided us everything we needed while we were there.

ETA: also a change of clothes for DH. Digital camera and video camera.

 

[Lanie]

Thanks for bumping LV!

Does anyone know if we need to bring our pump to get started and have the lactation consultant help with that?

And someone suggested the Boppy (was that you Fiery)? Did anyone else feel that was necessary too? I am a chronic leaver behinder of things and am scared I'll bring something and leave it!

I LOVE the champagne suggestion! Is that allowed at hospitals? I don't want to sound like an alky if I ask during the tour!

 

[cara]

I'd go less is more with what to bring to the hospital. I think I wore the gown the whole time, until I needed to go home. I used hospital-provided pillows to prop the LO on while breastfeeding (though the breast friend was great once we got home). We also used hospital-provided baby clothes and blankets until we had to leave. (Though maybe having two pairs is good in case one doesn't fit or gets dirty immediately when you put it on.) I did use my own toiletries, my own shoes, my cell phone. Oh! Wore my own nursing bra - buy at least one or two before hand as those puppies will need some support! Need a car seat for the baby, hopefully properly installed and checked out prior to L&D! DH and I jointly used one computer and camera during our stay, and he used a pillow we brought from home to sleep on the cot. DH also played some music from his phone during labor. He ate some snacks we brought from home, but I had more than enough food between hospital-provided meals and stuff people brought us when they visited.

ETA: I'd skip bringing your own pump unless you have some special reason for knowing you'll want it and not wanting to use the hospital one. If you need to pump, the hospital should be able to provide one for you (hospital-grade as well) so you can leave your home pump at home. Separately, you should definitely try to see the LC if you need any breastfeeding help. Even most of the pediatricians I saw in the first week were able to give some useful bfing advice. Ask if you need help, that's what they are there for. I started pumping at ~ 3weeks to start getting my LO used to a bottle and was lucky enough not to need to pump prior.

ETA2: I didn't miss the champagne while still in the hospital, but did partake of some celebratory wine my first night home.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Lanie, I don't think you need to bring your boppy. Don't forget whatever you bring, you gotta bring back home PLUS the baby (and gifts). When my DD was so little pillows worked better until she was a few months old. They will set you up at the hospital.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

I had a c/s so I was in the hospital for 5 days. One thing I couldn't have lived without was my pillow from home. Actually I had like 5 pillows from home, LOL. The hospital pillows SUCK! I also used my computer a lot because the TV channels they had sucked. I wore the gown while I was in L&D, but then I wore pajamas while I was in my room. I wore the mesh panties until I had an allergic reaction to them and then I wore my own cotton hanes.

It was so nice to have my own toiletries when I got around to taking a shower, but I didn't really use the other stuff I packed like my nook and ipod. DH appreciated the snacks I packed though...

 

[turtledazzle]

My L&D experience was a bit out of the norm since I was at the hospital less than an hour before he was born, and then we opted to only stay one night so we really didn't need much. However, a friend had suggested we keep the boppy in the car just in case I wanted it and, personally, I was glad to have it so I sent DH to go get it. I had a long baby and I found the boppy helped me get him positioned better than the hospital pillows. The LC in the hospital was also able to help me get used to using the boppy. Another friend said she didn't use hers in the hospital for either of her kids, so I think it varies. We just opted to keep it in the car.

Otherwise the items we really used were:
cell phones
cell phone charger
camera
laptop
nursing tank and comfy pants
toiletries
ibuprofen/aleve (I opted to bring my own instead of paying the marked up hospital charges)
two baby outfits (we only dressed him to go home, otherwise he was in the kimono shirts the hospital provided)
my own pillow with a non-white pillow case (you don't want to lose your pillow to housekeeping)
chapstick
hard candy (I had an unmedicated birth and, hence, my throat was a little sore from a little ... ahem ... yelling)

Things I sent DH home for that I wished I had packed:
my eyeglasses (my labor was fast and intense, so I forgot them when we left for the hospital)
nail clippers/files for baby (our hospital won't cut their nails, and he was born with long nails and scratched himself a few times)
nail clippers for me (I used to keep my nails long-ish, but I needed shorter nails in those first few days when I was continually delatching and relatching him for breastfeeding)

 

[MonkeyPie]

I was asleep so much of the time I was in the hospital that I am amazed at how many of you were able to even use half of the stuff you're listing, lol. I guess maybe if I had felt better I would have used some of that stuff, but mostly I was confined to my bed and hating life (particularly because it was so hard to hold my new baby ).