Things to Pack for Delivery.. Help..

Hi I.,

I WAY over-packed for the delivery of my son, thinking I would need everything under the sun to make our stay at the hospital comfortable. Needless to say, if I have another baby, I know better. =)

Here's what is essential:

Warm socks and slippers: The hospital is cold and you'll be up and moving after the baby is delivered.
Bathrobe: Again, to help keep you warm and to cover yourself when you have visitors.
Camera: A must to capture the arrival of your new little one!!
Going-home outfit for you and the baby: Bring something for yourself that is stretchy and loose.
Book/magazine/deck of cards: To help pass the time.
Toiletries: Trust me, you will want to hit the shower and clean up as soon as you have the strength. My first shower after delivery was heavenly.
Car seat: You won't be allowed out of the hospital without it.
Pillow: I wanted to have my own pillow, and I'm so glad I had it. The hospital pillows were terrible.
Nursing pillow: I didn't bring mine, but I know other mothers have loved having theirs along with them.
Anything that dad may need to be comfortable. =)

Don't worry about bringing your own nightgowns or pajamas to have after the baby is born. You will experience some bleeding after delivery and you won't want to soil your own things. You'll also be given maxi pads at the hospital (they are HUGE, but you'll need them) and the baby will have plenty of diapers, wipes, receiving blankets, and clothes to wear during your stay.

Enjoy these last few weeks before your precious one arrives!

the basic necessities: for labor - lip balm! back up lip balm. warm socks for labor.
for afterward, black wide underwear that you wont mind throwing out, black comfy pj pants and shorts. you might be reeeeally hot afterward, and you might be bleeding a lot. i bled a looooot, i had issues and i dont think most women bleed as much as i did, but its better to be prepared. it was the best advice i got. thank gd for close friends, nobody ever tells you this stuff...you will have a room full of people and have to get up in the middle of everyone to go pee, etc. better to not have to worry. a dark robe is great too. my underwear just went right into the trash. try target, the gillian o'malley stuff, comfy and stretchy.
flip flops for the shower... take a shower as soon as you feel ready, it will make you feel a million times better.
a comfy nursing bra and top is really nice to have, though not necessary.
bring your camera and a back up camera for when your sister drops it :) ....
dont forget your phone charger.
they will give you very basic toiletries, but if you have favorites that make you feel like a person, bring them. you might feel really gross afterward but not be ready to go wash up, its great to have some kind of astringent pads and moisturizer and a little hand mirror to freshen up and feel better as the people and cameras are flowing through the room. dont forget extra contacts if you wear them.
the first time, i brought all this stuff to do, i didnt use one single thing, if i had a minute of peace all i did was hold the baby or sleep. oh man, it is rough and amazing and emotional and wonderful, i sure miss it, i am jealous! you will be amazed at what you can do! best of luck - enjoy it, what a gift!

- Socks for you... very chilly in the hospital
- Bathrobe... cover up when visitors come
- travel size toiletries and your make-up... you have no idea how wonderful that first shower will feel!
- charged camera
- reading material... if you are getting an epidural you will want something to do to pass the time
- mini notebook and pen... my husband wrote down everything from the time my water broke (yes, it was at home) until the minute we brought the baby home. I was so glad that he did b/c it was such a blur!
- my husband always tells new dads to bring a pillow (hospital ones are thin), sheets and a blanket if he's planning on sleeping on the futon they have.
- complete change of clothes for daddy to put on after labor/delivery. The stress makes them sweat!
- Remember to bring a maternity outfit to go home in- something comfy and loose. You will be sore and uncomfortable for a while.
- I brought my nursing pillow so that we could practice using it when the lactation nurses were there. It really helped!

Good luck!

Boy, what a great question! Wished I had asked it...I didn't. Here'e my advice.

1. Get your own panties. Sure, they'll offer the disposable "maternity" panties. They are nothing but stretchy fishnet shaped into a pair of Pull Ups. Go find some granny panties. Yes, the granny panties, the ones with a little stretch in them. Don't worry; don't tell anyone you are buying them and as soon as you feel comfortable you can throw them away. I got this advice and ignored it. I got lacy Hanes panties because I wanted to feel "beautiful" the day I delivered. Big mistake. Those mattresses they call maternity pads could not fit in them. I ended wearing disposable underwear the whole time. SO uncomfortable! Never again.

2. Get some nice, warm (hospital rooms are cold!) comfy PJ's or nightgown where you can easily expose a breast for breastfeeding but still maintain your modesty. Also, get a "loungewear" outfit, like some loosefitting yoga pants and a breastfeeding t-shirt, for example, to wear during the day. I did this and was grateful. I did not anticipate I would get so many visitors the days I was in the hospital. I was happy I could look "presentable" in some inoffensive loungewear, not in a hospital gown with my butt exposed. I was also grateful I had something to change into at night (my nightgown), so I was not wearing the same thing for 2 days in a row.

3. Some comfort gear...a CD player with soothing music, a favorite pillow of yours, a nice sheet or throw to use. That makes the experience much warmer, and it will help to relax you. Nowadays, many OB's don't mind your own music playing in teh background as you are laboring. Sure beats having Jerry Springer playing in the background as you hear your child's first cry! I work in medicine, and I see this all the time - mom starts to labor, everyone forgets to turn off the TV, and pop! out comes baby along with a loud "You are NOT the father" blaring from the TV. Ick.

4. Makeup. Or whatever will make you feel like a human again (although I would avoid perfumes and stuff, you don't know if baby will be sensitive). I needed something to bring me back to earth after my crazy labor and delivery (every complication imaginable, I had). A little bit helped me feel so much better.

5. For baby, actually, you really don't need much. A few outfits (maybe 4-6) if you want (I left him in the hospital kimono, he was fine), the ever-so-critical going home outfit, 2-3 swaddling blankets of your own if you want, your Boppy if you want.

Of course, don't forget your camera! Good luck.

Wow, you got some great advice already! Somehting I didnt notice was a nursing blanket, or something to cover up if you plan on nursing while others are in the room. Also, think about who you want to visit in the hospital. As a first time mom I was so overwhelmed with all the people who stopped by. Yes, it is very nice but you will be so tired. I had twins and was so exhausted from all the visiters. And once you go home it doesnt stop! So think about maybe using that time for yourself to rest and recover. Just a thought. I will be more prepared and set limits if we have any more!! Good luck. This will be the best day of your life!!!

There was a list on this topic - http://www.mamapedia.com/lists/8833135737693077505.

Congrats!

I brought along the birth announcements and wrote them out,addressed the envelopes, and put stamps on them while I was at the hospital. All I had to do after I got pictures of the baby was to drop in a photo, seal, and mail. Really worked out well.

Hey! I am a first time mom too! I had my son back in July and I was so anxious about it that I started packing my bags at the beginning of my 3rd trimester, which was good because I gave birth at 37 weeks. I asked a few of my girlfriends that are new moms what they packed for the hospital and some things that I thought were helpful were-Buy or pack some old granny panties! That was one I wouldn't have thought about but was very grateful someone told me. Also even if you don't plan on nursing bring some nursing pads because your boobs will leak like crazy. I brought my tooth brush and paste and some travel shower items, but the hospital I delivered at provided those kinds of things. Other than that you will just need some comfy clothes and something to go home in. For your husband, we just packed some PJ's and I think two outfits and his toothbrush, not much. For the baby I way over packed!! I had like 5 outfits, pj's, hats, shoes, etc but really I only needed the one outfit he went home in. The whole time we were in the hospital he was in a diaper, the little shirt and cap they put on them, and a blanket from the hospital. The hospital had the diapers and the wipes etc that he would need. And then of course a camera! :) They said we could bring some movies or a computer for entertainment but seriously anytime I had to relax I was sleeping and so was my husband. It is such a short stay though that you really don't need much...Hope that helped! Good luck!!