What to Pack in "The Bag"

With the first baby, i discovered that the pads they supply you with could be the industrial sized/style of kotex that you get from a vending machine. Argh. My suggestion is to bring your own supply of overnight Always with wings. You can't use tampons either.

Also, lip balm, your lips get dry during labor.

Congratulations on the impending birth and remember...use that nursery at all times. It will be the last time you will be able to rest before you get home from the hospital with baby. Take my example, it's 4 am and I am up with my 6 week old. Sigh :)

Hey Susan,

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this, but make sure to pack some clean socks and undies and maybe a change of clothes or two for your HUSBAND. Yes, he can go home, but I know mine didn't want to leave me or the baby - so he was really grateful that I had packed a few things for him. Also, a sweater or fleese for you and him - it can be chilly in the hospital rooms and lastly and extra bag to bring home diapers, blankets, etc from the hospital (take all you can - you get charged for it anyway!!!)

Congrats to you and your hubby on the soon arrival of your first child - it is a truly amazing and life changing (for the better) experience.

J.

Pillows! I found my hospital ones to be uncomfortable and unfamilar! The first night was rough until my husband brought ours from home. Hospitals can be uncomfortable, so if you love your pillows and perhaps even a blanket from home, bring them!

I'm due on the 13th and have my bags ready to go as well.For myself I have a bottle of shampoo that I can use as body wash and summers eve to wash with instead of a harsh soap, lotion,and much needed hairband/headband also I may not bring my blow dryer in tow this time but I have a hair wrap to help dry my hair after showers since I have short hair and unable to put it into a pony tail,chapstick,comb nursing bra and tank,deodarant toothbrush and paste.For baby a going home outfit with booties mittens hat and a jacket also a blanket and a carseat cover to keep the cold and wind away from baby.Good Luck hope it goes well for you this is my 3rd so I have other kiddos to pack for as well for their visit to the hospital.

I brought the Moonlit Path room spray (Bath and Body Works) that I got at my baby shower on my doula's suggestion and I am SO GLAD I did! Hospital rooms can smell musty, antiseptic, or just not right. To this day (my son is 21 months) I spray it in the room when I put him down. It is relaxing and familiar and reminds me of the greatest experience of my life! I also brought a CD player (I don't have an iPod) and some CDs (lullabies, Beethoven, Classical Baby, etc.) and played them while I nursed and my son could hear them and be soothed as well.

Other suggestions: a book or magazines if you like to read, a journal to record all of the contractions/thoughts/feelings/experiences you have throughout the entire stay, a baby book or visitors' log so people can sign when they visit you either in the hospital or for the days afterward at home, camera and extra film or memory card and batteries/charger (already mentioned, but worth repeating!), cell phone and charger, phone list of those you want to call (believe me - you don't want to forget someone you thought was obvious to you because after childbirth you will have NO brain for AT LEAST several days!), gum (because all they will give you is ice chips until baby arrives), and maybe snacks. Can you tell I packed way more than necessary? I believe it was better to have too much and be overprepared than to be at the hospital and want something from home because I live so far from the hospital at which my doctor delivers.

One piece of advise I am glad I got was if at all possible take a shower immediately prior to going to the hospital. My water broke first, so I showered while my ride came to get me. It was a long labor (45 hours - first pregnancy) and no way to shower until after all the labor, sweating, pushing, crying, birthing etc. was finished.

Blessings to you and your little miracle!

susan, i lived about 5 minutes from olathe medical when we were there so i didn't have any issues about 'forgetting' things - my hubby stopped by the house every day anyway. one thing i was going to encourage is GRAB those receiving blankets! like someone else said, they're part of those outrageous charges - and they're tons bigger than the ones you can buy at the store. for some reason, i was told this ahead of time (by my prenatal class instructor AT omc) but i completely forgot. i wish i had grabbed some! my son was 8 lbs and he barely fit in the store-bought ones a couple weeks.

Dont forget the baby book for hand and foot prints, camera. And bring something nice for you to wear to greet your guest and to go home in. (Maternity clothes will still be needed.

Enjoy every moment. You are about to embark on the most precious journey of life.

God Bless,
L. B

Hi! I know this is a little late....but I brought some wet ones. Wipes for my face and body for when they wouldnt let me get out of bed.
With my first baby, I was in labor for like 16 hrs, had to push for two hours, and then after the baby they wouldnt let me get out of bed for at least 8 hours.
With my second, I had a c-section and had to stay in bed for a whole day too.
So with not being able to get up and freshen myself up after all that work, you start feeling a little gross. I think the wipes helped me feel so much better until I was able to get up and take a shower. If you dont like wet ones I think Dove makes the same thing. Just an idea.

Also bring ALL the toiletries you would use at home. The hospital will give you a 2 inch dial soap bar for your 3-4 day stay and thats about it.

We also rented movies too. Your going to be up most of the nights anyways so its nice to have something to watch. And I dont mean the baby keeping you up, Nurses and doctors pop in ALL the time.

I just would like to say congrats! Enjoy your time in the hospital. I didnt with my first baby, I was SO ready to go home. With my second baby I appreciated the hospital a lot more. They took care of me, my baby, and my husband for 4 days, food brought to us 3 times a day, and anything I wanted with a push of a button..When you go home your all on your own!
This is a very exciting time. Cherish it! Good luck with baby and Im sure we will be seeing all your baby questions soon! ;)

I was in the hospital for 4 days because of a C section. I took with me Thank you notes so that I could write them when I did not have visitors and had nothing to do. Also if you do not intend to buy the ones that sometimes come with your hospital baby pictures birth announcements. You can have them all filled out before hand as well so that when you do get the baby pictures all you have to do is put them together to mail out. My pictures were waiting at home the day that I came home for me. That was really nice. Also some hospitals now have CD and DVD players in the room you can take your own music and videos to watch or let hubby watch while you rest during labor or even in your room afterward.

-Bring your own shampoo/conditioner & soap. Yes, the hospital does provide some, but it's terrible!
-Change for the vending machine/cafeteria for your husband.
-Chargers or batteries for your camera/cell phones/video camera/laptop.
-Boppy pillow, or similar
-Slippers, robe
-Bring loose & comfortable clothing, like sweats, and pack your maternity clothes to go home in, you won't be able to fit in your prepregnancy clothes yet.
-Nursing bra/nursing tanks, etc.

When you leave the hospital make sure you take the things home that come with your room: baby wipes & diapers, breast cream, water bottle, nose bulb syringe, peri bottle, tucks, numbing spray, etc., etc. You'll still pay for them, if you take them home or not, so you might as well take them.

Now... you should also get together things for YOU for after you get home from the hospital.

-Breast pads (you will leak even if you don't breastfeed!)
-Lots of feminine pads, in varying aborbancy strengths (you could have post-pardum bleeding for 2 weeks or so)
-Peri bottle (the hospital should provide you with one, take it home!)
-Lanolin cream for your nipples
-Pain relievers: Tylenol, Aleve, Advil
-Stool softener such as Colace or the generic
-Tucks - even if you don't have hemmriods, they help with the vaginal swelling after delivery
-Preperation H
-Flushable wipes
-Premade/frozen meals/take out menus for the days afterwards
-Water bottle to ensure you're getting enough water. A lot of hospitals will send you home with one.

Good luck and congrats!!!

Good pillows and an extra bag to take home all of the extra stuff they send home with you.

Susan...I found a what to pack list in one of my baby books that I used as a guide line but some of the things I couldn't have lived without were
1.one of those squishy stress balls...I squeezed the heck out of this through the rough contractions...it helped so much and it saved my partners hand!
2. Good chap stick, the rooms can be dry
3.Your own lotion
4. Extra socks...mylabor wasn't even that long, but between my water breaking ( I was at the hospital) soaked one pair, I went from freezing to sweating which went through another pair, I was very happt to have errored on the side of too many rather than not enough ( also take more underwear then you would think you would need)
5.take hard candy or mints that you like to suck on, even bottled water ( I hated the way the tap water tasted at the hospital) I was so happy to have a mini fridge in my room.
6.A robe and slippers
7.Magazines or a book to read...try and catch up on sleep if you can but you can't endlessly stare at your beloved newborn and try as you might hospitals are noisy places to try and sleep.
8.Call me crazy ( and maybe I am a bit too much of a control freak, but I HAD to have my own pillow.
Good luck to you!!!
B.

Ditto what Amber said with a few other things

Chapstick
Ipod (load some relaxing, mellow songs)
laptop if you have one. We sent out an announcement that evening
(OMC has boppy, so I wouldn't drag on along if going there)
Carseat (leave in your car, and bring into hospital day going home)
Outfit for baby to have pic taken in, going home in (bring socks, onesie, blanket
baby book (ask them to print baby's feet in your book.)

Good luck. Enjoy your last few weeks of just you and your hubby. It's a huge change, but I think most mama's will tell you it's an awesome one!

I haven't read other responses, but make sure to pack your own pads. The ones they give you in the hospital are horrible and uncomfortable. I had packed my regular stuff, but it wasn't enough for the first few days after baby. Get a good brand for heavy days, and the overnights are what worked best for me. You'll be much more comfortable. And always bring stretchy stuff to wear, or loose and comphy. Trying to bring your favorite pair of jeans from pre pregnancy will just be a disappointment...so you'll be sad and uncomfortable. Happy baby and best wishes for a healthy baby and a quick delivery...:)

Great list Amber!!!

Don't forget outfits for the baby for pictures and to go home in.

REALLY comfy clothes for yourself is key. As soon as you feel like getting out of the hospital gown you will want your own nice stretchy comfy clothes for yourself. If you are going to breastfeed try to get a top that open in the front to make it easier.

Oh an my sister just had a baby this last week. And after she used all the ice pack pads she actually used the newborn diapers as pads instead of the ones the hospital gave out. She said they were much softer, more comfortable, and more absorbent.

Ask for a pacifier if they don't provide one.

Best of luck to you for an easy labor and healthy baby!

Bring whatever you can! Even if that means more for hubby to unpack. Hehehe

When my littlest was at Children's for surgery/procedures, I knew she'd need Pedialyte when she woke. I didn't bring any knowing they'd have some there. I just received the bill from that day...Guess what they charged for the 1 tiny jar of Pedialyte...?

$96.50

No joke. So all that to say, BRING YOUR OWN STUFF!

I seen lots of great suggestions but one that I didn't see was socks. Light weight ones. The rooms can sometimes be cool and I know that if my feet are cold then I am misarable! So I was happy to have socks to put on. And the light weight ones work best for me but also because you can adjust them better. One pair if your feet are only a little cold, 2 pairs if they get really cold. With my first child my husband and I didn't need anything in that bag until we were done and then I needed my cell phone and address book. With the 2nd I didn't even have my bag and never missed it. But I also have short labors (3 1/2 hours the first time and 4 hours the 2nd - the longer one was induced and that's why that one took as long as it did). I would also suggest that you walk as much as you can now. I walked 2 miles a day up until I delivered. I had no achs and pains from pregnancy and easy labors. I swear that the walking every day helped. Just think of it as training -you wouldn't run a marathon without training and labor has to be the closest thing. Good luck!!!

Just had my 1st baby in Dec. A few things I recommend are chapstick, hard candy for during labor b/c your mouth gets very dry, a camera for sure, slippers for walking the halls, mittens for baby to cover the sharp nails, cute outfit for baby for pics, a bag full of snacks for dad and then you after the delivery, the baby book, don't forget to buy some big pads for once you get home b/c you won't feel like shopping, and if you are breastfeeding I highly recommend to bring your boppy if you have one. At our birthing class they said it wasn't necessary and to just use pillows in the hospital. That 1st day was so stressful. On day 2 I finally brought in my boppy. Life got so much easier! Wish I would have done it from the start!

Best wishes for an easy delivery, speedy recovery, and a happy baby! :)

I didn't read all of the responses, but bring your baby book with you also. They will put your baby's foot prints directly in it if you ask them to. We didn't know that for our first child, but definately did it for our second.

Good Luck!

I don't have time to read all of this. But did anyone mention bringing your own obstetric size pads for after? Those stupid hospitals charge an arm and a leg for each pad!

I would also bring my own tylenol and refuse to take any of theirs. I know it's expensive to have a baby and it may seem useless to try and save a few bucks. It's more the principle of the thing!

perfect list by Amber! the only other thing i can think of to add...the hospital i was at didn't have little baby gloves. we ended up just using socks over my girls hands so she wasn't scratching herself. they didn't even have anything for me to trim her nails. and also take lots of little snacks for both you and your hubby. Good luck and an early congratulations!

Nail clippers! Some for baby and some for you too.

Babies are often born with already long finger nails and can tend to scracth their faces a lot as a result. Nurses are not allowed to trim them for you, so bring along some infant clippers or a file to smooth them down just in case.

Also, the ones for you are in case you chip a nail during labor. I'm not a long or fancy nail person by any means, but it can certainly be annoying when/if you happen to break a nail and end up with a low jagged edge that snags on everything. Even more annoying during labor!

Don't forget chapstick, change for vending machines (cafeteria might be closed when you're hungry!), some clear drinks like sprite or propel fitness water and even a few light snacks. We'll be welcoming #4 in a few months, so I'll be packing my bags yet again soon too.

Best of luck to you and congrats on your little one!

I was told to pack Peppermint chapstick and peppermints because they can help if you get queazy during delivery. I had remembered to bring them with me, but didn't remember that they were in my bag until like the 10th time of getting sick. Also, with my first, I brought my own pillow from home, which I wished that I had brought with my second. Not so much for the feeling of my own pillow, but it was a comfort to me while I was getting the epidural, I had my face buried in that thing! Depending on how your labor goes, you may also want to bring some DVD's, CD's, puzzle books, etc. With my daughter, I was in labor for 18-1/2 hours, but the first 17 hours were nothing and I was just getting bored and I was too nervous and excited to sleep so I was glad that I had stuff to occupy my mind. With my son, I went to the hospital because I had a lot of clear discharge. When I got there, my water had not broken yet, but I was dilated 6-1/2 cm and fully effaced and was in labor, just didn't know it, and he was my 2nd so you would have thought that I knew what was going on. The clear discharge was just my body flushing the canal before the water broke. I didn't take any entertainment, but I had him within 6 hours of arriving at the hospital so I didn't really need it. Other than the usual clothes (pajamas were nice), the hospital has you taken care of, they even give you underwear while you are there if you don't want to get your undies messy. I used the hospital undies with my first the entire time, and I used them the first day with my 2nd and then went back to mine just for the comfort. Good luck and I wish you the best!

I would also agree...bring your own pillow! Just make sure to put a pillowcase with color or a pattern on it so they don't mix it up with the hospital ones. I got such comfort from snuggling into my pillow, or just having something soft and nice smelling (rather than the antiseptic odor of hospital linens!). Yes...bring a few pairs of comfy warm socks too! Personally, next time, I won't bother to bring all my own pads and undies...I just used theirs! (why mess your own when they can do the wash! LOL) In the end, I packed WAY too much...didn't use half of what I packed. I guess it was just part of "nesting" to try to be ready for ANYTHING! Good luck and enjoy these last days of pampering yourself!

A few pairs of pajama pants/sweat pants (maternity size or ones with a drawstring/elastic). Not to be too detailed, but I bled through my pad once or twice and did not enough clean pants with me.

First of all, I hope this doesn't happen to you, but I ended up having a csection, and I was allergic to the disposable underwear they give you. Because the incision was so low, I was really uncomfortable having any underwear that sat right on it, so I had to send my husband and my mom off to try to buy big old granny panties that fit over my still inflated belly. You might just bring some big comfortable underwear. That was my only wish. Good luck!

I suggest bringing very comfy elastic waist band pants for after the delivery. Also, bring comfy underwear that you don't care about because you will most likely want to through them out after wearing them. Your favorite pillow because the hospital pillows usually are not the greatest. Good luck and enjoy every minute of it.

My two cents is...bring your own pillow from home. It's comforting and more comfortable. Best wishes for a safe, joy-filled delivery!

I recommend reading this article. Best wishes on a healthy birth!

http://www.consumerreports.org/health/medical-conditions-...

Well, you have gotten lots of great advise on what to bring so I will just add that I brought a robe & slippers and didn't use them at all. The gown was fine for me and when they broke my water and I saw how messy everything was I had to laugh at my pretty white slippers sitting in my bag. I did notice that someone else appreciated having those things though so I guess it depends on how you are most comfortable. That was just my experience. Good luck to you!

I didn't take the time to read your responses.
First of all congrats!And I would have to say the thing that I think was great is a boppy nursing pillow!It is absolutely great if you have a c-section to put on your tummy between you and the baby.And even if you don't have a c-section or nurse,they are nice!

Good Morning Susan. You have already received wonderful advice so I am here to wish you a safe and speedy delivery, healthy baby and wonderful experience to last a life time. Yes a lifetime!! It's really amazing when people come to visit and see your precious little Angel, you will hear all kinds of memories of each woman's labor and delivery. Enjoy it cause you will get to share some day too :)

Our son's are 34 & 32 and I remember both like it was yesterday.

I will pray you go like one of our daughters in law and SLEEP through the whole Labor experience, woke up in time to be checked and deliver with one or two pushes...lol
See I even remember those.

God Bless and be with you all
K. Nana of 5

The one thing I suggest to all my friends is to buy at least one pair of non-bikini style underwear just in case you end up having a C-section. The bikini style hit right where the incision is made. I had to leave the hospital in the gauze undies you get there - lovely! - and send my mom out to buy me a few pairs of regular underwear. Hopefully you won't have any problems but at least you'll be prepared in case!

Warm socks....my feet were freezing. Also, your cell phone, and tell people to call on that, because you won't be able to get to the phone in your room most of the time. Finally, bring clothes that are plenty big, maybe even maternity clothes. You will still look fairly pregnant for a couple of weeks after the baby comes. Good luck. So exciting!

Pack a bathrobe! If you pack nothing else, pack a bathrobe for the labor. Those hospital gowns are very open in the back, and hospitals are notoriously cold. One of my girlfriends gave me a man's heavy robe (man's so it would fit over the pregnant belly) for my baby shower, and I have to say it was the most useful present I got. There was a tornado warning during my labor, and all of the women had to go into the hallway for a half hour or so until the threat passed, and I was the only one not "overexposed"! But it was great during labor, and then afterwords my husband took it home, washed it, and brought it back, and I wore it around the hospital until we went home. (It was also easy to open in the front for breastfeeding.) I still have it, too.
Congratulations on your baby! Just remember-- you don't need anything but your mommy self to make that child happy.

Lots of great advice! I would add a baby pacifier. I know you're not supposed to use one if you're planning on nursing, but every single one of my friends (including myself) ended up using one at the hospital, and they charge outrageous amounts for them! Even if you're planning on not using it, I would recommend having one just in case.

The other moms have said almost everything I can think of, but I'd like to add some unscented body wash if you're planning to breastfeed. Your baby will be able to smell you better, and anything to make nursing easier is great! I took Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser:
http://cetaphil.com/Products/cleansers.aspx
Good luck, and enjoy that baby!!!

The baby book.. Unless you are packed every second with visitors, I used my down time to get a jump start on the baby book. And if you have it out when baby is born they will put footprints in it for you.

One other thing I didn't see on the responses is body lotion. My skin felt itchy after the baby was born and rubbing lotion on seemed to help some. Also, after washing hands etc, I wanted to have soft hands to hold the baby. I second the chapstick. I got a short satin nightgown that buttoned up the front to wear in the hospital after the birth and everyting was all cleaned up. I felt prettier than with the hospital gowns and it stayed relatively clean since it was short and I would pull it up so I didn't sit on it while in bed. It was also easy to breastfeed in with the button down front.
Good Luck!

VIDEO CAMERA and charger!!!! even if you don't plan to tape the birth you can video the first bath and all your visitors. A regular camera and batteries. baby book, outfits for you and baby. Snacks are a good idea. phone charger for your cell phone, I know I saw on several responses to bring pads and toiletries contact solution(if used). I brought an extra baby blanket to cover baby if you plan on nursing for the times the family popped in while baby was eating ;) really there's not that much I would have changed. If you have a pump you may bring that incase baby doesn't want to latch on. Even if you don't want to use bottles it's better then feeling like you can't do anything about it, also keeps you from having to use formula as a resort. My nurses were great except maybe a little too helpful when I was trying to nurse. My whole thing was they wanted to nurse my son like every 30 min and I didn't feel he was hungry and that just got annoying. Plus I was just tired of them touch my boobs!!! My son ended up just using formula after a week of trying to nurse/pump, I tried pumping(pump was manual and didn't work very well(gerber brand) and putting it in a bottle and he still didn't want it. He wanted formula!! I've had so much experiance with infants that I felt comfortable taking care of him and would have asked if I needed anything. Pretty much everything the others said sounds like good advice. You may have everything in your bag but the kitchen sink but at least you won't feel you've forgotten anything