Hi, everyone!
I know, I know. It's been a while, but in my defense, I have been busy. I have a three-month old! (Yes, he's three months old already. OMG, amirite?!?!)
As a first-time mom, I had no idea what to expect going into labor, but I tried to prepare while packing my hospital bag. Some items ended up coming in handy on the big day, but at the same time, there were some things I ended up not needing and other things I wish I had thought to bring...
What I'm Glad I Brought
1. My birth plan. Of course, nothing went to plan, but it was nice to have some idea of how I wanted things to go, especially in case of emergency. Writing my birth plan required me to do some research, so was better informed about my options, which helped when I was asked to make some decisions in the delivery room. I found a bunch of templates online and then compiled the information I thought was most important into one final plan.
2. Shorts and a sports bra. These were perfect when I got to the hospital and got in the tub. Eventually I ditched the shorts and just wore the sports bra, but modesty was a priority at the beginning. Ha!
3. A robe. All I wore during my two-day stay in the hospital was a robe. It was the easiest and most comfortable thing I could throw on to walk the halls or receive visitors. I had previously bought a zip-up robe, which was just perfect, because it stayed closed when necessary and was easy to unzip when I needed to nurse the baby.
4. Slippers and flip flops. Same reasoning as above. Comfortable. Easy.
5. Yoga pants and a tank top. It turned out that Henry needed to spend a couple days in the NICU, so I was glad to have a comfortable outfit I could wear to walk back and forth from our room without feeling completely sloppy.
6. A nursing sleep bra. I wore this under my tank top for a little more support.
7. A camera. I was so glad to have my sister-in-law and doula documenting the day. My sister-in-law, Kayla, brought her own camera, so mine wasn't necessary, but I think this is a must-have. Also, if you can get a video of the first moment you meet baby, I would highly recommend it.
8. Our baby book. We did have some down time between sleeping, eating, and taking care of the baby, so I was glad to have the baby book with us so I could start documenting everything.
9. Something for Dad to do. Jesse spent a lot of his time writing in a journal he plans to give our son on his 18th birthday (aww... how sweet!). He also helped me with the baby book.
What I Didn't Need
1. All the clothes! I brought so many clothing options for labor because I just didn't know what to expect and what I would want to wear. I only wore shorts and a sports bra and later a nightgown during labor. Everything else was never touched.
2. Mints and Jolly Ranchers. I thought I would want something to help with dry mouth, but anything that had a flavor was completely repulsive to me. I even tried ordering some food at one point, but I couldn't get anything down except for a popsicle. I ate that popsicle in the tub as it melted all over my hand, and it was great.
3. Postpartum supplies - pads, pain-relieving spray, ibuprofen, etc. All of this was provided by the hospital, so I could have left my supplies at home. They even provided tea pads (YES). Also, near the end of my hospital stay, I asked the nurse for more disposable underwear, bed pads, and a peri bottle to take home.
4. The diaper bag. All we ended up needing was one outfit to take baby home in. Everything else was provided.
5. A book. AHAHAHA. Though I did have time to write in the baby book, I didn't have time to actually read. I spent the vast majority of my time sleeping, eating, taking care of the baby, and visiting with friends.
What I Wished I Had Brought
1. A nightgown I didn't care about. For the last stretch of labor, I wore a cute nightgown I found in my dresser. Unfortunately, it got a little stained when I pulled baby up to my chest. It was a cute nightgown. I was sad. Good thing it was for a good reason!
2. Nursing tops. A tank top worked well for this, but it would have been nice to have another nursing-accessible top to wear while baby was in the NICU and one to wear home.
3. A nursing pillow. During baby's stay in the NICU, I was constantly stuffing and rearranging pillows under my arms while trying to learn how to nurse a baby. It would have been easier if I had brought my Boppy!
3. Extra room in our bags! We got so much stuff from the hospital that we ended up needing more bags than we had brought to take everything home. From postpartum supplies to pumping parts to baby supplies, we had a pretty good haul.
Bonus Items...!
1. A pool float. My doula had this in her bag, and it was so wonderful to use in the tub. It was the kind that looked like a donut, so I just slipped my arm through the hole and floated on my side or leaned over the float on my belly.
2. A birth ball (or exercise ball). I ended up hating the birth ball, but it was nice to have the option! I tried sitting on it and leaning over it, but in the end I just wanted to stand or lie down. Our hospital provided a birth ball, but if yours doesn't, it is helpful to bring along. I also had one at home that I sat on almost exclusively during the two weeks prior to labor!
3. Relaxation recordings. My doula also provided these for me. I ended up just spacing out and ignoring the recordings while they were playing, but I think they still helped create a calming environment when the going got tough.
So those are my lists! I am hoping they will be helpful for those of you who are pregnant and preparing for your hospital stay!
Moms, what do you think? What did you bring that you didn't end up needing? What did you wish you had? Leave your answers in the comments!
Until next time,
Amy
