As I approach my last 7 weeks of pregnancy with baby #2, I have started to assemble things for my hospital bag so that nothing is left to chance when it's time to roll. With my first son, I went into labor at 31 weeks and 6 days pregnant so obviously I did not have a bag packed. With that having been my previous experience, I have made sure to have everything locked and loaded this time around. For the new mamas out there who want an easy to follow breakdown of what to pack in your hospital bag, I got you covered.
Mamas, you can start by dividing the bag into 2 sections. One will be the things you need and the other things baby will need. Mama side will definitely be bigger; you will not be needing much for baby while in the hospital...they provide most of what he/she will need.
Mamas Side
...Comfy robe or nightgown: after you deliver, you are not going to want to wear constricting clothing. You may have swollen legs or ankles from the massive amounts of IV fluids that were pumped into you or from drainage if you had a c-section. Having something soft and lose to wear during your time in the hospital is crucial. I wore a super soft pajama set pretty much the entire time I was admitted. You can find it here. I also just ordered this night shirt for my upcoming hospital stay...so soft and washes really well. You can find it here.
...Comfy clothing to leave hospital in: since you do not know what clothing you will be wearing when babe decides it's time to go to the hospital, make sure you have a soft, lose outfit packed to leave the hospital in. When I left the hospital with my first son, I wore soft leggings and an oversized sweatshirt. The leggings were helpful because they held the ice pack in place nicely over my c-section incision.
...Footwear: while you're in the hospital you always have the option of wearing their no slip socks, but if you want something that will make you feel like less of an old lady, bring a pair of slippers. I love these slippers because they have a back. For leaving the hospital, make sure you have comfortable footwear as well. These have been my absolute favorite shoes throughout pregnancy and #momlife because they are super easy to put on AND washable.
...Toiletries: while you're in the hospital you're going to want to feel as clean as possible after all the sweating involved with labor. Make sure to pack shampoo + conditioner if you think you may wash your hair, body wash, body lotion, deodorant, lip balm, makeup remover wipes, face moisturizer, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, extra hair ties, headband, hairbrush and flip flops for the shower. If you wear contacts or glasses, have those ready as well.
...Electronics: you are NOT going to want to have a dead phone so be sure to pack a charger! If you plan to binge watch Netflix while laboring, bring an iPad and headphones.
...Linens: if you are someone that is picky about towels and pillows, then the hospital will most definetly not meet your standards. If this is important to you, pack your own shower towel and your own pillow. If you bring your own pillow be sure to put a case on it that is NOT white so that is does not get mixed in with the hospital laundry service.
...Post birth items: The hospital will provide mesh underwear and maxi pads after birth...so if you are cool with that make sure to load up on what they have! If you want to be more specific about the type of mesh underwear and the brand of maxi pads, head over to Amazon and order what you want for your hospital bag. For a more comprehensive list of post birth items that you will need once home, check out my previous post here
Baby's Side
...A car seat: next to the baby, the carseat is the second most important thing to remember. The hospital will have baby complete a carseat test to clear him/her before leaving and they will watch you place the carseat into your car upon departure.
***When you purchase your carseat, don't wait on the installation of the base. This is not something you want to have to google videos on how to do while you or your partner is in labor. Just get it done. We took our base to the local police station and had them install it properly in our car. Most local police stations or fire departments have a designated time during the week where you come just for that purpose. That way they can show you exactly how to do it so there is no chance of safety compromises. If you live in Arlington County, click here to see the list of times available for carseat installation. For those who do not live in this county, simply google "police department child carseat installation [insert city, state here]."
...Going home outfit: this is where you get to be all Instagram and Pinterest perfect. Make sure whatever debut outfit you select is appropriate for the time of year [i.e. long vs. short sleeves]. I ordered the same outfit for baby no. 2 as I did for the Axe man. If you want to check it out, click here.
...Baby blanket: bring something soft and cozy to drape baby with in the carseat on the way home. Since Axel was born in May, we brought a lighter blanket with us that my SIL purchased as a baby gift. You can find it here. Ours was the avocado print. If you are having a winter babe and want an extra special super soft blanket, check this one out, they are so soft and wash really well.
...Pediatrician information: you will need to provide this to the hospital before they will discharge you. Hospitals require parents of the new earthling so schedule a visit with the pediatrician within the first couple days of being home. First time pregnant mamas reading this: lock in your pediatrician ASAP. It is never too early. All you do is call the office and tell them you want to get a soon to be new patient on their radar and they will tell you what steps to take next. This needs to be done before baby is born.
...Feeding: If you purchased your own pump, bring it with you so the nurses can show you how to use it. If you plan to bottle feed, bring 2 bottles with you as well. The hospital of course has bottles and formula you can use, but it is a good opportunity to test out the bottles you purchased to see if baby takes to them.
Like I mentioned above, baby's side of the bag will be very small since most of what he/she will need will be provided for him/her while in the hospital. Take advantage of this. Do not bring a bunch of your own onesies just so baby looks extra cute while in the hospital. That will just be extra laundry for you when you get home. Use what the hospital provides and then leave it all behind!
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