what I packed for the hospital

My bag is packed... finally.  I know I will likely not use some of this but I have never stayed at a hospital before (well except that time when I was 5 and slit my throat open on a glass table... can we say accident prone!).  So this is the first planned hospital stay and I imagine it will be a far cry from our usual get-a-ways.  I may have hinted in the past that I am a bit of a germ-a-phobe... well hospitals are a germ mecca in my opinion so rather than bring things that I actually care about I bought several "disposable" things that I will just throw away at the hospital.

The goods...


This is the entire bag contents (well I'll be honest... it takes up more room than one bag so we will be sharing with Andrew... he is STAYING at the HOSPITAL... if anyone thinks he is coming home and leaving me alone with two babies they are OH SO WRONG)..


Isla and Alice need things.  I was originally thinking of just bringing a going home outfit for each of them, a few cloth diapers and a nail file but after reading E Tells Tale's Post on what she actually needed for her newborn son at the hospital I upped their packing list!

We're bringing 4 hats... every picture I see lately has these newborn babies all wrapped up in hats (personally a hat in a hot hospital in July sounds awful to me but maybe I just don't get it and they will actually want their heads in hats)
Mittens so that they don't scratch themselves... apparently their nails might not actually be long enough to file this early
2 onesies... in case they are actually hot like I think they will be and do not wish to be in the full sleeper
socks... in case their toes are cold
4 sleepers... so that they don't have to always be wrapped in hospital issued blankets
2 receiving blankets... to swaddle
1 package of preemie disposable diapers (okay so apparently what comes out of them at first is so unpleasant that I have been warned not to use our cloth diapers for the first week)... preemie you wonder?  I doubt doubt doubt that these girls will be over 6 pounds but go ahead and prove me wrong babies!
1 tube of zoya nail polish in LC.  We have to be able to tell them apart some how... so one baby will receive a pedicure and will keep receiving pedicures until we can safely tell her apart from her sister.
1 baby grooming kit... in case they come out with heads full of curly hair that needs to be tamed immediately


Now for me..

1 big fluffy non-hospital issue towel so that I can feel like a human again
2 hideous night gowns that I purchased at walmart that will never leave the hospital... but they are soft, button way down the front and are mine so I figure they will feel better than hospital gowns post delivery
1 ridiculously soft robe... this would be my luxury item
1 pair ugly blue slippers that will never leave the hospital but are surprisingly comfy
1 pair shower flip flops because there is no way that my bare feet are touching that floor... ever
bravado nursing bras that have no underwire and are amazingly comfortable
a pair of jeans (maternity... I am not THAT naive) and a t-shirt to wear when we are leaving the hospital
1 bamboo belly bandit in size small... I am worried that i won't be able to squeeze this on the day after I deliver so I have a contingency plan... a list of local stores that carry this band and a willing grandmother-to-be (my mom) who will jet out and purchase the medium if I require it because I am not willing to give my uterus & skin any additional time to sag around
facial wipes... so when I am all sweaty and gross during labour I have something to cool myself off with
nivea soft cream... because it smells so good
contact lens solution... not because I wear contacts... but for Andrew
cariwell silk nursing pads... who knows if I will need these so early on but I would rather have them just in case
New Mamma Bottom Spray... apparently this stuff sells out everywhere and is a must have post vaginal delivery
NatraCare postpartum pads... enormous yes... full of nasty chemicals no way!
Substance nipple cream... organic and you don't have to wash it off before you nurse
Nipple shields... in case our babies need a little help in the latching department (hopefully not)

Have I forgotten anything?  I hope not!

Comments

  1. I just knew you would have a great list of things to pack! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. great list!
    yes for the throw away slippers... you don't want to hear what happened to mine. Actually - bring 2 pairs if you can.
    2 other things I'd recommend:
    grannie panties... just in case you have a c-section. hey - I wasn't expecting one!
    some type of music. we brought our ipod and speakers. at night it was great to drown out the hospital sounds. many of the nurses commented on what a 'melo' environment we had in our room. lights turned down and soft music playing each night.

    ReplyDelete
  3. The hospital pads and underwear are waaaaay better than anything I brought. Be sure to stock up for when you come home.

    Also, hospitals are cold so my lil guys not only wore hats the entire time, but sometimes two! And they spent periods of time under the warmer. They were also double swaddled at all times.

    Looks like you have it covered!

    ReplyDelete
  4. WOAH!
    I don't even know what a belly bandit or that spray is! I feel a bit unprepared!

    But I have time!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

I like comments (almost) as much as like wine!