We're getting down to the home stretch people - my due date is less than six weeks away!! I'm in full on nesting / get shit done mode over here, and a big thing to check off my list was packing for the hospital. I asked a bunch of mommies plus did a lot of online research before landing on what exactly I needed to bring in my hospital bag.
I personally am skirting the middle of the road here when it comes to what I'm packing. I know I won't be wanting to blow dry my hair in the hospital or need a cute hospital gown or my own towels to feel comfortable. But I most likely will be putting on at least a little bit of makeup to look alive for photos and visitors (have I told you before that Jeff used to ask me if something was wrong or I was sick if I didn't have on undereye concealer??), and I did buy myself a cute new robe and pajamas, because, well, I wanted to ;)
So here's what I'm packing in my hospital bag for myself and for the baby:
Clothing
Cute Robe - Okay, so I already own three robes, but one is too small for my pregnant belly, one is gigantic and would need a whole suitcase for itself, and one is Christmas plaid. So yep, I bought a new robe! This one is super soft and folds down really small, and is big enough to cover all the important bits.
Pajamas - I don't anticipate actually wearing these in the hospital unless it's chilly (planning to stick with the hospital gown and my robe), but they're button front which is handy for nursing, and a dark color which is good in case of stains. These pajamas are my all time favorites and so soft and cozy. Plus, it means I have a pair of pants that will fit no matter what to come from the hospital in.
Wrap Cardigan - I actually bought one of these a couple years ago in anticipation of getting pregnant and nursing (we ended up waiting a while longer to start trying) and have just been wearing it around the house since then. I am very sensitive to small temperature changes so I'm basically always too hot or too cold, so an extra layer is a must.
Leggings - I plan to bring my favorite maternity leggings as well as postpartum leggings since I'm not sure what will fit or feel best. I hear some people like to have tight leggings after delivery to keep the mesh undies and everything else in place, while others prefer the comfort of the maternity belly panel. These will be what I plan to wear home, along with the cardigan.
Slippers - I'm bringing a favorite pair I've had for a while with non-slip soles for walking around the hospital room. I've heard that some hospitals require non-slip socks or slippers, so I just want to be prepared. Plus this pair (mine are super similar) are really comfortable and warm, and easy to slip on and off.
Nursing bra and nursing tank - I've heard this style of nursing bra is the most comfortable and easy for the hospital, plus it's made for larger chests which is a plus! I snagged a couple of these nursing tanks during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and convinced my sister to buy a couple too and she loves them. I'm also planning on wearing one of the tanks home.
Beauty / Body
Earth Mama Perineal Spray and Nipple Butter - My hospital will have numbing sprays and lanolin, but I've heard a lot of people rave about the Earth Mama products so I'm bringing them as a backup in case I prefer them.Dove Dry Shampoo - I barely wash my hair now and I don't have a baby, so you had better bet I'm bringing a full can of dry shampoo to the hospital.
Chapstick - I am legit addicted to chapstick now, and word on the street is that breastfeeding is dehydrating and makes your lips really dry. In the prenatal class we went to, the doctor literally said the dad's job in the hospital is to make sure the mom is drinking water and putting on chapstick.
Hand Cream - I am also addicted to hand lotion and put it on constantly. I just know if I don't include this in my bag, I'll somehow manage to forget it in my purse and then have angry hands the whole time.
Toiletries - I'm packing all of my normal essentials, like contacts, glasses, face and eye cream, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, Dove soap (I never travel without it these days!), a razor, deodorant, a comb, etc. I always wondered before how people pack this all up ahead of time since these are things you use on the daily, but since I started traveling a lot for work I now have doubles of all of my products so I don't have to unpack and repack my toiletries each trip. I even have an extra pair of glasses!
Makeup - I know I'll want to wear some makeup but not a ton, so I'm just bringing the bare minimum - concealer, powder, eyeliner, and mascara. Plus makeup remover! I also have doubles of all of these so I can pack them ahead of time.
Overnight Pads - I know the hospital will provide the super diapers, but in case I don't like them I'm packing a few of these overnight pads. I've heard good things about them - they're extra thin but still really absorbent.
Electronics
Camcorder and Camera - I don't want to just have a bunch of videos of our baby stuck on my phone, so we ended up buying a camcorder to make some home movies. I'll also bring my nice camera to get some pictures of baby in the hospital.iPad and iPhone - I'm going to load some movies and tv shows onto my iPad and calming music onto my iPhone in case labor takes a while. If I'm feeling particularly industrious, I may throw in some headphones or an external speaker too.
Extra Long Charging Cord - Word on the street is that outlets aren't always conveniently placed in hospital rooms, so I bought this extra long cord to make sure my phone has enough battery. Don't want to miss any photo ops!
For Baby
Two Onesies - Our hospital provides outfits for the baby, so I'm just bringing to white onesies to wear home, in newborn size and 0-3 month size since I don't know how big baby will be. I mean, I'm assuming pretty big considering how tall Jeff and I are, but you never know! Baby will be wearing one of these home from the hospital.Gown, Hat, Gloves, Headband, and Swaddle - I'm not really sure how much we'll feel like taking photos of baby in the hospital, but then I remember that I'm me and take outfit photos on the daily, so I thought I should bring a couple of options. I've heard a couple recommendations for this brand, and everything is so soft!
Bear Suit - I have no idea how warm it will be when the baby is born, but considering it's Chicago we can guess it'll be pretty cold! I'm worried about baby being too cold coming home from the hospital, so baby will likely be wearing this over a onesie.
Baby Blanket - Again, I'm worried about the cold, so a blanket is a must!
Car Seat and Car Seat Cover - We got this car seat (and are installing it this weekend - wish us luck!!) and I'm bringing this warm cover, again for the cold.
And then heading out the door (or maybe I should just prep this ahead of time and not worry about it!) I plan to grab a pillow with a dark pillow case so it doesn't get mixed up with the hospital linens.
So tell me - is there anything I'm missing? I'll plan to come back and update this post after baby to share what came in handy and if there was anything I didn't need.
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