Hospital Bag

When I was thinking about packing my hospital bag, I found a hundred lists telling me what I needed to bring.  And of course, they were all different.

In case you're in the same boat I was -- lost and confused about what you'll actually want and need -- here's the list of what I actually used/needed in the hospital.

For Baby

Diapers: the hospital gives you the first five diapers (no, I'm not kidding -- they are that precise) and after that you need to provide your own.  One of the packages of about 30 newborn diapers should be a good start.  Have more waiting for you at home.

Wipes: I don't remember if the hospital gave us any.  I'm sure they must have given us a few, but bring your own anyway.

Clothes: I found all the lists I read seemed to include tons of clothing for the baby.  Like I already told you, Jack hardly wore anything while he was in the hospital -- I think we had two outfits with us...  More than anything, I would bring things in a couple of different sizes (newborn, and 0-3 months) since you don't know what will fit.  Because you know you'll be in the hospital a few days (and because baby clothes are tiny!) I would probably bring a 4 or 5 onesies and 4 or 5 sleepers.  That will probably be more than you'll need.

Blankets: the hospital will give you a couple of receiving blankets (we definitely stole ours when we left...), but you might also want to bring one or two of your own from home.  You might want one other kind of blanket too, though I remember the hospital being pretty warm when we were in there.


For Mom

Pads: same deal as diapers.  They give you the first five, and then it's up to you.  And when they talk about pads, they don't mean the ones you would use for a regular cycle.  Find some heavy duty ones (like ones marketed for overnight, or heavy flow).   They also provide some lovely underwear for you.  They work well, though you might also want to bring a few pairs of your maternity underwear.

Comfortable Clothes: I've heard that your middle is pretty sore at the site of your incision, so think about what you could bring that's loose fitting.  I was mostly in pyjamas, but had an outfit for going home, too.  Maybe bring a nursing bra, but you may not actually wear it until you're leaving.  Bring slippers or socks, too.  The floors get cold!

Nursing Pillow: The hospital has some and I used one from them, but I think my own would have been better.  It was a bit different in shape, so it would have been nice to use it at the hospital when I was first getting the hang of nursing.

Actual pillow: especially if you sleep best with your own pillow (not that you can do a whole lot of sleeping in the hospital...).  They give you a pillow, but it's never as good as your own.

Towel: It will probably be a day or two after the birth before you're able to have a shower.  They have towels at the hospital, but they're crappy and small.  Next time, I would totally bring my own.  The first two or three showers after Jack was born felt better than any shower I have ever had.  You might want flip flops for the shower, too.

iPad:  I was surprised to find that PLC didn't have wifi, but maybe they do now?  Even if you can't connect to a network, it's kind of a fun, mindless way to pass some time (when you're not nursing, sleeping, trying to sleep, or staring at your amazingly perfect new baby).

Camera: Your baby will pretty much just sleep, and you'll still be tempted to document it all (and then you can share all the photos with me eventually).