When it came to packing my hospital bag for when I was going to have a baby I had a plan. But plans don’t always go as planned.
When my baby came my bag wasn’t packed, the car seat wasn’t in the car, and my mental state was a mess.
I was expecting my baby to be late because everyone told me that your first baby will not be early (or on time).
NOPE.
My boy came 2.5 weeks early, which was a big surprise! We had only put up the crib and that was it.
I was planning on taking my maternity leave about a week before my due date and that was when we were going to pack my bag, install the car seat, and mentally prepare myself for his birth.
And I cried when the nurse told me they were going to admit me to have my baby that day. I was NOT ready.
When we were at the hospital I sent my husband to gather things and pack the hospital bag. And well, there wasn’t much that was packed.
So now I know what was missing and will grab it next time.
4 things I wish I grabbed when packing my hospital bag
Depends
So these are an embarrassing thing that are super wonderful to have around after you have a baby.
I used depends when I got home but I will bring them with me when packing my hospital bag next time. They are way better than those gigantic pads they give you.
I just found out too that Always makes absorbent underwear specific for postpartum. I will definitely try them next time because they are must have after you have a baby. Get them here because you don’t want to leave these out of your hospital bag!
Now I don’t know if the nurses will let you wear them during your stay at the hospital but wearing them home would have been great!
They are a lot thinner than those pads and they are just as absorbent. You don’t have to worry about if the pad is going to slip or if my visitors could see how big it is.
And you won’t have to worry about messing up undies, you can just throw everything away when you’re done!
What they don’t tell you until after you the baby that breastfeeding will cause your uterus to contract which leads to more bleeding. My friend Stacey made a breastfeeding course that explains everything, even the things that no one tells you! Go check out her course so there are no surprises about breastfeeding.Â
Postpartum Leggings
My husband packed me something comfy for when we went home. But the sweats he packed didn’t fit anymore (thank you pregnancy) and the maternity clothes I wore there didn’t fit either (I had actually stretched them out), so I wore his basketball shorts home.
This wouldn’t have been a problem except we had to go pick up diapers on our way home (did I mention yet we were not prepared for our baby to come?).
And if you have ever had a baby you know that your tummy is all mushy and jiggles because everything is all stretched out (and if you haven’t had a baby just know that this happens).
I was so self-conscience about my bouncy belly that I was a hot anxious mess and it didn’t help that I had all those hormones helping me out.
I just needed something to help me feel like I wasn’t falling out all over. Something was more secure.
So next time I will definitely pack tights like these with me!
Snacks
These actually wouldn’t be for me.
When you have a baby the hospital will feed the mother and the father only once. I understand why, but it was hard on my husband.
Because we were so ill-prepared we didn’t pack any change for the vending machines. So my poor husband was so hungry!
Now I know what you are thinking, “Ash why didn’t he just leave and get something for himself?” To be honest neither of us wanted him to leave.
I wanted him to stay and he wanted to stay.
So we decided (more like he decided) that he was going to stay and just eat the food they gave me because I didn’t have an appetite. Which worked out great for both of us.
But next time we will pack snacks for my husband. So that he won’t have to leave to get things from the vending machine and we won’t have to worry about packing enough quarters.
Pillow and Blanket from home
I was planning on packing them but like I said we weren’t packed yet (do I sound like a broken record yet?).
Hospital pillows are not great! Mine were flat as can be and, for obvious reasons, smelled of bleach. Not the most comforting. Especially after you just went through something as physically traumatic as giving birth.
The blankets that were on my bed weren’t that bad but for my husband, he definitely needed his own from home.
The blanket that they gave us for him to use were those scratchy type from a motel. I didn’t have to use them but he complained about them so that will be packed next time for sure!
So having something that gives you a little bit more security and a sense of home is a must for healing!
Now you don’t have to be like me and you’ll have everything you need when you pack your hospital bag.
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