Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Please submit Hospital Bag Ideas!

I first have to apologize for not posting recently. This third trimester is kicking my butt and what I thought were Braxton Hicks seem to be some sort of Lactic Acid build up (They think). Also...I'm very petite and have the shortest torso in the planet and she suggested maybe he is just running out of room! Brilliant....32 weeks this Wednesday and no more room. I have an appt on Thurs but until then the nice nurse told me to rest. REST??? She did NOT put the word bed in front of it but told me to put my feet up and relax in the afternoons. Um, my cube doesn't have the configuration for an ottoman.... AND going to Charleston for SEWE involves walking.

So, to make me feel better I am asking all my friends & followers to please suggest good items to bring in my hospital bag! I am hopefully ordering a set of the LL Bean (they currently don't have Carolina blue) or Lands End totes with baby's initials (or his name?) this week (please honey, or at least the Large!!??).

Pretty please with a cheeseburger on top leave a comment with your favorite items you brought, items you didn't need, and what in the heck I can leave the hospital in. Oh, and maybe something cute for babyfu to wear too. I will compile a fancy list with suggestions for next week!

xoxoxo

Stay Puft Preggo

16 comments:

  1. Hairspray to help your hair look less greasy in a ponytail and fake tanner to avoid the pasty hospital skin. I never found any nursing tops I liked so I wore cotton nighties with some wraps and bathrobes over top for modesty. Bring a cotton maternity dress and uggs to leave in. Bring your nursing pillow. Don't bring anything for baby but his going home outfit and a blanket. KissyKissy makes some convertible gowns which work perfect bc you can snap it up for the carseat.

    I am so excited for you!!!

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  2. Bring snacks. I was starving all the time with nursing. I was up a lot at night with nothing to eat.

    Also, bring toiletries. It was so nice to take a shower with my own shampoo, soap, etc. after labor.

    good luck! i'm so happy for you and max!

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  3. Deffinitely bring your own pilllow (or two) and baggy pants and comfy underwear! And I also love kissy kissy outfits. Camera, and Phone chargers, laptop, and shower (camp) shoes!

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  4. So let me try and give the perspective from the other side, having spent a fair amount of time in hospitals.

    1. Patience

    2. A single Aerobed if you expect Max to join you for a couple of nights. The Chair of Broken Dreams is a poor introduction to new fatherhood.

    3. Something you will be comfortable walking outside in. It will be spring, and hospitals smell awful. Take a walk.

    4. Beer. It is rumored to be good for lactation, and you are going to need one.

    5. Access to red meat. Within 3 hours of a C-section I was sent on emergency hamburger recon. Iron deficiency? Whatever the reason, scout a local burger joint.

    6. Tarheel booties: If you go early, the Final Four is April 4th.

    Good luck cuz, you are going to be a great momma. And just in time....LRCII needs some competition.

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  5. My best things in my bag were 1) a lightweight bathrobe (they sell one at Target that I've worn through two births and months of nursing ... it comes with lightweight pants and is super comfy ... last time I was there, they still had the set) 2) chapstick 3) cozy socks and slippers.

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  6. I have never had a child and only have one niece so don't have a whole lot of experience with birthing babies. I can say, however, that your posts make me laugh out loud. As long as you take your humor you should be good.

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  7. I didn't even open/look in my hospital bag.
    You'll want to wear the hospital gown for giving birth -- they are quite comfy and giving birth is messy/sweaty/puke-y/wet. You won't want to wear anything that will get in the way.
    You will not give a shit about what you look like. Put your hair in a ponytail and forget about it.

    The one thing you'll need after the baby is born is some *big* underpants. You have to wear huge pads the first couple of days and if you're like 99% of women who give birth, your belly will still be big. The underpants have to accommodate big pads and a big belly.

    Shootin' straight with you, SBM!
    Can't wait to hear about the baby!
    :)

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  8. Pillows with colorful pillow cases so they don't get confused with hospital ones and tissues (hospital tissues are sandpaper!).

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  9. Hey Kat,
    Here is what I wish I had brought with me the first time:
    1. The brest friend nursing pillow. It is the only one that worked for me. I started with a boppy, and switched.
    2. A comfortable nursing top. I got really annoyed with the uncomfortable hospital gown with the holes in front for nursing. http://www.nursinggowns.com/ I got this nursing gown and robe and love it.

    Here are the things I didn't use but brought:
    1. makeup
    2. blow dryer
    3. clothes other than what I wore home. Bring comfortable yoga pants and a knit top for going home.

    Here are the things I brought and was so glad I did:
    1. my own pillow
    2. a homemade quilt blanket I love
    3. music to listen to while laboring
    4. my computer

    Where are you delivering? That makes a difference with what you might want to bring also.

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  10. Ok, I know this will sound gross, but I saw this advice on Amalah's blog and it was a lifesaver when I had my son. Instead of giant underwear to hold giant pads, get a box of adult diapers like Depends. There is all sorts of grossness that comes out after giving birth and with these, there is no underwear to worry about messing up or nasty pads to peel off. Just tear off at the clean waistband (make sure you get the tearaway kind) and throw away.

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  11. I'm afraid that Anita is right. My only other advice is to NOT bring cute slippers if your feet are swollen. A friend gave me adorable slippers with pink grosgrain bows on them. Cute, right? Well, after the fluids from the c-section, my usually 7.5 feet - which were up to a 9.5 PRE-delivery - were even more swollen and my ankles were enormous. No one told me the swelling doesn't go down right away. I expected it to be gone the morning after my twins were born. So when I was padding around the hospital (had to visit Baby A in the NICU), everyone commented on my slippers ... which means they were noticing my ENORMOUS feet and ankles.

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  12. I am a new follower and found your blog via The Sleepy Poet's blog shout-out page. I love it! Essentials for my stay at the hospital were: ipod and speakers, computer, robe and nightgown for while you are the hospital, your own toiletries (that first shower is so many levels of amazing) and the courage to ask the nurses to take the baby for a little while! I was exhausted, but afraid they would think I was a bad mom if I asked them to keep him for an hour so I could rest. Im now pregnant with my 2nd and this little burger will spend the night in the nursery if I am tired! I wore a loose fitting dress home so that we could snap that cute first family photo :)

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  13. Your own shampoo and shower stuff so you don't have to use the gross hospital options when you shower... I ended up braiding my hair Big Love style b/c otherwise it got all tangled up. Agree on the tissues also. And your own pillow.

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  14. Everyone has given great advice! Sorry about the contractions, the end is brutal. How our bodies can fit babies in them, still amazes me. A few of my essentials:
    1) your own soap and shampoo/conditioner. It was nice to shower at the hospital with my own things.

    2) Legginds or some sort of comfortable pants. I wore leggings home and a loose tunic t-shirt.

    3) socks. My feet for some reason stayed cold and hospital floors are nasty.

    4) Make-up. as soon as I pushed that baby out I touched up my make-up. Some might call me vain, I call it practical I mean pictures were being taken.

    5) for the baby all you need is one outfit, they will put him a hat, t-shirt and blankets while you are there. Snag those blankets at the hospital too, they are perfect for swaddling. I love kissy kissy or pixie lily for take home baby outfits.

    6) champagne. This may have to be smuggled in. My mom brought it to the hospital and it was so fun to have a toast later that night after Sterling was born!

    You are getting so close! So exciting!

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  15. I am compiling my own little list of things to pack myself (35 wks here). I have had one lil' nugget and I can tell you that I didn't wear the underwear that I brought. They give you this very attractive net underwear in the hospital (worthy of a VS fashion show) that is bigger and more comfortable - let's be honest, things get messy. I definitely agree to bring your own toiletries and leggings/yoga pants. I would also bring some dry shampoo (Big Sexy Hair is the best!) in case you're like me and have wavy hair that you straighten and don't always have time to blow dry/flat iron. Good luck to you!

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  16. never had a baby, so i'm no expert on this, but how about a good read? if you have a slow labor, reading could help you relax, maybe? i'm new to the world of blogging, please stop by!

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