Hospital Bag...

[Jess_Day]

Ok I know this is my second child... I should know this already!!! But seriously. Im finding this time around (packing the hospital bag) to be way more daunting!!!

First only so many things fit me right now, so Im worried about putting them in the bag since I still need them. What the hell is going to fit when I need to leave the hospital. And this baby is a winter baby, not Sept like my first. Sept. I could wear flip flops no worries... now I have to worry about what shoes to bring wear...

I need my glasses and my contacts. Tooth brushes, shampoo/conditioner... I mean its like a mini travel bag requirement. Then I need to pack the baby up some stuff... I guess thats easier than packing my stuff... Argh

what did you put in your hospital bag that you used and did not use...

[BabyLove1]

I packed a ton with DD and used next to NOTHING!

I seriously plan on packing like 3 comfy outfits (who cares what you look like to go home? i dont, lol) and my bathroom stuff. Besides that and some clothes for the baby, I really don't think I'll pack much of anything.

I had all of these "entertainment" type things for DD... ha! Like I even got CLOSE to reading a book or doing a crossword once labor hit... lol

Look - just because I'm saying this... this time I"m going to end up sitting there for 20 hours straight with nothing to do and no strong contractions to take up the time, lol.

And DD was a Jan baby... I just wore the shoes that I came in - Pretty sure they were tennis shoes even though we were getting the snowstorm from you-know-where when I went into labor, lol. Get ready too...babies always come during snow storms. I delivered DD a little over a week early and the hospital was so packed with pregnant women that myself and one other woman got sent BACK to triage for the night after we had our LOs. There were literally NO L&D Rooms (they have 30..) and NO Postpartum rooms (they have 80), lol

[froggie83]

i am only bringing the basics... ds will be with mil so i don't have to worry about entertaining him. i will have:
clothing for me and baby. only to go home in... i will wear the hospital stuff till then.. maybe lounge pants
nursing tanks
have something for me to do when i am laboring (but if i get the epi i will be trying to sleep to matter what time of day it is.)
the basic toiletries
a boppy pillow to make nursing easier
thats is about all i used when i was at the hospital with ds... oh and some pacifiers.. (i don't like the ones the hospital uses...)

[KC's wifey]

Don't forget your camera!! :)

[BrandiB]

I had a winter baby last time and my legs and feet swelled super bad afterwards. I wore slippers home. I purchased a cute pair from Walmart that has a sole so they wouldnt get wet. Infact I need to purchase new ones they still have them and they are like $12. I was also sent home with a cathater and chances of that happening again are pretty high so I wore jammies home. I did not care what I looked like. I figured I just had a baby who cares!

Took a book, never once read it. Took a robe and never used it either. I'm not even thinking about packing yet though, I was so prepared last time and then went 2 weeks over so I'm trying to convince myself that if I dont pack a bag this time maybe I wont go overdue haha.

[alhardin]

honestly, all I packed was a pair of pj's and underwear, toiletries, my camera and charger. I wore the same out fit home that I wore there, and there is no need to pack shoes, you will be wearing them to the hospital. You might want to pack some slippers or slip proof socks to wear around your room though. For baby, just pack and coming home outfit and blanket, they will provide clothes while you are there. Hubby can warm up the car before you go out so there's no need to bundle up baby, just throw the blanket over the seat. My first was a winter baby and I packed way more stuff than I needed :) I also took my ipod for labor and my own pillows but those I grabbed on my way out the door. well, Ipod was in my purse, I grabbed the pillows :)

ETA: I forgot the boppy, that made nursing soooo much easier in a hospital bed. I had that in the car so i didn't have to think about it. sent dh to get it after baby was born.

[Jess_Day]

some good advice in here... thanks ladies. It was also helpful as I was reading your posts I completely now remember what we did and did not need/use during our last stay :)

its kind of funny... I know I only need 1 maybe 2 outfits for the baby... but since the clothes are so small and who knows what kind of mood I'll be in getting him ready to go home in I've packed a few outfits :)