Packing for the Hospital

When thinking of what I’ll pack in my hospital bag, I always turn to the good ol’ internet to see what everyone suggests. Every list is so different. Every mom is so different. I’ve always been an over-packer. Leaving town for one night still means I take 3+ outfits  and just as many shoes! What if I don’t feel like wearing that one? What if the weather is warmer/colder than I anticipated? What if I spill or get dirty? Packing for the hospital is no different for me. I never know how I’m going to feel, so packing extra options is a must for me! I’m sure the nurses chuckle when they see me wheel my luggage down the hall.

When you’re in the hospital after giving birth, you get a lot of broken sleep. People are coming in and out of your room to check on you and the baby and push on your stomach. When you finally fall asleep, it’s time to feed the baby again. Hospital beds don’t have pillow top mattresses like mine at home and there isn’t warm carpet to walk on (for very good reason) when you step out of bed. To help make an uncomfortable place more comfortable, I’m going to share with you a few of my favorite things I pack in my hospital bag!

1. Slippers. I will not walk around the hospital barefoot. I’m sure most of you agree. How do I fix that? I run to target and pick up an inexpensive pair of slippers that I wear around. And to be honest, they probably won’t be coming home with me. To be able to step out of bed and into a comfy pair of slippers is a much better way to get around!
2. A robe.  While it might take up a bit of space in my bag, taking a robe to the hospital is the ultimate comfort for me! Not only for when I get out of the shower but when I’m laying around in bed. It helps make nursing easier and provides some extra warmth when snuggling that new bundle of joy! My absolute favorite robe is from Frette and the plush fabric is so relaxing and comforting. It helps me feel a little pampered while I’m in a place that isn’t exactly a spa. This is something that will definitely be in my bag!
3. Clothes. Of course you need clothes! For my first birth, I brought my husband’s over-sized sweatpants and an old dingy sweatshirt. There wasn’t anything more unflattering for me to wear. It was a whole new experience for me. I had no idea what to expect. I knew I wouldn’t walk out with a flat stomach, but adding those extra pounds from my husband’s baggy clothes didn’t help. For my second birth, I lived in yoga pants and shirts that fit me at the end of my pregnancy. If it fit me at the end then it’ll definitely fit me after I give birth.
4. Make-up. I look back at pictures of me after my first daughter was born. I didn’t apply my make-up the way I typically do and I didn’t look like myself! Pictures are inevitable after delivery, especially when family comes to see the newest addition! When I was packing my bag for my second birth, I made sure to bring my make-up! I look back at the pictures and I look more like myself! My make-up of choice is Youngblood. It’s coverage helps cover up any redness or imperfection I would prefer not to see in pictures.
5. Hair product. While I enjoy a ponytail from time to time, knowing my picture is going to be taken is the only reason I need to do my hair! Nothing makes me feel more normal than to look like myself- and that means my hair and make-up are done. I bring my favorite products from Davines, my blow dryer, brushes, and a curling iron/flat iron. This might be the only time while I have a newborn that my hair is done, because while the older two sisters are home with dad and baby is sleeping in the hospital crib, I can sneak time for myself!
6. Entertainment. Sitting in a hospital for 2-3 days can get boring. While you have all that time to soak up the joys of your newest baby, it can get tiresome sitting in bed watching TV all day. I bring anything that will help pass the time- a few new magazines, a book, a favorite movie.

Everyone’s hospital bag is different. What is your #1 must have item in your bag?