What's in your bag?

As delivery approaches us mommies to be are constantly told to "have our bags packed and in the car." We are told this so much that it often becomes a daunting task, because it's OBVIOUSLY supper important (why would they be telling us all the time if it wasn't) but this is a totally new experience so we have NO IDEA what to bring.  If you are like me, and most first time moms you will probably pack WAY to much because girl code states: when in doubt, bring everything! So with this in mind I wanted to give everyone out there some advice on what to bring and not to bring.  Granted this is based on my personal experience so take it with a grain of salt, but I think that hearing various experiences helps you make more informed decisions. Now, before we even start packing you need to do some homework first.  The first thing you need to do is take a tour of the hospital or birth center you will be delivering at.  The reason I suggest this is because the tour guide will usually tell you an "extras" that the hospital/center gives and doesn't give so you know what will be waiting for you.  If the guide does not do this, feel free to ask questions like: "are there any necessities the hospital provides?" or "What are some items I need to bring for my stay here."  Bring a notebook and paper so you can take notes and remember what will be provided to you so your baby brain won't kick in while packing.  For instance I delivered at Good Samaritan Hospital in LA and I was provided with a fleece robe (so soft) fleece socks/booties with no-slip grips, diapers, large sanitary napkins, squirt bottle for after care (the doctor will explain what this is for), and out choice of a stroller or car seat...pretty cool. With this in mind I new there was a lot of "recommended stuff" I didn't need to bring because it would be provided for me. So here are my suggestions of what you NEED for your hospital stay when you deliver.

1) Baby book: Put this in there ASAP! I forgot to put mine in and the nurses offered to put my little's hand and foot prints in and I was (and still am) devastated I didn't get them.

2) The good camera and video camera: Even if you're not planning on doing a birthing video it's nice to have the option to take video once baby arrives, and yes, smartphones do take good pictures but I like the quality of a DSLR better.

3) Nursing bras and bra pads: You may already be in them depending on how big your boobs have grown, but make sure you pack at least two sets because you may leak while you are getting use to the whole breastfeeding thing.

Just because they're "granny panties' doesn't mean they can't be cute

4) Granny panties: You will NOT feel like getting into anything remotely sexy right after delivery, and besides you're going to be using those sanitary pads for a few weeks so you need something with a lot of coverage to hold them.

5) Pajamas and baggy pants/yoga pants: You will not be back to your pre-baby tummy right away no matter what. I was "all baby" and it still took a couple weeks for my uterus to go down enough to put on old pants. Besides, after all the work you're going to be doing, yoga pants will be WAY more comfortable.

6) Maternity clothes: Yeah, you will still need to be in maternity clothes for a little bit due to your uterus size (see #5) and while you may be able to squeeze into pre-pregnancy clothes, you'll be wanting to go with comfort at this point.

7) Hair brush, tooth brush, toothpaste: I would suggest buying travel sized items and just throwing them in so you don't accidentally forget to grab them on your way to the hospital, and don't forget a toothbrush and hair brush for daddy too!

8) Clothes for dad: Remember, he's going to be there just as long as you are so pack something for him too.

This is WAY over the top obviously, simple granola will do, he doesn't need a luxury meal.

9) Snacks for dad: Now my hubby didn't need these because I had a very short labor, but I would advise packing some little snacks just in case you guys are there for the long haul...just make sure he knows not to eat them in front of you.

10) Swaddling blankets and receiving blankets: Bring a few of these because while you're getting the hang of feeding, burping, and diaper changing yucky stuff WILL get on EVERYTHING. So pack a few of each.  With my first I think I packed three for each day (so six of each) and that was perfect. This also depends on the season you're delivering in, my daughter was born in December so I packed a lot more blankets.

11) Hospital and going home outfit for baby: The hospital outfits don't need to be anything too pretty (your bundle will probably be swaddled most of the time) but make sure you pack  cute going home outfit because you will be taking A LOT of pictures of it. I also suggest speaking with the grandparents and seeing if there are any cultural traditions regarding the going home outfit they want to provide.  My mom, always provides the going home outfit for all of her grandkids because she wants to follow the Colombian tradition of an all yellow outfit.

12) Birthing aids: This depends on what you are planning to use, if you are using a doula see if she will bring items such as birthing ball, heating pads, ice pads, etc.  These are all very specific to the type of labor you are planning to have and the pain management you are planning to use.

13) Boppy pillow: This was really helpful for when I wanted to put Isabella down but still wanted her close to me.  I would put the pillow on the bed in between my legs and be able to still have her close but have my hands free.

So those are my recommendations for what to pack in your hospital bag, also be sure to leave some room because people will be bringing you things while you're in the hospital.  I remember when we were leaving the hospital with Isabella it took at least an hour to go because my poor hubby had to take about a ten trips from our room to the car because of all the stuff we had.  I know some lists say to bring books, iPads, computers, etc but I found I didn't use any of those.  Mainly because we were too busy with our newborn (she slept in the hospital room with us) to use any of those things.  And when she was asleep we had visitors so we weren't using any of that stuff.  This is also where the hospital tour comes in handy, because we saw that the hospital had satellite TV so we knew we didn't need anything else.  Like I said, you're list is going to be very personalized based on where you are delivering, how you plan to handle pain, where the baby will be sleeping, etc.  There is not cookie cutter list for packing a hospital bag.  But it is important to realize that a lot of the items in other lists, or that you may think you need, you actually don't.  This is why I suggest the first step in packing your bag is to tour the hospital and ASK QUESTIONS!  I hope this list helped you guys!