What did you pack for the hospital?

[cream_city]

What did you bring to the hospital when you gave birth? All the lists I see in pregnancy books are so long -- what did you really need/use?

[Teresa64]

jammies and a robe
outfit to go home
clothes for baby, one nice outfit and a couple sleepers(if your hospital lets you change their cloths)
shampoo, soup, hairbrush, a little makeup, a little lotion,
several pairs of socks and a few pairs of underwear

[SingingMom]

The first time, I packed a large backpack full of stuff.

The last time, I packed a small backpack with a nursing bra, clean underwear, some pajamas, an outfit to go home in, and toiletries. I brought a book, thinking I might have time to read in labor, but that was silly. I think I brought one of my Boppys, too.

I did pack some of my own diapers (I just like mine better than the hospital's) and an outfit for the baby. Okay, it was two outfits. But they were small.

[MilkTrance]

Breastfeeding-specific:

- lanolin or Purelan or similar
- nursing bras -- you will probably leak a lot, so bring several
- breast pads
- breastfeeding pillow or Boppy
- facecloths (trust me, they're so handy -- handier than burp cloths IMO)
- copy of LLL book The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding

[jodyvo]

PJs, underwear, warm socks, toiletries, boppy, nursing pads and stuff for sore nips
PJs for the baby as well as a going home outfit.
Next time I will bring baby wipes. My hospital didn't offer them and you had to use wash clothes. Kind of a pian when you have to wipe the bleck tarry stuff. My SIL smuggled me in some

[lovebeingamom]

I just packed mine and I have a boppy must need I think, babys book, one outfit for hospital pics and one for going home for baby and socks. the carseat is already in my van with the cover. for me I brought my digital camera, snacks for me and daddy, chapstick, nursing pads, maxipads, going home outfit underwear and socks a few of those. I need to go to the store and buy the little bottles of shampoo and conditionder this week. lotion. I think thats about it. oh yeah some books and magazines but I am hoping to only be there for one day since its my 4th.

[babymakes4]

I just packed my hospital bag. I have learned that less is more.
My bag contains
a pair of comfy sweat pants and 2 comfy tshirts
3 pair underwear
2 nursing bras
Breast pads
toiletries (tooth brush, shampoo, body wash, lotion, lasinoh)
Going home outfit for baby (ok 2, I couldn't decide and socks, the hospital never has socks for baby)
BABY WIPES (everytime i have had a baby they have dry wipes that you have to wet, which is a pain in the ass when you are sore or tired)

That is really it. I find that the hospital really has pretty much everything else. Hubby will bring the carseat and a couple heavier blankets with him on going home day.

[kohlby]

In the past, I packed something for my hospital stay and then a very, very small bag for during labor. (With things like snacks to sneak, chapstick, and change for the machines for DH). This time, I have to have a c-section, so it will just be one bag. I wear the hospital gowns and even the mesh undies they have! (However, my other two ended up c-sections so that may be part of the reason I thought they were comfy!)

I wear the same outfit in as I wear out. Even when I went into labor on my own, I had time to shower and put on clean clothes before I left the house. So, the only clothes I really needed were extra socks and a spare pair of undies to wear home. I also packed two outfits for baby since I wanted two different sizes. Toiletries like shampoo, conditioner, deoderant, toothbrush, toothpaste, and facial moisterizer. A camera, phone book, calling card, pen. And that's it!

[Ellies_Mom_77plus1]

jogging pants, extra pillow, boppy, cell phone charger, chapstick, pads, underwear, socks, slippers, going home clothes for me and baby and a few onsies. Bathroom stuff. Thats all I can think of right now that I actually used, I know I had way to much stuff in there that I didnt use.

[boobiemama]

Delivery Bag
-Hair Ties
-Chapstick
-Gum
-MP3 player
-Daddy Snack/Snack $$
-#'s if not in Cell Phone
-Baby Book (for footprints when they are doing the BC ones)
-Camera

Postpartum Bag
-Medela Lansolin (LIFESAVER!)
-Black Yoga Pants (no stains)
-Nursing Tank/Nursing Sports Bra (the "nursing" hospital gowns were like sandpaper on my raw nips)
-My toiletries (felt better to have my brand shampoo, soap, lotion, etc)
-Outfit to go home in (you and Baby)
-Vending $$ (Only 3 meals per day and daddy went home at night to take care of dog, so couldn't send anyone to cafeteria for food. I would get ravenous around 11pm)
-My own pillows
-Boppy
-Super Deluxe Stop a Flood Overnight Pads
-Magazines,Puzzle Books, books stuff to help relax and pass the time for you or your husband.

I didn't worry about nursing pads, the hospital provided them for me when I requested them (and probably charged me $300 on my bill :) ). And I didn't worry about underwear either, I wore the mesh panties they provided, and took some home to wear for the rest of the week, though the discharge slowed drastically after the first day. They provided pads too, but very old school kind. Hope this helps, good luck!

[boobiemama]

Oh, sorry, one more thing:
A receiving blanket from home, washed in gentle detergent. The hospital ones are good for their purpose, but you have to remember they are washed with all the other laundry, and therefore the residue is not gentle on baby. My LO's cheeks looked windburned, and then at my mom's suggestion we switched blankets. Within an hour her cheeks were normal.

[pirate_queen]

I packed more than I needed, but my baby was my first (and only so far). The best thing that I packed was my own pillow. I used it to relax during L&D, and it was the only pillow I could sleep on for the two nights that we stayed.
Hope that helps!

[BrandiJR]

I packed so much! I packed a nighty and pjs...but I ended up staying in a hospital gown the entire time. I was comfy in it! And my hospital gave out the big stretchy netting undies...I wore those till I Went home (c/s).

So, I actually used my toiletry bag that I already have packed for camping and such. It has in it: shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, brush. I also had a change of clothes for the day I went home. And then the diaper bag was packed for baby. I also took my camera and camcorder. Oh, and do not forget the charger for your cellphone. I took my computer also and boy am I glad that I did! I was there for like a week!

I also took a nursing bra and my boppy. Which I had troubles nursing in the beginning so I did not use the boppy as much as I did the hospital pillows. Oh, and I took my own pillow for me to sleep on! And then I packed a little bag of snacks for dh.

[debsmooth]

What I brought that was nice:
fuzzy robe, speakers for ipod, nice soaps/shampoos, my fave juice to drink, stuff to put my hair up off my neck, easy point-and-shoot digital camera because the big expensive camera was not taken up during the frantic parts of labor, essential oils of lavender and orange for my pillows.

What I wished I had brought:
more snacks for me (I am a vegetarian and the food in the hospital sucked so bread, fruit and cheese would have been awesome, some chocolate or trail mix), books or a magazine or two, nursing pajamas, more big leaky mama pads because the ones the hospital supplies are sucky, more outfits for the baby and bigger ones because she was too big for NB sizes we brought and she peeped and pooped herself silly in the first 24 hours.

PS: if you use the big breastpump supplied by the hospital be sure to take the valves and tubing they supply as part of a complete kit WITH YOU when you leave. Cost to replace it is $30 when you go to rent the same breastpump. Silly me. And bring that huge plastic tumbler with a straw they give you as a gift? That you will need along with the big squeezy bulb for extracting baby boogers. Works better than anything you can buy.

[BrandiJR]

What I brought that was nice:
fuzzy robe, speakers for ipod, nice soaps/shampoos, my fave juice to drink, stuff to put my hair up off my neck, easy point-and-shoot digital camera because the big expensive camera was not taken up during the frantic parts of labor, essential oils of lavender and orange for my pillows.

What I wished I had brought:
more snacks for me (I am a vegetarian and the food in the hospital sucked so bread, fruit and cheese would have been awesome, some chocolate or trail mix), books or a magazine or two, nursing pajamas, more big leaky mama pads because the ones the hospital supplies are sucky, more outfits for the baby and bigger ones because she was too big for NB sizes we brought and she peeped and pooped herself silly in the first 24 hours.

PS: if you use the big breastpump supplied by the hospital be sure to take the valves and tubing they supply as part of a complete kit WITH YOU when you leave. Cost to replace it is $30 when you go to rent the same breastpump. Silly me. And bring that huge plastic tumbler with a straw they give you as a gift? That you will need along with the big squeezy bulb for extracting baby boogers. Works better than anything you can buy.

I did not know that other hospitals do this! I thought only ours did! LOL

Did yours have the hospital name on it? Mine did. I actually got 2. One the night I went in and got induced and then one the next day after I had her and got back to my room! They are great!