Before you proceed, let me preface this by saying, I was induced 10 days after my due date. So, I did have some prep time, well a lot of prep time. Our hospital stay was also 5 days long. We did need multiple outfits and all the things.
I’d like to think we are semi-minimalist. We only want the necessary things, but we don’t comprise comfort, whether that be sleeping or just being content, for less things, if that makes sense. We don’t like lots of “stuff” but what is necessary to us may not be for someone else.
After talking with Nick about what all I needed for the hospital, we discussed that we should probably include a Dad list too. I have included what he recommends for dads and what I recommend for moms and babies along with links and why we recommend these things. Keep in mind, we may have packed other things, but we felt these were the top things we should include. Also, if you aren’t using packing cubes, you really should start. LIFE CHANGING.
Top things for Dad’s Hospital Bag
Clothes – Obviously you have to have clothes, but Nick said having a mix of sweats and casual clothes was nice. He could be comfortable when it was just us, and look half decent (other than being sleep deprived) when other people were there. We had a 28 hour long labor, so him being able to change into sweats was nice. Also, he liked having a hoodie because it did get chilly in our room.
Snacks – My husband should have been named Mikey after the kid on Recess. He loves to eat and will stand in front of the pantry, fridge, my mom’s snack bin, or anywhere that has food and stare at it like something magical is going to jump out at him. He just loves to eat. His favorite snacks to have on hand at the hospital were beef jerky, nuts/trail mix of any kind, protein bars, fruit, water, and Gatorade.
Change for Vending Machines – If your husband is like mine, the snacks may run out or get stretched thin (we are currently struggling to keep food in the house during quarantine, and I may or may not have to label food). So, bringing change for the vending machine was very necessary. This was supposed to be for “emergency” situations, but by hour 2 we were a code red in snacks, which meant "emergency" (totally kidding).
Long Phone Charger – Because there is no definite spot where the plug-ins will be, we suggest getting a long phone charger. Our phones were blowing up the entire hospital stay, so to keep the battery charged for those precious pictures, we really liked having these chargers. We had 2, one for him and one for me.
Toiletries – He highly recommended bring your own toiletries that make you feel all nice and clean. He felt so much better each time he showered because it was something that made him feel like himself after being stuck in the hospital.
Bible/Devotional/Book - We obviously had a lot of down time and remember…I like to sleep. So, Nick needed something to keep him busy while he was stuck inside. He constantly needs entertainment (he’s 5 at heart). He packed a few books related to his work. He also packed his personalized bible that I got him. His favorite was his Dad Devotional. He says he enjoyed this because it helped him get in the mindset of this new journey in his life.
Top things for Baby's Hospital Bag
Boppy Pillow – I did not bring one of these and had to ask for fityleven pillows just to get comfortable and in a good position to nurse. If you are bottle feeding, I still think this would help out tremendously. I'm not saying you won't have to ask for more pillows, but I think it will make it a little easier.
Swaddle – I highly recommend getting the Ollie swaddle. It is the EASIEST swaddle in all the land, and you can still change diapers while they are swaddled.
Car Seat – You obviously have to have this to go home, but I would recommend this car seat so you can just make it into a stroller and go.
Going Home Outfit – This was really the only clothing we brought for Lewie. I think we may have brought onesies, but we really just used the hospital shirt and swaddled him until time to go home.
Blankets (to take home for the pup) – We brought small, receiving blankets and let him snuggle with them so that my parents could take them home and let our pup, Millie, smell them and get used to his scent. I really think this really helped her with his arrival.
Top things for Mom's Hospital Bag
Pillow – Having my own pillow was amazing. It allowed me to have some type of comfort while being there for 5 days, and it smelled like my house which was also comforting.
Chapstick – I did not pack this, but my sweet husband ALWAYS has chapstick, and I used it about 2,000 times while in labor.
Fan/Noise Machine - We always sleep with a fan at home, but we found that we especially needed some type of noise for those small moments when all was quiet and we could sleep. Especially of you are staying over night in L and D and the lady next door has her baby in the middle of the night, probably without any pain medicine (bless her). I usually sleep with a fan right in my face, but being at the hospital I knew I just needed the sound. Feel free to pack a travel/battery operated one. We did not. We typically do for travel, but I was not compromising a smaller fan with a quieter sound. I packed my normal fan because I knew it would be loud enough for me to sleep when I could (ya girl loves to sleep). This is the fan we currently have.
Comfy PJs/Clothes - I know a lot of moms wear cute gowns, but I'm not a gown gal. I really enjoyed these BF pajamas from Amazon. I actually still wear them because they are so soft and provide easy access without your belly getting cold during nursing sessions (I can't stand that!!). I also packed a Latched Mama shirt to wear home. Their clothing is also extremely soft. I purchased a few more tops once I got home to wear around the house, but I also wore them to work.
Nipple Cream, Nipple Cream, Nipple Cream - I wish someone would have told me to use this religiously in the hospital, so I am telling you to please use it after EVERY single nursing session for quite a while. It will get annoying, but I promise you won't regret it. Also, you should have about 10 tubes and place them everywhere in your house.
House Shoes - I really liked having my house shoes for when I walked around our room. Remember I was there for 5 days, so you may not need them if you don't have a long stay.
Long Phone Charger - Again, this is something we both needed.
Folder for Papers - They give you so much paper work, and I was very thankful that my friends recommended bringing a folder to keep it in.
Fuzzy Socks - I absolutely loved wearing fuzzy socks while in the hospital.
Hair Ties - I broke 3 or 4 while in labor trying to quickly get my hair up. Thankfully, I had back up.
Cardigan to wear over T-shirts - Lewie was born in March, and it was cold. I wore a cardigan to go home, and would sometimes wear it when we had visitors.
Toiletries - Like Nick, I loved having my own toiletries. It really made me feel refreshed when I could shower and use my own toiletries.
Nursing Bra - You may not even wear a bra in the hospital but if you do, I recommend these. I still wear these, and really enjoy them. They are very comfortable and super easy to adjust.
Nurses/Hospital Staff
My mom has the best heart, and she thought that we should bring something for the nurses/hospital staff that helped me deliver. She made them baskets with different sweet treats in them that had a little note. I can't remember what it said, nor do I have any pictures (which is a big surprise). There are many different ones on Pinterest that you could create. I did not take this to the hospital, my mom brought it. I realize things are a little different in the world right now, so if you are being induced you could take them something, but if not, I wouldn't worry about it.
I hope you find this beneficial, and I am so excited for you new moms and dads and you parents who are adding to your precious family. This is such an exciting journey, and I hope this helps you prepare for it in some way. As always, please let me know if there is something else you would like for me to write about!
Here's a cute picture of our sweet, rainbow baby, just because 💙
Here's a cute picture of our sweet, rainbow baby, just because 💙
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