Prepping for the Hospital

Before giving birth, I attended a 4-week child birthing class given by my hospital. It was invaluable, not only in terms of information, but it was a great bonding experience for me and my husband. I took notes, practiced my breathing, picked out my labor music, & packed my suitcase by 37 weeks. I was prepared, or so I thought. I should have done a bit more research or at least asked a few moms for their advice. Hind sight is always 20/20, right? Anyway, here is a list items I recommend for the hospital suitcase:

For Mommy:

• Nursing nightgown & robe
• Nursing cover, like Bebe Au Lait, to wear when family/friends are visiting
• Nursing pillow
• Skin-to-skin carrier
• Gel pads, like Lansinoh Soothies, and/or lanolin cream
• Travel shampoo/body wash & other toiletries
• Flip flops for the hospital room shower
• Non skid socks to wear in the room & in hospital hallways
• Nursing dress to wear home (*Note: I packed maternity jeans thinking they would be fine, but I ended up having a c-section. They rubbed up against the incision & were very uncomfortable.)

For Baby:

• Long sleeve side snap shirts, not bodysuits (The umbilical cord needs to heal before dressing the baby in bodysuits that snap at the bottom.)
• Socks
• Pants
• Caps
• Receiving blanket

In my experience, the room was kept pretty cold. I didn't have long sleeve shirts, pants, & socks to keep my newborn warm. He ended up needing more layers of blankets. I felt like a bad mommy when the baby nurse told me his temperature had dropped because he was so cold. Anyway, I learned my lesson.