I've made a little deal with the baby that goes something like this..."If you don't steal MY birthday-week, I'll always make a huge deal out of YOUR birthday. Otherwise, I can't make any promises." LOL! Don't worry, I'm just kidding...(mostly). ;o)
Just in case he or she decides not to cooperate, our bags are packed and ready to go at any time.
Deciding what to take to the hospital was kind of a pain because everyone seemed to have completely different opinions. Some said not to worry about taking anything because you'll just want to wear the hospital gown and won't care that your baby is wearing a "Property of Bromenn Hospital" onesie. Some said to take the whole house because you don't want a million pictures in that ugly mu mu and you definitely want the baby wearing it's own clothes.
So, I consulted with my "prepared for absolutely everything" sister and then got the scoop about what the hospital provides from one of the Labor & Delivery nurses. Here's what the list boiled down to, just in case you're curious... :)
Documents/Paperwork
- Ids and Insurance Cards
- Hospital Paperwork
- Notepad/Pen
- Coupon for birth announcements (Yes, I'm going to attempt to order them while I'm, you know, sitting around twiddling my thumbs in the hospital after the baby is born. I've already got one designed for a boy and one for a girl and I uploaded all of the addresses so that Tiny Prints can mail them for me. Yes, I've been a little bored.)
- Take out menus (As if I don't already know I want a #2 from Jimmy John's the second the baby comes out! Lunch meat has been the hardest thing for me to go without during pregnancy.)
- Toothbrushes & Paste
- Chapstick
- Deodorants
- Lotion
- Makeup Bag (So many women have told me not to even worry about taking my makeup or hair products because I "just won't care." But, I know myself...I don't take out the trash without makeup on. Ok, to be honest, I don't take out the trash either way, but you get my point. I'm still a proper Southern girl at heart.)
- Hair Brush, Clips & Bands
- Hair gel
- Hair dryer & Straightening Iron
- Nursing Pads
- TP (Hospital TP is grody.)
- Pads (Huge, thick ones, apparently)
Amanda's Clothes
- 2 Sets of PJs
- 2 Comfy Outfits
- Nursing bras & Underwear
- Flip Flops & Socks
- Swimsuit Top for the birthing tub (Probably won't be needing the bottoms...LOL)
Chris' Clothes
- PJs
- 2 pairs of shorts
- 3 tops
- 3-4 undershirts/underwear
- Flip Flops
Electronics
- Cell phones
- Phone chargers
- Camera, Charger & Memory Cards
- Laptop & Power Cord
- Kensington Cable (Just in case someone attempts to run off with our laptop.)
- iPod & portable speaker
Baby Bag
- Onesies & PJs
- Blankets
- Hats, Socks, & Mittens
- Nail Clippers
- Diapers & Wipes
- Change & Cash for vending machines
- Trash bags & Zip Loc Bags for dirty clothes
- Shout Spray
- Travel Sized Disinfectant Spray
- Back massage ball
- Sleeping Bag & Pillow for Chris
- Towels (I've heard the ones at the hospital are the size of a postage stamp and are not very soft, to say the least.)
All of this definitely did not fit into a tiny blue suitcase like the one Annie and Bryan took to the hospital on Father of the Bride 2, but I'm sure it's nothing compared to the semi truck load my sister probably took to the hospital either. JK Becky ;)
If I've left off anything essential, please let me know. There might be a tiny bit of room left in one of the bags...
Posts
8 comments:
Thanks for the list. I've printed it off so I could add/compare it to the million others I've seen. I'm sure I'll end up taking the whole house because my mother always taught me to be prepared. :)
Sherry
Oh girl. This is nothing! I felt like I took EVERYTHING when we went to the hospital. I did think of a few things that you may or may not want.
Lansinoh cream and nursing cover if you're breastfeeding. Preparation H pads for after the birth. They give you witch hazel pads, but they are like teeny tiny. The PrepH ones are fabulously humongous. A video camera if you have one (for after the birth if you don't want all those special "in the moment" things caught on film - HA!) Baby book if you want to put his/her footprints in it.
Just remember - it's not like vacation. You're a few miles from home. If you forget something important, Chris can either go get it or you can call us and we will. :)
Glad the baby seems to be holding out for your birthday week! I hope the check up was a little more comfortable this time!
Sherry - I don't think it helps that we work for an insurance company and have the whole "prepared for the unexpected" thing in our brains constantly.
At our last Lamaze class, I asked the instructor what happens if there is a fire because the baby's ankle bracelets automatically lock the doors to Labor & Delivery if they get too close to the exit. Everyone else in the class looked at me like I had two heads. LOL!!
In case you're curious, the fire alarms disable the ankle bracelets and the nurses have aprons that can hold up to 8 babies each. They have random drills to make sure they're prepared. :)
Ash - I will definitely go get some of the big PrepH pads! Great tip!! And you made me realize that I forgot to pack my nursing cover. :)
I wouldn't worry about the nail clippers. You're not supposed to clip for the first two weeks. My doctor told me to bite them off. :) It sounds gross now, but just wait.
SO EXCITING!! We can't wait!!
Whit
Are you supposed to bite the toenails too?
Nice....you left off the Clorox wipes and the Dermoplast spray! :) Make sure you take a ton of pictures before you leave for the hospital and when you're checking in...I haven't heard about a phone tree either! I can't wait! B.
Don't worry, I've got disenfectant spray and they give you Dermoplast at the hospital, so I'm leaving my stash at home. :)
Phone tree? What for? People will find out eventually.... ;)
Post a Comment