Hospital Bag Essentials

Well I am only 3 days away from this little lady's due date and finally packed a hospital bag two nights ago. Me and my husband thought I was in the early stages of labor so we frantically ran around the cabin trying not wake my son grabbing everything I thought I needed. Luckily (maybe not luckily??), my contractions subsided and I slept for a good 6 hours straight that night. Needless to say, the next day I went through the bag and made sure what we packed was what I really needed! I did a little organizing and now every time we leave the house we take the bag just in case.

Now I want to share with you everything that is in that bag and why I am taking what I've packed! I have to disclaim here that there are a lot of things I'm NOT bringing because my hospital will supply them for me but I've heard not all hospitals are as generous so at the end of this post I'll list some of those things I get from the hospital. 

 

First thing is first, this AMAZING robe from Oh Sugar Studio is my favorite item in the whole bag! She made it custom for me by making it floor length and adding lace to the sleeves and the bottom. The quality is top notch and it is so comfy. I plan on wearing it basically everyday for several weeks after baby because it's perfect to nurse in, I'm too lazy to put real clothes on, and it's gorgeous so it will make me feel so good about myself while healing up from little lady messing up my nether regions. I truly believe getting dressed in something you love is a huge help to how you feel! And this robe is comfy and beautiful! Win win!  

 Some other clothing essentials for mom are: comfy socks (found the best ones ever at Costco!), nursing bras, an extra set of pj's, my own undies and pads (not a fan of mesh underwear haha!), flip flops for the shower. For baby I am bringing 2 pairs of pj's, some mittens (my first came out with talons and immediately started ripping his skin apart - the saddest thing ever!), and a going home outfit! It is freezing here right now so I'm bringing a one piece fleece suit from H&M so she is nice and warm when we take her home! I'm also bringing my new favorite baby accessory from Covered Goods,  a car seat cover/nursing cover/swaddle blanket all in one! My favorite is their Floral Mismatch! Stripes and flowers! I'm so glad they didn't make me choose one over the other and they look great together!

I am shooting for a non-medicated birth so I am bringing some of my favorite essential oils along as well. Frankincense to help relieve pain in back and tummy (and if I tear it will help later with that too!), peppermint to help with an upset stomach but also to help with cooling, and the Serenity blend from DoTerra to help with relaxing as much as possible. I also highly recommend bringing some nipple cream to help with soothing those babies during nursing. I love that Tubby Todd just released some in their Mama line! It's 100% lanolin and safe for baby to digest but still brings relief.

 

 Some things you may want to consider bringing, or even contacting your hospital about to see if they carry are: Dermoplast spray (helps with pain and you can spray it directly on. This stuff saved my butt! Literally 😂), witch hazel pads (helps cool and lessen pain), nursing pads, a birthing ball, and a  nursty (coveted item from the hospital!! You'll be drinking so much water when you get home!).

 

Some other toiletries you'll want to bring are: makeup (for all those pictures when people come to visit!), toothbrush, shampoo/conditioner (if you can make it to the shower within a couple of days, I couldn't with my first but I'm hopeful this time!), deodorant, your phone charger, and headphones (I'll be listening to a relaxation tape while in labor).

One other thing I would suggest is a gift for your nurse/doula/midwife! They do all the work and hopefully are rooting you on the whole way to bring your new babe into this life! My sister also suggested to me that I should bring a gift for Drew from the baby! I totally didn't even think about that so I'm so glad she mentioned it. I got him some cool coloring books and markers to keep him busy while hanging out with us at the hospital.

I hope you enjoy this list! Let me know in the comments if there's anything I missed or what you would bring with you! Hopefully this is my last post for a while. Pray that this baby Fiona hurries up already!!