Pregnancy Hospital Bag

Moms-to-be can have a tendency to pack a lot of uneccessary things in their hospital bag. So what do you need? In this article from ClubMom, an experienced mother shares her checklist of must-haves:

What You REALLY Need to Have a Baby: An experienced mother's guide to packing your hospital bag.

By Go-To Mom Cathy Curtis, Omaha, NE

When we were expecting our daughter, I read everything I could find, and studied nearly every aspect of the whole birthing process.

One thing I spent weeks consumed with was creating the perfect "hospital bag." I created my list from lots of different sources — books, online, childbirth classes — and was sure I'd get good use of everything I had decided was an absolute necessity to take with me when I went to have my child.

By the morning we went in to have Samantha, my poor husband Greg looked like a pack-mule. And unfortunately I found out that approximately two-thirds of everything I "had" to have when I went to give birth just never got used, or even considered, during our hospital stay.

Now our son is coming this summer, and my list is MUCH shorter. For starters, here are some of the things that have all been nixed from my hospital bag, along with the reasons why:

    * CD player/music — Labor is intense, and I just wanted quiet  to relax and concentrate.

    * Gown/robe — I was really hot on wearing my own clothes, until I actually got there. The hospital's robes and gowns go into their laundry to be washed, and I was glad for that, once I understood how, well, messy labor is. I'd much rather wear what they provide, during labor anyway.

    * Stopwatch or watch with second hand — I could have cared less how far apart my contractions were at the hospital. If the nurses wanted to know, they used the monitors to see. But we weren't monitored all the time; we walked the halls a lot, and I stood in a hot shower for a long time. During all that time, no one ever asked us how far apart they were.

    * Books/magazines — I read the local newspaper, watched television, and talked with Greg while I waited for my induction to kick in. (What I should have done was try to sleep before things got going!) Once the induction kicked in, reading was NOT on my mind.

    * Picture for inspiration — I brought Samantha's 3D ultrasound picture. I had read that I would need it when I "felt like I couldn't go on." Little did I know, it doesn't matter if you "feel like" you can go on or not, I promise: Labor will progress with or without you. Anyway, as I got into labor I realized that her picture was already imprinted into my brain; I didn't need to see it; and I wanted to focus on my breathing and my husband's coaching during contractions. The better I did that, the sooner I would see her face in person.

    * Massage oil — Some use this for having their back rubbed during labor pain. I forgot I even had it with me. And I didn't want anyone touching me during contractions — nor really between them, for that matter.

    * Going-home outfit for Samantha — The size Newborn outfit that I searched for forever, that was "perfect," that even matched her nursery theme (as though that mattered) came out of, and went right back into, the suitcase. We could have put two of her in it! It was so big on her that it looked silly. She went home in socks, a onesie, a hat, and blankets (that the hospital provided).

"O.K., smarty-pants," you're probably asking by now, "so what ARE you bringing to the hospital?" All right, so here's what I actually used, or wished I had brought, that I will take this time around:

    * Socks
    * Lip balm (hospitals are DRY!)
    * Nursing pajamas and comfortable clothes for afterwards
    * Toiletries/makeup/hair stuff
    * My own pillow
    * Cell phone & charger (our hospital allows them)
    * Dry snacks (crackers)
    * Digital & video cameras
    * List of family/friends' phone numbers
    * Change for vending machines
    * Car seat and light blankets for baby

I wish that someone had given me a "less-is-O.K." perspective regarding what was actually needed to go have a baby, when I was planning last time. So many sources made me feel that I needed to take everything but the kitchen sink! So, maybe you can lighten your load a little bit before you go, and know you'll get along just fine. But everyone is different, and I know some people do use some of the things I didn't. I guess what's most important is to take only what YOU really think YOU'LL use.

I know in our case, my husband is thrilled to see the revised list — to know he won't be lugging around heavy books, bottled water, CD players, and 17 other things I wouldn't use anyway. As for me, I'll be excited about not having a big bag of things to unpack when I get home from the hospital. I'll have enough to do!

Published: May 30, 2006