Hospital Bags For Round 2

       

          There is a lot of Hype behind the hospital bag. There are Youtube videos, miles of Pintrest posts, and I would gorge myself on them in my first pregnancy. One thing I remember so well after Jake was born, was we didn't use half of it. I write this looking at 3-4 weeks left max, and the bags are packed. I went with the less is more approach this time.

          Knowing I was about to have 2 kids, two hands and a lot more diapers to haul around, I bought a bigger and backpack diaper bag. For baby B, here is what I packed:

           4 Sleepers (3 with built in mitts and feet)
           2 Hats
           1 pair of gloves
           2 swaddle blankets
           2 receiving blankets
           1 fleece blanket
           1 Halo Velcro swaddle blanket
           A BUNCH of Diapers
           Vaseline
           Wipes

          I didn't pack a going home outfit, because I found at the newborn phase, living in sleepers makes life easier. The Halo, more for hubs and I than Baby B. With Jake the longest he slept was 30 min. Then his startle reflex kicked in, and he'd wake himself up. A friend had a baby 6 months before me, and save the day when she sent over her Halos. It gets them tightly swaddled, and with the velcro you don't worry about it on their face. We were able to go from 30 min, to 3 hours uninterrupted. Honestly being in the hospital and being in that situation was so much more stressful than at home. Pretty sure Cale and I both had a panic attack. The diapers was a hard one for me. I checked a local mom group and got mixed answers on if we needed to bring them or not. I realize now, the hospital provided us with supplies last time because we were briefly in NICU, and will be again...I still packed em anyway.

          For Cale and I it was SUPER basic. I used my medium sized suitcase, and was able to pack all of this.

          For Me:
          Pair of Pajamas that button in the front and go over my incision (They really only need to trace this time)
          Maternity Yoga Pants
          Maternity Leggings
          2 loose tops
          3 camis
          4 pairs of massive pairs of underwear
          Massive pads
          Flip flops
          Nursing pads
          Nursing bra
          Socks
          Nursing Pillow my Brest Friend
          Meds- Not packed but I have a note on my door to remind me

          I put camis but not nursing. I went through my entire year of nursing Jake with no nursing specific clothes. Mostly looser fitting tops, layered over a regular cami, it worked just as well for me. I stressed what nursing pillow because I had 3, and that was the one I liked. I liked it because it buckles up, so it doesn't move. Bonus you can attach it easily to the suitcase with that buckle. I still have to get the all clear on this specifically because I have been getting updates from them at my fetal assessment appointments, what I can and can't bring.

         Cale:
          1 Pair of PJ pants
          1 Pair of Shorts
          3 Tshirts
          3 pairs of underwear
          Socks
          A throw blanket
          A pillow

           I guess the last 2 were provided to my brother when my nephew was born, but our hospital doesn't really do that for dad. They may have given him and extra blanket because it was winter, but that was it  ( I don't even remember that if I'm being honest). BUT with my less is more approach, I was able to fit these into the suit case, so no added items to carry

           For us both
           Toiletries
           Phone charger and battery back up, ear buds
           Water bottles

          Toiletries is where I likely over packed for Cale. He kind of stuck to using my bathroom sink as much as he could because the showers were more communal. The nurses did offer to try and make sure they could get him in there all clear, but I get it, it wasn't a comfortable situation. In our prenatal classes they told us to bring stuff to stay entertained because it's a marathon. Well, my induction started on Thursday morning, Jake was born Saturday night. Sounds awful right? It wasn't so bad. When I wasn't being tended to, or trying to walk around, I was on my phone. Phones can do so much now, tell me you haven't been able to waste hours on it.

         Couple of other things too. The car seat. we don't have the base installed yet, but that will take a couple min, and the car seat will be with us. They require you to put your baby in it before they let you leave, but it will stay in the car until we're actually leaving. I'm bringing a tote bag too. This will be left in the car, but we will be leaving with more than we went in with. Also when we get to leave, I won't be as meticulous about packing, I might need some overflow. Also if I'm being brutally honest, if they supply us with stuff, they tell us to take it, because they would have to just throw it out anyway. So if on the off chance we're leaving with free stuff, I need room to stash it.

        I can't believe they're sitting in the living room waiting, but it's that close now.

        K, Luv Ya, Bye

        Nancy