As anyone reading this blog can collect, I am a planner. I like having control, and I use that as a means of managing my anxious tendencies. Knowing details and preparing for different situations always helps me focus on the bigger picture when it comes to handling stressful situations.
The "hospital bag" question is all the rage on forums, in pregnancy groups, across blogs. We definitely aren't going to reinvent the wheel here, but rather I hope to give some hope to others who are grappling with the need to prepare, but also realize that a lot of things will probably be superfluous or impractical to pack ahead of time.
2 Phase Approach
So, I offer you the solution I've settled on:
Break your "hospital bag" prep into two phases or stages. Phase 1: Bug-Out Bag. Phase 2: Full-term bag.
This approach works best for me, but that is given that I have had a very low-risk pregnancy (following my fight with hyperemesis gravidarum). My doctor, insofar as doctor's predict, doesn't foresee pre-term labor happening in my case. Baby has measured on track from the beginning, my tests and screens have all been normal, and I've maintained a healthy diet and exercise routine following getting my sickness under control. Of course these things can all change instantly, but given these circumstances, I am comfortable with prepping in the way I'm going to describe!
Phase 1: "Bug Out" Bag
I really wanted to pack a glorious bag to share with everyone at the start of this achey, breaky third trimester. I did, but even inside my deepest over-planning fantasy it struck me that more than likely I had another 2 or 3 months left in this pregnancy.
So, after some frustration with myself, I decided that instead I would prep a bag in case something did happen unexpectedly-- i.e. in case I ended up in a pre-term labor situation.
In my case, it's my "bug out" bag, because there is no way predictable but there are definitely some essentials that would be necessary. In my mind, this situation would occur prior to 36 weeks, and in those cases the baby is almost always kept in NICU for a longer period than the mother is admitted to the hospital. In my mind, that means that there's going to be way more driving back and forth between the hospital for my husband and I, so the need for many things we'd otherwise want is irrelevant.
My essentials in this bag are:
- a phone charger
- deodorant
- insurance cards
- pair of cozy socks
- pajamas (old pair for post labor)
- change of clothes
- Bible
- toothbrush and toothpaste
Phase 2: Full-Term Bag
This is the bag I plan on packing around 36-37 weeks. It'll have some of the things that I seek more out of comfort than anything as well as things for my husband and baby.Clothing
- 2 sets of maternity pajamas to wear after giving birth
- nursing bras
- nice-ish robe to wear over pajamas when we have visitors
- fuzzy, non-skid socks (these are in my shopping cart)
- super cozy (big) underwear
- loose dress (to wear home)
- maternity leggings to go under dress
Baby Items
- baby girl's homecoming outfit
- cute receiving blanket to take pictures of her during hospital stay
- cute hat
- breast pump! I'm going to take advantage of the lactation consultant my hospital provides and get help with it
Misc. Items
- Bose Bluetooth Speaker: to play music through while laboring
- multi-USB plug in: for phone chargers and other electronics
- Camera: (I have a Canon that I love to use for actual memorable moments); this may or may not get used very much, but if I'm feeling well enough I hope to get some decent photos of her during our stay
- Laptop: either for my husband or myself; check ahead to see if your hospital has internet! We have a birth announcement template that we plan on filling in and using for social media
Beauty/Toiletries
- Coconut oil has been my go to during the pregnancy because a) I've been stretch-marking like wild, b) coconut oil doesn't have a smell like most other lotions and moisturizers, and c) I hate the feeling of dry skin and lips! I'm sure that after that first shower post-labor I will want to slather it on. Usually I just use a giant container we got on sale at Kroger, but I'm running out of that and we have a backup container of this from amazon!
- Ponds cold cream cleanser and moisturizer: my go-to's for washing and moisturizing my face
- Basic makeup: foundation, powder, blush, mascara; I know people are of different camps about whether or not this matters/should matter, but I know I will feel so much more confident and comfortable if the inevitable pictures don't feature me with a blotchy face. Particularly, I know my sensitive skin and I'll probably be 7 shades of red and uneven following labor
- Deodorant, Toothbrush kit, Shampoo, and Conditioner: I'm not too picky about these things, and will probably switch over the travel sizes from the bug-out bag when I get close to time.
- Also, I picked up a super cheap toothbrush kit like this from Was-Mart for around $.97!!!
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