Have you been stumped wondering What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag? Same, girl, same! This is my second time around and boy have I learned some tips & tricks for packing efficiently and including items that are truly needed for your hospital stay! Keep on reading if you're interested in learning more about what to pack in your hospital bag and the absolute must-haves! We've got a ton of these items in The Southern Rose & Rosebuds and LOVE helping you guys get your bags ready! Seriously - ask any of our gift experts on items mentioned below and they would be happy to help you find them! Enjoy this blog post - we'll see you soon!
When I first went into labor (water broke), I panicked because I didn't have my bag packed. I was 36 weeks 4 days pregnant and thought I would be like many first-time moms and go full-term (or over)! Learn from me! Have the basics of your hospital bag packed early. This time around, I packed my bag around 34 weeks and just kept a note of the things I would need to add in before we left close to my bag. Let's be real - I don't have a ton of clothes that fit right now so staying on top of laundry has also been important!
One of my biggest labor tips to help with a speedy labor (not a pro, just what worked for me) is to remain calm! I somehow managed to stay pretty cool and collected even though I wasn't quite prepared to go have a baby the first time. Ha! I threw some things in my bag, packed a water (with frozen Gatorade ice cubes for added electrolytes) and headed out for the LONG drive to Columbia! Having your hospital bag packed early will help eliminate any stresses!
Here's a list of what I packed in my bag this time around. I will be the first to admit, it's important for me to feel comfortable so I added in a few extras that I didn't the first time we went in (a bath towel for instance).
You'll note that I have several "extra items." These are things that aren't exactly necessary but again, really helped me to feel comfortable for our hospital stay. We had to stay two nights with Knox because of his early arrival & blood sugars and I truly missed some of the items on my "extras" list. My main tip here is to be sure to pack an empty bag for the extras you'll bring home. In my case, I packed another smaller tote with my nurse gifts that will be filled on our way home with the "freebies" the hospital gives you. And my tip there.... take ALL that you can get. Take the diapers they give you (both for you and baby LOL), all of the after-care products, etc! Trust me, you're paying for it!
But, what about baby? Well, baby really doesn't need much (truly). I personally know we'll be taking tons of photos in the hospital since we can't have visitors. So, I might have packed a little bit more for her than I really needed. As we've learned more about her size (she's measuring small), I've adjusted what's in my bag. I actually included a few premie items this time around to be prepared for a tiny baby (we had to borrow a sleeper from the NICU with Knox because we didn't have any items small enough for him)!
The main thing I tell people for new baby is.... pack a NEWBORN outfit or two. Even if your baby is measuring big. I had almost nothing in size newborn for Knox (thinking he would go full term, be a good size, etc). Even if he had gone full term, I think having at least 3-4 newborn items is so important for their first days! Especially for your newborn photos and going home photos! My favorite: Kyte Baby or Posh Peanut. Their pieces have a ton of stretch and can be worn for a really long time! I also am LOVING the Copper Pearl gowns for this babe. They're sized for NB to 3M so if you're worried about longetivity, these would be great pieces to grab! They tie at the bottom so the size is adjustable and makes for easy diaper changes and announcement photos!
Have any questions? E-mail mackenzie@southernrosemonograms.com!
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