What do you really need at the hospital?

[Anonymous]

Okay so I have read all of the books and websites on what to bring to the hospital, but I wanted to hear from experienced moms on what your really need and don't need. Thanks for any information.

[Anonymous]

There have been a lot of posts on this in the past, I'd do a search of the archives.

[Anonymous]

here you go:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1384.page#5877

[Anonymous]

One random thing I was really glad I packed was a framed photo of me & my hubby on our wedding day. I just grabbed the one off our mantel on the way out the door and it just made me feel so much better to have it on my night stand during 5 days in the hospital. Also, one thing that I wish I had packed was more than one set of PJs. When my milk came in (night after delivery), I got such bad night sweats and was FREEZING b/c my PJs were soaked through. I couldn't wait for my husband to get there with dry ones. This time, I am planning to pack several pairs!

[Anonymous]

Comfortable nursing bra was the only thing I didn't see mentioned yet.

[Anonymous]

you need a toothbrush, clean underwear, outfit to leave the hospital in, and perhaps some clothes for the newborn. The hospital provides standard issue threads for the baby.

[Anonymous]

What you DON'T need is cute pajamas, bedjackets, nightclothes or anything else "fun" to wear in the hospital. Don't make the mistake I did and pack a suitcase full of this stuff, even if you think you'll have visitors. Just wear the ugly robes they give you. If you're like many women, you'll be bleeding so much post-birth that you'll be glad not to have to worry about your own clothes getting ruined!

[Anonymous]

PP said it. I know lots of women are into taking lots of stuff to make themselves feel at home... and, be my guest. But I'm just not interested in moving all that stuff for a 2 night hospital stay. Seriously, you will be busy with the new baby, relatives, and sleeping/recovering. If you end up having a C-section, you can always have your husband bring a book from home or something. I definitely would NOT bring anything you couldn't afford to get blood on.

I brought:

toothbrush/paste
hairbrush
shampoo
face soap
book (which I never opened)
a change of clothes to go home in (something really comfy)
an outfit for the baby.

I did not bring CDs, slippers, teddybears, make-up, or any of that stuff.... but I think I

[Anonymous]

We wish we had brought wipes for the baby. The hospital (Sibley) only had dry cloth wipes which you have to dampen with water. They did not have the regular wipes we now use at home. They do give you diapers so no need to bring those.

[Anonymous]

I wish I brought tylenol and stool softners since its a production to get any meds post-delivery.

[Anonymous]

Flip flops! The cheapest pair you can find that you can throw away when you leave. You will be walking on a floor and taking a shower there. Everyone who came before you was oozing bodily fluids on that floor. Yes, they clean, but it still pretty gross.

[Anonymous]

Socks to wear during delivery - that you don't mind throwing away.

Another pair to wear post-delivery (it can be chilly).

I brought my favorite pillow and was glad to have it.

I wish I had brought a few Depends disposable underwear. The hospital ones are not very comfortable.

[Anonymous]

I thought the hospital underwear was very comfortable. Also, I delivered at Inova Fair Oaks and they were very good about supplying tylenol and stool softeners after the birth.

I brought towels from home and my own pillow. Make sure none of these are white though so they aren't mistaken as the hospitals. At Fair Oaks the towels they provide are very thin. It was nice to have a couple of big, absorbent towels to use after showering. I also brought an old bathrobe that I didn't mind getting dirty.

I also second the flip-flops! And socks...I forgot to pack socks! They had some they could give me but I was walking around barefoot while in labor until they gave me the socks.

[Anonymous]

I had my hubby run home for my Boppy pregnancy (not nursing) pillow - it was a struggle learning to bf after my c-section and he Bres Friend pillow was too firm on my sore tummy. The bigger, softer pregnancy pillow was easier to use, and also doubled as an extra pillow for my back when I wasn't nursing (hospital pillows were pretty flimsy).

Other things we brought:

- Ipod and speakers - helped distract me during labor but we didn't use it afterwards
- nursing tank, yoga pants, bathrobe. I lived in hospiral gowns most of my stay, but it felt nice to "dress up" for visitors later on - especially since I was too sore to bend down and shave my legs!
- slipper socks - regular ones were too slippery on the hospital floors
- hair bands, body/hand lotion and lip balm - the hospital provides basic toiletries, but having my own yummy-scented products made me feel a little more human
- camera, charger and extra memory card
- laptop (we had a 5-day stay, so it was nice to send out early pics)
- prenatal vitamins
- snacks for DH during labor, then for me once I could eat (food wasn't horrible, but I needed a break from blandness!)
- 1 outfit for baby - the rest of the time he was in hospital-provided clothes
- pads - I used the hospital's bulky giant pads at first, but by time I went home (4 days later) my own ultra-thins were fine.

What I brought and didn't use:
- focal object - glanced at it once but was otherwise too focused on getting the baby out!
- razor!
- massage tool
- makeup - I wore some the last day, but the rest of the time skipped it - after a long labor c-section, I wanted people to see how exhausted I felt! Didn't matter anyway since they just wanted to look at the baby
- my own underwear - hospital underwear was comfortable and disposable (and trust me, you'll want to dispose it!)
- Tylenol - like PP, I found he hospital provided pain meds and sool softener
- baby nail scissors and file - he liked wearing the long-sleeved shirts with mitten cuffs, so we didn't cut the nails until he was home

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I packed a ton of stuff and didn't use hardly any of it.

The things I do remember finding useful were:

-Extra pairs of socks
-Slippers/flip flops
-Extra pillows - I brought 2 in non-white pillow cases
-Nursing pillow
-Standard toiletry kit
-List of phone numbers for friends/family and a phone card so we could call long distance from the room