What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag

[Anonymous]

Comfortable clothes
A robe
Toiletries
Your birth plan.
An extra-long cell phone charger cord
Snacks and drinks
Nipple cream.
Adult diapers and other postpartum care products.
I am looking at what to being in the Hospital bag checklist on bbaylist website, but what the reason to being pull-ups or adult diapers? are accidents happen after the baby arrive ?

[Anonymous]

You will bleed for a few weeks post birth regardless of how you deliver. I found adult diapers much more comfortable than pads.

[Anonymous]

If you plan to try breastfeeding, bring your own Boppy or nursing pillow. They say they have one for people to share, but it was never available.

[Anonymous]

Definitely bring your own Boppy, and I would say you and your partner should bring pillows you can actually sleep with (for brief windows of time).

[Anonymous]

The hospital gives big pads but IMO adult diapers were way more comfortable, so I'd bring them. Also, a sleep mask if you think the lights will bother you. I don't really think a robe is necessary. I brought comfortable pajamas instead.

[Anonymous]

I would not have used snacks and drinks. The hospital has those things.
I did bring my own pillow. I held it on my lap in the car while having contractions and that was nice.
Yes to a robe. I’d rather not bring something so bulky but they’ll keep coming in to check your bleeding etc and wiggling out of pajamas isn’t ideal when you’re in pain.
I don’t understand bringing a physical birth plan. Honestly, those things go out the window once the inertia of the birth takes over. They will do the things you’re likely to request (immediate skin to skin etc.) without you handing them a packet of information.

[Anonymous]

My notes:

Comfortable clothes - yes, and if you're planning on nursing, some basic nursing tees. I lived in these the first six months postpartum both times - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XXQXZ9F. Also - don't bring anything you love. You'll get blood on a lot of stuff.

A robe - I wouldn't bring this. You won't need it (you have control over the temp in your room and you're lying down/in bed most of the time anyway) and it's very likely to get blood on it.

Toiletries - yup, but don't go nuts

Your birth plan - yup. I'd recommend one side of one page, short, clear, and bring multiple copies.

An extra-long cell phone charger cord - yes, mission critical!! The plugs are far from the bed!

Snacks and drinks - Bring more than you think you need. And especially if your hospital won't let you have anything other than "clear liquid" during delivery, bring gatorade or similar. Easy way to get some calories during that time. We ate through all the snacks and drinks when I was in the hospital with my first, and for my second, it was like literally more than half my hospital bag.

Nipple cream - yes, and if you have a book about breastfeeding that serves as a reference guide, that can be helpful.

Adult diapers and other postpartum care products - these are for blood. You bleed very heavily for weeks. I was always fine with what the hospital provided, but some people really prefer other products. I would strongly recommend you raid the hospital stash of stuff if you like it. We literally brought an empty small bag and then packed in tons of postpartum care products to use at home.

I'll add:

an ipad or similar with TV downloaded onto it. You don't know how long you'll be there.
Velcro swaddles (3) - Swaddling with a blanket is for suckers. We used SwaddleMe right from day one. Bring a bunch, they might get poopy/spit up on.

[Anonymous]

Snack and drink for DH! I never left her side during the labor process, which took all day. I was starving! She didn't want any food since the body apparently shuts down that function to focus on the labor process.

[Anonymous]

Literally just hair ties, a 10-foot charger, formula if you’re in one of those insane hospitals that won’t allow it and you need/want to do formula, a robe you’ll bleed on and throw away, and adult diapers. Everything else they give you or you don’t end up using.