Hospital Bag Must-Haves

I remember when I was pregnant and getting close to the end, I started thinking about what I was supposed to bring to the hospital. Being my first baby obviously I had no experience and no clue about what all I would need. Then I read some stuff on Pinterest (of course) and saw that some hospitals provide this or that and some don't. A few blogs warned me to over pack and a few said to absolutely under pack. So that was helpful. In the end I took way more than I needed and will definitely know better for next time. Trust me, when you're leaving the hospital with your brand new baby, a huge carseat, and about 5 giant flower arrangements the last thing you want is to do is wag around a load of luggage big enough to last a week at the beach. So, here is a list of the things you really, truly need to bring. I'll also list the stuff to forget about, most of which the hospital will give you anyway.

1. The essentials: After a long day (or days) of being in labor/giving birth, that first shower feels like pure heaven. Bring your own shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face soap, and deodorant. The hospital will have that generic bar soap wrapped in paper like hotels have but you will probably want your own.

2. The other essentials: Toothbrush and toothpaste, for obvious reasons, and your makeup. You may not feel like getting glammed up right after pushing out a human being, but there will be pictures and lots of them, so a few swipes of mascara and a dash of lip gloss won't hurt. You'll be glad you did it when you see all those pics.

3. Carter's one-piece pj's: Don't bring a hundred outfits for your baby. For the first day they will probably just wear a diaper and the little shirt/blanket/hat combo that the hospital provides. After that you really just want them to be in something comfy. These pj's are the way to go. Save the frills for the "going home outfit" if you want to.

4. Camera, phone, and chargers: In todays world social media rules, so make sure you stay charged and take a lot of pictures. Not only for your news feeds but also for yourself. Those early days go by in a blur and you'll want to look back and remember just how tiny that little bundle really was!

5. Snacks: You cannot eat while you're in labor, so after you get the green light you want to feast! And that hospital food isn't anything to brag about. Pack some of your favorite drinks and snacks so you can gorge yourself ASAP.

6. Comfy clothes for Mama: I pretty much stayed in my hospital gown and yoga pants the whole 3 days I was in the hospital. I kept the gown on just because it was so easy to nurse in. You could pack a pj set but I'm just not that into long sleeves when I sleep. Bring some comfy slippers or flip flops or something like that to walk around in. They will want you to walk a little bit everyday so you don't get blood clots. Plus, your feet will be swollen and may not fit into any real shoes. 

7. A notebook: People will most likely be popping in to visit you and may bring gifts. A notebook will make it easy to write down who brought what so you can write thank-you notes later. Also you can keep up with your baby's feedings and diaper changes. The nurses will want you to do this anyway to make sure the baby is digestive system is working correctly. 

Things the hospital provided: Diapers, wipes, maxi pads, blankets, hats, paci's, nipple cream, breast pump, bottles (if you're planning on formula feeding), baby shampoo and lotion. I'm sure I'm forgetting something else here.

Hopefully this post will be helpful to some of you expectant and future expectant moms out there! Here's some pics of the day sweet little Harper was born :)