I am halfway through packing my hospital bag with a list of things I will be throwing in when it’s go time. I have also ordered all of the postpartum essentials for myself that will help with my recovery.  I learned a lot the first time around so I think I am well prepared to deal with the aftermath of birth!  Now everyones hospital bags will look different depending on your needs and what you want with you.  It’s important to remember what sort of things make you comfortable and feel like yourself.  You might have a certain scent that buts you at ease you want to bring with a diffuser, or a pillow you have to sleep with to be comfortable! But to get you started, this is what I am brining.

Hospital Bag:

Hospital Dress – this is something I didn’t get last time but just bought this one on amazon so I could feel a little more like myself during the process!

Robe – got this one recently and it is my fave!

Outfits for baby in both newborn and 0-3 months

Swaddles and/ or a Sleepsack – there are lots of options out there!

Baby hats & socks

Comfy clothes – loose pants, shirts, dress, comfy larger underwear (to fit the ice pack!)

Cozy socks & slippers

Long cord cell phone charger (2 – 1 for dad too!)

Amazon Fire Stick

Bluetooth Speaker

Snacks & hydration packs…. maybe a mini bottle of champagne?!

If nursing: Nipple cream, nipple shield, nursing pillow

If using formula: Bottles & formula (unless you are okay using what the hospital has)

Other things you can bring to make you feel extra comfortable:  pillow, favorite blanket, diffuser, ipad or laptop, bath towel, etc!

Postpartum Care Essentials:

While you are at the hospital (or anywhere you are delivering), they will have everything you need for postpartum recovery care while you are there.  They will provide you will some mesh underwear that they will fill with an ice pack, pad and witch hazel pads, and also some dermoplast to spray all over your undercarriage.  For me, I used the ice packs while at the hospital then didn’t use them anymore when I got home because they were uncomfortable to sit on.  With Ruth, my go to line up was: a depends diaper (for the first 3-4 days) then I moved to just a large pad on my underwear, and that was lined with witch hazel pads and I would spray down there with the dermoplast.  Then you should take one or two of the squeeze bottles they have at the hospital to spray on your vagina after you pee.  If you had any tearing, you will want to use that instead of toilet paper until it has healed up a bit, then once you use toilet paper, just blot ever so gently.

Another thing some moms swear by but I never did is making padsicles! There is a guide on how to make them here, if you are interested.  But I am here to tell you about what I am planning on doing!  So here is a list of all of those things listed above.  Be sure to also have a little basket or something to put it all in right next to the toilet.

Depend Silhouette Underwear

Pads – any work and the absorption you need will depend on how much you bleed postpartum!

Witch Hazel Pads

Dermoplast Spray

Perineal Spray Bottle – if you hospital doesn’t give you one, you can get a fancy one like this!