Labour Bag Update!

One of my "followers" (sounds like a cult :p) gave me the great idea to update my labour bag list post-delivery, giving you what I used, what was useless and what I needed!

Here's the original list - with my comments and additions! Warning - extra long post, sorry!

1) Labour Bag:

• Slippers and a housecoat for walking around the hospital - wore the slippers up until pushing time, my feet were freezing. Housecoat = useless, I was "cremating" post delivery.
  
• Socks to keep your feet warm - useless, bring slippers only.
  
• An old nightie to wear during delivery (or wear a hospital gown) - hospital gowns were nasty, plus you had to wear two to cover your rear... my nightie was perfect.
  
• Toiletries - lip balm, headbands, hair elastics, etc. - essentials, esp. lip balm!
  
• Digital camera (don't forget to charge your battery) - duh!
  
• Your birth plan (discussed in my next Baby Prep post) - would have been great had anybody bothered reading it! Mention it out to each doctor/nurse who tends to you...
  
• Snacks and drinks for your hubby/labour partner. - essential.
  
• Hard candy for a dry mouth - My mouth was so dry from early labour to delivery - these were a blessing! Stick with basic flavours though... at one point Dan's green apple breath made me nauseous... never seen him spit something out so fast! ha ha ha.
  
• Your health card and insurance information - again, duh!
  
• Sweater for hubby - room gets cool as Momma gets hot! - Unnecessary for us - the excitement of it all kept Daddy nice and toasty ;)
  

2) Post-Delivery Bag:

• 2 nursing bras - necessary.
  
• 12 breast pads for when your milk comes in - not really necessary until your milk comes in. Although, if your nipples are sore, having a pad in your bra hurts less than the bra directly on your skin.
  
• 24 Sanitary/maternity pads - hospital supplied for us, otherwise, essential.
  
• 2 nighties - easy for beastfeeding and allows easy access for nurses to check your vajajay! ;) - essential, lived in these. Again, hospital gowns = nasty.
  
• Lots of old undies (your "period panties") - our hospital has these sexy mesh "panties" (picture the worse grannies you've ever seen). Regardless, they work and prevent you from ruining your own. Bring a few pairs anyways.
  
• Toiletries - essentials only (you don't need makeup)! - don't forget Daddy's stuff, like I did... he did smell great in my mango-tango deodorant ;)
  
• PJs and change of clothes for Dad - see above. Oops. :p
  
• Calling card and phone numbers of family/friends - we were allowed to use the cell so the calling card was unnecessary.
  
• Money - for snacks, parking ($35 parking @ IWK), etc.- Yuppers! Esp if you're going to get delivery/take-out, etc.
  
• 2 pillows in coloured pillow cases- Essential, @ least 2.
  
• Pens for completing post-delivery paper work - Sure.
  
• Going home outfit - something loose and comfy. You aren't leaving the hospital as Giselle Bundchen! - I left the hospital looking like I ate Giselle, I was about the size I was at 20 weeks preggers... if that helps.
• Breastfeeding pillow - so you don't have to use the one behind your head!
• Books, magazines, etc. to keep you busy when you're not sleeping (which is the entire time you're at the hospital).
  
• Phone numbers/menus for your favourite delivery/take-out places - hospital food is gross and you deserve some spoiling.
  
• Lanolin cream - in case your nipples are sore.
  

3) Baby's Bag:

• 12 newborn diapers OR 3 dozen if hospital doesn't supply diapers. - Hospital supplied for us, although they were like diaper nazi's - only giving us 5-6 at a time!
  
• Diaper cream - vaseline, zincofax, etc. - Hospital supplied.
  
• 3 onesies and 3 sleepers - Bring some newborn and some 0-3 mths... Janey was a big, long, girl and didn't fit any of the newborn stuff we brought for her.
  
• 2 receiving blankets (warm blankets if winter) - Good for bringing her home, hospital had blankets that we used while we were there.
  
• Take home outfit - Not a priority for us... Jane wore whatever we brought that fit her! ha ha ha.
  
• 2 pairs socks or booties and a hat (season dependent) - didn't use.
  

Having 2-3 separate bags was helpful and definitely made it easier on Dad. As I said before, your purse is useless... leave it home. Leaving your bags in the car is likely a great idea. In the excitement of early labour, heading to the hospital (finally), etc. I could totally see how you could forget everything at home!

Feel free to comment and toss in anything you found useful that I missed!

Jen :)