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There is seriously so much to plan and think about before you bring your sweet baby into the world. It can definitely be overwhelming. I went through list after list on Pinterest, they went over a checklist at our 6 week childbirth prep classes at our hospital and it took weeks for me to try to narrow everything down and make the perfect hospital bag list.
I think the hardest part is that you have absolutely no idea how your delivery is going to go. Are you going to have your baby naturally (you can move around as you wish), epidural (you're stuck to the bed), last minute c section, planned c section. There are so many things you think you can plan for but in the moment all of your plans can totally change and you just have to do whatever you need to so your baby can be safe and healthy. So again comes the question, what the heck am I going to need to bring with me?!. When we were going to our childbirth prep classes they also talked a lot about things to do while in labor, whether it be getting in the bath or shower or having whoever is with you learn massage techniques to take your mind off the pain. They mentioned bringing movies/games/books to keep you distracted. They also mentioned the pain relieving techniques you think you might enjoy might be the worst thing for you in the moment so to try and keep in mind all the techniques so if that problem arises you have some back up options to try.
The fact that it was my first child and I had no ideas how my pain tolerance was going to be, having no idea which techniques were going to work and not knowing how I was going to be feeling in the moment was really overwhelming. I always like to know what to expect and in this situation I just had to be outside of my comfort zone and roll with the punches. I really didn't want to over pack for the hospital but I wanted to make sure I had all of my essentials to make my experience the most comfortable and relaxed as it could be. When all said and done I think we were spot on with everything we brought to the hospital! I'm definitely going to be looking back on this list when baby number 2 comes.
I ended up dividing my list into categories so it was really easy to shop for things I was going to need. I also had a list of the things I was using daily that I could only pack last minute before we left for the hospital (no matter how much pain I was in) I could refer back to the last minute list and throw the things into the bag or hand Ryan the list so he could grab them for me and not forget anything. Easy Peasy! I brought a weekend bag along with my purse for my toiletries and extra clothes. Ryan brought a huge duffle bag for his things, baby's things and any pain reliving tools we may need during labor and the rest of our stay at the hospital. You could also pack Mom's things into a carry on size roller suitcase and Dad's/Baby's things into a bigger roller suitcase. Just use whatever you already have and what will be the easiest thing for you guys.
I hope this list helps you out a bit and gives you a little more peace of mind. Just remember if there is anything that has been helping you through your pregnancy that you haven't seen on any lists just bring it! Better safe than sorry I say! :) Also huge congrats on the upcoming arrival of your new baby!
Sending all my love and prayers your way!
Below I'll add specific links to some of the things I purchased and then I'll attach a printable checklist of everything we brought to the hospital. <3
- Nursing Bra Here
-Nursing Tank Set of 3 Here
-10ft charging cords for IPhone Here
- Essential Oil Diffuser Here
- Essential oil set Here
-Baby Book Here
- Letter board welcome sign Here
-Belly Band- My chiropractor recommended this one Here for right after delivery and this one Here for 3-4+ weeks postpartum.
- Handheld back massager Here
-My personal blanket Here
- Baby blanket Here
- Firestick to stream hulu and netflix on the hospital tv Here
Click HERE for the Printable Checklist on Google Drive
