You’re 37/38 weeks pregnant and starting to think about your hospital bag. Looking on Pinterest and Instagram for all the must have items to put in your bag. You save all the posts and start packing..
The weekend I turned 37 weeks, was 4th of July weekend. We just finished our busy season at work and it was time to enjoy the weekend before really getting prepped for baby to come. We were going to install the car seat, look at birth classes, come up with a birth plan, pack that bag, get the bassinet set up and figure out a name. Except baby had different plans.
The day I turned 37 weeks, I felt off. Leading up to this day, I was incredibly swollen. None of my shoes or clothes fit anymore. I was still trying to be active during my pregnancy and would take our dog for long walks in the morning before it got hot out. That morning my fingers were so swollen and in pain, I could not grab his leash. My head was pounding and I was feeling super sick. So we called the hospital, they told us to come in, we were off. This wasn’t the first time this happened, 7 weeks earlier I was in the hospital for swelling. They did some tests, and we were on our way and that’s what we figured was going to happen.
We got settled in and start all the testing. They told us we would be there a minimum of 4 hours. Thirty minutes later, the doctor walks in and asks what I thought about inductions… excuse me?!?! I couldn’t even think of being induced! Let alone having this baby!
Well, needless to say, the baby came and we had no hospital bags, car seat, bassinet, birth plan or baby name… So the whole reason why you are here, what would I have wished I had packed. Our hospital pretty much had everything we actually needed. So if you are like me and go in for a surprise baby, you’ll be fine! You’ll want different clothes, but you’ll be fine!
My top items:
- Button up soft PJs – I got mine from Target
- Frida underwear (my hospital gave me these mesh ones, they worked, but 100% wish I had the Frida ones!) – Target or Amazon. I’m sure Walmart as well.
- Motherlove Sitz Bath Spray (personally this is the one that worked the best for me! I tried the top 3 different “stuff”) – I got it off of Amazon
- Pillow and blanket (also if someone is staying with you, have them bring their own)
- Slippers and shower shoes
- Nursing bras
- Zip up sweatshirt
- Hair tie, contact stuff/glasses
Like I said, our hospital had everything. They had the underwear, pads, pedicles, the upside down water bottle thingy (I actually preferred this one over the Frida one, I might be in the minority on that), nursing stuff and much more. We were pretty lucky and were in and out pretty fast. Had I have to stay longer or had a harder pregnancy, maybe this list would change? But honestly, once things start to happen, your mind is only on your baby.
What would you add to this list?!