With the arrival of the twinsies right around the corner (no more than 4 weeks, I expect less.) I'm gathering things for our hospital bags. When I had Hudson, the hospital was a 2 hour drive from home (since we had just moved and I wasn't about to find a new doc/hospital at the end of my pregnancy) so we packed practically the entire house! This time, we live about 10 minutes from the hospital so it will be easy peasy for Joseph to come home and get something we forgot and for him to shower, change clothes, feed the dogs, etc. But, having gone through it once, I have a much better idea of what I need, what we actually used, and what wasn't necessary.
Here's some of the main things in my hospital bag...
Comfort:
Being as comfortable as possible after giving birth is essential. I was so ready to get out of that glamorous hospital gown, but I had to wear it until I could take a shower later that night. Nothing better than getting into your OWN clothes!!
I actually bought this exact robe and pants the other day at Target. Got a matching shirt too. They are all so comfortable and will make me feel more at home during my stay. I got this long gown too, but in black. It could even be used to go home in, as a maxi dress. Another super comfy option, as opposed to the lovely hospital attire. Don't forget comfy undies, your nursing bra if you'll be doing that, as well as nursing pads and cream for the girls. Another big one for me is my glasses/contact case/solution. My husband can sleep in his contacts for nights at a time. I have to take mine out every night. I just can't wake up to dry, stuck-on contacts. Eww.
HUMAN!
It's also important to feel human after just having a child (or two) delivered from your body! Finally being able to take a shower (pack your toiletries), do my hair, and put on my makeup was THE BEST feeling after having Hudson. Yes, I guess I'm mildly vain. Yes, it's nice to feel good about yourself even when you're laid up in a hospital bed. Don't let anyone make you feel silly for wanting to look good. If you're fine without the makeup and/or freshly styled coif, then that's wonderful too! Do what's good for you! Just know, people WILL take pictures (with or without your knowledge) and if your hospital is anything like ours, they'll have a company come around and take some of the new addition and family, so just be prepared.
The most essential makeup items for me....my Clinique all about eyes concealer and waterproof mascara. Before, during, and after delivery, you'll be emotional, sweaty, and tired. These will stay in place and ensure my momma honcha dark circles stay covered and my mascara doesn't run all over the place.
And don't forget some snacks! Yes, the hospital will have vending machines and a cafeteria, but do you really want to pay $2.50 every time you just want a pack of crackers or a Sprite? I know I don't! You're gonna be hungry, especially if you're breastfeeding. Pack your own stuff! And if you live close to home like we do this time, you can send the husband home to restock snacks if necessary.
Da BEBEH(S)
You really don't need all you might think you need for the new addition. The hospital will have plenty of blankets that swaddle them wonderfully, but you'll probably still want to bring a couple of your own. At least for cuteness. ;-) They'll also have hats. If your hospital is anything like mine (or at least the one where we had Hudson), they'll want a hat on the babe the whole time. We took TONS of cute hats for Hudson to wear during his stay, but most of the time he just kept a hospital hat on. It fit better anyway.
You'll love gowns for quick diaper changes so take a few of those! I'll take a couple onesies too, but there's a good chance the twins won't even wear them. Take some socks for cold toesies, any pacifiers they may need, and don't forget your Boppy (nursing pillow) if you're breastfeeding. It's also great for propping baby up on for pictures (safely). With Hudson, we didn't need ANY diapers or wipes. The hospital provided them throughout our stay, so check with your hospital and see what their policy is. Also see if you can find out what brand they use. Ours used Pampers (whoop whoop!!) which we LOVE! And pack that coming home outfit, whatever it may be!
The hospital will have anything else the little one needs.
Because it's 2013....
We'll be taking our "good camera" and iPad(and phones, duh!). I'll probably take my MacBook too, just because it's easier to type out a quick blog post on it. I won't have a whole lot of free time to surf the net or anything, but I'll be more likely to do a quick post or two in the hospital while I have a lot of help, before we come home and it's just us staring at each other like, "What in the world do we do?" ;-)
Big Brother
I can't leave out the big bro, Hudson! Although he obviously won't be staying at the hospital or anything, he will be there some during the day/evening so I want to have things there for him to make him comfortable/keep him entertained when he is there. I imagine he'll come visit after breakfast for a few hours, then leave for lunch/nap and come back for a bit before or after dinner. I don't want him to be cooped up in there too much, but I do definitely want to spend time with him and want him to be included and begin bonding with the new members of the family. My main concern has always been, and continues to be, him. I just don't talk about it because it makes me emotional. Moving on....
For Hudson, we've got him a bag full of goodies from the babies with some snacks, small toys, books, activities, etc. Of course, we'll also make sure he has a bag with any diapers, clothes, other essentials he might need if he's there for a few hours at a time.
When it comes to packing your hospital bag, you just want to make sure you include all the things that are in your daily routine (shower, beauty, bedtime, etc). Add little touches of home...your favorite PJs, lotions, snacks, and even your favorite small framed picture of the family. A couple sets of PJs/gowns should get you by, and a cozy pair of slippers will add a little luxury to that drab hospital room.
Try not to overpack, even though I know it's easy to do when you want to have a lot of "just in case" things. Packing for baby is easy, as they don't require much more than a couple gowns, socks, and a blanket & paci. You could easily get away with packing everything in a decent-sized duffle bag, but it might make things easier if you have separate bags for your stuff and the baby's stuff. You also might not want someone stumbling upon your granny panties or "special cream" as they rifle for a blanket for the baby. So, yeah....take separate bags. :)
As far as the husband's stuff. If you're close to the hospital, he can easily run home to shower, change, take a nap, sleep for the night, etc. Even though we're 10 minutes away, Joseph has declared he'll stay at the hospital with me at night, but I'm sure I'll insist on him going home to get a good night's sleep. He can also relieve my mom, who'll probably be at the house with Hudson some, so she can come by the hospital or go home for the night. We'll see what happens when the time actually comes. Unless your husband is not planning to leave the hospital at all, he won't need a bag packed. With Hudson, he just packed his toiletries and a couple changes of clothes. He slept on an AeroBed, which made for a much more comfortable night's sleep than the pull-out sofa.
Just remember....there IS a little thing called Target, in the event you forget something you need. Don't stress about what to pack too much. There's also a good chance the hospital will have something you can use. You've already stressed enough for like 75 people over the last 9 months, and will do even more stressing once that precious baby arrives.
On that note, I'm gonna go edit my hospital bag list a little bit. ;-)
Oh yeah, I managed to find the last bump pic I took at 39 weeks with Hudson.
39 weeks with Hudson compared to 34 weeks with the twins.
And I thought I was HUUUUUUUGGGEEE with Hudson!!!!
Bahahahaha. Oh, I didn't even know what huge was!
