There is so much preparation that is involved when we're expecting a little one. While we're not only getting everything ready for baby's arrival, we also have to make sure that we're going to make the labor and delivery an enjoyable and comfortable experience. There are a lot of essentials that we need to pack when getting our bag ready for our labor and delivery hospital stay. With essentials like, clothes and toiletries, packed, we also need something that helps us feel as relaxed as we can during labor and delivery.
Comfort Items For Labor and Delivery
Throughout all three of my labors and deliveries, I had to have comfortable socks. For me, there is nothing worse than having cold feet, especially while delivering a baby. Before each delivery, I made sure to buy multiple pairs of socks that were fuzzy, had a moisturizer built in them, and also had grips on the bottom of them so that I wouldn't slip. Even as I put on my hospital gown upon entering the delivery room, I made sure that my socks were on. Throughout my entire stay, I'd have my socks on. They made me feel much more calm and relaxed during those moments that could have otherwise felt tense and stressful.
We asked moms what item they could not live without during their hospital stay and they shared their favorites. If your little bundle of joy will soon make their arrival and it's almost time to pack that hospital bag, take a look what these moms had to have with them during their hospital stay.
“My own pillow. It's hard to sleep in hospitals - there are all kinds of noises, the beds make all kinds of weird sounds, the sheets aren't the same... it's nice to have a comfort from home to sleep on.” - Erin S.
“Slippers that were forgiving enough to fit swollen feet! You will want those hospital socks off, if you had to wear them, and you don't want to put shoes on or go barefoot on the floor.” - Jenn M.
“My camelback water bottle. I could keep it in bed with me and drink whenever I needed rather than sitting up and pouring every time I need water. And hospitals are so dry I need a ton of water. And nursing parasitic newborn makes me need water too.” - BethAnne A.
“Snacks! I gave birth at 1am when the kitchen was closed when I got to recovery and was only offered crackers after. So I was thankful that I brought some yummy snacks.” - Kristin N.
“A bath robe if breastfeeding! It's so much easier to feed the first days with something that opens right up and is warm for skin to skin.” - Jasmine C.
“Thank god for sweatpants!! Everyone is excited for the baby's going home outfit. I made sure my going home outfit was comfy.” - Andrea V.
“Chapstick! I've had 2 C-sections and the meds dried my lips out so bad I couldn't imagine not having it!” - Ashley R.
“Scented lotion. It helped me feel pampered.” - Andrea C.
“A clip-on fan!” - Caitlin N.
“A really nice nursing bra.” - Sarah D.
“An extension cord for my phone charger--lots of special calls, texts, and pics drains your battery quickly and many times an outlet is just out of reach. A short extension cord made all the difference!” - Julie M.
“My phone. I looked up tons of stuff, gave me something to do, I kept in touch with loved ones, and was able to stay in contact with my husband (he spent the second night at home with our other two kids). Plus, she was born during monsoon season and I could track the crazy storms! I know it's silly, but as a mom that's been there three times, it was indispensable.” - Beth W.
“A fuzzy fleece blanket, because hospitals are cold and the blankets there are basically sheets. I get cold easily, and 2 out of 3 pregnancies, I lost weight instead of gaining properly and didn't have nice fat stores to keep me from feeling like a popsicle.” - Julia M.
“We brought a pen and paper. My husband wrote down what happened and when, and it was fun to read afterward to remember how things went and to see the experience from my husband's perspective.” - Diane S.
“Comfy Pjs made for breastfeeding with matching robe so I could swaddle/wrap my babies right up against me.” - Anne D.
Comfort During Birth
Packing your hospital bag for an experience that will be life-changing can be somewhat overwhelming. That's why you want your visit to help make you feel as at home as possible. After packing all of your essentials, take a look at this list and really think about something you think will make your stay much more enjoyable and relaxing so that you can focus on what you're there for; welcoming that precious bundle of joy.
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