Ellery’s First Outfit (her going home outfit!)
Before too much time passed, I wanted to write a quick post about the items I was so happy to have with me during labor and delivery and those items that took up space and were never used!
Items I was thrilled to have packed:
-Robe (I bought one from Gap Body). It was stretchy and not too bulky.
-My own hospital gown for the day after when we had a few visitors. I bought it from here. It was nice because it had snaps on the front for easy access breastfeeding.
-Toiletries: The hospital doesn’t give you anything over the top (comb, toothbrush, toothpaste). It was great to have my own shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, etc…
-iPad…when we did have a moment, it was great to send out an email to our friends and family with a photo of our little babe!
-Chargers, for iPad, iPhone & cameras.
-Clothes (warm ones) for your sig. other…I know Mach was thrilled to have PJs and a warm sweatshirt to sleep in.
-Snacks: I packed a bunch of luna bars, etc…and I was happy to have them when breakfast arrived in the morning and it was not good! It held me and Mach over until he was able to run out to grab us food or family brought it to us.
Items I didn’t necessarily NEED:
-Pads: The hospital gives you everything you need while you are there, although I didn’t want to wear one of their bulky pads home, I did wear them for the rest of the time I was there. Trust me, you want to use everything they have. Note: The hospital will also give you witch hazel pads, numbing spray, etc…They even made up ice packs for “down there” using baby diapers. They were amazing and so key that first day and night. Steal as much of this stuff from the hospital as you can…you will get billed for it anyways so just take it home because you won’t find the same stuff at your local drug store.
-Underwear: I wore the disposable underwear the hospital gave me the entire time I was there and I even took a bunch home and wore them the first few days. They are amazing, stretchy and I didn’t worry about getting them messy.
*I did however buy a bunch of gap body full coverage underwear and wore them for the full six weeks of recovery*
-Extra outfits for me! I way over packed and didn’t need half of the clothes I brought. Just bring a going home outfit and you should be set.
-Too many clothes for Ellery. It was good to have a few options but she wore the hospital tees while we were there if anything. Most of the time she was just in a diaper and swaddle for tons of skin to skin.
Things to think about that you may not have (we sure didn’t!):
-Not all hospitals offer private rooms, so inquire beforehand to figure out what you need to do to ensure you have a private room if that’s something you want.
-Breastfeeding is HARD. There is a reason that La Leche League exists and there is such a thing as a lactation consultant…it’s because it’s not easy, especially if you’re a first time Mom. Take advantage of the lactation consultants at the hospital but more than anything I would say take a class or a bunch of them BEFORE you go into labor. I did this and it was hugely helpful.
-Don’t be afraid to use the hospital grade pumps AT the hospital if your baby doesn’t latch right away or is struggling. You want your milk to come in and if your baby isn’t sucking correctly (maybe due to a tongue tie?!) then you need to get things going in other ways.
-Go to the classes they offer while you are at the hospital. We had two classes offered and we didn’t go to them because we had visitors. Not smart. Take advantage of all the knowledge they offer while you are there.
-Really think about whether or not you want visitors at the hospital. We decided we just wanted immediate family to visit because we wanted the time to bond with Ellery and focus on breastfeeding, etc…it’s such precious time those first few days and you don’t want to be worried about entertaining friends or extended family during this time. Plus, you will want visitors later, once you’ve recovered a bit.
-If family and friends want to come visit once you are home, tell them they can only come if they are bringing you food! Homemade meals are treasured…take advantage!
-Keep in mind that you will not leave the hospital fitting into your pre-pregnancy clothes (unless you’re slightly abnormal, sorry) so bring leggings or comfy pants that fit when you were around your 6 month mark.
-You have options when it comes to procedures throughout your entire stay at the hospital for both you and your baby. Know these options. We opted out of the bath for the baby right after she was born because we wanted her to be with us for longer. We were able to give her the bath the next day and it was perfect. You also have options with shots. We decided to wait for her to have any shots until her 2 month appointment at her pediatrician.