Nesting and baby prep has kicked into full swing for me this week. The bassinet and Diaper Genie have been assembled. The baby monitor has been set up and tested from every corner of the house. All of her precious little clothes and blankets have been washed in Dreft and folded away in her dresser. The husband is still slacking on the car seat installation. I am thinking there may be a strong possibility that he will be installing it in the hospital parking lot the day after she is born. ;)
This week I have finished packing the elusive hospital bag. That was one baby prep task that was not the easiest on the list. What do you need? How do you know if having this or that is really necessary? What if I pack too much? Or worse too little? Granted, I have done this once before, but being over 13 years ago my memory fails me on what I decided to pack in my hospital bag then. So, I did what every mama-to-be in this day and age does- I googled. I consulted the bump. I asked other new mamas. And here is what I have decided on for my hospital bag:
- Sanitary pads- the big thick ones, daytime and nighttime. I have been told that what the hospital provides may be somewhat undesirable.
- A few pairs of nursing pads- may be totally unnecessary, but a good just in case.
- My comfy sleeping nursing bras from Motherhood Maternity
- Non-slip socks for walking the halls during labor. My husband and I went to Target this week and found these <3 :
- I am also packing my favorite maternity PJ's that my mother got me for Christmas. (They match the monkey socks!):
- A big ziploc baggie filled with travel sizes of my favorite toiletries, including a toothbrush, toothpaste, face towelettes (in case I am too tired to actually wash my face), Palmer's maternity massage lotion, etc...
- Tennis balls for massage during labor
- A going home outfit for the new mama
- A couple of pairs of comfy cotton panties that I could care less about ruining (think granny panties, folks)
- This necklace that was made just for me and my baby girl from Shades of Awareness Jewelry:
- Our Flip Video, digital camera, extra batteries, battery charger for camera, cell phone chargers
- A baggie of change for the hospital vending machines
- A fluffy bath towel from home since hospital towels are thin and scratchy
- My hair dryer, curling iron, and make-up bag (I don't want to look like total crap the next day. ;) )
- Our birth plan and our copy of the book, The Birth Partner
There are some things like my hair dryer and cell phone charger that I can't pack quite yet, so I have attached a DON'T FORGET list to the outside of my bag to make sure we grab those things before heading to the hospital.
I also packed baby girl her own bag with her going home outfit, a blanket, a few newborn caps, a swaddler, and her pink fleece bunting for the drive home. <3
I think we are ready! (I think?)
