Pregnancy Guide: Packing for the Hospital or Birth Center

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting times in a woman's life. As the end of the pregnancy begins, excitement builds up in the anticipation of meeting your new son or daughter. More often than not, the onset of labor begins unexpectedly, and the last thing you want to do is scramble around packing your bags when your water breaks. In this guide, not only will I share my personal experience, but I will give you tips on packing your bag efficiently, but most importantly, long before your water breaks!

My husband and I were thrilled to learn that we were expecting another child. Although it came unexpectedly, we were extremely happy, and truly saw it as a blessing. Not only were we having another child, but we were having a boy! Now, our family was complete. Three years earlier we had our daughter, and this time we were having our son. The pregnancy went by faster than we'd ever imagined, and before we knew it, we were close to our due date. My pregnancy with our daughter was a bumpy ride. We struggled with minor health problems, and when it was time for her to arrive, she did all but cooperate. Eventually, at 41.2 weeks into the pregnancy, we were induced and she was born several hours later. We truly expected our second child to be uncooperative as well, and so as days passed I would always tell myself that I would pack my bags tomorrow. We had time, right? Boy, was I wrong!

It was approximately 4:30 in the morning, and I woke up with what seemed to feel like a small gushing sensation. I immediately woke my husband up, and questioned whether or not my water broke. I attempted to move, and sure enough, the signs were there. It was definitely my water! The first thing I said to my husband was that I had nothing packed, and so at 4:30 in the morning, we ran around the house gathering everything needed for not only my hospital stay, but my daughters stay at grandmas. Can you imagine running around the house trying to pack a bag while your water is leaking? I remember my husband telling me to sit down as he ran around packing everything but what we actually needed. It wasn't funny at the time, but looking back, I seem to get a little chuckle! The good news is that we made it to the hospital in time. We had a beautiful, healthy son, who was born about three weeks early.

So, you've learned from my personal experience, and hopefully you'll decide to prepare yourself better than I did. Here are some some things that you will need at your hospital stay, as well as a few things that you don't necessarily need, but may want.

While you're in the hospital, it's really important to not only feel comfortable, but to feel special. Labor is not an easy chore, and you deserve to feel good about yourself before and after the delivery. After all, you are bringing a new life into this world! It's always recommended to bring shampoos and lotions of your choice. These will truly help you feel a little bit better while you're in the hospital.

Secondly, don't forget the clothing. Not only will you need clothing for yourself, but you will need clothing to take your newborn baby home in, as well as clothing for dad if he won't be making trips home while you're in the hospital. For yourself, make sure to pack nursing bras if you've decided that you will be nursing your baby, as well as socks and slippers. These are often used before labor. A lot of doctors recommend walking around the maternity ward to naturally speed up delivery. You will want to protect your feet. If you have long hair, don't forget to bring hair scrunchies to tie your hair back during delivery. You want to be as comfortable as possible, and from my own personal experience, having your hair up during delivery helps.

Most hospitals provide basic toiletries, but let's face it, it's not always the brand that we prefer. It's always recommended to bring your own shampoos, soaps, dental products, hairdryers, as well as deodorants and makeup. If you're limited with space, check your local grocery store. Most offer travel products in a large variety of brands.

Most importantly, there are a few things that are absolutely essential. You must bring your insurance card, as well as other important documents. Keep in mind, all hospitals require infants to be in the appropriate infant car seat upon leaving the hospital, so make sure to pack your car seat of choice.

While I have covered the essentials, there are many other things that women desire to bring, and so I will list a large variety of options as well as a brief description.

Video/Camera- One of the more important things to bring. At such a special moment in your life, you will want to capture every moment on film.

Address book- You will need names and phone numbers for family and friends that you choose to notify of your new arrival.

Quarters- Although many hospitals do have free food for patients and those staying with them, you'll want to bring quarters just in case. These can be used for vending machines in the hospital cafeteria.

Baby Wipes- Speaking from personal experience, they did not provide baby wipes at the hospital my son was born at.

Large Envelope- You will be leaving the hospital with many documents. This will ensure they stay organized.

Nursing Pads- If you have made the decision to formula feed, within approximately 24-48 hours after birth, you will notice your breasts becoming engorged. Placing these in your bra will absorb the milk and allow you to be more comfortable.

Personal Pillow- You may want to bring your own pillow. The hospitals provide pillows, but they may not be as comfortable as you'd like them to be.

Baby Book- After your child is born, the doctors and nurses will share information with you that you may want to put in your newborns baby book. You can also have them stamp his/her footprint in the book for you.

Calling Card- For long distance calls to family members or friends.

Word Puzzles and Books - Reading a book or doing word puzzles may help you become more comfortable and take your mind off the pain.

Medication- Remember to pack any medication that you take on a regular basis, as well as any that your partner takes.

These are all things that you can pack for your hospital stay. Everyone requires different things, and it's important to sit down with your partner and discuss what is important to both of you. Having a bag already packed when the time to deliver arrives can make things a lot less stressful. It's important that you remain relaxed and are able to take your time and focus on yourself, rather than packing.