Delivery soon!!!

So I am due in about 5 weeks (June 19th) and was wondering what do I need to get ready to take to the hospital?
I have seen some people take the babys diaper bag and put the baby's first outfit there etc... What did you guys take?

[dnikki0928]

Hello, Congrats!! When I had my son I took the following:

SELF:
Robe - useful
Slippers - useful as my feet swelled up like there was no tomorrow!!
Granny Panties - Yes, those ones that sit high on the waist! Especially if you have a vaginal delivery.
Your own maxi pads if you don't like the huge bulky extra long ones from the hospital
Comfortable fitting sweatpants or some other type of comfy pants - useful for when family is there
T-shirts - also useful for when family is there
Toiletries - useful

BABY:
I packed newborn size outfits (2). The first day he peed on both of them! So I recommend just the outfit you want to bring your wee one home in. Don't need to take diapers or anything like that - they provide the diapers, formula, if a boy vaseline and gauze for circumcision (sp?). They also put the baby in the hospitals t-shirts - the have built in mittens to keep the baby from scratching themself ( I actually took a couple of them!) They also swaddle them in their recieving blankets.  And take a couple of recieving blankets, you never know what the weather will bring.
MOST IMPORTANT - THE INFANT CAR SEAT!

Hope this helped a little bit!!! If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message :)
I hope you have a happy and healthy little bundle(s) of joy!!!

[DSYBAHENA]

Thanks

[gen584]

Congrats,

Don't forget the camera and x-tra batteries

[JAXX55]

dnikki0928 put together a pretty good list above, but I'll tell ya what- IF you have a MAN, let HIM do a lot of that for you. He will be excited enough and should help too! I'm sorry if you don't, but IF you do-PUT THAT BOY TO WORK!!! You just worry about your clothes and the rest will come when Mom, Dad, etc etc come to see you and baby. SOMEONE will surely be glad to help get those things for you. EACH time I went to have a baby, I always had all this luggage ready, when come to find out, everyone had something for me when they came, and BOTH mom's brought things. Don't worry, just enjoy it... Congrats!!! =)

[taysmommy]

i dont know if anyone mentioned this but if your planning on nursing definatly bring a boppy, mine can in very handy (and my 2 year old still uses it..not to nurse but its like her security blanket lol, instead of a blanket or a teddy shed much rather have her boppy) its great because you dont even really have to hold the baby up they just lay there perfectly and especially when you have your IV in your arm, its really hard to nurse with that thing in

my aunt brought me the greatest gift right after i had my first baby, a bag of snacks...it had pop tarts, pretzels, pop corn, and a bunch of snack foods which i really appriciated

a pillow and your own blanket too....

good luck and congrats!! i know most people think the hospital sucks but i had a great time lol i loved everyone catering to me

[taysmommy]

oooh i forgot...my little ones were born with claws, i know someone mentioned the mittens, but they just fell right off my babies, and my first had a bunch of scratches when she got home from the hospital....with my second i brought an extra pair of sockies and stuck those on her hands, they stayed on really well

[peekawho]

They give you pads and panties.  The bigger, the better so far as pads are concerned.  And the disposible panties are the greatest.  You'll often flood through the pads, so if you have your own panties, you'll be sending them home to be washed.

[tiredbuthappy]

my hospital only provided disposable panties in L&D- once i was up on the mother/baby floor i was on my own. i used cheap granny panties i bought when i found out i would most likely need a c-sec.

definitely bring your own pillows. the hospital only provided me with 1 crappy one (they had a full house).

only thing i really found useful that isn't listed above is my MP3 player and laptop. I had a c-section, and my MP3 player got me through the waiting. i just put on my calming playlist, laid down and closed my eyes. (i was really sick and obviously anxious, and the music did wonders. turns out i even wore it throught the procedure).

DH brought me my laptop the next day. i loved being able to instantly see and edit the hundreds of pictures i took of the baby and all the people who came to see us. i also uploaded them and sent them to the pharmacy to be printed.  kept me entertained during those first few restless nights. my body was so used to not being able to sleep, i had insomnia even though the baby was in the nursery.

[CYW]

i wore the hospital panties and pads for the first 16 hours or so when i had a shower the next day at the hospital i brought my own pads...i also brought soothers, i brought a pen, baby book, a list of who to call..I had brought ALOT of sleepers/suits because my mom couldnt stay with me those few days...i was there 2 nites because i had my ds 1146pm. anywho, i brought a few suits and ds puked on all of them.. i bought bibs..i had brought diapers BUT the hospital gave them out...i brought wipes for the baby.. breast pads for me..good fitting bra..bum cream..i had bought snacks for me..I dont eat hospital food..so the bf would get me food and bring it to me.. which was nice.. hmm..i dont remember what else i had brought...

[Me2mommy2b]

I loved those huge pads that they give at the hospital.  I thought they were the best.  As huge as they were, I still managed to flood through them so definitely bring a few pairs of panties.  I had a few old once and threw them out after the hospital.  

[chinesebones]

Good suggestions above- a few other things to consider...

Going home clothes for you- expect to still look about 6 months pregnant.  Nursing bra or nursing tank if you plan to nurse.  (and if you do, definitely see the lactation consultant!  It's usually free while you're in the hospital but you often get charged afterwards.)

I bought adult diapers- not the style that are whole underpants but the massive pad ones.  They came in handy because the hospital pads didn't have adhesive, so they'd shift around.  They were also great when I got home for the first week until the bleeding slowed.  

I brought a cd player to play during labor, and some relaxing cd mixes I'd made.  Turns out the best one was a cd of ocean sounds- we played it during labor and for the entire two days in the hospital.  The nurses were joking about how going to our room was like going to the beach.  It was relaxing for me, but I think having a constant gentle noise playing helped dd transition to the outside.  We still play that cd when it's bedtime, and have an ocean sound machine by our beds.  I joke that she'll never be able to go to the beach without feeling instantly sleepy!  Anything that helps you relax- music, aromatherapy, massage oil, a pillow, etc is worth bringing.

If your feet tend to be cold, wear a pair of socks you won't mind throwing away.  I wore a new, comfy, fuzzy pair of socks, and after delivery they were unsalvagable.  (I delivered using a labor bar, so maybe this won't apply if you're in stirrups.)

A few toiletries can do wonders during labor and afterwards.  Bring lip balm if you use it- that lamaze breathing can chap your lips!  Go easy on fragrances because baby's sense of smell is sensitive.  

Snacks for afterwards- I delivered at 9PM, and by the time we got to our room, all there was to eat were limp premade sandwiches- of which my husband ate half!  Fortunately I had packed some food.

A baby emery board is good for trimming baby's nails- you have to be careful at first with clippers because the skin under the nail is attached farther out than an adult, and it's easy to cut.  I filed dd's nails for the first month or so.

A magazine or other light reading for the early stages of labor.  I brought a James Thurber collection of short stories, and even when I couldn't really read them myself anymore, my dh read them to me- in the jacuzzi tub, even.  They were old, familiar, funny- perfect.  I also brought What to Expect the First Year.

Some good advice I read somewhere (here probably!) was to pack two bags- a smaller one for labor and a larger one for your hospital stay. That way there's less stuff in L&D and you can get the second bag brought up when you get in your postpartum room.

Just 5 weeks away!  How exciting!

[DSYBAHENA]

thanks to all who responded back this really helps