From what I gather, the more prepared you are for your labor and delivery, the better the experience. There will be pain (and a lot of it), chaos and countless surprises. However, I hear (and hope) that there is a lot of joy. Having no idea what to expect, I dare not venture too far into the realms of labor and delivery, but one thing I can do is prepare. Though I won't be packing any hospital bags for months, I found the following Web sites helpful and staight forward. Happy Labor Day!
To begin, Babycenter has a comprehensive article highlighting the three stages of labor and birth. The site also has videos and first hand accounts of what to expect. In addition, they have a birth plan worksheet for you to complete and share with your doctor. You'll want to pack a copy of this in your hospital bag.
This Top Ten list of what to bring (and what not to bring) was inspired by one woman's early labor. Having no bag packed, she learned quickly what you need and what you don't need. Her list includes a list for both mama and baby. My favorites from the list include: lip balm, your bath robe and comfortable (non-frumpy) clothing to wear post-delivery. After giving birth your body is on a roller-coaster ride; comfort is essential, and feeling good about yourself is key. A favorite outfit just may help you feel better about yourself.
Another great site offers the essentials from a variety of women. Some of my favorites include: comfortable socks, thank you cards (you may actually have time to write some of them, GASP!), snacks., and of course the camera.
I'll be using a small suitacase for my essentials. I am hoping that the baby's essentials will fit into this beautiful bag from Zosephine. It's on the small side, but with several pockets, I think it will do the trick in the hospital and beyond. It's also called the "St. Paul". This being the city in which I live, I believe it's a serendipitous message from the universe telling me to: BUY THIS BAG.
What were your hospital bag essentials? Please leave your suggestions in the comments section.
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I was caught without my bag too! I would add lots of underwear rather emphatically to abenoit's list. They don't have to be your very bestest pairs (in fact p'raps it's better that they aren't) but there's nothing quite like disposable mesh panties for stripping you of your dignity! I also made my sweetie go get me bright red nail polish and we painted my toenails... which seems mental in retrospect, but it was a really long wait, and my poor toes had been neglected for months.
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