How to: Hospital Bag ed.

Ahhh, the elusive hospital bag list. Honestly - I'm writing this more for myself than anyone else. I'm horrible at keeping track of things & figure, "hey, this will be here when the next baby comes." (Don't worry - we are a long ways away from that!)

I will start off by saying that my hospital was VERY cold. Of course, most of the time I was blazing with heat because:

1. I was pregnant.

& 2. I was experiencing the joy of after-birth hot flashes (no fun, no fun AT ALL).

Depending on your state of temperature, you may also want a robe. I didn't bring one, but even if I had, I would not have cared to wear it.

But nevertheless, I would suggest some blankets of your own. Especially if your husband or significant other plans to stay there with you. My hubby was freezing & the most he had was a measly sheet I'd managed to bring. I did remember pillows, though. & those are always a good thing to bring. Also, because it is so cold, chapstick & lotion are probably necessary means to an end. (especially during winter, at least where I live!)

I'm pretty embarrassed to say it took me most of the first day to get dressed. I think I got ready maybe five minutes before visitors started arriving. Eeek. But anyway - for that, I'd suggest stretchy, comfortable clothing. No one is looking at you anyway. ;) But if you're feeling extra ambitious, you can always bring your makeup with you. I brought mine, but I'm 100% sure I didn't use it. I just didn't feel it was necessary, but everyone is different.

Along those same lines, some people shower in the hospital & others don't. I didn't. Mostly because I showered about five hours prior to giving birth & it wasn't on the forefront of my mind seeing as we left only about 28 hours after. Still, some will. You'll need anything you use at home. I opted for trial sized soaps & shampoos, but whatever way you want to swing it is okay too.

Hospital food is not my favorite, but it is a necessary evil unless you want to pay a lot of money for fast food that's really not good for you or whoever is staying with you. Dan mostly ate out, but I did offer to give him some of my food (even though I'm pretty sure that's not allowed ;) ). Still, you'll need to fill in the cracks. You just had a baby after all. That takes a lot out of you. & you need to stay strong & hydrated. That being said, don't be a dummy like I was. BRING SNACKS. I should have had a whole separate bag just for those. ;)

Other than that, I didn't have a lot of things that I really felt like I had to have with me. Of course, I brought my computer & its charger.. Along with my phone & its charger. But, I didn't need much else. I slept a lot, ate a lot, & cuddled with my new baby. 

(If you plan to breastfeed, this section is for you.. if NOT, read to the overall list below! :) ) The boppy was my first lifesaver. Of course, when the babes are still so little, I'd advise putting other pillows with you as well until you get used to the different positions. & even though I didn't get dressed much of the first day - I DID put on a night nursing bra. It saved my life. I felt supported, but was able to pop those babies out whenever I needed them. Nursing tanks are nice for when you're feeling a little more ready to be clothed, which is what I wore when I got dressed. I also brought my lanolin, but I don't think I used it in those first few days. I should have, though. Maybe it would have helped prevent the aches I got later.

So, in a basic run-down, you'll need:

- chapstick

- a nightgown

- robe

- nursing tanks

- nursing bra

- boppy

- lanolin

- blanket

- loofah

- makeup

- glasses & case

- lotion

- snacks & drinks

- phone & charger

- computer & charger

- camera & batteries

- notebook/pen

baby:

- 2 blankets

- going home outfit (& socks)

- diaper bag

- carseat

hubby:

- clothes

- deodorant

- any other toiletries he may need

- slippers

- pj pants

Overall, your time in the hospital will be short. It will go by too quickly & you'll be left wondering "are we really getting sent home with this thing?" But seriously - enjoy having people around to help. & take lots of time staring at your precious new bundle.

Take a step back...

"Today, I will try my hardest to refrain from disliking someone, whether they "deserve" it or not.
If I can make it through today, maybe tomorrow will be easier."

I wrote that shortly after having become a mother & a family of three. It'd also only been seven months after having gotten married to my wonderful husband. It was a new, scary time. I'd just gotten used to the idea of taking care of someone else, but now I had to be responsible for this new, little life we had created.

Still - I shouldn't have said what I did, especially not about my husband whom I'm supposed to lift up & create a caring, safe environment for.

I was angry, I was dramatic, I was wrong.

Whether you believe it or not, it is my personal opinion that husbands & wives need to do their best to stick together. They need to be on the same team. Of course, that doesn't always mean they agree. But, let's face it - when your teammate makes a play you aren't expecting, you have to change what you're thinking. Often, these things happen so quickly that their team members are forced to make decisions about things they aren't even sure will work. But they do it because they have to.

I, however, don't believe that vows are a less than forever kind of thing. Some people don't mesh - their pieces of the puzzle don't fit together. & that's okay. But no matter what you think about the institution - marriage is hard. It takes work. It's not always the fairy-tale little girls grow up dreaming about. My marriage is no exception to this rule. Although we are (& have always been) a fairly docile, happy couple, that is not to say that sometimes there aren't bumps in the road.



The timeline that's set for couples depends on the couple & what they want out of life. But when you start dating, get engaged, buy a house, get married & have a baby all within two years - things can be...a little more tricky. Both of us knew we wanted to get married & have kids. We talked about it a lot in that first year of being together. The reality of the situation is quite different from the ideas floating around in mine or Dan's head.

Having to adjust to life between all that is difficult. I won't go into detail because it's not my story to tell, but I wasn't the only one in shambles over it. Dan wasn't in a place that he wanted to be, though. He wasn't my husband & he definitely wasn't the father I knew he could be.


It has taken work. Real, hard work. But we have since made up. & made better. Life is forever evolving, changing...going on. & so should a marriage.