Pack Your Bags!
Check it once and check it twice: Your Hospital Checklist 
by Catherine Frederick & Stacy Caldarera

Take it from experienced moms who have been there, done that. Being prepared will ease your mind as the big day arrives.

Insurance cards: Chances are you've already registered prior to your water breaking, but you must have your insurance cards on hand just in case. Check with your hospital of choice. St. Edward Mercy Medical allows moms-to-be to pre-register during their labor and delivery class. Trust me, the last thing you want to be doing when you are in the worst pain of your life is filling out a mulit-page questionnaire.  

Address book: For the random relatives who aren't in your cell phone but still demand to hear the good news ASAP.

Driver's license: You'll need it for admission to the hospital. Make sure your partner has his, too.

Completed hospital registration forms: Bring a copy of your pre-reg documents in case they can't dig yours up.

Birth plan: Remember to keep it short and sweet! For those of you with a birth plan- gold star. My birth plan was to have all of the drugs they would give me and get the baby out as soon as humanly possible. One good piece of advice: Keep an open mind and never say never. The needle free birth plan you create while wathcing Oprah may get thrown out the window once labor begins.

PJ's: Skip the cute PJ's in favor of something practical and comfortable. For boob access, pick something that's easy to pull up or down- or open button front access. 

Nursing bras and underwear: For vaginal births, bring on the granny panties (it's messy down there the first few days after delivery). The hospital will provide the best stretch, mesh undies- and the're disposable.   

A comfy robe: You'll love your robe to layer over breezy hospital gowns. (C-sectioned mamas will be doing a lot of hospital hallway-walking). 

Socks: Don't overlook the feet-warmers. Studies show that wearing them to bed can actually help you nod off faster. Some hospitals provide them, but pack them just in case. 

Slippers: You don't want to walk the hospital hallways in just your slippery socks - or in uncomfortable shoes, either.  

Going-home outfit for you: You'll definitely still be in maternity clothes at this point - as though you're five or six months along. Don’t worry about looking fabulous, think comfort. Remember- you just gave birth to a human- the size of a small watermelon. Your friends and family will understand.  

Sanitary pads: Bring your own supply for postpartum bleeding if you wish, but you can’t purchase the tent sized pads that the hospitals will give you. Trust us, you’ll want the hospital pads- size XXL please. 

Epifoam: Two words- "Life Saver". This miracle foam numbs your most sensitive areas after birth. Pump a little on your Tucks pads and breathe a sigh of relief. IMPORTANT: Ask your nurse for extra! If you don't, you'll only be sent home with one tiny container and you can't buy this stuff at the pharmacy.

Page 1 / 2