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Pregnancy, The Nursery, The Nugget, And More!

Recently, people have asked various questions about various topics so I thought I’d address everything in one giant word-filled post. So get your spectacles ready.

Pregnancy
I’m currently 33 weeks preggo, and things are cruising along. My doctor keeps telling me this is a “solid pregnancy”. My blood pressure is good. Weight is good, although I always disagree when my doctor says this. I passed my gestational diabetes test with flying colors. The only minor issue is my hemoglobin level, which is slightly low so I’ve had to add an iron supplement to my daily prenatal vitamins.

32 week bump

The nugget is doing well. He’s measuring 9 days ahead and is head down. He gets the hiccups almost daily and prefers to move around in the early morning, late afternoon, and from 11PM-1AM.

While I can’t say that I love being pregnant, the only symptoms I can complain about are the swelling/water retention (thank you, summer heat and humidity) and Carpal Tunnel. Seriously, Carpal Tunnel is no joke. I wake up throughout the night because my hands hurt so badly. Sometimes I have to get up, walk around and shake my hands to get the numbing, tingling pain to go away so I can go back to sleep only to repeat this in a couple hours. I’m pretty sure it’s the nugget training me for multiple middle of the night wake up calls.

I live in maxi dresses and yoga pants. I haven’t purchased any maternity clothing. I can still fit into most of my pre-pregnancy clothes, but if needed, I just go up a size. But I haven’t bought many new clothes since getting pregnant. And while these maxi dresses aren’t the best quality (they pill easily), they’re good enough for me for now, especially when they’re on sale.

Nugget’s Nursery
If you’ve been holding your breath for a nursery reveal sorry you’ve passed out by now. You might as well breathe because I won’t be sharing the reveal until after the nug is born.

Why am I torturing you so? Well, two key pieces of furniture for his nursery won’t be delivered/ready to be picked up until a week before his due date. Brad and I went to order the glider when I was 27 weeks, thinking that it would take 6-8 weeks for the glider to come in because that’s typically how long it takes for furniture to be made. But no, apparently it’s a special, fancy glider that takes 12 weeks to produce. So keep this little tidbit in mind when ordering items for your nursery. There was also an issue with the crib so we won’t be getting that until early-August. Since these are key components to the nursery it wouldn’t make sense to do a reveal until they are present.

What has been completed in the nursery thus far? I painted the room a couple weeks ago so we can check that off the list. Brad put together the shelving unit for the closet and the dresser/changing table on Father’s Day. My mom and I started on the blackout curtains over the weekend. And that’s it. I obviously have things that need to be hung but the placement of some of these items is dictated by where I end up putting the glider and crib in the room.

So here’s my plan, which can always change because babies are unpredictable, yet adorable, little beasts. I plan to do a big nursery reveal after the nugget is born. Then, I’ll do other posts about other aspects of the nursery– how the blackout curtains were made, organizing all the baby stuff, etc. I’ll work on a lot of this before he’s born so I can take a mini maternity leave from the blog after he’s born. The plan is to have posts written and scheduled to publish so I don’t have to be photographing, editing, and writing with a newborn dictating all aspects of my life. So know that after he’s born, I will be posting and monitoring the blog. I just don’t want to be scrambling to write posts while learning the motherhood ropes. I hope to stick to the regular Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule but please don’t come after me with pitchforks if I go down to two posts a week for a little bit. I run this blog 100% on my own– I don’t have contributors, a ghost writer, or an assistant so please cut a sister some slack if I skip a few posts. I may have some guest bloggers squeezed in here and there but I’ll try my best to make it fun and not boring.

Nugget’s Name
We’re not revealing the nugget’s real name until he’s born. But don’t feel left out, we’re keeping it a secret from our family and friends too. We figure we’ll keep something a true surprise.

I plan on sharing his first name on the blog but that’s it. I’ve debated calling him a nickname in order to protect his identity (I watch way too much nightly news and think the world is filled with creepers) but I think it’ll be too hard to keep that under wraps. But you never know, the name I say is his name could be a fake name… Tricky, tricky.

The Nugget, The Blog, And Social Media. Oh my.
Brad and I are still in talks about out how much I’ll share about the nug on the blog and social media. He’s Brad’s kid too so he gets a say in all of this. We have decided that when I share photos of the nug, whether on the blog or social media, I’m going to have my watermark plastered on them. I hear way too many stories about psychopaths stealing photos of bloggers’ children and claiming that they are their own children. Seriously, who does this? So if you hate watermarks, I’m sorry– you’ll have to deal with it if you want to see images of my kid. I know watermarks won’t necessarily stop deranged people, but I’m hoping it will deter them.

Preparing for The Nug
Brad and I have taken three classes– labor & delivery, newborn care, and breastfeeding. We interrogate meet with our potential pediatrician today. I got my Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) shot a few weeks ago, and Brad will hopefully get his today. Our family members and closest friends have been instructed to make sure they’re up-to-date on their Tdap vaccine.

We’re done traveling on the weekends (we’ve been out of town 3 out of the 4 weekends in June) so we can focus on getting projects done around the house and to give my swollen ankles and feet a break. They tend to puff up considerably after long car rides even with super sexy compression socks and stopping and walking around.

We still need to get some crucial items– crib mattress, carseat, stroller. But we’ll hopefully check those off our list in the next couple weeks. I still need to pack my hospital bag. I’m taking suggestions on what I absolutely need to bring. Fill me in in the comments section, mommas.

Jack And The Nug
I’ve been reading a lot of articles to get ideas on how to prepare Jack for the nugget’s arrival. We’re starting to do some things now and will continue to do so until our new roommate arrives. If what we do seems to work I’ll definitely do a post about it. If Jack has major issues with his new brother we intend to hire a trainer to work with us and Jack. We would never give up on him without trying every possible thing first.

jack and bump

Alright, that’s about it. I hope you all will support the decisions I have outlined in this post. If not, too bad– keep it to yourself. (I say that with love.)

So, what do I absolutely have to pack in my hospital bag?

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70 Comments

  1. My absolute had to have was a light weight knee length robe. I lived in this thing. Those hospital gowns are a beast to BF in, and a sleep nursing bra. I got mine from Motherhood. They are soft and comfy and you can get some really cute designs.

    1. Thanks, Ashley! I already invested in one lightweight robe, so I thankfully have that covered. I purchased some nursing tanks from Target and plan to wear them under the robe or lightweight cardigan. I’ll have to look into getting more sleep nursing bras. I got a couple from Target, which are pretty comfortable.

  2. How exciting! I love that you say “he’s brads kid too” that just made me giggle. And i don’t think anyone can blame you for being super cautious with his photos-stealing baby pics is a new level of creepy. I’m impressed that you’ll be doing MWF! That’s super blogger mom standards 🙂 love your blog so at least we all wont go through withdrawal.

    1. Isn’t it so super creepy? What is wrong with these weirdos? I’m going to try my hardest to do MWF– I don’t want anyone going through withdrawals! 🙂

  3. Melissa Comeford says:

    Before we had babies I read to treat the new baby like a bag of groceries when bringing them home to dogs. You wouldn’t put groceries down and say “look at the new groceries Jack!” and expect him not to stick his nose in the bag! We let our dogs sniff the babies, but made it clear they were our babies, and not to be played with. If you make a big introduction and present the nugget to him, his doggie mind with think you’ve brought him something fun to play with!

    Hang in there, I’m also pregnant, and live in Indy. This humidity is making me miserable!!!!

    1. The Indy humidity is killing me, and I’m not even pregnant, haha! 🙂 🙂 (But I’ll take this over the winter we had!)

      1. Haha! Now imagine it feeling 20 degrees hotter with the humidity. Next time I’m going to (hopefully) plan this pregnancy thing better.

    2. That makes sense. I also read that if you bring something home from the hospital with the baby’s scent to make the dog sit and allow them to smell the item which makes sense compared to putting the item in their crate for them to smell.

      And this humidity is ridic. Stay cool!

  4. Absolutely bring your boppy, or whatever nursing pillow you have. That’s the one thing I didn’t bring and really missed. You might also want to bring your pump to get some instruction on setting it up and making sure you have everything you need for it. You might even want to pump before you leave. And bring some kind of nursing tank or sleep bra to wear home, if your milk has come in by the time you check out, you will not want to wear a regular bra.

    Good Luck!!

    1. I’m glad everyone is telling me to bring the Boppy because the nurse who led the BF class we attended said to not bring the Boppy. I plan on bringing the pump so they can show me how everything works. I got the nursing tanks and bras covered. Woot! I’m feeling rather productive right now. 🙂

  5. Everyone is different, and need different things, but some things that I thought were super helpful to have at the hospital were comfy socks (preferably with non-skid pads), my own comfy clothes (whatever makes you comfortable) and chapstick. Also, I second the idea of the boppy. It may seem like too much stuff, but it is really helpful to have. Good luck!

    1. Thanks, Stacie! I have a feeling it’s going to look like we’ve moving in when we show up with all our stuff. But I’m sure we can leave some of it in the car until it’s needed so we aren’t taking over the entire place. Hah!

  6. Take your boppy or other nursing pillow! I remember that being the thing I wish I had the most. Those first nursing sessions can be long, and I had to stack up 4 of those flat hospital pillows so my arms weren’t dying by the end of each one!

    1. Thanks! I’m glad everyone keeps informing me about taking the nursing pillow because the nurse who led the BF class at the hospital said not to bring the nursing pillow and that the hospital pillows are better. I hope she’s not my nurse because I’m showing up with my pillow. I’m such a rebel.

  7. Awww yay! I’m so excited for you! And I would love to have you as a guest contributor for my Breastfeeding Diaries series at some point (when you’ve recovered and have time….so like several moths in to motherhood) Let me know if you would be interested!

  8. I just had my first four weeks ago tomorrow. He had hiccups all the time in utero. Now when he has them, it’s super sweet because I remember the feeling of it in my stomach!

    As for packing for the hospital…we birthed at a birth center; he was born at noon and we were home at seven that night. So it was a little different than a hospital. That said, we were BORED. We’d feed him, he’d sleep, the nurse would come in and check on us every hour or so. So a book, an ipad…something to keep you entertained. My adrenaline was so high, I couldn’t rest at all.

    1. Congrats!

      Wow, those birth centers don’t mess around. I have to admit it would be nice to be able to go home within 24 hours of giving birth.

    1. Thanks for the recommendation! I’ll probably order some soon because I think the Carpal Tunnel is only going to get worse as I get closer to my due date.

  9. Make sure whatever robe you take is super lightweight! I had a thick fuzzy robe and was so hot I ended up not wearing it! Check with your OB or the hospital directly about what they provide you. My hospital gave me a free Boppy and hospital grade dual breast pump, with my own accessories to take home. They also gave other goodies like cooler bags for breastmilk/bottles, formula, and someone donated crocheted blankets and hats for the babies. So definitely check to see if they offer any goodies like that!

    1. Thanks, Jaime! Your hospital was quite generous with the swag. All I’ve been told that we get is a Halo sleep sack and a hat. Haha!

  10. I’m so excited for you guys! I second the boppy pillow and your own pillow you like to sleep with 🙂 I personally love targets nursing tanks and have been living in them. Looking forward to seeing the nursery and learning nuggets name!

    1. Thanks, Jenna! You’re new little man is such a cutie! I bought some Target nursing tanks– they are pretty comfy so I’ll probably live in those too.

  11. I can’t believe you’re already 33 weeks! Good news is my carpal tunnel (along with most other symptoms) went away nearly immediately after giving birth so hopefully that’s the case for you, too.

    I ended up having a surprise c-section at 37 weeks so I was glad I had my bag packed & nursery ready. I recommend bringing flip flops. My swelling got even worse after giving birth (& lasted for nearly 4 weeks). I didn’t expect that but flip flops came in handy for my fat feet & germaphobe ways. Oh & some super pads. Everyone said I’d like the hospital ones + mesh underwear but I didn’t – I hated them. Super/nighttime Always pads plus some maternity underwear was much more comfy for me.

    I’ve watermarked the 3 pics I’ve put of the babe on my blog. People are weirdos.

    1. You give me hope in the Carpal Tunnel department. I figure it will go down when all of this swelling hopefully leaves me after popping this baby out.

      I’m a big flip flop person (not a sock fan) so I plan on bringing a pair from home. I invested in some pads the other day. When I brought them home Brad was all “Do I even want to know what all of these pads are for?” I smiled and said, “After birth”. Haha!

      And yeah, people are bananas.

  12. I think most new moms (myself included) stress way too much about the hospital bag. Bring what will make you feel comfortable; the hospital provides the true necessities. It’s different for everyone, but I was happy I had these items: a robe, pajamas/comfortable clothes for the day after delivery, my own pillow, socks, a couple of sports bras (I wore one during delivery too) or nursing bras if you prefer, and of course hygiene items like toothbrush, travel shampoo, chapstick. I used the hospital gown, their pads, their underwear. (You will go through plenty of your own pads once you get home…use theirs while you can!) I also recommend bringing a boppy if you plan to breastfeed and a heating pad, I had pretty bad cramps every time I breastfed.

    Good for you to keep the name a secret for now! We did the same thing.

    My baby is only 4 months old and I recently wrote a post about how new motherhood has been for me so far, if you are interested. (belovednest.blogspot.com)

    Best wishes!

  13. I was super glad that I had a light robe. I wore it almost the whole time I was there with a pair of yoga pants and nursing bra underneath. It helped me not feel so exposed with visitors and hospital staff in and out but gave me easy access for feeding. It was like coordinating an outfit with a cardigan! lol. It may sound weird but I wish I had a short extension cord for my electronics. I was setting my phone alarm for feedings and the outlets were really far from the bed so I couldn’t keep it close enough to easily access. I had some decent tearing so I was pretty sore too and stretching or leaning to try and get it wasn’t fun!
    I also wish I had packed a couple thank you notes and simple/cheap gifts for my nurses. They were great!

    1. Wanted to add that I wore the robe during delivery too and thankfully my mom took it home, washed it and returned it to me. So if you want to do that it won’t hurt to have 2 light robes!

    2. GREAT idea for thank yous for the nurses!! Adding that to my bag list.

  14. This is gross, and goes against what the last commenter just said, but bring your own pads. Their pads were small and they basically sucked. They don’t have wings or anything to keep them in place. They don’t hold that much, so I bought and used my own huge pads which were much better. There is a lot of bleeding, so you need some heavy duty help. (Some people recommended depends to me- I thought this was overboard so I ditched that idea, but that’s how much bleeding there is!)

    Also, make sure you and your husband are advocating for you and your baby. The hospital nurses were so paranoid about my health that when I didn’t pee a couple hours after delivery, they put a catheter in to drain my bladder. Ummm… obviously it hurt like mad and was awful after just delivering a child. It turned out there wasn’t that much in there, which is why I couldn’t go. I didn’t have to let them do that to me, and in the future I will speak up more about what’s best for me and my baby, not just what the hospital says is “best”.

    1. Haha! I like how you started with “This is gross…” I’ll bring some of my own pads in case theirs are lacking in quality. I don’t know if I could do Depends either.

      So sorry that happened to you. Brad and I have talked about that. I’ve read and heard that they can sometimes play on the emotions of the husband and make him feel like things are more severe than they are so he’ll cave.

  15. Pretty much everyone has covered having a nursing bra (I LOVED mine from Target), but make sure you have something to wear over them. Maybe it’s the robe or a nursing night gown or top, but you definitely don’t want to struggle with a regular top while learning to nurse. Also, I’d say snacks for after the birth. Even if it’s just a granola bar, but something quick that you can just reach into your bag for. And no matter what you pack, know that you will get there and realize you should have packed that one thing you didn’t think you’d need.

    1. Thanks, Erin! I have a robe and a couple cardigans to wear over the nursing tanks I bought. And I’ll make a note to bring some snacks.

  16. I can’t believe you are so far along! That is so exciting!

    Also, it’s your baby. It’s totally your decision. We’ve had many discussions about how we’re going to handle the whole blogging and a baby thing. I’m definitely investing in a security system when that time comes!

  17. I ditto basically what others have said: comfy clothes (preferably black), socks, flip flops, toiletries, nursing bra or tank, boppy, pump if you want help figuring it out, your own pillow, going home outfit for baby. I used all their pads, diapers, onesies, etc. They provide so much- bring the bare minimum. And definitely snacks. I delivered at night and the food options were slim. Coconut water tasted awesome to me during and after labor.

    1. Thanks, Carly! Thankfully there’s a 24 hour grocery store right by the hospital so if I have to I can send Brad or someone else to stock up on snacks.

  18. My hospital bag was a couple changes of clothes, my toiletries/makeup and a couple magazines. Trust me when I tell you that between snuggling the nugget, resting and the influx of doctors/friends/family, there was not much time to deal with cross-stich, crossword puzzles, emails, etc. Remember if you forget anything, the hubs can bring whatever you forgot from home, Walmart or the giftshop downstairs. Don’t stress yourself out about this.

    While I am of little help in the hospital bag area, I can advise you on Jack. I had two 1-1/2 year old active and inquisitive 40-50lb dogs. When the hubby would come home at night (no, he did not stay at the hospital), he would bring whatever the baby wore the day before (cap, clothes, blanket, even a peed in diaper). With three days of new consistent smells laying around the house, they were pretty well versed on who this new bald crying puppy was that was entering their world. We laid the baby on our laps and let them individually come up and sniff. Dogs are very intuitive and while you (and Jack) may have reservations at first, please know that Jack will accept the nugget as family. Give it time.

    1. Thanks, Brandi! I’ll leave my cross-stitch at home. 🙂

      Thanks for the dog tips! We’ve been talking about doing basically the same thing you mentioned. I’m hopeful everything will go smoothly and we’ll all be able to adjust quickly.

  19. i know alll about that carpal tunnel stuff. have battled it post-partum as well. ugly stuff.
    as for what to bring to the hospital. here were my must-haves:
    – goodies for the nurses (not for me, i know but so worth it since they were amazing!!)
    – button down sleep shirts. I don’t usually sleep in sleep shirts but I heard rumors that regardless of the type of delivery you have, getting pants on is torturous. I’m glad I listened because it was. I bought a few button down sleep shirts at target and they were life savers. i could easily nurse and cover back up. showering and dressing was made easier (I had a c-section), i could go on.
    – snacks for your man. we had our son at an amazing hospital with outrageously good food and service. they even had a mid-morning and afternoon snack trolley. ya. but still, it was nice for my hubby to have a few snacks in the room for him. having babies is tough on men too.
    – socks. hospitals are cold.
    – buy travel size toiletries, disposable razors and toothbrushes and have them in your bags packed and ready to go. don’t worry about your favorite stuff. you won’t care, trust me. that way you can toss everything before you come home and don’t have to worry about leaving anything either at home or at the hospital. gave me such peace of mind. It also came in especially handy since my son came unexpectedly 2 weeks early. My water broke at 545am and I barely had the presence of mind to get my own clothes on…if i’d needed to pack my toiletries still who knows what i’d have done. it was GREAT having that done already and not having to worry about one more thing.
    – robe and nursing pillow. but everyone told you that.
    – camera. take your good one.
    – stuff for baby if you want – we took extra blankets, an outfit or two (mostly for going home in). the hosptial provides everything really so you don’t need anything but we still took some special-to-us things. (oh and jack all the diapers and free stuff in his bassinet when you leave. it’s ok. they will tell you to. so do it. you’ll be glad you did.
    – eos chapstick. lotion. and an open mind. it’s the most amazing/terrifying time. try not to worry about everything going perfectly. if you forget stuff. misplace it. wish you had other things. just roll with it. don’t stress. enjoy that baby and get used to things not going your way all the time anymore. it’s a wild ride but totally 100% worth it. you’re gonna love it. 🙂

  20. When I was in the hospital after having our little guy, I couldn’t get into my own pj’s fast enough! I brought a pair of maternity pj pants and a nursing tank and it was Heaven putting them on. Also, if they offer you the postpartum mesh panties – take them, they were comfortable and if they got ruined it was no big deal. I wore home the same maternity clothes I went in with to save on bags to carry, I brought a change of clothes for the hubby and a little toiletry bag for myself. In the diaper bag I had packed two newborn sized outfits and two pairs of pjs and two 0-3 month outfits and two pairs of pjs for baby since I didn’t know what size he was going to be or how long we would be there. Also, only packed 4 diapers for getting ready to leave. I also brought a couple receiving blankets and a thick fluffy covering for the carseat (since he was born in February).

    I was out of the hospital less than 24 hours after delivery so I didn’t use half of the stuff I brought and I thought I had packed light.

  21. To be honest with you, the only things I needed out of my hospital bag were my granny panties and my clothes to go home in (and socks), and then my toiletries – shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face cloth, towel, hair brush, hair tie, deodorant, and phone charger. The only thing I needed for Peanut was his going home outfit and a blanket. I brought all kinds of things with me – extra clothes, magazines, snacks, etc. etc. and I didn’t need any of it! Don’t bother bringing diapers and wipes and all of that stuff either (I totally would have brought all that stuff if my SIL didn’t tell me that the hospital provided it). My hospital provided me with a nursing pillow so I don’t think it’s really necessary to bring your own. I didn’t bring a robe either, I just wore two hospital gowns to make sure I didn’t flash/moon any visitors. One with the opening in the front, and the other with the opening in the back. Problem solved! I also didn’t find it difficult at all to nurse with the hospital gowns, they’re pretty roomy.

  22. Boppy! I didn’t bring mine, it made breastfeeding extra difficult at the hospital! (Warning: it’s not a natural thing at first! But you will get the hang of it!) Dark clothes, in case you get um… blood on them. Nursing bra. Your own pillow and blanket. Makes the hospital feel a lil more like home. I was freezing while in labor, I wish I had my blanket or a robe! Slipper socks. Sleep shirts that are button front for ease of breastfeeding. Basic toiletry items. You aren’t going to want to do a full on pretty face but you want to look decent! Eye-Glasses. Giant pairs of granny panties. Go a size up. Trust me you won’t want to wear anything tight. Your own pads. The bulkiest you can find with wings.

    For the baby: several going home outfits in different sizes/brands. You don’t know how big he will be and how the stuff will fit! Carter’s newborn fits well and has a good stretch! Hat or special blanket for pictures if you care.

    Lastly, a go with the flow attitude and a lot of faith! Anything can happen during labor and delivery. Be prepared for the unexpected. Nothing will top the moment you meet your child for the first time. It’s incredible.

  23. Samantha Bayer says:

    I’m 35 weeks! Yikes, and I have been reading on how to introduce our dog and baby as well… do you have any articles you would mind sharing (emailing) me? Thanks!

  24. After having two Different pregnancies and deliveries and LOTS of visitors…here’s my list!

    I was getting hungry during labor but i couldnt eat anything so for after my delivery, I had hubby order me a pizza. It was the greatest thing ever! You don’t realize how starving you will be.

    Pajama pants to wear under gown…I put these one the second my catheter came out from the epidural.

    Camera, phone charger, data plan (my hospital didn’t have WiFi and I was lost without it!)

    I actually showered and changed out of the hospital gown into a few cotton muumuu gowns I had and put the PJs on underneath after a few hours. So any toiletries in that regard.

    Make sure to eat everything you get at the hospital, you’ll be hungry and even if you’re not, eat! Your digestive system will thank you. And drink lots of water.

    I brought some of my favorite snacks, just a couple to tide me thru the long nights. Chips, candy, etc..

    Definitely bring your boppy! I used it less for nursing and more for sitting on! And it was a godsend to sit on on the car ride home! Man, those bumps will get ya.

    A couple of outfits and blankets for baby.

    You’re gonna be bleeding after delivery, it’s your period on steroids! The hospital should give you the giant pads but make sure you have the extra long, overnight ones for when you get home.

    And make sure you have the car seat and stroller ready and put together before you go in.

  25. I took a maxi dress for after I had my twins because I knew I would be having a c-section and I didn’t want to try to wear pants home. I second (third, seventh, whatever) the robe, slippers/grippy socks, and Boppy for sure. Also, I took some giant black panties so I didn’t have to worry about staining my good ones.

  26. Alice Jackson says:

    Nursing bra, nursing pads; comfy PJs to nurse in; comfy clothes to go home in; pack favorite snacks for your hubby; bring ear plugs!! Seriously, I’m not joking about this – I had my daughter and there was a 16 year old giving birth and she screamed for FOUR HOURS STRAIGHT. I could not get any sleep while we were waiting for the pitocin to kick in – I was exhausted by the time I had to push. Have a group message ready to go as a draft on your phone so you can text everyone when he arrives and also have a group list ready to go as well – double check the list as you don’t want to leave anyone out and have hurt feelings. I also brought some goodies for the nursing staff. Also, be sure that you wash your clothes in whatever you are washing your baby’s clothes in – baby’s can have sensitive skin after being in the womb for those 9 months, and if they rub up against your clothing that has been washed in Tide Lavender, he could end up with a rash. Freeze some meals ahead of time if you can (I know this isn’t part of the suitcase) so that way you aren’t worrying about cooking and can just worry about taking care of your nugget.

    1. Thanks for the idea of washing my clothes with baby’s detergent! Never thought of that.

  27. My children are a bit older (48 & 43) and my grandchildren are almost fully grown (1 moved into college last week, 1 leaves for basic training tomorrow and 2 still in high school) BUT…..babies are babies whenever. You’ve made great decisions with Jack. He’s part of the family and needs to prepare to share his home with a little one. We’ve had dogs over the years and cats but had only a cat when our first baby was born. OH NO! said the nanas and greatnanas…..it will go after the milk smell and smother the baby! All the old wives’ tales were hauled out of the trunks and tossed at me like birdseed on the lawn. I never shut the nursery door before the babies came. Kitty was free to inspect everything and get familiar with it. He slept in the crib, tried to catch the mobile figures and watched the birds feeding while sitting on the changing table. When the baby was born kitty climbed up in the crib, curled up on the puffy quilt folded at the bottom and went to sleep. He spread himself over the hood of the pram and napped when the baby napped in the backyard (it was so much safer in the 60s) and when we visited (we really did take Kitty with us) we put the car bed over the arms of a big chair and Kitty squeezed beneath it and slept. But the true mark of our little watch cat was the first day home when baby was in the bassinett that had a floor length skirt. Kitty was under the skirt and when my mother-in-law tried to get near, kitty’s claws were placed right in the top of her foot and she didn’t let go til either my Brad or I were there. No one had the ok to touch the baby til we said it was ok. As far as smothering the baby? Kitties don’t like to be kicked and as soon as the baby wiggled around the crib, Kitty found someplace else to sleep. Never having been an alarmist and having treated our kitty gently and talking with a smile in our voices, we had no problems with babies and pets. Baby girl came along and the puppy had joined us a couple years earlier. Put a baby on a blanket on the floor and watch the pets curl up with her. Nap zone bumpers! When she cried the dog whined.

    Oh…..and those gals above are so right….short robes – cotton if possible, lots of nursing pads and discourage anyone from dropping in. Have them call at night when your Brad is home so you can get rest whenever you want during the day. Having visitors only when he’s home will be much easier on you. Shut off the phones when you nap! You only get this time once……and it’s something you don’t want to miss. I’m really excited for you as we wait for our first greatgrandson in December!

  28. The best item EVER for labor and birth wouldn’t exactly fit in your bag. 😉 An experienced doula would be hugely beneficial no matter what your plans are or how the birth plays out (and she’ll have all those extra items on hand that you may have forgotten about).

  29. The only things you need are comfy clothes for yourself, outfit for the baby and your toiletries. Everything else you can think of your hospital will provide.

  30. Elizabeth says:

    One thing that I think gets left off of hospital packing lists (but was helpful for me) was a nursing cover. I used it when my dad or young nephew came in to visit, but didn’t use it with my husband, nursing staff, etc. I brought my boppy, but it didn’t fit around my middle properly at first (not for a few weeks), so I didn’t find it to be very helpful. Also, nursing pads. I ended up getting lanolin stains on my nursing bra because I didn’t think to bring them.

  31. I would bring a couple newborn size outfits. Everyone told me not to buy newborn because they don’t stay that size long but my baby was pretty average (6 lbs 9 oz) and he wore newborn clothes for his entire first month. I was told to only bring an outfit to take him home in but I really liked having a couple more. Yes, they are swaddled in a blanket but you’ll unwrap him frequently for feedings or just to show him off!

  32. I found it super helpful to have my own water bottle with me. Our daughter was 4 weeks early and I had just started thinking about packing a bag the day she decided to arrive, needless to say our bag had some ridiculous items in it as we packed it in about 10 minutes before heading to the hospital so kudos to you for already thinking about it.

    We took a class through our hospital called “Dogs and Stork” its taught by a trainer (also a mom) and it gave us some great tips and great realistic expectations for ourselves and our buddy. My favorite was to pick whatever lotion you are going to use with the nugget and put it on your hands while you are setting things up and getting ready (doing baby laundry) That way Jack will be used to that smell on his clothes when he comes home. The organization that does the materials for the class is Family Paws

  33. I am currently 35 weeks with our second and I don’t have my hospital bag packed either! During my first pregnancy/delivery, I was thankful to have flip flops to wear while walking around the hospital. Some hair ties/clips/headbands are good to have, especially during delivery. I did not bring a nursing sleep bra when my first child was born, but I will be this time around. It also wouldn’t hurt to bring some nursing pads, just in case your milk comes in while you’re still there. I was also glad to have toiletries for showering at the hospital. My mom told me she brought her pre-pregnancy jeans to the hospital to wear home and was shocked to realize they didn’t fit! I wore the same maternity pants home that I wore to the hospital with my first. I didn’t have time to read magazines or watch TV. If I wasn’t nursing or being checked by the hospital staff, I was sleeping! For the baby, we brought newborn and 0-3 month outfits to wear home and a blanket and hat (she was born in March). The hospital provided diapers (and let us take the extras home). Also, our hospital brought me meals, but my husband had to fend for himself. I would recommend some snacks or food for him. And don’t forget to bring your camera and have the car seat in the car!

  34. For labour- chapstick, water, snacks (for you and hubby- especially for him if it’s the middle of the night as guys get hungry!), warm socks, comfy clothes or your own gown. (I made my own and it was longer, warmer and super cute for pics. No staining or mess from the births at all. Pictures are on my blog if you want to see it/link to the free pattern). Camera, cell phone, baby clothes, diapers, soft blanket.

    As for afterwards it would depend on how long you are planning to stay at the hospital! I stayed a few days with my first two children and found that having two comfy nursing bras, breast pads, warm socks, disposable underwear (I like Tena ones), pads, hair brush, tooth brush and toothbrush was all that I really needed.

    For my 3rd and 4th children I only stayed about 3 hours afterwards (I used midwives and am a HUGE fan of them!). On top of the labour items I really only needed the disposable underwear, breast pads and a hairbrush plus baby stuff. I just wore the clothes I had worn to the hospital home again. I did take an extra pair of pants each time though incase my water broke in the car! Which BTW a kids bed wetting disposable sheet is great to sleep on the last few weeks of pregnancy and use in the car on the way to the hospital just in case. Good luck packing what you need!

  35. I’m 26 weeks with my second and feel so behind! For Jack, we had an almost 18 month, high energy puppy weighing about 65 lbs. Dad brought home something baby wore for two days, and baby had a present (a new ball) in his car seat when we brought him in. The best advice I read was to remember mom has been gone for days, and furbaby will be super excited to see her. Mom should come inside first to greet furbaby, then dad with new sibling, so furbaby doesn’t get excited and jump on the car seat or the person carrying it.

    For the hospital, I took a tote bag in for labor and delivery with my essentials and left the rest in the car. The tote had hair bands, lotion, chapstick, snacks for dad, things for counterpressure (I did natural), toothbrush/toothpaste, and I think that’s it. I wore comfy clothes in, and ended up delivering in a gapbody tank (my boobs were way too sensitive for the hospital gown). Remember you’ll have to get all metal off your body in case or an emergency, I didn’t even think about earrings that I rarely remove to clean and that’s it. For postpartum, one roll of nice toilet paper, seriously. Also, robe, flip flops, house shoes/grippy socks, pjs suitable for visitors, BF pillow, toiletries, and yes target nursing tanks! For baby, I had both newborn and 0-3 outfits, several hats, an emery board, and a couple pair of mittens. We used the mittens the first night and filed his nails the next day, as they were awful and he wanted his hands. Also several hats (the hospital will likely provide some, you may want special ones from home too).

    I hear moms getting an epidural like entertainment while in labor. I found the tv and my phone plenty for postpartum with visitors, but know several moms who used alaptop a lot.

    Whatever you do, you’ll probably over pack and forget something,and that’s ok. Like someone said earlier, ask the staff for what you need and be your own advocate (about stuff, prodedures, everything). Remember, despite the fact that parenting is new, you and Brad know what’s best for your baby, so follow your gut, and insist the staff listen to you! Oh, our local hospitals don’t provide pacis anymore, so if you wany that available, pack them (after sterilizing of course).

    I’m sorry to write a novel, I hope it helps you!

    1. Thanks so much for all the great advice, Nikki! I definitely appreciate the novel. 🙂 Is it weird that I scoped out the toilet paper situation at the hospital when we had our classes and tour? I was pleasantly surprised with the quality. Hah!

  36. I just found your blog and seriously have been reading everything while saying, “I think I just found my soul sister!” hahaha! Seriously. You are awesome! I just had a baby boy 4 months ago (it’s the best EVER!) and live in Michigan. I just picked up a free dresser yesterday while excitedly telling my husband “THIS WILL BE THE PERFECT TV STAND!!!!” and went to pinterest to find some tutorials for inspiration. Yours was the first I found! Awesome blog, lady! I’m so excited for you! Please let me know if you have any momma questions. I’m definitely not an expert, but I’m having fun learning! 🙂

    1. Aw, thanks so much, Anna! I’m glad you found me! Best of luck with the dresser turned TV stand project, assuming you’re going to paint it and put in shelves.

      Congrats on your little one! I’ll definitely hit you up if I have any questions. Thanks so much for offering!

  37. Hey Chelsea,

    I’m uber late but my sister recommended bringing an outfit specifically for your Nugget if you’re choosing to have professional photos taken while in the hospital. I would never have thought to pack that for our Beanie (30 week preggo here, 1st timer as well).

    A friend who gave birth last year also said do not be shy about asking for and wearing those postpartum mesh panties the hospital will give you. She swore by the panties, and had even asked for some to take home. I was also told to ask for those disposable pads that they place down on hospital beds to soak up any spills. Your mattress at home will thank you for it.

    Thanks for asking the readers for suggestions!! It’s seriously helping me to at least get my list going and people have given great suggestions on things I would never think to bring. Now that I have a blueprint, I plan to start packing this weekend!

    1. Thanks, Bukky! We aren’t having professional photos taken in the hospital but I plan on taking my camera and getting some photos of the nug at the hospital.

      I keep hearing to hoard some mesh underwear to take home so it’s on my list. No shame here.

      Glad all the suggestions are helping you too! Congrats on your bean! 🙂

  38. I just had my fourth baby and my list of hospital items has decreased with each pregnancy. The nurses laughed when we came in and said we must have more kids at home because we were traveling so light. So, here is my must have list:

    Flip flops for the shower
    Camara
    Going home clothes for mom, baby
    Toiletries
    Car seat

    That’s it baby. It’s only for one night and the hospital has everything you need. I do have my husband bring food in for me because hospital food is generally really nasty. Go light and use the clothing the hospital offers. You will be bleeding all over everything and you don’t want to get your own stuff ruined. Also, I never even wear a nursing bra until I get home. No need.
    Good luck!

  39. I’m so happy to find your blog – I live in Indy and am 33 weeks pregnant, so I just ate this post up along with every single comment! Two days ago I suddenly became anxious about all the prep and labor and delivery actually happening, so this post is so helpful. I hope you and your family are doing well!

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