What to Take to Hospital.

After packing all but the kitchen sink for the birth of my daughter...I am only packing what are "essentials" to me this time around! A bit of music (Ipod), MY PILLOW with a scented dryer sheet tucked in the pillowcase to smell nice!! (the dryer sheet is to overcome the "industrial" hospital smells I hate! and a pillowcase that is colored or patterned so it doesn't get mixed up), slippers, and a few (or several!) pairs of comfy socks (in case they get nasty!), a pair of PJs or T-shirt and sweatpants (nothing fancy). (maybe just maybe a couple granola bars and juice boxes to sneak in if they say I can't eat or drink...I will anyway!) and a sleeper outfit to bring baby home in.
Congrats on the grandbaby to be!

well I was in labor from begining to birth for a total of 23 hrs. I took music but didn't really listen to much of it. mostly I watched tv and chatted with family that came to be there. my problem was I had a lot of nausea. what the hospital and my doctor didn't seem to understand that I wasn't a typical labor with contractions being 10 -15 minutes apart at the beginning. the whole labor I had only 1-3 minutes of contractions that were 1-3 minutes apart. I wish i had taken one of my own blankets due to the fact my daughter was born in febuary and it was cold. the heater in my room acted up and it got colder than it should have in my room.

also so long as she is dialated to 6 they should keep her. if they send you home because she isn't dialated enough i'd actually just stay close to the hospital especially since you had a quick labor. good luck to you two and just take whatever you think will make the stay less boring and more relaxing. (books,magazines,music)

I think all of these responses have covered most everything except for the child.

In addition to the mother's needs, don't forget the child. You'll want an outfit to bring the baby home in and don't forget the car seat! You can't take the baby from the hospital without it. It's best to have the car seat installed now, before the baby comes. I installed mine myself then went to my local fire station and asked the firemen working at the time to inspect it and make sure I had it properly installed. Not all fire stations inpect/install car seats so you might want to call yours and see if they do. If they don't they can usually direct you to someone who does. At my fire station (I live in a town small enough to have only one) they are also certified to install the seats if need be.

As for Mom, don't forget to bring something comfortable to wear home also. I had a c-section which was scheduled so I shouldn't have had to wait. When I arrived at the hospital the nurses gave me a blood sugar test which required me to drink 1 ounce of OJ. Unfortunately, one is not supposed to eat or drink anything for 8 hours before a surgery (even though I was awake for the whole procedure). I ended up having to wait 8 hours to have the c-section. I was so glad that I'd brought some magazines, wordfind puzzles and a hand-held game. I had brought a book also, but couldn't concentrate on it to save my soul!

I had brought gowns and a robe but used only the robe. There will be a lot of bleeding after the birth so I encourage your daughter to just wear the hospital gowns and not ruin her own clothes. Also, if she has a cell phone she should bring it. Many of my relatives are out of state so calling from my cell was much cheaper and easier than using the hospital phone. Also, I didn't know what room I was going to be in so my friends and relatives could just call me directly.

If she wants pictures, bring a camera. As I stated, my prodeedure was delayed. Around noon I convinced my husband to go get some lunch. Wouldn't you know it, the doctors decided to take me in before my husband got back. The anethesiologist was kind enough to film the proceedure until my husband arrived. In addition to the video we ended up with 75 still shots before we left the hospital 3 days later.

Finally, if she likes them, pick up some Sunsweet Ones prunes. For some reason, giving birth can cause constipation. My doctor told me that if I didn't have a bowel movement before I left the hospital I would have to have an enema. I don't know about your daughter, but the last thing I want is an enema! I was eating prunes like my life depended on it! I managed to escape the dreaded enema.

Congratulations on your new bundle of joy! God bless and good luck.

I have two children 2 and 4. My husband never needed much. A change of clothes really and change for the vending machines. He used my toiletries but we were both tired during the process, neither was thinking about food much. As for keeping her comfortable...Can you be comfortable during labor, I mean really? I guess if you have used the exercise ball or things like that they could be helpful. But honestly, active labor would be after her water broke and either she will have an epidural and want to sleep or will be in plenty of pain and you can't really help that. So I would concentrate on the personal items like toiletries, camera, baby book, and clothes and forget the rest. But that's just me.

Hi, Suzi!
Here is a link to another thread on what to pack in "the bag." http://www.mamasource.com/request/723034856082112513

I only have one baby, and from the time my water broke (at home) until I was finally holding my baby, 45 hours had passed! I was thankful I had TWO bags full of everything imaginable to make my stay 'comfortable.' The best thing most people don't think of that I brought was a nice lavendar-scented room spray. Hospital rooms may smell medicinal, musty, or like sick people. I was also glad I had a CD player and lullaby CDs for me to relax to and nurse my baby. A camera is a definate MUST - and when the hospital photographer comes in to take baby's picture, they should move over and let you take the same picture also.

Blessings!!

I am with you...the things that they suggest that you bring to the hospital seem more like you are getting ready for vacation than birth!!!
I would say to go with what is important to your daughter. If she feels like it would be a good thing to have soft music to help her "relax"...take a cd player and her favorite music, if she was in a one day Lamaze class then I doubt that she is using a midwife who has taught her the benefits of a pilates ball for support or any of the other helps that they have out there. (my oldest daughters' baby was born in a birthing center with a midwife....no doctor present, they had EVERYTHING there, birthing stool,bathtub, pilates ball, etc etc etc). I would bring that things that your daughter would like to have after the baby is born, a robe, toiletries, house slippers, book to read, etc. For you...a good pillow, change of clothes,book to read, a flashlight so if you get up in the night you can move around without waking her or hurting yourself...lol. Snacks or change for the vending machines.
Good luck to you...and your daughter and congratulations on the new grandbaby.
R. Ann

WooHoo Suzi's gonna be a GrandMa soon :)
Relax Suzi, things definitely changed since we had our
kidd-o's. Most of us stayed at least 3-4 days after delivery. Now they usually stay one full day maybe two, until all the tests blood draws are taken for the little one. No ones labor is completely textbook perfect, it could taken her 2 hrs to many many more.

What to take, hummmm Well cloths that will fit when she comes home. They have birthing suites here, with TV, VCR, DVD, CD players, so if she enjoys music to relax by definitely take that. If she enjoys reading or cross word puzzles to get her mind off the pain of labor, do that.

Take your favorite bath or shower accessories, pillow if she has a favorite.Just what ever you might take on a short vacation. Of she likes to stay in a robe thats fine too. She will be having visitors after delivery, i am sure. so she should be comfy. Hand sanitizers for anyone coming to see your new grandchild to use. Babies outfit for Pictures and going home. Don't forget your Camera Suzi, the pictures after they are born are precious. Getting weighed, measured, cleaned up, your daughter holding her baby for the first time. Baby book for footprints, or a little birth annoucement pillow for footprints.

I can't think of anything my DIL's wished they had taken. Their hubby's (my sons) were with them the whole time, so if they wanted a coke or shake they were there to be a gofer.
The secruity at Wichita hospitals is so strict, I got caught in an elevator shut down, when they Thought a baby had disappeared. Mom's Dad's who ever is the stay with person has a matching electronic band and if the baby passes ONE door without a matching bleep band All Heck breaks out. Doors Lock, Elevators Stop, Stairway doors are locked and checked. Each patient room is checked on maturity ward.

Anyway since you didn't tell us what some of the items were you were to bring wiff ya, it's a little hard to guess....lol

God Bless you Suzi, Praying your daughter will have a wonderful easy birthing experience and Healthy, Beautiful Baby
K. Nana of 5
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh I love Birthing Babies...lol Keep us posted Lady!!

I do not know how the hospitals in KC work but in St. Louis St. John's has a dvd/cd player in all the delivery rooms as well as the rooms they move you to after the birth. So with my first I took movies for my inlaws and husband to watch to keep them busy. I also had my mom there and a very good friend of mine who has 3 kids. She was more of my coach then my husband. However when the time came for me to really relax I had my husband put my relaxing music.
I also took my daughter's baby book and they put her foot prints right on the page that I had marked, a camera, Outfit for her to wear in her pictures and one to wear going home. I took my own pillows but did not use them during labor for fear of having something end up on them. A book for me to read while in the room after giving birth (I have to have a book to read before going to sleep). I was in my second room for about 48 hours. Now with my son, I had a planned C section. I was in the after birth room for 4 days. So I took his baby book, thank you notes for me to write as I got gifts at the hospital, movies for me to watch, a camera, outfitts for my son to wear, coupons for free diaper bags that I got from different formual makers.
The items in the bassinet at the hospital that were mine to keep were the diapers, wipes, suction bulb, comb. I was asked not to take the blankets. With my daughter I sent her back to the nursary evey night, when I took a shower, or just needed a nap. For my son who was born 3 years later I was not allowed to keep in in my room for the first 2 days because I could not get out of bed. If I had visitors then they would bring him in and when my visitors left and I was done nursing I was to call them and they would come and get him. Because I was nursing they brought him to me every time that he needed to be fed and if I did not have any visitors to change his dirty diaper then I would have to call the nurse and they would do it. After I was able to get out of bed then he stayed in my room other than when I wanted to take a shower.
Now a little about my labor with my daughter (I was never in labor with my son.) I was in labor from about 6pm to 10 PM at home (my contractions by 10 pm were about 6 min. apart). We got to the hospital at around 10:20 PM and my contractions were about 2-3 min apart. However I did not have my daughter until 1 PM the next day.
I would say it depends on how far from the hospital you live as to how soon you should leave to go. I would also say do what your mommy instincts tell you to do.
Good luck.

Wonderful that you can be there for your daughter! What I LOVED having was my own pjs and underwear and my shampoo, soap and lotion for that first shower. The hospital supplies are rough and impersonal and it feels better to have your own. I also had magazines to page through during labor (AFTER the epidural) and that was nice too.

I didn't have a towel and that would have been nice b/c theirs was small and scratchy on a sensitive body. It might be nice to have your own maxi-pads too--as theirs are HUGE and uncomfortable.

Some people have told me they liked wearing the hospital gowns/undies because they didn't want to stain/soil their own, but I just bought some that were special for the occasion so that I wouldn't miss them if they didn't come home the same as they went in.

Best of luck to you both!

OK mom, first take a deap breath! I wouldn't worry so much on material things for "comfort" so much. Ask your daughter if she DOES want to bring something. Me, I labored 3 kids and didn't bring a thing for labor. Focus object, used objects in the room. No biggie. I did bring crossword puzzels for after delivery. You just have to ask your daughter what she thinks. I'm having my 4th in feb and this time I will bring a sudoku and my DSi. That should keep me busy. Now I never labored no 10+ hrs. One of mine was like yours. I almost didn't make it to the hospital AND couldn't even get the epidural. She would've been born sooner if we didn't have to wait for the doctor. But your daugher will do great. There is a chance she could very well be like you. Oddly I am more like my dad's mom. So it's hard to tell. I would be safe than sorry, esp if you don't live close to the hospital. You can always get there and have her walk the halls. Because of my quick labor on my 2nd,I rushed to the hospial. They didn't want to send me back home in fear of a repeat...so I walked and walked and walked. What's funny is, telling mom's to shut up, I did tell my mom something along that line...I was in transistion before I left my house with #2, and my mother had the nerve to start singing xmas songs!!! (it was xmas eve) I wasn't in the mood! LOL!!! My mother has got in the way with the medical stuff will ALL her grandkids. She worried about them. She told the nurses what to do and questioned the doctor even. This is a NORMAL thing she does over everything, but I am glad she did it with the babies. She got her answers and felt more a ease. If you are like my mom, I say go ahead. My mom got answers to questions I didn't even think to ask. She had 4 kids and knew the things that can go wrong. She wathced the monitors like crazy!! So breath and be happy. You are going to be a grandma!!! Just make sure you bring stuff for baby and mom's hygenie products and clothes. Then go from there. She'll do great mom! And Congrats!

Suzi,

I have never been a support person in labor, but had two kids of my own. I packed a bag for myself and one for my husband. We left them in my car...in my bag, I packed pajamas, a couple of comfortable outfits, shampoo, conditioner, hairbrush, toothbrush and paste, deodorant, etc. Just basic care stuff...oh, and lots of pads! For my husband, we packed deodorant and toothbrush. The best thing we took for him was mints! I was sick and threw up a lot during labor, and his breath really bothered me. Thank goodness we had the mints...helped me a lot. A tennis ball is a good idea in case she has back labor (use it for massage). Good luck!

In your "a little about me" section you mentioned you forget things & have random thoguhts. Being ADHD, I can relate! ;-)

Anyway, have your bag packed with everything already in it way in advance & hang on a hanger in your closet so you don't forget where you put it. Pack in it what you can now, like camera batteries including film or memory card, cell phone charger, cash, snacks & gum, book, magazine, pen & paper, change of clothes & toiletries, deck of cards or card game. Don't forget a sweater if you get cold easily. The room could be cold. Oh, don't forget chapstick, your daughter might appreciate that!

That;s it, I just wanted to give a suggestion re: your bag.

Congrats Grandma!
J.

HI Suzi, I was like you had quick labors (my long one was 4 hours). But with the first one I had my bag all ready to go. The things that I was most happy to have was socks, my feet are always cold and my address book. I got a cheap address book and listed all the people that I needed/wanted to call when I had the baby. I know that most ususally have all those numbers in their cell phone. But you may still want to make a list of those that you want to contact so that you don't leave anyone out. Also chap stick. The music and all that I didn't need I wanted quite, hubby was breathing too loud for part of the delivery (I had natural with the 1st baby). And if you had a history of fast labors, there is a good chance your daughter will too. My doctor said that he found the women in familys will have simular labors. But with that said, my mother, grandmother and I all had fast easy labors. My sister - 14 hours and then had to use the suction thing. But then again she can't do anything like everyone else, she didn't even cut her teeth right as a baby. She got her eye teeth first, looked like a little baby vampire. So we don't count on her to do anything like the rest of the family :o)

Good luck and God bless!!

Hi Suzi,
I was super prepared for our daughter's arrival - I had no idea what I would want or how long I'd labor, so we packed movies, my Ipod, books, sudoku puzzles, a journal, my laptop - anything to help distract me and make time go faster. I ended up delivering very quickly, but my husband enjoyed the movies playing during labor (he didn't want to see too much), and we both enjoyed them lying around the day after. I used my laptop once just to send out a "she's here" email, but I don't think I touched anything else. It made me feel prepared to have all that stuff nonetheless. Wish you the best!

Hi Suzi:

You might want to check with the Hospital, most of them now have a snack station on the maternity wards for the mom to be and coach. They keep it stocked with applesauce, cereal, muffins, fruit,etc.

After I had Jaydin I wore my own p.j.s.(dark bottoms and t-shirt) I did a lot of walking around and getting up. I liked being more covered.

I brought my own 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner trail sized and trail sized soap. Personal stuff like that. I would recommend doing non scented or low scented products, since some babies may have a reaction to the smell.

I brought my own socks but forgot slippers, I wish I would have had those.

I'm a big pillow person, and prefer to sleep with a oversized one. My mom ended up bringing mine up there, since I had to stay a few extra days.

I bet all of you are so excited!

Suzi, there are handy lists in several of the books I read leading up to the birth of my most recent baby. The things I remember that I took and came in soooo handy during labor were : lip balm, extra socks, mints/hard candy, and a stress ball ( I squeezed it through contractions really saved my hubbys poor hand ). Two of the books I enjoyed the most were What to expect when you are expecting, and also The Girlfriends guide to pregnancy.

I also took my own pillow because I am totally unable to sleep w/o my own pillow, but I did make sure I had two pillow cases over it to try and protect it.

Your daughter will want to take some Large sanitary napkins/pads, when I was at the hospital I was limited to how many they supplied and I went through a lot.

Congratulations in advance, I hope mommy to be and baby to be are both healthy and have no complications, it is an amazing experience!!!
B.

It seems like the responses so far have everything coverd. The one thing I didn't see that I was SO glad I had was a scented lotion. I took lavendar scented with me, but any scent your daughter might find relaxing would be great. I had a lot of labor pains in my back, my husband and my mom took turns rubbing my lower back until they gave me the epidural and the lotion helped a great deal! I only took a purse sized tube and that was more than enough! Oh! And the socks idea! That was great, I took a brand new pair that were really soft and comfy!
Beyond that, don't forget the camera, the cell, chargers or batteries for both, or if you are not taking a cell, make sure to remember your address book! It's amazing how easily you forget phone numbers in that situation! As far as personal care items, in my experience, they gave me everything I needed. With my 3rd child I bought a few things to take with me just because I wanted to make sure that I got what I needed when I needed it (like a stool softener to take right after delivery and non-medicated witch hazel hemorroid pads.) But they provided pads and those horrible mesh panties for me,they even provided the things I took I just wanted to be prepared. And for the baby they provided diapers, wipes, even a diaper bag for the baby. With my first I made the mistake of thinking I would be able to wear a pair of jeans that I had outgrown about a month before! Make sure to take something comfy for you both to wear, and something for the baby. I usually just take a rather unisex sleeper because in my immediate family we have had two ultrasounds that gave us the wrong info! lol
I was happy just watching TV but my labors were short and afterwards I was caught up watching the baby so I really didn't need entertainment but I did use my ipod for a little bit to help drown out the "hospital noise" so I could relax.
As was mentioned before, hospitals are set up to prevent "baby-snatching" now. The larger hospitals have alarms that they attach to the baby so you can't take them near an exit without the whole hospital knowing! And in smaller hospitals (which is where I had both my girls) they put lots of staff between the babies and the exits and trust me, everyone in that place knows who that baby belongs to! I wouldn't worry about it, the hospital will protect your little bundle!
Good luck to you both! I hope that your daughter gets the labor she wants! Oh and Grandma, I know for me, I needed my mom to be my voice, I needed her to ask the questions and make suggestions (at least with my first) but don't be offended if she tells you not to. My ex-husband was very angry with me for telling him to shut up, but he really needed to be told and I was in too much pain to deal with him. It's only in the moment, just remember that!

The things that I didn't take that I wished I had were: change of clothes for my husband, snacks for both of us and ear plugs(to block out the noise when I wanted to sleep). I had a small bag of stuff packed with stuff for me and the baby. The only thing I really used out of it were the clothes (my feet would have frozen without the socks). I really wished I had remembered a change of clothes for my husband because after two days I wished he would have changed his clothes. I also wished I had brought snacks for both of us. By the time my little one was born it was almost 10pm on a Holiday and every food supply source in the hospital was closed. The only thing they could bring me was a yucky sandwich from the nurses desk. I get headaches when I don't eat so I ended up with a headache.
My parents were around and were able to bring just about anything I had forgotten the next day. This didn't help too much with the stuff that I wanted the night of.
You talked about not wanting to carry stuff in only to be sent home. I was the same way, we went into the hospital to get checked and make sure that I was going to stay. Then I sent my husband back out to the car to get the stuff. He was my gopher if I needed something. (I didn't need much because I was at 8cm when I got to the hospital. Wonder why we questioned ourselves about staying?)
Hope the suggestions you have gotten are helpful. Mainly remember you are there for support and can go get anything that you forgot. Trust your instincts, they have gotten you this far so they can't be all wrong.

I went in the night before to be induced the next day. I took the music and movies (my room had a DVD player), crosswords, etc.....did NOT need any of those..lol...I ended up having a c-section after being in labor 10 hours, i never dilated past a 5. I would suggest extra socks and or super comfy jammies. if she plans of breastfeeding, a nursing bra. I just needed my toiletries and clotes for the baby and hubby. Good Luck!!

I had an epidural, and knew I was going to, so I brought a couple of books, and I ended up finishing one and getting through about half of the other.

A couple of other things, I brought really comfortable socks, since socks where the only thing of mine I kept on, and Im so glad I did. I recommend that to any friends I have having babies.

Also, I wish I had packed snacks. Not for during labor, but for after b/c I was so hungry afterwards!

Good luck to you and your daughter!

toothbrush and paste... can help you feel a little more human during and after being in labor... (i threw up a lot during labor, so this helped.) and make sure your breath is fresh too... smells would set me off.
bring a calm voice, and encouraging words... and an attitude to expect the unexpected.. just in case.
if you daughter is planning on breastfeeding... ask the nurses for some soothies, they are gel like circles you can put in the fridge and then place on the breast to sooth them. WONDERFUL!
and upon leaving the hosptial, everything the the baby basinet/crib has in it is yours. take all the diapers, blankets, hats, thermometer, nose sucker and nooks. ;)

I don't know if anyone mentioned this already, but don't forget to bring the baby book, if you're keeping one. My hospital would have inked my son's hands and feet for the page with handprints and footprints, plus they sometimes have a page for visitors to sign. I had a suitcase full of books, magazines, mints, hard candies, etc. that I never used (he was born within 3 1/2 hours) but wished I had my baby book with me.