New Digs (Kind Of)

Ever since I've given birth, I've been meaning to post my hospital bag list. With Andrea in her 37th week, I figured I better do it before it becomes moot to her. :)

Things I Brought that Really Came in Handy:

For the Baby
1. Receiving Blanket
2. Onesie and Going Home Outfit

For Myself-
3. 2 Night Gowns (Saturday night, while I was in labor, I was in hospital gowns and stayed in them for the rest of Sunday; I only switched into the cotton gowns I brought with me for Sunday night and Monday night)
4. 3 Nursing Bras (I wore one through labor and for the rest of my time in the hospital)
5. 5 pairs of white cotton undies in a size larger than I usually wear
6. Cotton ballet style slippers (they didn't take up much room in my bag and I could wear them under the sheets if I didn't feel like slipping in and out of slippers every time I got up to go to the bathroom)
7. Cotton Maternity Dress to wear home (I read and heard from other people that you still look pretty pregnant right after you give birth but it's really quite amazing how pregnant you still look. Between that and recovering, pants were still a no-no for me.)
8. Makeup, hair ties, deodorant, toothbrush, mouthwash, toothpaste, floss, contact lenses , contact solution, glasses, shampoo and face cream (I'm never too tired to prevent wrinkles and sun damage)
9. Ear plugs (I have to wear them anyway because I'm a light sleeper but the hospital can be bustling during the day)
10. iPhone & Charger (cell phones work at Northwestern Memorial- yay!)
11. Journal (the day after Lily was born I wrote a lengthy and detailed entry that I still re-read)
12. Prenatal vitamins & allergy pills

Matt's List:
13. Camera
14. Video Camera
15. Laptop (there's wireless in the hospital and Matt and my Mom were able to take photos and email them out immediately)
16. Extra pair of boxers & t-shirt to spend the night in the hospital
17. Toothbrush


Things I Brought that Stayed in my Suitcase the Entire Time:
1. Extra Receiving Blanket (you only need one to take the baby home in)
2. Swaddle Blankets (the nurses do such a good job with the regular blankets that you won't need the swaddlers in the hospital)
3. PJ Pants and Nursing Tanks (pants?! I don't know why I thought pants would be an optionin the days after giving birth)
4. Bra pads (your milk doesn't really come in until you leave the hospital so these didn't come into play yet)
5. Face wash (I was so tired that normal soap did just fine),conditioner (again with the tired- I didn't have the energy for more than the shampoo), body lotion (what was that about being too tired for my regular routine again?)
6. iPod & Docking Station (one of the baby websites had an article about listening to music while in labor but I was happy to just lie in bed and enjoy the moment. In the days after labor, we had so many visitors (happily so) that we wanted to enjoy as many quiet moments with Lily as possible)

Other things to Note:
1. Northwestern provides you with all of the things the baby needs while you are there.
2. When you leave, you are instructed to take everything disposable with you. This includes sanitary pads, disposable underpants, ice packs, diapers, wipes and disposable pads that protect the bedsheets.