Packing Your Bags for Labor and Delivery

When you are getting to be BIG pregnant

And the nursery (or corner of your bedroom) is set up,

and you begin to feel that the arrival of your little one is near, it is time to pack your bags!  As this is my 3rd baby, I knew exactly what I wanted and needed.  The first basket I packed was snacks for ME to have when I knew I was entering the stage of active labor.  My first delivery was a Petocin induced labor with an epidural, my 2nd was an emergency c-section, and I was determined to try my hardest for an unmedicated V-Bac.  I researched a lot and reflected on my previous deliveries and decided that I needed to make sure I had the energy to accomplish this amazing task of giving birth.  I read that snacks easy on the tummy were the best.  Here is what I packed to eat at home before heading to the hospital: Gatorade gel, rice cakes, apple sauce, jello, and Larabar.

Result – I woke up in the morning knowing I would give birth that day. I had contractions around 8 minutes apart and went to volunteer in my daughter’s first grade class to keep my mind and my body busy.  Called my husband at lunch and asked him to come home at lunch.  I ate a regular lunch and took an hour nap.  Got up, took a shower, put on a dress, painted my nails with my daughter (hubbie picked her up from school) and called my support team.  Around 3:00, I started eating my snacks slowly for the next hour. (Only one applesauce was left)  At 5, my hubbie made burgers on the grill and I called my birth coaches to come over.  (At this point, I had NO interest in food, but was glad to have energy from the snacks!

Now onto my food basket for the hospital.  Yes, I did pack the foods first.  With both previous deliveries, I remember being hungry.  Maybe you will luck out and have an awesome hospital cafeteria, but I wasn’t so lucky and was HUNGRY.  In this basket I had, goldfish crackers, beef jerkey, chocolate covered coffee beans, pine nuts, roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, gum, applesauce, saltwater taffy, laurabars, chocolate covered peanuts and drinks.  My thoughts were that my hubbie and I could have some snacks and the kids could have a little too if they stopped by.

The next thing I packed was things for baby.  I like having a couple little outfits in newborn and 0-3 month sizes, hats, booties, blankets and sentimental things that people have made for us. The hospital has diapers, pacifiers, wipes, and anything else they may need for their care, so I didn’t bing those.

Result: We ended up using the blankets, hats, booties, and two of the three outfits.

Last, but not least, what to pack for ME.  I know everyone is different, but these are the things I packed. Black stretchy dress pants with a wide waist, not a tight elastic band, one size larger than pre-pregnancy and 2 cute shirts again, one size larger than pre-pregnancy, a cute, new pajama set, my personal toiletries, a new nursing bra and “grandma panties” (in-case I ended up with a c-section.

Result: Everything worked out great!  I gave birth in my maternity dress (no time to get into a gown) and changed into my PJ’s shortly after giving birth.  I ended up not wearing the poke-a-dot shirt because it made me look and feel very pregnant.  After giving birth, you are still very poochy, but don’t want to look it!  I made sure to pack more shirts than I hoped I would need so that I had some options.  I think it worked out well. I didn’t need anything other than what I brought! See, here is me one hour after giving birth to my baby in my new jamies!