There are more and more signs every day that this baby is on it's way, and that it is on it's way fairly soon! I've definately been having some Braxton Hicks contractions (up until recently I didn't think I had any). There has also been some "secretions" that indicate that things are getting ready for baby to make an appearance. Who knew that "secretions" could be so gross, and yet so totally exciting?!
I ventured out with my prego friend Rebekah on Friday night. We went to a huge Christmas craft and gift sale called Scattered Seeds. We had so much fun, but not because of the shopping, or even each other's company. No, we had fun eating all the FREE SAMPLES! We seriously loaded up on pretzels and dips, crackers and spreads, jam, gelato, toffee, fudge, popcorn... we actually felt full (and a little ill) when we left! It was a pregnant woman's dream!
Then on Saturday evening I decided to accompany my husband to the Bomber football game. It wasn't my idea of fun really, but we have season tickets and I thought that this might be my last game of the year! I did have a good time, and it was a good game - but I was all bundled up (in a big, heavy dress coat), and I barely made it from the car all the way up to my seat. It was a serious workout, and it gave me contractions! By the time we sat down, I could barely catch my breath, and I wasn't planning on moving again until we left! Thank goodness I only had to take two bathroom trips - one when we got there, and one when we left. I've decided to start a petition that womens bathroom doors should have to open and close just a little further away from the toilet. Like, maybe an extra foot is all we would need. It's tough enough to swing those doors shut sometimes when you are UNpregnant - so never mind when you are sporting a hefty belly too.I'm already starting to feel a little anxious about travelling without a hospital bag, so I've thrown together some essentials to take along - just in case. What were the things you found you absolutely needed when you were in the hospital? What do you wish you had taken? What did you take for your baby? Or, if you aren't prego, what do you think you would take?
12 comments :
My Camera!!! :)
i brought so much stuff - and didn't use 95% of it! :)
but i think it totally depends on your labour experience & how good you feel after.
i brought stuff like: camera, toothbrush, deoderant, mascara, PADS (!), magazines, snacks, shampoo, lotion, comfy tee-shirts or nursing shirts, sweats (i couldn't wear pants because of my c-section), slippers, hair ties, a brush (those hospital beds can do a number on your hair - i STILL have knots from Kamryn), pens (to fill out the paperwork), a couple of "bringhome" outfits (different sizes...the original one i brought for Kamryn was WAY too small!)...etc, etc....
but like i said - i think i only used my toothbrush, a hair tie and a pen! :) if you have a c-section you have to use the hospital shampoo because of the incisions - but i highly recommend bringing your own because if you give birth naturally - i think it would make a world of difference to smell pretty and like YOU!! :)
i'm getting so excited for you! just remember - you may be a first time Mom - but you Do & Bring whatever makes you feel better, and makes you feel comfortable. it's all about YOU and this baby, not what everyone has done before you... i love ya!!
- What were the things you found you absolutely needed when you were in the hospital?
I needed my camera of course (all 3 of them hahaha)... I also needed MY PILLOW. Your laying in those hospitals beds for a long time... the last thing you need is a flat non-soft hospital pillow. I actually took two pillows from home with me.
Also I needed my husband there with me :-)
- What do you wish you had taken?
I cant think of anything right oww... I took mostly everything I needed...
- What did you take for your baby?
I took a cute onesie to change the baby into before leaving the hospital. It was "yellow" just incase the Dr's were wrong in telling me the baby was a boy.
I also took a baby blanket for him... and a set of booties/hat my mom made (they were to big though - newborns are tiny!).
Thats it though.
It was hot when I had Caleb so I didnt have to bring much.
One thing I do recommend you bringing is some baby mittins to keep the baby from clawing his face. They give you these sleeve shirts that cover the babies hands... but if you change their outfit they end up clawing their faces up. Thats what caleb did any way. So the baby mittens would of helped. We picked some up on the way home from the hospital
The things I brought though besides a pillow and camera are -
1) socks (my feet were cold!)
2) a coverup (was kind of like a robe... but not really... was really comfortable... opened in the front making it easy to breastfeed.
3) hair tie
4) face wash and a compact/mascara (I knew Id be taking pictures I had to have SOME make up)
5) granny undies. You end up having to wear really big pads after giving birth... its really uncomfortable. And well if you have string bikini undies normally its not comfortable. I bought the full coverage bottom underwear that old ladies wear for the birth... helped a lot! Wasnt the sexiest but hey I wasnt worried about that haha
5) Toothbrush
I think thats about it.
I did wear a comfortable t-shirt prior to the birth on my way in (because i went into labor at night).. so I didnt bring anything else to wear since I knew I'd have a hospital gown on the entire time.
Hi Heather,
You don't know me. I am Lianes sister in law and know from your blog through Liane.
I am expecting my fifth child now (I am 28). All my four children were born naturally and with all of them I needed socks. Nothing is more terrible than cold feet when you are in labour! And a Labello (or blistex or whatever you use) is good, because your lips can get very dry from all the breathing.
I like your blog because I think motherhood is so exciting and I love birthstorys. Good luck for you! Can't wait to hear your story.
Irene
camera, hair ties (acutally I forgot these, and had to get my hubby to go buy some), socks, slippers, comfy clothes, make up, shampoo and conditioner (a must, I forgot this too but luckly my temporary roomie let me borrow hers until I could send my hubby out to get some). another thing I would suggest, (I don't how things are in manitoba) but if your covered for it, and even if you're not, get a private room for after you have the baby. I had a private room with my daughter and it was amazing, I vowed that I would always get one, and turned out we were covered for it so it was all good. I had to have a semi private room for the first half of the first day because all the private rooms were full, and man! it was awful! having someone elses visitors coming and going making a bunch of noise when you're trying to rest....it sucked, and that was a semi private, I can't imagine what a shared room would be like where you share with four other people! So yeah, that's just my suggestion. Then you have you're own bathroom, your hubby can use all your stuff instead of having to shower in the hallway shower room.
MY PILLOW
SLIPPERS
SOCKS
BATHROBE
An extra shirt and deo for husband.
I'm with the pillow gals. Bring pillows. You won't regret it.
Also, they dress your baby in hospital stuff, but it hasn't been washed in Ivory Snow or anything resembling Ivory Snow. My babies both got rashes from the blankets and clothes the hospital used. I recomend bringing a couple sleepers and your own receiving blankets just in case. Then you have something if your little one gets chafed.
I brought snacks too... And my own drinks.
Make sure you have some kind of lanolin product for you nipples!!!
I would try and have a set of thin PJ's and a robe or something. My rooms were boiling hot both times and the hallways were freezing.
Hi, Heather. I have made a list that I give to all of my friends who are expecting. It's a compilation of what the (many!) pregnancy books say to bring, what I brought, and what I wish I'd brought. If you'd like me to send it to you, I'd definitely do that. You can email me your email adress at vandermeander@gmail.com.
But, if you don't want that big list, here is my one thing that no one ever tells you to bring, that I NEEDED at the hospital: an alarm clock or else a watch that lights up that you can wear. When I had my daughter (my first birth), I had 4th degree tears and I was in rough shape. It took several manouevers just to turn over in bed in the hospital after she was born. And all the ever have in the hospital rooms is those round clocks on the wall. So, at night I'd have to try to roll myself over and try to reach the light so I could see what time it was, to see if the baby needed to be fed, etc. (I have the kind of kids that sleep and sleep and sleep, and the nurses would've had my head if I hadn't woken them up to feed them. Plus, you are more likely to prevent jaundice if you feed your newborn ever 4 hours (or less)). If I'd had a watch that lit up or an alarm clock to plug in, I would've saved myself a lot of uncomfortable manouevering. Also, with my son I actually used the alarm clock and set it so he'd have a middle of teh night feeding (like I said, my kids like to sleep!).
Anyway, that's just something that no one ever thinks of. But hopefully you won't have a c-section or bad tearing and you'll be able to get around much easier.
I agree with the pillow people too! I also suggest cards and books and magazines. You never know how long you will be there for and you may want somethig to do before you have the baby and after. My husband and I ended up spending a fortune on magazines from the gift shop which I know we could have got for cheaper had we brought them with. Bring with food for your hubby too. Cafeteria food isn't cheap or all that good. One of you may as well enjoy what you eat. Bring with a comfy nursing bra too. Even though you'll need a different size when your milk comes in, you'll use it again down the road. I hated not being supported after being so used to it and sent my husband out to buy me one.
HEY! i thought of one thing i brought that some people may not think of.
"a back up of batteries!"
My camera ran out of batteries during the time we were in the hospital. Thankfully I had a back up with me!
oh yeah, a phone card with a million minutes for me. Also a list of all the folks and numbers you plan on calling from the hospital so that you don't forget anyone (the memory only gets worse once the baby is born). With our boys we had a bag of hard candies for our nurses to help themselves to so that they'd try to be nice to us (or to show our appreciation when they were).
We never left the house without my suitcase for the last month either.
All useless points but i felt like blabbing so there.
i wish i would have had my baby nail clipper with me because those baby mittens don't want to stay on all the time.
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