Hey guys, welcome back to my blog.
So today I’m going to be going over my hospital bag must-haves. I’m 36 weeks pregnant, currently, with baby number three, and I’m going to be doing a third c-section. My hospital bag needs are probably going to be just a little bit different than if you were having a vaginal birth. A vaginal birth you usually stay in the hospital for 24-48 hours, and with a c-section it’s more like you can stay up to four days. I think with my first, we used the entire four or five days that we could stay. With my second I left by day two, because I was able to move around a lot more and just felt like I was going to be more comfortable at home.
It put my mind at ease knowing what other moms were packing in their bags, so I am going to share mine with you! From my experience, less is more. I bring a carry-on suitcase and a small duffel bag.
With a c-section, sometimes you’re not allowed to eat for up to 24 hours after the surgery, which means your milk doesn’t come in right away, it’s delayed just a little bit then it would be if you had a vaginal birth. With my first, I think I wasn’t able to feed him right away. He had to get a bottle which I was really upset about because I wanted him to start nursing. But with that said, my breasts, once my milk started coming in were so engorged, it was so uncomfortable, I had my incision. And what you don’t realize is that when the baby is sitting on top of you, it’s obviously weight that’s on tender areas of your body. One of the things that I didn’t bring the first time, but I did bring the second time, was my Breast Friend Pillow. And what that is, it’s basically just like a boppy that goes around your waist, so it gives you a little extra cushion. So that when I put the baby on me there wasn’t pressure anywhere else. Which is really, really nice.
The next thing I think is a must is a iPhone charger, but bring the cables that are 10 foot plus. You will be taking photos, talking on the phone and the last thing you want to do after a c-section is getting in and out of bed to grab your phone. If you want to also bring a camera for all of the rest of the photos, be sure to bring extra battery chargers for that.
This next item was a life saver. The first time your baby latches on can be extremely painful, so that is why packing nipple balm or cream is a must. I am packing the Honest Calm Your Nip Balm, soothing for you and safe for your babe. This is something that you can put on and it’s almost like a vitamin E or like a Vaseline ointment. It just looks like an oil consistency, and you put it on, and it feels really nice, and it just calms your nipples. I am also packing these new Silverette, soothe and protects. I have heard amazing things about them. They are silver nursing cups that you put on over your nipples after you are done nursing. I will report back on how I like these!
Another must have for me, is Lansinoh Nursing Pads. They are basically sanitary napkins for your chest. They have little strips like bandaids. They prevent your milk from leaking onto your actual clothing.
Next up, nursing bras. I am actually not a fan of nursing bras, in general, I don’t know why, I never have been, they are very uncomfortable. And especially after having surgery it’s the last thing I want to do is feel really constricted. However, I have found these off Amazon and I love them. They come in a pack of two or three. But these are nursing, almost like sports bras. they have the little clips here for you to undo when you are nursing. And then they have adjustable straps in the back, and then they also have the bra situation. It can come in any color that you want them to. I got these in a size medium.
The right kind of underwear, especially for a c-section, is another must have in your bag. You do not want your underwear to hit your incision, because you’re going to be so tender. They have mesh underwear at the hospital that they’ll give you. They almost just look like you can roll them out and they’re very, very thin. Amazon has some underwear specifically for c-sections or UpSpring makes a C-Panty that says it slims the belly and protects your incision.
You’re going to be wearing that with a lot of pads. And when I say pads, they’re like the thick maxi pads. You can bring those from home too, just get the heavy or ultra-heavy maxi pads. But the hospital has them too, so it’s really up to you if you want to bring extras. Sometimes I’ll just bring extra just to have, but usually the hospital has you covered there.
Now, onto clothing. I am packing very loose clothing. I loved the shirt gown pajamas, so I will be packing a lot of those. My favorite is the one called Cozy Earth. Start Above from Target is also a great brand. Lastly, make sure to bring no-slip socks. These are great when your feet get chilly!
Don’t forget to pack your toiletries. I am packing my makeup and this Makeup Eraser cloth to easily remove my makeup. I also pack lip balm, moisturizer, Swype Lemon Honey AHA Pads and Rose Petal-Soft Lip Cream from Fresh. I also packed some body crème from LALICIOUS. I am packing the Glow On Body Oil from Honest Beauty to use on my belly since I will want to keep that area very moisturized while it shrinks back down. I am packing travel size shampoo and conditioner too!
The last thing for mom, is a going home outfit. I would pack a maxi dress or something super comfortable. For baby, you will need the car seat, a receiving blanket and a going home outfit. I love this one from Solly Baby and I am in love with this brand. It comes with a little cap, little shirt and the little pants. You can take either a onesie or something like this. Basically, diapers and stuff, I will say use the hospital to your advantage and ask for more so that you can use anything that’s leftover, take it with you because you’re going to use all those diapers and all those disposable pads.
You will want to make sure you have all the paperwork you need for the hospital. I do want to mention this awesome company, Bodily, that will create a package for you depending on what type of birth you are having. It is amazing! Don’t worry if this seems overwhelming. Even if you, yourself, forget a lot of stuff, the hospital will have everything you need, and it would be totally fine. This list is just to make you a bit more comfortable. Let me know if you have any questions!
xo,
Ami
Ami
Creative Producer at Ami Desai
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