I think it's kind of funny how, with each birth/hospital experience, my "go to the hospital" bag has shrunk.
With Trina, I brought a huge duffel bag full of every possible thing a new mom could need: special music, scented stuff, pampering things, special blankets and a choice of clothing for the baby to wear when he/she went home, some bigger clothes from before the pregnancy, so that I could have something to wear home.
I wore what I walked in the hospital wearing.
I was annoyed with any smells/sounds and didn't need any of that crap.
I didn't use 90 percent of the stuff I packed.
With Tommy, I brought the following things:
My bag: extra pads (I've noticed the hospital charges enormous amounts of money for those dumb things), my daily makeup/personal care gear (small bag), an extra pair of underwear, some comfy sweats/pjs, and some extra slipper socks.
Baby's bag: an outfit for going home, some spit blankets, a carseat.
I made sure my phone was charged up and that my camera was in my regular purse. I also made sure I had a tweezers and fingernail clipper...for when I had extra clipping and tweezing time. That hospital was miles away and I knew I'd have a lot of down time.
I was glad I didn't have a lot of fussy stuff to put away once I got home. This time, I might add some snacks so I don't feel like a pig, asking for juice after juice and snack after snack besides the meals. I drive the nurses NUTS with my snack requests. I might just pack a REALLY BIG BAG of snacks this time.
I also try to remember one of my pillows. I think I might try to come home early this time (depending on what time of day I go to the hosp.). I don't need the extra billing and those hosp. beds are SO uncomfortable. Besides, I always feel like I'm overstaying my welcome by the third day.
I think I might try to get away with NOT having that damned blood pressure cuff attached to me the whole time during labor. That thing will drive a girl insane.
I might try to do most of the labor without the epidural. That intrathecal morphine thingy worked really well last time (the anesthesiologist was late and it was my only option)...but I'd hate for it to "run out" and not have any more pain relief when it really matters. Do you know if you can get an epidural AND the morphine (toward the end if the epidural isn't working properly...which has happened to me three times)?
Boy, you'd think I'd have it DOWN by now! You'd think I'd just go in the hospital, pop out a baby, and come home later that afternoon, weighing 50 pounds less and with a cute, happy, non-yellow, happily nursing child in my arms!
I wish.
