My Hospital Bag Must Haves

I thought I would share a quick recap of what I packed in my hospital bag with all the mamas to be in our community!  With baby 3, you would think my packing got lighter. Overall, yes, but not by much! With a late term preemie, there is always a chance of baby staying in the NICU.  You also don't know how little they'll be - despite doctor's best guesses. I packed a few extra bits just to have our bases covered.

Here was my "Mama Hospital bag" in a nutshell:

1. Robe - Examples here and here
2. Comfortable + Nursing Friendly Clothes / PJs - Example here
3. Nursing Bra - Example here
4. Cozy socks or slippers
5. Disposable Underwear - Less hassle than the pads our hospital offers, and no worries about ruining underwear!  These were gifted to me before our first babe was born, and I thought no way was I going to wear them.  Hands down the best gift I could have gotten for after childbirth!
6. Tucks - if not provided by hospital
7. Dermoplast Spray - if not provided by hospital
8. Showering supplies/Toiletries
9. My Brest Friend Original Nursing Pillow - This was my go-to nursing pillow to assist with positioning our early bird during breastfeeding recommended by a lactation specialist when we had our first baby. 
10. Nursing cover - Personal preference + doubling as a car seat cover on the way out! Examples: here and here
11. Camera - Capture it all!
12. Cash for vending machine - If you don't need it, your husband will!

Here was my "Baby Hospital bag" in a nutshell:

1. Functional diaper bag with diapers and wipes - Be prepared for the trip home. This Ju-Ju-Be here is perfect for one baby and so sleek! If you have multiple little ones and lots to pack, this bag here is tried and true and extra spacious! Overall, I cannot recommend backpack style diaper bags enough!
2. NB onesies with footies + hand mitts built in  - Then no socks or hand mitts are needed that way! Examples: here + here
3. NB Hat - Hospital hats were big on all of our babes!
4. Muslin swaddles - Multi-use burp cloth, receiving blanket, + photo backdrop. 
5. Changing pad cover - Extra item but highly recommended! Our MB covers fit perfectly in the clear hospital bassinets. Cozy for baby, make the hospital feel more like home, and - cherry on top - great in photos!
6. Infant car seat 
7. Something unique to document baby's stats to friends and family - Extra, yes, but so worth the extra space in your bag! We used a Letterfolk board that we later hung in our nursery!

As a mom of multiple babes, I also packed big brother gifts for Cross Aiden (3) and Rush Jayden (1). I gave both boys their gifts when they came into the hospital room to meet their brother. This helped lighten the mood with mama in the hospital bed, and it got them all snuggled around me and baby (on cloud 9) within seconds!

The key extras I packed for preemie were:

1. Preemie onesies with footies + hand mitts built in - no socks or mitts needed that way! Examples: here + here
2. Preemie hat
3. Medela Contact Nipple Shield- A shield should generally not be used during the first week after birth unless there is an obvious problem such as prematurity or difficulty latching which is attributable to some physical characteristic of the baby. Our first babe had difficulty latching, sucking, and swallowing at 35w 5d. We wound up syringe feeding, then pumping and feeding via bottle, then nipple shield + breastfeeding, and then direct breastfeeding without shield. Nipple shield in bag just in case!
4. Hands Free Breastpump Bra - In case I needed to pump and feed if baby had issues feeding

That about sums it up!

I hope these details are a help to you in some way! Let me know in the comments below if you would add anything to your bag!

xo,
Samantha