Saturday, March 23, 2013

are you ready for the hospital???

I wrote this post over a week ago, so please ignore the verb tenses, I meant to post it before we went to the hospital... but now I can give you some feedback on what we actually needed. 

I have been doing a lot of research when it comes to the hospital. Mostly because I have never given birth before... I know SHOCKING information! So here is what we have done to prepare ourselves, just a little bit.

  1. I went in and met with a labor nurse. She took me into a labor and delivery room and talked to me for an hour about anything I wanted. She really calmed me down.
  2. Took a birthing class. We took the express class because we didn't want to take a long drawn out class with homework and all sorts of other stuff we aren't all that interested in... I know, it might be a problem later on that we didn't spend 2 hours learning how to breath or bathe the baby. But that's why there are Grandparents and nurses.
  3. Did a trial run of going to the hospital. hahahaha. Trial run! I started freaking out. So we went to the hospital and found out that I have a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions. We were just practicing. But we know where to park, where to go and check in. All of the above.
  4. Installed the carseat.
  5. And we packed our hospital bag. Twice. Here is what we are bringing with us. 
  • DEB's bag: a robe, socks, pajamas, nursing bra, nursing tops, going home outfit (read sweatpants), slippers. I am not planning on wearing bottoms while I am in the hospital. Don't get excited, it's just that the war zone will be fresh. And I don't want (Matt) to have to wash that catastrophe.
  • MATT's bag: 2 changes of clothing, pajamas. We are planning on sending him home to get one night of sleep the night before I come home. My Mom is going to spend that night with me in the hospital. (I wonder if I told her that...).
  • OUR bag: phone chargers, Matt's tablet, toiletries (shampoo and stuff), our pillows
  • BABY GIRL's bag: two outfits in different sizes, mittens, socks, two blankets (one for sending home to the dogs to get used to her smell).
And that's everything. The hospital will take care of me (yay insurance) with all the patching up clothing I need. And same for our Baby Girl - they will provide her with diapers, onesies, and blankets. And if they get dirty? We throw them in the laundry and ask for a new one. Simple. So why would we make more laundry for Matt?

The only other thing I needed was the boppy pillow. It made feedings and getting comfortable easier. My family brought it for us the first morning in the hospital. Oh and my Kindle - which I never had time to read.

Even with the minimalist list we actually brought, I had more than enough stuff. The only thing I would change? The clothing for Eliana. No onesies and no pants with feet. Onesies because of the umbilical cord - a shirt so nothing is rubbing up against it. And pants without feet because they put a low-jack on the baby while in the hospital that they have to cut off, and its on her ankle like a little criminal. 

Otherwise we were good to go.

And remember that just because you are no longer pregnant, doesn't mean YOUR pants will fit. Think about 5/6 months pregnant in the fit department. 

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