I absolutely looooooooove newborns. They smell good, they're soft, and when I look into their little faces I can't help but wonder what their personalities are going to be like as they grow. So much potential in such a tiny package...
Sorry, got a little off track there!
Even though I do have a cute little baby to hold and squeeze, Zoe is now six months old and far beyond the newbie phase. But watching my friends have their babies makes me reminisce about my birth experiences. A couple of friends asked me what things I found helpful to bring with me to the hospital, so I thought it'd be fun to make a post of my favorite items that I brought with me when I had my wee ones. Hopefully this list is helpful for you prego mamas out there!
For labor:
- Essential oils and a diffuser. Keeping lavender oil diffusing helped to keep the room nice and calm. I also diffused some lemon oil during our postnatal stay; it helps to purify the air (you know, hospitals and all the lovely stuff that floats around in there) and it smells delightful.
- Flameless candles. The labor room had a little switch to keep the lights dim, but there's nothing like candles to sort of set a relaxing mood.
- Playlist. I didn't actually get around to using this while I was in labor (I thought about it but then, yet another contraction hit and that's when I decided I hated everyone and everything) but I did use it a lot in the last few weeks of my pregnancy. I made sure to be very selective about the songs that I included; only songs that would help keep me focused and calm.
- Snacks. Obviously once I was in the throws of serious labor eating was the last thing on my mind, but I did manage to take a few bites of peanut butter mixed with honey (I found these cool little packets of the stuff at the health food store) a few times which helped to boost my energy for a little while. Of course this totally depends on what your doctor is okay with, so make sure you ask.
I also brought snacks for my mom and Derek, since labor is a long ride for the coaches too.
Postpartum:
- Nursing cover. I didn't have one when I had Toby, but I remembered to bring one when Zoe was born. It came it handy when I needed to nurse while there were visitors. Of course, don't feel like you can't ask for privacy if it's too complicated to nurse your newbie with a cover; people will understand and be totally fine with being asked to step out of the room for a little while.
- iPad. This was so helpful for sharing the news of Zoe's arrival and keeping in touch with friends and family. Derek and I also took full advantage of the free wifi and caught up on our Netflix shows when there wasn't anything good on the hospital's tv.
- Nursing Pillow. After the birth I was so exhausted that I could barely keep my head up, let alone have the strength to keep my arms up while nursing. The pillow made nursing and snuggling so much easier.
- Light Sweater. It might sound kind of silly but this was probably one of the things I was most glad I brought. Postpartum hormones are cray cray, and since there was no way to control the temperature, having a light cardigan on hand was super helpful.
- Travel Size Toiletries. Instead of trying to remember to bring these things (toothbrush and toothpaste, body wash, etc.) as we were walking out of the door, I opted to pick up the small sizes of these items at the store and pack them in my bag ahead of time; I made sure to get some for Derek's Daddy Bag, too.
What were your hospital bag faves?
No comments :
Post a Comment