My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

I couldn't have been more prepared and I used EVERYTHING in my bag. Happy packing!

I delivered @ Stony Brook- all the rooms are private with private bathrooms, so I didn't need a bathrobe or anything like that. If I was going to St Catherine's or another hospital where I'd have a roommate, I would definitely add earplugs and a robe, and take away conveniences like the hair straightener.

The new postpartum wing is really nice. I was told the rest of the new wing (L&D, Operating rooms, and NICU) should open to the public in September of this year. Employees have already been given the tour.

I had 3 separate bags -
1) a small tote for labor/delivery room. If you delivery vaginally @ SB, you labor, deliver and recover in the same room. You're then moved to the postpartum wing, which is currently on the other side of the hospital with the nursery.

2) a rolling duffel bag for postpartum room. This is the room that you'll be in for 2 nights or so. There's plenty of storage room (enclosed closets) to tuck your bag into so visitors don't have to trip over it.

3) a baby bag containing all of the baby's coming home stuff.

I ONLY BROUGHT BAG #1 with me when I went into labor and checked into the hospital. We left bag #2 in the car as to not clutter my L&D room. DH brought up bag #2 after I was transferred to postpartum, and then bag #3 on discharge day.


Labor & Delivery bag:
- Headband/Hair tie/pins/clip
- Washcloth (i kept dipping this in ice water and putting it on the back of my neck. It kept me so cool!)
- Chapstick
- Hard candy/lifesaver mints
- ID/Insurance card/small amount of cash (I ended up getting starbucks at 11pm one night - there's a starbucks in the lobby @ SB! LOL)
- eyeglasses
- Camera/charger
- Cell charger (I brought a 6' extension cord, too - good thing, bc my cell cord was short!)
- Snacks/drinks for DH (i brought a box of ritz crackers and they were also great for a middle of the night snack when I was up feeding the baby in the hospital)


Postpartum bag:
- 3 cotton dresses/leggings (non-maternity)
- yoga pants/tee (non-maternity)
- 3 Sports bras (*I didn't nurse, so you have to keep the girls tightly packed- I was also allowed to wear my sports bra during labor/delivery. I was told it's OK, but it has to come off if you opt for an epidural.)
- Gigantic undies: 2 per day - i bought cheapies at walmart and threw them out each night in the hospital. *STONY BROOK NO LONGER PROVIDES DISPOSABLE UNDIES. You need fuller coverage undies. PP bleeding really surprised me with DS1 - I had no idea it would be so heavy/constant, especially because I was up and walking around a lot after birth (back and forth to the NICU).
- Flip flops (the pair I wore in, AND a cheap pair to wear in shower)
- Toothbrush/paste/Mouthwash
- Deodorant
- Shampoo/conditioner/soap
- Bath Towel (the hospital towels are tiny! i brought and used a beach towel for my body and used one of their tiny towels for my hair)
- Lotion - my skin was so dry, I wonder if it was the air in there?
- Hair dryer/straightener/brush
- Makeup
- Toy/Nametag for baby's crib
- Baby blanket/hat
- Plastic bags for taking baby stuff/dirty clothes
- Boppy Pillow- even though i'm not BFing, this made feeding the baby easier after birth. My shoulders and neck were sore from bearing down and pushing.
-Package of thank you cards and a pen. I was awake and bored at 3-4am both nights with DS1 (he was in the NICU, not in my room). Middle of the night TV stinks, so I was able to write out TYs for all of the gifts we rec'd in the hospital. DS2 was in my room overnight, so no time for TY cards.


Baby bag:
- going home outfit
- blanket
- Burp cloth
- Pacifier
- Car seat

I had my baby just before 5am, was transferred to postpartum a short while later, and then had to wait for the IV fluids to finish before I was allowed to shower. i was showered and dressed by noon- it's amazing how much better i felt after showering, throwing on some makeup, and drying my hair. Shower as soon as you can!

If you like the hospital pads, ask for more. They will give you a package to take home, in addition to an extra peri-bottle. I told the nurse I didn't need the tucks pads (witch hazel pads) she brought me bc I didn't have any hemmies. She told me to take them anyway, they help bring down any vaginal swelling and relieve the sting of the stitches. She was right! They also have Dermaplast. It's a numbing spray for the stitches area and it works so well. I used up the hospital bottle and bought another bottle for home. I'm pretty sure any drug store stocks it in the first aid aisle.

*** Make sure you have room to bring home diapers/formula. Once my nurse found out that I was formula feeding and not receiving any assistance through the WIC program, she hooked me up. I was sent home with a few packages of diapers (at least 50 diapers) and a full case (24 bottles) of formula. My nurses also encouraged me to help myself to everything in the baby's crib drawers except the receiving blankets. I left the blankets, undershirts and paper washcloth things, but took the bulb syringe, bacitracin packets & gauze (for circ care), paci, diapers, and formula.

That's about it, but I'm here if anyone has any specific questions

Message edited 8/15/2011 10:34:51 AM.

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Wow, thank you!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Thank you! Great advice!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Great lists! I had DD at stony brook and was very impressed with the post partum rooms.

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Oooh...im going to run out and get the cell extension!! Great idea.

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Thank you so much! What a great list. I am notebooking this!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

This is really helpful. Thank you!

The dresses you wore in the hospital...were they maternity or regular size? What about pajamas? Did you do maternity or regular?

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Thanks so much for taking the time to right all this!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Thanks Nic, great list!

I agree on the extension cord, saved me tons already since I have been here.

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

THANKS!! Notebooking this!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

thank you for postng!!!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

wow thanks!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Thanks Nic! They didn't allow me to have anything but ice chips while in labor--not even hard candy. Maybe that was b/c I was induced?

Were you in the curtained area of L&D at all? I was there til I was ready to push (over 24 hours ).

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Posted by nov04libride

Thanks Nic! They didn't allow me to have anything but ice chips while in labor--not even hard candy. Maybe that was b/c I was induced?

Were you in the curtained area of L&D at all? I was there til I was ready to push (over 24 hours ).

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Thank you for posting!!!!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

adorable!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

You are so organized!

Re: My twice BTDT hospital bag list (Stony Brook Hosp, natural V-delivery)

Notebooked! Thank you so much for this!!!