Real Moms Answer: What is in Your Hospital Bag?

What is in your Hospital Bag?

It is that fateful moment. 
You know it is time to deliver baby. Maybe your water broke, maybe you are scheduled for an induction. You are moments away from meeting that sweet little someone who has made your belly a home.
It is time and you are ready.
is your hospital bag?

I am just about ready to give birth to my fifth child... and guess what? I can't remember what I usually take to the hospital!!!! Lucky for me, I am only about a 10 minute drive from the hospital. If I forget something, it will be easy to send the hubs home to get it.

I thought maybe I would share my list with you in case you need the same help I do.

I have my bag packed, but I feel like I am missing something...so I asked my friendly facebook world. First I will list what I have packed and then I will list what other moms said that can't live without! Some things I never would have thought of!

My List: (in no particular order)
Camera, batteries
Phone and charger
iPad and charger
Snacks/water for he hubs
nursing bra
PJ's easy to nurse with
Toiletries (tooth brush, brush, deodorant, cleansing face wipes, chapstick)
Socks and slippers
Boppy

My Facebook friends' List: Some are comical, most are serious! Some of these I never would have thought of so I am so glad these people took the time to comment!!!

Are you ready to make your list??

Shantel  Socks/slippers change of clothes to go home something comfy. Toothbrush and toothpaste not a while lot because I was only there less than 24 hours so I took a shower at home. Do you plan on a CSection?

 

Charisse Clothes for baby, clothes for you for the day you go home, toothbrush and toothpaste, brush, extra hair ties or bobby pins to keep hair out of my face, camera, and I made sure to bring my pillow. I hate hospital pillows. I also brought some chocolate to eat after the delivery.

Shantel Baby book for the foot prints

Tiffany  Some lanolin

Diane:  sent me this link:

http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/giving-birth/preparing-for-labor/hospital-packing-list/

Amy Ahhhh, I keep forgetting the lanolin! Shantel, no c-section. And I love the idea of a book for the foot prints. Thanks girls! Diane, I am going to read that article now!

Michelle Chapstick, lotion, something comfortable to go home in, socks, cell phone charger/cell phone, I brought a laptop

 Sean Cookies for my anesthesia provider!

Maggie R. Magadan Hair and make-up team for the after pic lol jk

Amy Carrillo Davis Thanks, Sean, you are hilarious! That for sure was not on my list! Kaidoes make really good cookies! Maggie, that is a great idea....are you a available?!

Maggie: Lol !!! I can be , I'll glam you up Tina Turner style , let me see where I can find some wigs .

Sean: I will bring the cookies! The Fentanyl ropivicaine epidural flavored cookies!:)

Lisa Ostler The only thing you NEED is you and your husband... next maybe phone. Don't over think it. If your coming home the same day... something to bring baby home in... if not. .. don't sweat it.... think comfort. .. think ease ... think minimize. ....

Quinn: You only live 5 minutes from the Hospital. Send Kai home if you forget something. and don't forget to call your photographer.

Amy: Sean Covey- you know I am gonna need that! Lisa, I think I have always been in the hospital at least three days, but Quinn is right, I can always send Kai home, he just doesn't ever hurry back;) and I have my photographer on speed dial!;)

Diane J. Walker Amy, I wonder with these storms....do you think??? Low barometric pressure, full moon, anesthesiologist on the ready...do you think tonight is the night???

Wendy  The thing that comes to mind are panties that hold big sanitary pads lol. I know they have the disposable ones tho. And a camera. Which I assume would be covered by cell phone. What an exciting time. Good luck

Carolyn:  Lol! take Kai but only if he promises to behave

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Kirsten The only things I used that I took were clothes for me, clothes for baby and a laptop. The hospital supplied diapers and what not for the babe. I was in the hospital gown the first 4 days or so and then I got to change and wore a robe the next 2 days and then put on regular clothes the day we left.

Rebecca  You need a focal point object. And I wish I had brought music with me! Snacks are a For Sure. They don't feed you lol.

Andrea  Shampoo! Our hospital didn't have any, I had the joys of washing my hair with a bar of soap

Carola: My doula suggested to have two bags: one small one with essentials for the delivery (camera, snack for daddy, paperwork, etc) and a second one with the things for after (night gown, nursing bra, clothes for baby and Mama to go home) that stays in the car (along with the carseat) until its needed.

Brandy: If you aren't getting induced then you will only need a toiletry bag and 2 outfits to wear home(2 because you could bleed on one before you actually leave) and clothes for the baby if you want to dress them. The hospital has clothes for the baby but I always took my own. We took lots of snacks and didn't end up needing them. If you dh is staying he may need to bring a Pillow and blanket. If you have a smartphone that is all u really need for music or reading material

Jessica: My must have is my own pillow. And in a colored pillow case so it doesn't get left behind. I just can't sleep well if its not my pillow. Toiletries, changes of clothes for me (including nursing bras and a different sports bra for in labor) and a coming home outfit for babe, I have a smartphone with a nice camera on it so just don't forget the charger! we took so much stuff to the hospital with the first baby and it just really isn't needed.

I am taking a book too though as with my first baby I had him at 11:11pm and I couldn't sleep at all! So I was very bored (you have to pay to have TV in your recovery room at the hospital I went to) and my husband was sleeping. So this time at least I'll have the option to read (or watch stuff on my phone...I didn't have a smartphone with my first baby)

Jennifer Toiletries, nursing gown, pillow and clothes to go home in for me and baby.

Gretchen Clothes, shoes, toothbrush, iPhone.

Oh, and shampoo.

Terri: slippers, shampoo and conditioner, my OWN pads, undies (extras), nursing bras/tanks/nightgown (day and night), my soap, clothes for me and baby, toothbrush/paste, hair brush, my pillow, and my pump, kindle (for induction),and games to play with hubby...

So, What is in your hospital bag?

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Thanks a million folks!  There are some items listed that I never would have thought of!!! In fact reading this again reminds me that I have to get my car seat ready!!!

I hope this list helps you as much as it helped me!
If We have forgotten anything, leave a comment! We can all help each other!

XOXO,
Amy

Gone Fishing Themed Birthday Party

Gone Fishing Themed Birthday Party

One year older and wiser too!
Well, that is the hope for my seven year old son anyway! If I could just get him to remember to turn in his homework I would call it a victory.

This year we celebrated his birthday with a fishing theme. He has been dying to go fishing and since we can't, this was the next best thing!

This party really was fun and easy. It was a pool party so that took up most of the entertainment and most of the decor I got at the dollar store.

I studied Pinterest for awhile and came up with a few ideas of my own. And it turned out perfect.
Sometimes I go all out crazy on decoration, but this time, I didn't. I am nine months pregnant after all and my son doesn't care about decor like my daughters do. So this little table, in a friend's pool house, was it. Simple. Easy.

 The decor was mostly edible which made clean up a breeze which made my husband happy. If you click on my pinterest link above it will take you to my idea board and there are links to find printable cards that say things like "Fish Bait", etc, but I was too lazy. So I went with pen and paper and stickers.

 Above: Swedish fish and gummy worms. Below: Ruffles and Fishy crackers.

This sign was in front of the party favors; little bags full of fishy crackers.

 The party favors:

 The prizes for the games. Gummy worms and Swedish fish.

 The cupcakes:

Because we had a pool, I only planned two games for this two hour party. We swam for an hour. Played games for about 30 minutes, then sang ahhpy birthday, did presents and swam until it was time to go home.

The Games:
Game number 1:
I totally forgot to get a picture for the first game so I borrowed one from  Kara's Party Ideas.

She shows you how to throw a super cute retro surf party. Check it out.

I bought a dowel from Walmart's craft section, cut a little notch in one end with my son's pocket knife and hot glued string to it. I cut the notch so the string would lay center on my make shift fishing pole. At then end of the string I hot glued two button magnets together to act as the hook.

I cut random fish out of old scrapbook paper and hot glued paper clips to their mouths.

Now you want to know the secret to making a "little kid game" work for big kids? Make it a timed activity. We had kids at this party aged 4-11 and everyone of them was engaged in this activity. They soon learned it wasn't as easy as they thought.

How many fish can you catch in 20 seconds? The winning catch was 6. Most kids only caught 3. It was so fun to watch. My husband timed and I took there catch off the line just to help them go faster.

Game number 2: Feed the Shark!
I free handed this majestic beast onto foam board. Cut it's mouth out with an exacto knife, made some teeth out of computer paper, glued them on and then glued the first foam bard to a second foam board for durability.

 I bought three plush fish from the dollar store, you can kind of see them in the bottom right hand corner. The goal was to feed the shark all three fish. Once again it was harder than it looked and kept all the kids engaged. Only the four year olds got to stand close to the shark, the rest had to stay behind a line created by a towel. Getting on her knees in the picture below was her own idea.

I don't think any of them got all three fish in. The game ended in a showdown between an 8 year old and an 11 year old. They both won prizes. Once again, super fun.
They have also wanted to keep playing these games everyday since the party.


We sang happy birthday,

Opened gifts,

And had one happy kid.

It really was a great time. We had it a little early because the baby is due right around his real birthday and I would have hated for him to miss out on a party. So thankful to everyone who came and made it so fun!

xoxo,
 Amy