Hospital Bag Musts!

Hey ladies! A frequent question I get from soon-to-be moms is what do I pack in my hospital bag because there are so many different opinions and views on exactly what the necessities are when delivering. My first time around, I went to Pinterest for answers and found a lot of similarities and of course a lot of differences depending on the person. All in all, I wanted the absolute musts.

 Our birth plan with Tylar didn't go as expected (read about that here) so I literally took with me the bare of the bare minimum and I'm pretty sure the morning my water broke I was half asleep and took a half empty bag of stuff since we were packed to go back home. Anyways, this time I'm packing a little bit more based on things I wish I had or things I did have but needed to be modified a little, which I'll get into.

For my hospital bag musts I specifically chose items I would get the most use out of. 

One: Starting with nursing friendly pj's. I typically sleep in my husband's t-shirts because they're like a dress on me and so comfortable. However, I didn't realize that having to nurse in them would be the biggest pain! Not exactly an easy task especially when you're still figuring out how to do the dang thing. Soooo, I opted in for a different pair this year. These pj's have been reviewed by several other bloggers as being super soft and perfect with the buttons in the front. They are currently in my cart, but I plan on buying them within the next two weeks so I will give my full review on them later. They do come in the short/tee version along with a long sleeve and pant version for you mamas who are delivering later this year.

Two: Nursing Bras. I was just talking to a friend the other day about them and how I got mine from Amazon with Tylar and it was perfect for me. It was more of a sports bra fit (like the ones shown above aka no wire or cups) and was super soft. I also loved that it was easy to go from a regular bra to nursing in under 5 seconds. Also, washing it was easy peasy which you will be doing a lot of. This year, I opted for the 3 pack because only having one was kind of a pain. Anytime it was in the wash, I was stuck wearing a regular bra and trying to nurse in those, again, not an easy task.

Three: A robe. I didn't buy one with Tylar because it seemed to be one of the most controversial items. Some said yes all the way and some said so not necessary. Let me tell you, if you don't mind being in a hospital gown then you're good, no robe needed. I however, hated the feeling of them and walking around in them. A robe would be much more comfortable not only for the hospital but for every day when you're at home and putting on clothes just doesn't sound awesome. Our summers get up into the 90's so wearing pj's everyday won't always be what I have in mind. Now, I chose this robe for the sheer fact that it was rated super high, comes in lots of colors AND it's a pretty good price. The same company also has Labor gowns that I'm really digging for nursing purposes and it's a tank style which again, with our heat, is perfect!

Four: Hanging Toiletry Bag, not a necessity for everyone but I found myself digging through my bag for things and I remember thinking having one set bag for all my shower and cosmetic items would have been nice. I wear contacts so I always have contacts and solution with me in addition to my glasses, shampoo, conditioner, face wash, face lotion, chapstick, hair ties, hair brush, toothbrush and toothpaste to name a few. This bag was rated super high, comes in adorable prints like this flamingo one and the big compartment on the bottom has pockets inside it to help keep you even more organized! Plus, it's $12!!!!

Five: Hair Ties. These are a super popular item right now and I can see why. They hold your hair well and are easy to get in and out. Plus, no hair ties snapping while trying to pull your hair back! I got these in the mail a couple weeks ago and absolutely love them! When they first came in I was shocked at how small they were and I have super thick hair so I thought there is no way these are going to work for me. I was so wrong. These are awesome and will most definitely be thrown into my toiletry bag!

Six: Rubber slip on sandals for the shower. You may be someone who doesn't mind being barefoot in the shower (and I don't for my own) but when it comes to other showers, my mom instilled in me as a child when I was going to camp as a kid, you wear shoes in the shower or you'll get a foot fungus. Now, I'm sure hospitals are a lot cleaner than those camp showers were, but hey better safe than sorry. Plus, you never know how slick the ground can get when wet, so the shoes will also give you a little more stability.

Seven: Brush, particularly a wet brush. I'm not sure what crazy voodoo these brushes have but I swear I was always the kid getting her hair ripped out when trying to brush it because curls and brushing aren't always a dynamic duo. Not much more to say besides these brushes are amazing, I use mine every time I get out of the shower and it will most definitely be going in my bag!

Eight: Boppy Nursing Pillow: When you're crazy tired and basically zombie status--trying to feed a crying newborn can be exhausting on your body and mind. Enter in boppy pillow...it helps you nurse and keep baby comfortable and cozy. This isn't a necessity for everyone but when you're sore and tired, it was nice to have it to assist me. If you don't have one, you can always use a pillow, I just thought the boppy was way easier and convenient for me.

Nine & Ten: Slippers and Fuzzy Socks!! Hospitals floors are freezing and sometimes the actual hospital can be cold. During labor and delivery my feet were freezing so they gave me those awesome hospital socks. I definitely didn't think about bringing my own and I so wish I would have in addition to some slippers. Having something soft on your feet when you're getting up every hour or so will be nice to have especially when you're getting out of bed to use the restroom. I am a major slippers girl to begin with, so having these with me is a no brainer. However, socks are another story. I have them for the winter months when it's freezing out and I'm curled up under a blanket, but I am not a regular sock wearer so bringing a pair never crossed my mind. Not until I had Tylar, did  I understand how much I wish I had packed my own pairs of fuzzy socks. If you've ever worn hospital socks you know what I'm talking about.

Okay, so those are my ten must have hospital bag items. Now, I didn't include all the other little items like snacks, ipad, phone charger, toiletries, etc. Again, I wanted to include items that I got the most use out of and the items I couldn't just have my hubby pick up or bring if I forgot. These are all items you'll want to have in your bag ready to go!