Okay, maybe not Joe*, but WHIMSY CERTAINLY LIES. Here I had you all het up about INQUIRY WEEK and I've gone and blown it. Day 1: of the good, there was an actual inquiry. Day 2: no inquiry, but at least a post. Day 3: no inquiry, no post – what is this world coming to! We’re on Day 4 now, and I have another inquiry – but this one breaks my original promise of including an inquiry that encourages participation from the lovely subset of readers at The Creamery who don’t have kids. I am still (technically) one of them, and it seems ridiculous to ignore my own KIND.
Anyway... I guess I'm ignoring my own kind (please say you still love me and we'll see what tomorrow brings) because the INQUIRY for today is based on a bag that I have sitting in my closet. It’s the HOSPITAL BAG, my friends, and I have a gazillion lists that tell me what should go in it. I understand the basics like toiletries and a change of clothes and underwear and things for Bean and swim trunks for Chip and whatnot. I’m more curious about some real-world experience. (And before we continue, let me add that I know this is an early request. The bag in my closet is not packed in any way whatsoever. But it sits on the floor, mocking me with it’s wide open maw and I’ve been trying to figure out how to get all the junk they tell you you’re gonna need in there without also breaking Chip’s back. Please help.)
Without any further delay, our INQUIRY for the day, courtesy of Chip's back and that bag in my closet:
I'd like to know...
- One thing that you brought to the hospital that you loved - that you found totally indispensable.
- One thing that you WISH you'd brought to the hospital that would have been a lifesaver.
- One thing that you brought with you that you never used, that you maybe never even unpacked, that you looked at later and wondered what you'd ever been thinking to bring such a thing.
Go.
* And please oh please say you remember this reference. If not, I feel sad. And Lloyd Dobbler feels sad. And so does Joe.
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12 comments:
Ha ha! Thanks for keeping the non-mommy contingency in your thoughts!
Actually, I am really pumped to see folks' answers so I can chat about this with my soon-to-be-mommy sister this weekend. Fun! And anything organizational gets my heart racing. NERD.
* I never get pop culture references BECAUSE I am such a big, big, NERD who lives in my own little world.
Listen, don't get all "I know it's not time to pack the bag yet" with me! Isn't this baby due in March? It is now mid-January! DO IT!
Anyway, the Inquiries...
1)Slippers/fuzzy socks. It was cold as hell in the hospital where I had AD and since I wore a gown pretty much the whole time, it would have looked pretty dumb to be wearing shoes
2)Cell phone charger. BAH.
3)Makeup. Useless. I wasn't in the mood and DIDN'T CARE about pictures like I thought I would.
We at The Creamery are serving HUMANKIND with our SELFLESS SEARCH for ANSWERS to LIFE'S MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. Questions like what I should bring to the hospital. Glad I could help, Artemisia! Happy to oblige! It's turned into All Pregnancy All the Time around here and I'm glad I haven't driven you off.
Joe lies is from Say Anything. If you haven't seen it, it's lovely.
Also from Say Anything:
-I don't want to buy anything sold or processed, or process anything bought or sold, or sell anything processed or bought. Basically I just want to hang with your daughter.
-I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen.
-The rain on this car is a baptism. The new me. Power Lloyd. My assault on the world begins now.
And Tessie, you called me on it. Baby's due March 10. Things might begin sneaking into the bag very soon.
I still love you whiiiiiiiiimsy!!!
So, my dear friend Sarah over at losbradley.blogspot.com...when she had wee Lenotchka she brought Harry Potter for herself but her Hubs ended up reading it while waiting for her in recovery so that was one of those life saver things that wasn't used as intended. I agree with Cell Phone Charger. Although, given the Husband's LOVE of technology, half our packing space will be various techie gadgets and they're chargers and cables and wires. We are hopeless yuppies.
Anyway, I'm planning on making a Birth mix for my iPod and taking that, with headphones so that when the Husband gets irritable i can tune him out instead of...oh, biting his face off.
I'm also planning on socks because when my feet get cold I can't concentrate on anything else. And a good book because I understand that Labor...sometimes takes a while. And also my Mayo clinic book in case there are trust issues with the Doc delivering the child. I love being a backseat medical practitioner.
I agree with Tessie, make up is useless but hair bands will come in handy. OH! Lip balm! If you get all chappy you'll want something.
Snacks for Chip, or cash for vending machines...the man will get hungry and then grumpy because the blood sugar will aplumet.
Hmmmm. That's all I can think of, well, beyond the normal list they gave you. And Sarah also took 2 separate bags, a big one for her and Layne and a small one with Baby stuff in it. It's just an idea...that way, nobody gets broken.
I'm going to chime in on this one. Having gone thru this 4 times I would tell you to keep it simple. You won't be in the hospital for long.
1.Comfy socks
2.Comfy jammies-I recommend they be 2 piece and buttons down front-no nightgowns-otherwise you'll be breastfeeding with your jammies bunched up under your chin.
3.Extra change of undies
4.Whatever you and baby want to wear home from hospital-don't get too ambitious-wear your favorite maternity clothes-skinny jeans won't come into play for a while.
5.Toiletries-
6.Forget books for you. You won't be reading!
7.If you rely on music to relax or work out to take some. Otherwise leave it.
Bottom line-take whatever you want to-who cares if you never use it. If it brings you comfort knowing you have stuff-"just in case"--then by all means load up.
Also-I would highly recommend nursing bra and "Gs". They are fabulous and make a huge difference!
1. Good snacks. I'm starving after I give birth. For like two years.
2. A dvd player and movies. There was never any weepy girly movies on which is exactly what I needed to accompany the hormone crashes.
3. Pretty, new jammies. You just bleed all over them!
1. a robe,for when you have visitors or for walking around....but just wear the hospitals pajamas as they work best for nursing and all that "stuff" they have to check.
2. Shampoo and soap. I assumed they'd have at least some little ones in the bathroom, but they didnt.
3stuff to read...I had no desire.
1. Still camera and video camera!
2. Different sizes of clothes for the baby. I only brought one (very cute) onesie, which turned out to be far too large.
3. My own jammies/robe/slippers. Way too many fluids leaking out of my body to wear my own stuff.
LOVE Say Anything.
Ok, this isn't something to put in the bag, but for the one hospital birth that I had, this was absolutely THE MOST IMPORTANT, MOST INCREDIBLY Valuable Bring-A-Long...
A DOULA.
Yes, I'm talking about a birth doula. My first birth was hard and long, and the only thing that I really credit with allowing me to not be an un-necessary C-section statistic was having a wonderful, patient, inspiring, experience birth doula with me.
So very, very, very, worth it. She helped with every part of labor, even before labor began, was a great resource for information (I took a birthing class with a wacky instructor, it was not that helpful, but talking with the doula was incredibly helpful), and my doula really really helped get the baby positioned right to latch on shortly after birth. I credit her with saving me from C-section and with helping me get the baby started with breastfeeding.
so my advice is Put a Doula in Your Bag and you'll be good to go!
:)
That said, my doula also brought some great tricks with her. Having a hot compress on my back felt great. Here's what she used: a big white tube sock, doubled up, with uncooked rice inside it. Microwave the sock and it makes a great hot compress. Helped with the back labor a lot.
What I brought with me that was never used and and never useful: a John Lennon CD (my favorite song: Imagine) --- I never did find any time or interest in listening to music during birth.
What I wish we'd brought: food for my husband. I wanted to eat so badly, but the hospital wouldn't let me. My poor husband, though, he ended up with a couple of candybars from the vending machine to help him through supporting me in 18+ hours of labor.
Good luck! I hope my comments are helpful!!
Pann,
Your comments are very helpful! This late in the game, I don't know if getting a doula is an option for us, but we've heard nothing but FABULOUS things about going this route. Thank you so much.
It's really great to see the range of perspectives and to get a good idea of what you all have learned from the whole pregnant experience.
What I brought to the hospital and loved:
Body wash, shampoo, comb, money for Jared to get snacks from the vending machine, toothbrush, toothpaste, an extra pillow and blanket (incidentally, I personally didn't use these... Jared did), car seat for baby, diaper bag for baby (it helped to have it fully stocked, because we sometimes go out to eat after being discharged from the hospital), an extra pair of panties, a digital camera (for video taping and photographs), nipple cream
What I WISH I had brought:
Nothing that I can think of to be honest... well, maybe a Gameboy for Jared to entertain himself when he had nothing else to do after the baby was delivered.
What I brought that I didn't need:
Back massager, head massager, hot sock... my labor went fast and I didn't use any of these things. Now, SOME people actually use these things... but I personally didn't... what else? Makeup... PERFUME (you'll be extra sensitive to smells after you give birth... you won't want to smell perfume!)
Oh... even though makeup is on the "don't bring" list... lip balm is definitely a must bring.
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