Kutsie Blog / blissful belly

What to Pack for the Hospital When Giving Birth Checklist

There are tons of websites that seem like you need to be bringing multiple suitcases just for you to the hospital. You don’t! Everything you need to bring can fit into one bag! With my son I over packed. I ended up not needing half of the things I brought. Here is what is in my hospital bag!

Hospital Bag for Mommy:

  • 1 robe
  • 2 nursing bras
  • 2 nursing tops (For the first day I only wore a robe and nursing bra or nursing tank top.) One of these can also be part of your going home outfit
  • 2 comfortable loose fitting pants/shorts: You will not want to wear anything tight, and you may just choose to wear no pants, and only your robe. The second paid can be part of your going home outfit
  • 3-4 pairs of underwear: The hospital provides you with some mesh panties, which I personally LOVED! But for those of you who may not like them I’d bring extra underwear incase of leaks. Make sure they aren’t your nice Victoria secret panties, just comfortable ones that you don’t mind getting dirty.
  • 1 pair of Pajamas: This may be necessary for some, but for me, I ended up sleeping in my robe and nursing bra.
  • 2 pairs of socks: You probably wont want to be walking on the hospital floors barefoot
  • 1 pair of slippers: Just in case, or if you don’t want to wear socks, slippers will do.
  • Toiletries: Travel size shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, body wash, face wash, hair brush & hair ties, and a small bag of make up like foundation, mascara, and chap stick.
  • Chargers/Memory Card: phone and camera chargers. Also an extra memory card for your camera if need be.
  • ID, hospital forms, change/cash for any vending machines
  • Eyeglasses/Contacts: cases, solutions.

Hospital Bag for Daddy: (can easily be fit into your bag or he can pack his separately)

  • 2 shirts
  • 2 pants/shorts
  • 1 pajama set
  • Tooth brush, deodorant
  • 2 pairs of socks
  • 1 pair of shoes: sneakers or flip flops
  • Phone charger

Hospital Bag for Baby:

  • Baby book with extra papers so you can get extra foot prints
  • Going home outfit
  • Blanket (more for going home)
  • A car seat

A small empty bag to fill at the hospital:

The hospital provides you with a baby outfit, baby blanket, diapers, wipes, nursing cream, pads, etc. Take whatever you don’t use home with you! It is there for you!

Let us know if you have anything you’d like to add to the lists above for the First Time Moms! 

Visit Blissful Belly Blog for more great advice!

Blissful Belly Blog
Posted on January 12, 2014
Blissful Belly Blog
Read more

8 Tips to Help You Prepare BEFORE You Become Pregnant!

“Lets have a baby!”

Easy enough for the men to say! It gets a little tricky for us women though. If getting pregnant is something you are planning to plan with your man, then there are certain steps to take, starting after the phrase “Lets have a baby!”

  1. Are you on birth control? Doctors recommend you are off birth control, and have a few cycles before you start the baby making. Give your body time to figure out what to do now that you are off the pill, and once you have one cycle, you can start tracking it to make sure you are ovulating regularly. A little tip to help you figure out when you are ovulating is to subtract 14 from the length of your cycle. (Example: Cycle is 28 days long, minus 14, means you ovulate around the 14th day of your cycle). Of course, make sure you are still using protection until you’re ready. Even though you just got off the pill, it does not mean that you cannot get pregnant right away.
  2. Replace your birth control with prenatal vitamins. It is best to start taking the prenatal vitamins before you conceive to give you a healthier pregnancy. Also, The Centers for Disease Control believe if you take 400mcg of Folic Acid per day for no less than a month before you start trying, your chances of have a baby with neural-tube defects will decrease by 50-70 percent.
  3. Stop the partying. You shouldn’t be smoking, drinking, or doing drugs while pregnant. It only makes sense to stop doing any of that before you plan to get pregnant. Drugs, alcohol, and smoking can decrease your chances of getting pregnant, and if you do get pregnant, they can increase your chances of miscarrying, or having a baby with birth defects.
  4. Make an appointment with your OB/GYN. Sometimes it's nice to get the “all clear” before hand, just to make sure there will be no road blocks in actually getting pregnant.
  5. Weigh yourself. When you find out you are pregnant, your doctor will want to know your pre-pregnancy weight to help them keep track of how much you’ve gained during pregnancy, and how much you should be gaining.
  6. Start eating right, and continue being active. Eating healthy and being active increases your chances of having a healthier pregnancy. Avoid more than a cup caffeine a day, limit your intake of fish per week to 2 servings and avoid fish that are high in mercury.
  7. Sit down with your husband to start planning what happens next. Start budgeting, you’ll have to save for baby gear, and maternity clothes, also paying for your medical bills. How long will you take off of work after the baby is born? Will you send your baby to daycare after 6 weeks? All of these questions are good to start thinking about before trying to conceive.
  8. Once you and your husband are ready, then you know it's time! Relax and have some fun! You can get pregnant right away, or it may take a few tries, but that is okay! No stress! Getting pregnant and being pregnant should be an exciting time for you and your spouse! Good luck! Get ready for the start of a new and exciting life! 
Visit Blissful Belly Blog for more great tips and stories!
Blissful Belly Blog
Posted on January 07, 2014
Blissful Belly Blog
Read more

Blissful Belly Blog Giveaway!!

We are so excited about our latest giveaway! Blissful Belly Blog is our favorite baby and maternity blog! Click on the image below to enter to win a $25 Kutsie Baby Gift Card!

Kutsie Baby Owner
Posted on January 05, 2014
Kutsie Baby Owner
Read more
Left Continue shopping
Your Order

You have no items in your cart

Subtotal: $0.00
View Cart