Hi there!
I’ve never done a post on what goes in my hospital bag each time I have a baby, but have always enjoyed reading what other people bring, so here’s my list!
Now this list is by no means exhaustive because I’m a classic over-packer! And honestly I’ll spare you the things like my going-home outfit (just something comfy and oversized!) and toothbrush, etc which of course are all necessary. I’m just going to share a few of the fun things I enjoyed packing. 😄
First, after having gone through this more than a few times, we decided to get a new diaper bag – one that I’ll enjoy using and that will keep my hands free later on when I’m out and about. Enter the above backpack! I love this one and it’s on sale for about $30 on Amazon right now. It has various compartments too, which is super helpful for us moms. 😉
Second, this one won’t fit in my bag (ha!) but it’s a must. Some hospitals have them, but with Covid-19 and all, I’m more comfortable bringing my own (God bless my husband for agreeing in advance to haul it in for me!). Anyways, there are lots of options for these exercise balls but they’re not expensive and I picked a color that I love, “dusty rose,” so I’ll remember to use it daily. It does so much – relieves back pain, provides great stretching support, you can lean on it for relief during the many pains of pregnancy and labor, strengthen your quads, and later on it’s good for ab exercises (I won’t worry about that now though 😆).
Next up – snacks! These have a reputation as the snack I reach for during labor and during the weeks after. And – it has to be this specific flavor too. Have you tried them? They’re not easy to find although I initially discovered them at Costco, because they no longer carry them. But I’ve found them on Amazon and Walmart.com. These are the pomegranate-vanilla flavored Sahale cashews. YUM! And if I pace myself, they give a good bit of light energy during the first phase of labor before transition – after which food is dead to me. 🙃😆
Next is the gift Matt always picks for our new little one. Isn’t this one adorable?? He always finds a sweet stuffed animal and this one is no exception. ❤️
Next up are these lovely favorites of mine – some essential oil products from EO/Everyone products. They’re pretty gentle as far as smell goes so if you want something more potent you might search elsewhere – but these rollable ones were only $8.99 each and the Body Oil has the most wonderful lavender smell. I think my in-laws bought us the Body Oil off of Amazon, and I use it to massage my little ones’ growing pains, and also instead of lotion on my dry hands at night because the scent is so soothing.
I’m also including my new SkinTwin Beautycounter foundation that matches my skin perfectly and has skincare built into it with hyaluronic acid for extra moisturizing benefits. It doesn’t crease, rub off, or look unnatural and you don’t need to use face cream under it. Win! I’m also planning on bringing my cream blush in the color caramel. It blends beautifully and adds the perfect almost peachy sun-kissed color (which I’ll appreciate a day after labor when I’m at my palest!).
Some other must-have’s are my Honest Beauty Makeup Remover wipes ($7 on Amazon!) with skincare in it so I don’t have to bother with facewash, along with my Honest Beauty Mascara+Primer which is gentle enough that I don’t have to worry about removing perfectly. Also some “Body Butter” from Trader Joe’s, my Schmidt’s natural deoderent, lip vaseline (which strangely is the ONLY thing my dry lips will tolerate these days!), an adorable newborn outfit to bring my beautiful little princess home in, and last but not least, my favorite Rosary to hold onto – even if I’m not able to pray it – during labor.
That’s ABOUT it for the fun stuff! I still need to get the kids’ bags ready and add in some last minute essentials. But I must say, usually I’d be scrambling in a big way at this point (36 weeks pregnant and my babies come early), but with all the chaos and worry of these days, I think Matt and I are mostly valuing being mentally ready and trying to keep our unity as a family so we can get through this next phase together, stronger, and holding on to our trust in God. <3
Please pray for us the next few days, friends! I might pop in again because writing and sharing on my blog and new public IG handle @alleluiaisoursongblog, is keeping my racing mind somewhat occupied since I’m not able to move around easily anymore. 🙂 God bless!
Love,
