Getting ready to pack...

[Elizabeth]

I am getting ready to pack for the hospital and have a few questions for those of you who have made it to the other side...

1) What is the one thing you couldn't have lived without at the hospital?

2) What is the one thing you took with you but didn't need?

3) What is the one thing you wish most you would have thought to take with you?

Thanks so much for all your help and encouragement over the past few months!!

[EmmaLacey]

I couldn't have lived without my own pillow!

I took too many clothes for myself. I thought I would change every day but i didn't. I brought one pair of sweat pants and a couple pair of jeans, but I wore the sweats every day (and night - eww!). When you are mostly just sitting around in the room you just want to be comfortable.

I can't think of anything that I wished I had brought that I didn't.

[xl1200c]

I packed alot of warm clothes, but it was super hot in the hospital rooms - so I wished I had packed clothes I could layer better.

A good thing for us to have was David's music. We brought CDs from home of his children's music, plus tracks of his sister reading to him. It really helped calm him down when he couldn't see.

Adult medicines were good to have too. I packed my own tylenol, pepto, that kind of stuff, to keep us feeling as well as possible.

I packed way too much of everything.

[Christina's_Mommy]

Speaking of that, Christina has a glow worm that she goes to bed with. Would they let her have something like that while she is in the hospital?

[xl1200c]

David was allowed to have his toys, they even took his blanket to the operating room so they could have it to put on him as soon as they were done.

[Janet]

I went out and bought a lot of cheap t-shirts from walmart. I brought a 12 pack of water (we had a fridge in the room), cans of soup, your own PILLOW, I brought a book...did not read a page. Fiona's hospital bed was filled with her toys. The one thing that I'm soooo gald I brought was Fiona's music thingy that's in her crib...it made her so much more calm. Bring slippers too or flip flops.

[sky16cb]

I could not live without my pillow. There are nice, but to me they were really hard...
The one thing I didn't need to bring was diapers for her.

I wish i would have brought my heating pad. After sitting in those chairs in the waiting room I need some heat to help my back... Oh and for m I live on caffine. And the coffe shop closed at like 8 pm. SO I had some redbulls hide away for that pick me up that I needed.

[Abby'sMom]

I couldn't have made it without my boppy pillow! Once you are able to hold your little one again you won't want to put him down for long periods of time. The boppy allowed me to hold Abby against me not just when she was nursing but also while she was sleeping without my arms getting tired or falling asleep.

I wish I had packed some chapstick because the room was a little dry but I had lanolin in my diaper bag so it wasn't that bad. A lot of little "comforts" will be available at the hospital if you forget something either in the gift shop or from the nurses. Don't be afraid to ask if you need something.

I really overpacked but I had a "better to have it and not need it" attitude. I didn't think to bring relaxing music but that would have been nice if I thought of it!

I remember the packing process...getting organized helped me feel somewhat in control but with all my nervous energy I seemed to have a hard time making some small decisions. If you find yourself stressing over whether to bring Isaac home in his blue sleeper or his green one pack them both!
:hugg

[sarahob]

I had brought some toys that Gavin was really familiar with and that he would play with and would enjoy while his eyes were swollen shut. I had these little shakers and some links that he could shake around. The other thing that I found useful were his button up little undershirts. He had a fever for the days that followed the surgery but it was nice to put one of his own little shirts on and I didn't have to worry about pulling anything over his head. I also brought my own pillow and one of my own blankets (I'm always cold).

[jenniferann75]

just to ditto everyone else....I couldn't have lived without my own pillow. I brought books and magazines and never touched them. We borrowed a laptop from a friend and that was nice to have. The only place I found it to work at Riley's was the lobby and surgery waiting. We brought waters, pop, snacks and all of that - a lifesaver when you're hungry but don't want to leave.

[Amy K]

This is a great thread! I'm taking notes here...
Carol, Camden has a little glow worm he just got for Christmas...I was going to take it too! He tries to suck on it's nose!

I have a question....did yall shower in the hospital room? Or did you have to leave to do that?

[mrs j]

Good questions Elizabeth, im taking notes too. xx

[xl1200c]

We had the option of showering in David's room or in a special dorm set up for parents with sleeping/showering/cooking areas. I think all hospitals are different.

[Elizabeth]

Thought I would answer my own questions for those of you who are getting ready for surgery in the next couple weeks/months...

1) Pictures of Isaac pre op have been a huge comfort to me. I have also LOVED having the laptop so I could keep everyone updated.

2) We brought a bunch of movies and haven't watched a single one.

3) This sounds silly, but maxi pads. I am a breastfeeding mommy and hadn't had a period since before I got pregnant with Isaac...surprise, surprise!! I think it is stress, but I started the day after surgery. I would recommend this for any mommies, because stress does crazy things to our hormones!!

I thought it was only fair for me to answer this as well, now that I am on the other side!