I have a four month old son. When I went to the hospital to have him, I brought what seemed like the whole house. Some items I could not have lived without and others I never looked at. I found all of the suggestions in magazines very confusing and sometimes just plain ridiculous. I am pregnant again now and I am determined not to make the same mistakes packing that I did with my son. Here are my suggestions about what every new mom needs to bring to the hospital.

Pack comfortable clothes for the new mom. This means nightclothes mostly. If you will breast feed the baby, be sure that the front of the outfits opens for easy feeding. After I had my son, I wore a night set that consisted of loose pants and a soft top. I suggest loose pants and a comfortable shirt to wear on the way home. Most women will not fit in their prepregnancy clothes and I was not comfortable in my maternity pants. Also, be sure to bring your own bra, underwear and socks. Some hospitals provide after birth "panties" that are huge and soft. They are comfortable but, you want your own panties to wear home. Slippers or slipper socks are also necessary. You don't want to wear only regular socks because you could slip and fall on the waxed floor.

Toiletries are always a comfort in the hospital. Bring your favorite shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, bath soap, and deodorant. The hospital will provide these if necessary, but I wanted my stuff from home so the baby would get to know those scents. Lotion and lip balm are a good idea because the air in hospitals is often dry. My hair is shoulder length so I brought hair ties to keep my hair out of my face when I was in labor and when I was bonding with my baby.

Pack a change of clothes for the new dad. Even if dad will go home while mom and baby are still in the hospital, after the birth, he may want to change clothes (especially if the labor was long).

Pack baby a few outfits if you don't want to keep him or her in the clothes provided by the hospital, which often consists of a diaper and a t-shirt. An outfit to take baby home is a must, along with a blanket for the same purpose. If you plan to use a pacifier, I suggest bringing one to the hospital. Some hospitals will provide one, but if the kind they provide is not readily available to the public, you have problems later getting the baby to accept a different one. The one item that is an absolute must is an infant car seat. Hospitals will not let parents leave the hospital without a car seat. It is also a good idea to bring the owner's manual just in case you have to adjust the straps.

I have read that women need entertainment items such as puzzle books or baby books to read. I did not find any of this necessary because I spent all of the time I was awake with my son and the rest of the time, I rested. I also took a camera and batteries because I wanted to have pictures of my son right after he was born.

No matter what you decide to bring with you, your baby will still come. Once you look into those beautiful eyes, the rest of the world will fade away. Good luck!

Learn more about this author, Casey Holley.
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