Checklist

For my first baby - I packed all the recommended stuff, a tennis ball for my husband to massage my back, mp3 player with calming music, my exercise ball (for sitting on more comfortably), etc. ad nauseum. I used NONE of it. As soon as you are put in the birthing room at the hospital, they'll hook you up to the monitor, and then you won't even be able to get out of bed to pee!

The second time around, I packed an overnight bag with my toiletries and changes of clothing. I also packed a comfortable nightgown with a robe and slippers. I used what I packed this time.

Good luck - childbirth is amazing!

All I took were some clothes for myself, a couple outfits for the baby, a pacifier, some stuff to do(magazines and stuff), a snack for my husband to eat while I was in labor, and my basic toiletries. I had no need for anything else, that I hadn't brought.

all i took with me was my bathroom supplies, lip balm, a small paint roller cuz i had back labor with my kids. also need clothes to go home in i stayed in the hospital gown the whole time i was there didn't want to stain uo any of my pants with blood.

You definitely do not need what the big long lists tell you! I just took my basic toiletries, pillow, robe, and whatever I wanted to wear home, and what the baby was wearing home. If you plan on taking something to focus on during labor, or want something for relaxation, make sure you take that! I was really scared as well, especially since it was my first overnight stay in a hospital. It turned out to be a great experience and I had nothing to worry about. Best of luck to you!

the list of what to pack in books or online is crazy.YOu would need a huge bag to pack a bunchof stuff that you wont need.

I took a lot of stuff to the hospital and used almost none of it.

Pack a small cosmetic bag with whatever personal care items that you use daily- toothbrush, comb brush, shampooo -makeup if yu need it daily.

Pillows...bring a couple - my hospital was short of pillows and only gave me one sad little flat pillow. We could have used a couple for me and at least one for my husband.

we brought a heating pad- it helped with the back labor.

pajamas - the hospital gowns are quite revealing. as soon as my duaghter was born. I put on my own pajamas. with pants and a top- I didnt like the hospital gown..

I was too hot to wear a robe... but I had a fever and it took a while for me to cool down.

The hospitla will provide special underwear for you- they will give you jumbo maternity maxipads...

one outfit for the baby to wear home.

other than that I dont think you need much.

think about it like an overnight stay at a hotel. you'll need all that stuff...EXCEPT the makeup! make sure you have bobby pins or barrettes to pull your hair back and deodorant, a brush...something to sit in the tub w/ if you'd like to experience that state of relaxation (i highly recommend it!!)make sure you have your cell phone charger...we used that for our contact list, it's no good to you if it goes dead...stuff like that, a GOOD BRA for nursing!!! favorite pillow for you and jammies, and a pillow for dad...coming home clothes for all of you...camera and baby book...that should be about it?? i think...

make sure you pack an outfit for your husband or whoever will be staying at the hospital with you. My husband never left any of the times I gave birth. So I had T-shirts and sweats, boxers 9that kind of stuff) for him so he could shower. It helps. Really all you need is an outfit for the baby to come home in, something comfy for you to come home in, hair brush, tooth brush, shower items, flip flops to wear in the shower and while you are there (the floors in a hospital are so nasty, just think about what couid be on them, same with shower floor), you need baby carseat and blanket. You dont want to over pack. Good luck!!

I looked at some of the responses and the only thing I did not see was a carseat (which my brother forgot with his first.) You also might want to consider a change of clothes for who ever is going to be there with you. My third child we for got to bring a change for my husband and he spent the whole time in his security uniform because he came straight from work.

I had to stay in the hospital nearly one week before I had my daughter and I can say I didn't need a whole lot. The hospital had everything I needed. I made sure I had my cellphone (allowed in my room) and charger, camera, clothes to go home in, toiletries and my husband brought the baby stuff with him on the day we went home. Unless you know you are having a large baby, consider having a preemie outfit for your baby. My daughter was not quite 6 pounds but her cousin was about 8 and preemie clothes fit them both the best in the first few days. It made their hospital pictures very cute.

Hi C.,
Congrats!!! As most of the other moms said you will probably overpack. With my first son I way overpacked. With my second son all I brought was my robe, socks, comfy pjs, and bathroom stuff. While I stayed in the hospital I wore the gowns because I was constantly breastfeeding and their gowns had openings. Good luck.
Chris

With my first pregnancy I WAY over packed. With my second all I brought was pjs socks undies and a nursing bra along with bathroon stuff. I really think thats about all you need. But we are all different. So I wish you luck!

You really don't need that much.

Socks
underwear/nursing bra
clothes to go home in (maternity clothes)
tolietries
outfit for baby
pjs or something comfy to wear if you have guests (it is really hot in there!)
camera/video camera

They will give you pretty much everything you and the baby need.

Well the best advice I had in regards to this issue was from my lamaz instructor, and that was, 1. Have a game plan for how you want the delivery to go; although you can not plan out every aspect of how your labor and delivery will go it is a good idea to have a game plan. This is such a special moment in your life and you have the right to choose certain aspects of it. Like Who do you want in the room? Do you want music? Do you want someone to rub your back? Are you going to have pain management? Who will be the coach? Do you want your own pillows and blanket? What do you need to make you as comfortable as possible? Do you want the delivery to be taped(and if so what angle do you want it to be from)? Who will do that? Who will take pictures(if you want them taken right away)? Do you want your baby to do home in a special outfit? Do you want your baby to wear something other than the hospitol shirts that are already offered? Are you going to labor in a jacuzzi? If so, what are you going to wear in the tub?
Once I figured out how I planned for my labor and delivery to go it was easier to figure out what I would need in order for things to go as closely as I wanted them to go. I must say I probably looked like I was checking into a hotel when the day arrived for me to go. I was planning a all natural birth with no drugs. I wanted to labor in the jacuzzi. I wanted music. I wanted my own bathing items. I wanted my own lotion and I also wanted makeup and a brush. A video camera my digital camera and my 35mm camera. Some books to read, movies to watch, address book with phone numbers so my mother could get the call out when the time came. I brought a couple outfits for the baby along with some special jewerly items from his grandmother that I wanted to get pictures of when he was born. I had my husband as the main coach my sister as backup and of course my mother for strength. Oh yeah I didnt bring any diapers or wipes for baby because the hospitol supplies all the items baby will need.
As for the labor and delivery, I ended up needing to be induced due to pre-eclampsia so I wasnt allowed to labor in the jacuzzi because I had to be hooked up to the monitors. The nurses did allow me to relax in the jacuzzi before they started the induction so I was still able to use my suit. I wont go into detail about the whole labor and delivery, but I will say I went from not gonna use drugs to give me an epidural to the nurse telling the anisthesialogists to stop she needed to check me to you dont have to go to the bathroom that is the babys head to its too late for the epidural to my legs in stirrups and pushing all in a matter of two hours. My husband was able to video tape for a few minutes, well until right before the last push when all you see is me looking at the camera and telling my husband I think its time you turn that off now because I knew I was about to give a really good push and it was gonna get ugly (hurt really bad). My sister was able to rub my back and get my cold washclothes for my head but neither my mom or sister were in the room when my son was born (like they were supposed to be) because the anesthesiologists had asked them to leave the room for about 20 mins. because its illegal for them to be in the room while they insert the epidural (which by the way, I was not dialated at all when they arrived to give me the epidural) so I was not expecting to have the baby in the 10 mins that they had been gone. Anyhow point is although everything didnt go exactly as I had planned it helped having a rough plan of how I wanted things to happen.
So I could tell you to bring all the things that I brought but it wouldnt really work because only you can figure out what you want/need for your delivery to go your way. I would suggest though you bring a clean outfit to wear home for yourself because that was the one thing I forgot. So I ended up wearing home what I came to the hospitol in and I would have rather had a clean outfit. Just remember to enjoy this special moment and dont be too h*** o* yourself if your plans have to be altered. And make sure you are only surrounded by the ones that you WANT there....Good luck and please let us know how everything goes

All the responses are great. Keep it simple. I would also suggest that you take a lotion or perfume that you really like. It's amazing how when you are feeling a mess, a nice smell can perk you up. And don't forget the carseat! I took a journal to the hospital for my second baby and when she was sleeping I wrote a detailed account of that day and how everything had happened. Some of those specifics you just don't remember later. I hope she likes to read it someday. Congrats!!

I agree, alot of that stuff on those lists is not needed. I tried to pack it all and barely used any of it.
For me, all I really needed was comfy clothes, slippers, and my normal bathroom necessities. It felt really good to shower, do my hair and put makeup on, so if you are up to it, you will probably want that stuff there. Otherwise, you will most likely be busy with baby, visiting, or trying to get some rest. And, you should try to get rest if you can. You might want to bring your own pillow if you think that will help.
For baby, the hospital pretty much gives you everything. If you want a special outfit to take them home in, that is probably all you really need.
Also, don't forget the camera and phone numbers for anyone you want to call from your room.
And, if you forget something, I am sure there will be plenty of people willing to get you whatever you need, after you do all that hard work!

Definately a robe and the clothes to wear home as well as the babies.But I also took a book and some magazines..The book was a book I was reading and the magazines for my hubby and whoever else was there.I also packed snacks for my husband.Things like Little Debbie snacks and maybe small bags of chips.Stuff like that.So he would not leave me everytime he got hungry.Also chapstick.Your lips will get so dry especially if you have to wear the oxygen mask at all.As far as underwear or a nightgown for you, I would not bother.You are going to bleed so much that it will leak through whatever you have on.So it is best to just wear the hospital gown and the lovely fishnet underwear they give you...haha..Good luck with everything and this will be the best experience of your life..