What I Brought in My Hospital Bag

First things first- here's my little bud!!

dry shampoo - stretch mark cream - skin routine - day cream - foundation - powder - mascara - eyeliner - bronzer

I've never had to stay an extended period of time in a hospital, so packing my bag in the days preceding my due date was super stressful. Of course I turned to the internet for some help but some of the posts contradicted others and I wasn't sure what any of the actual essentials were. With the advice of my doctor and a few women I knew who had gone through it all, I compiled a bag that wasn't over-packed but had absolutely everything I needed. So for those of you who might also be looking for some guidance, this post is for you!

Beauty essentials:

Dry Shampoo: an absolute must. My labor ended up taking 18 hours so afterward I wanted to do nothing but sleep for days. Easy hair maintenance was a blessing. Dove Refresh + Care dry shampoo is my absolute favorite. It doesn't leave your hair feeling gross (even after a few days) and has a really nice (really subtle) scent.

Stretch Mark Cream: Palmer's stretch mark cream does a great job preventing stretch marks, but does not reduce their appearance if you already have them. I used this as I started noticing a few and I think it did a good job of stopping them in their tracks. It's also super moisturizing so it works wonders for when the stretch marks get a little itchy. I'm on the look out for a stretch mark cream that reduces their appearance instead of prevents them- if anyone used a great one let me know! Also, if I find one worth talking about I'll include that info most likely on my Instagram! (elizabetht.taylor) 

Skin Care: of course bring your favorite skin care line. For me these products (and one more that I'll talk about) made me feel more at home as well as refreshed as possible. 

Makeup: a lot of blogs say to leave the makeup at home because you'll never need it or want to apply it at the hospital....that's crazy talk. When the photographer rolled around and wanted me in some photos with the new little guy I was so grateful I packed my makeup basics. Also, when the majority of my family visited I didn't want to look exhausted/a little gross, so it was nice to throw on some foundation, bronzer, blush, and mascara. 

Day Cream: For the times when it was just Matthew, my mother, and I, I went the no-makeup route and used a small amount of this Caviar Day Cream. It's light and refreshing and helps to combat that hospital air. I highly recommend bringing your favorite day cream. 

Clothing Essentials:

Comfortable Pajamas: For most of labor I wore my own robe. I brought this silky/lacy robe because it's so comfortable and homey and I knew I'd feel better wearing it. However, I did eventually have to change into one of the hospital's gowns- but as soon as I could I was back into my own! As my robe didn't have an opening on the back like the hospital needs, next time I will bring a comfortable custom hospital robe from one of the many Etsy accounts that make them.

Another important piece to bring is a nursing-friendly pajama top. For the next few days that I was at the hospital I lived in this robe/pajama top combo. A button down top is perfect for the hospital and all the tummy checks they do on you and all the times the lactation consultant will want to check on you. It can also be nice and modest for the millions of other hospital personnel who stop by as well.

On-the-Way-Home Outfit: Your going-home clothes will still want to be pretty comfortable as you yourself are still probably not feeling so great. I also wanted to look decent though, because my family are all huge photo op people so just in case a camera popped out I wanted to remember this moment as elegantly as possible. I opted for the same top I wore in this post, simply because it's super comfortable and I knew it would hide all my weird bumps, these flats (similar linked) because they look nice but are like walking on clouds, and lastly a simple pair of black leggings.

The last thing I'll share are these three products that I think were just life savers at the hospital. I used Body Prescriptions Vitamin C face wipes morning and night and it made me feel so much better after a long day of various tests or a long night of no sleep (thanks Theo 😉). At night I would also apply this spot corrector because my skin HATED the hospital air. While I could feel acne trying to form, this stuff stopped it before it became anything visible. Lastly, any sort of lip balm at all. The air is stale and dry at hospitals and moisturizers, lip balms, and things of that sort will be your best friend.

I hope this post pointed anyone in need in the right direction preparing for their hospital stay! If anyone has specific questions (what to bring for daddy....what to bring for new baby...etc.) leave them in the comments, I'd love to answer them!

Happy Wednesday/spring break!!

  

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