Our Hospital Bag

DAY 3 OF LEAVE (36 WEEKS AND 2 DAYs pregnant)

I had packed an almost ready hospital bag at Week 33.  To write this post, I had to unpack our hospital bag so I can take pictures of some of the stuff I have inside. Not very organized! However, with hubby in Olongapo and my siblings touring the National Museum on a whim, I'm home alone and so I have time to clean the mess I've made later. It's a good thing baby moves around in my tummy from time to time which reminds me I'm not really alone. 

I made sure to google "hospital bag checklist" before attempting to pack my own bag. You can start with Babycenter.com's hospital bag checklist  or for a local version, check out Manila Mommy's Practical Hospital Bag Checklist. In the end you will need to identify your own essentials (those which you absolutely have to bring with you) and the nice-to-haves (which you can live without but may make your stay at the hospital more comfortable) No one list is perfect since what one person may consider an essential may be just a nice to have item for another and vice versa. Or depending on the hospital or the country you're in, you may already be provided not only with the basic essentials but some comfort items as well. 

At any rate, given this is our first baby, one thing will happen for sure: I will definitely be over-packing!  Come to think of it, this delivery will be the first time I will be checking myself into a hospital as I have never been hospitalized before. I think it will be fun to go back to this post after I've given birth and cross out the things I wasn't able to use and add the things I wish I brought with me.

Here's what I have in my hospital bag so far: 

Essentials:

1. Baby's Clothes and Receiving Blanket

For baby's clothes, I brought a couple of sets of white tie-side shirts, pajamas, bonnets, pairs of socks and mittens. I placed them in a large zip-lock bag so each bag has one set of clothes that baby needs. I also placed a receiving blanket in each bag. You might also want to include an extra set or two of cute baby clothes you can dress baby in for picture-taking. I brought a (soft and easy to put on) light blue body suit, a blue bonnet and a pair of blue socks in case I wanted to dress baby in something other than white. In any case, baby's comfort is my top priority so it really doesn't matter to me what outfit he wears as long as he's comfortable. 

Each ziplock bag has:
1 receiving blanket, 1 shirt, 1 pj's, 1 pair socks, 1 pair mittens and  a bonnet

2. Disposable Diapers and Baby Wipes

If it were up to me I would cloth diaper from the start but since the hospital will probably put baby in disposables and I most probably would want to keep diaper changes brief and easy while I'm still groggy from giving birth, we bought a small pack of disposable diapers for newborns. I am not sure if we needed to buy one since I expect the hospital to provide this but we bought a pack anyway. If ever we don't get to use it we can always just bring it home to use during outings or emergencies, or I might even use them during the first week since I'm not sure if the meconium (baby's first poop which is blackish and tarry in appearance) will stain the cloth diapers. 

The baby wipes will be useful not just for changing baby's diapers but for hygiene purposes as well. I don't intend to use baby wipes on baby all the time though. At home, I'll be using cotton balls or cloth wipes and water for washing baby's bum.

Pampers Newborn size disposable diapers and baby wipes

3. Nursing Bra 

I bought one from Wacoal in Trinoma with a front clip for easy access to the breast. Or I might prefer to just go bra-less in a black or dark-colored nursing top while at the hospital.

This is not me! (lol!)
Picture of nursing bra from the internet

4. Cloth Diapers/Burp Cloths 

I plan to breastfeed so I won't be using the cloth diapers for diapering but as burp cloths to wipe drool or spit-up away.

5. Breast Pads

 I'm bringing some Pigeon breast pads that I received as freebies with the Mom Card from Baby Company (free for a minimum single receipt purchase of Php 500). I also have some disposable Nuby breast pads that were included in the Breast Pump set that we bought on sale from Youji&me. 

6. Sanitary/Maternity Pads 

I bought just one pack of Caress maternity pads at the grocery. Again, I'm expecting the hospital to provide these too and hoping I can bring this pack unopened back home with me.

7. Change of Clothes for Mommy 

I heard my tummy will still be around six months-huge even after delivery so I will be bringing maternity clothes for a change of clothes at the hospital (who knows I may choose to or be required to stay in my hospital gown instead) and for going home as well. I'll bring my rubber slippers too which most probably I will be wearing going to the hospital anyway. 

I will also be bringing a shirt or dress with buttons or a nursing top for easy access to the breast for nursing baby.

8. Change of clothes for Daddy

A couple of shirts, walking shorts and slippers for daddy in case he has to go to the hospital from the office. I wouldn't want him waiting in uncomfortable office clothes.

9. Towel 

In case we were to take a bath at the hospital.

10. His and hers toiletries 

• toothbrush and toothpaste
• shampoo and conditioner
• soap or body wash
• facial wash 
• feminine wash
• tissue
• deodorant 
• lotion 
• lip balm 
• hair scrunchies for tying long hair
• sanitizing gel / alcohol to use before handling baby
• shaving items for daddy

11. Large and comfy undies 

I bought some granny panties worth Php 30 - Php 40 from Landmark that I won't mind ruining or tossing out after.

12. Camera and Charger

For taking those sweet pictures of baby, mommy and daddy. If daddy is going to be busy, delegate this task to another relative or friend and if you like, make a checklist of what pictures you wanted taken at the hospital (e.g. mommy with baby, daddy with baby, picture of baby, mommy and daddy together etc.) 

13. Important Documents 

• Admission slip (from your OB)
• HMO Card/s if using one
• Government Issued IDs 
• Marriage Certificate (especially for newly married mommies like me) 
• Philhealth Claim Form 1 signed by your employer and Summary of contributions
• A list of things dad has to do (in case Daddy needs a guide)
• Ballpen

I decided I will bring along my SSS  Mat 2 form and HMO Enrollment Form for Additional dependent just in case my hubby needs to go to my office to submit these forms while I'm still in the hospital. I made sure to get these from our office before taking my leave. The company I work for credits the SSS Maternity benefit to our payroll account (I heard they used to issue paper checks before). I wanted to make sure I have the forms ready for submission in case I need to beat the deadline for passing them, which coincides with the cutoff for processing our payroll. Our HMO enrollment for additional dependents also has a 30-day deadline from the delivery date so to save hubby a separate trip to submit this, I'll just have him submit this as well along with the SSS Mat2 form.  

14. Cash / ATM Card

Even if you will be using a HMO card, hospitals usually require a deposit upon admission. Find out in advance how much your hospital charges for the deposit. I inquired by phone at FEU-NRMF Fairview hospital where I plan to give birth and was told that for private rooms, the deposit is Php 20,000. 

You may choose to withdraw the cash in advance a few days before your due date and put it in an envelope or, trust finding an ATM will not be a problem when you need to go.

You also want to always have cash on hand for fare money if you will be commuting to the hospital and enough cellphone credits for sending text messages and making calls. 

Also, I have a list of things to grab that I can't put in the bag yet since we use them everyday: 

15. Cellphones and chargers

16. Laptop and Charger

17.  Globe Tattoo stick

For connecting to the internet in case we have any idle time.

18. Baby Car Seat 

If you have a car, attach the infant car seat to your car in advance some weeks before your due date. Here in the Philippines, a car seat is not a requirement for bringing baby home. People take their babies home in a myriad of ways - by car, taking a cab,  riding a jeepney, or even in a tricycle, usually just cradled in mommy's arms.  Not the safest but that's life here. 

Nice to have:

1. Baby record book 

I will be bringing our baby record book along since it has pages for baby's footprint and hand print (although I don't think they take these at hospitals here in the Philippines) and has a page where baby's visitors can sign in. 

2. Bobby Pillow / Extra pillow

Just for comfort, for extra support when nursing baby or for use by daddy if he chooses to grab a nap. 

3. Extra blanket

For daddy to use when grabbing a nap - in case he will be able to get one at the hospital 

4. Snacks and drinks

For daddy while waiting and for mommy after delivery. Since some of my siblings will probably be with me at the hospital along with daddy, I'll have them take care of buying the other things we might need at the hospital like snacks, water, plastic cups etc. 

5. Socks 

For me in case it's cold and I wanted to keep my feet toasty. 

If you have a car, some find it helpful to pack 2 bags - one for things you would be needing pre-delivery and one for post. You can leave one in the car and just get it when you need it. We don't have one so it will be more practical to just pack everything in  one bag.

Our hospital bag is a gym bag that I won in a raffle at the office some few months ago. It's roomy and since it's a gym bag it's perfect for daddy- plus of course I got it for free! 

Our hospital bag - had to blur the company name!