The Hospital Checklist

By Bella Bellies Owner Anne Martens

Here is a list I comprised based on my experience as a Mother, Doula & Child Birth Educator.
The items below are not all necessary, pick and choose what is most appropriate for you.

Papers

• Registration Papers Requested by Hospital for Admittance
• Ask health care provider and also, inquire about during hospital tour
• Papers Photo Copied By Health Care Provider from Patient Chart
• If your health care providers requests you to carry this information around
• Insurance Card for Mom
• Insurance Card for Dad / Assisting Partner
• Just in Case
• Insurance Card for Baby
• Or other paper work required from your insurance company and hospital
• Photo ID for Mom
• Photo ID for Dad / Assisting Partner(s)
• Birthing Plan, Postpartum (relates to Mom) Care Plan & Postnatal (relates to Baby) Care Plan
• Bring several copies, for all the:
•  health care providers over-seeing your care and baby's care
•  for all the nurses over-seeing your care and baby's care
• possible student nurses over-seeing your care and baby's care 
• possible interns / residents over-seeing your care and baby's care
• List of Phone Numbers for Family, Friends & Postpartum Support to Call When Baby is Born
• Consider bringing two sheets, one for you and one for your partner
• If you have a postpartum doula or baby nurse ensure their information is on the sheet
• If not using a cell-phone, or not permitted to in the hospital, bring a pre-paid phone card
• List of Helpers for the Home
• Examples would include trusted individuals to care for your pets, garden, mail and other household concerns
• Name and Contact Information for Your Baby’s Pediatrician
• Also, bring any necessary paper work your baby’s pediatrician requests
• Name and Contact Information for Your Primary Care Physician You Will be Released to After Your Postpartum Follow-Up Appointment with your Midwife / Ob-Gyn / Nurse Practitioner Postpartum
• A Timer for Timing Contractions and Scrap Paper For Documenting
• Optional, only do this if comforting to you
• Labor & Delivery Book Provided to You in Child Birth Education Class
• Optional, if it is comforting to you
• Baby Book
• To put Mom’s, Dad's and Baby's Hospital Bands into, Baby's first foot prints, Baby's first hand prints, Baby's birth chart, Baby's AGAR , Date and Time of Baby's Birth,  and Signatures of Loved Ones Who Visited Mom & Baby in Hospital (you can request no visitors)
• Book, Magazine or Cards for Early Labor

Electronics

• Hand Held Fan

• Music
• Head phones for music

• Only bring if comforting
• Cell Phone
• Cell Phone Charger

• Camera
• Consider an extra memory card for camera
• Consider extra batteries for camera
• Any labor support tools that are electronic such as massage instruments
• Consider bringing extra batteries
•  Breast Pump; Although the Hospital Usually Provides One
• However, if you have a favorite breast pump bring it along with the charger
• Or, if you would like support from the hospital staff on how to use your specific breast pump bring it along

 Toiletries

• It is often expected for ones partner to stay for labor, birth and postpartum. Ensure your partner reads through this check list too and brings his / her necessities.
• Eye Glasses and / or Contact Lenses & Lense Solution
• Lip Moisturizer
• Lips Tend to be Dry During Labor
• Hair Bands, Hair Ties or Barrettes
• Tooth Brushes
• Enough for a long hospital stay
• Tooth Paste
• Dental Floss
• Mouth Wash
• Have Tooth Brush, Tooth Paste, Dental Floss and Mouth Wash available for labor too –sometimes this is refreshing, depending on the woman
• Common during labor for the laboring woman’s smell to become very acute. Therefore, her partners smell (breath and body) should be fresh
• Possibly a Hair Dryer
• Massage Lotion for Labor Comfort and Postpartum Comfort
• If you are sensitive to toilet paper, bring your own
• Dermo-blast ®, with the red cap or other pain management medication your health care provider approves of
• Usually hospital provides one for you
• Tucks pads or witch hazel for swollen hemorrhoids
• Usually the hospital provides some for you
• Ice packs for swollen vaginal & rectal area
• Usually the hospital provides some for you
• Heat pads for a swore belly (postpartum) and back (labor and postpartum)
• Ice packs for chest and back (labor)
• Nipple Cream, Laninosh ® tends to be popular
• Breast Pads

Clothing / Footing

• It is expected for ones partner to stay for labor, birth and postpartum. Ensure your partner reads through this check list and brings his / her necessities.
• Leave at Home Anything You Do Not Want Permanently Stained
• Socks  (you feel comfortable throwing out), 7-10 pairs
• Slippers with a Skid Proof Surface on the Bottom
• Heavy Socks if Feet Become Cold
• 1-2 Flip Flops 
• One Pair for the Shower
• One Pair for Slippers
• Bathing Suit for Birthing Tub (if a tub is available)
• You May Also Consider the Medela **Black** Sports, Nursing Bra for the Birth Tub
• Robe or Night Gown That Opens in the Front
• May be stained during labor and postpartum, consider a dark color
• May consider one for labor and one for postpartum
• Sweater that Opens in the Front
• May be stained during labor and postpartum, consider a dark color
• May consider one for labor and one for postpartum
• If you are sensitive to towels and products used to wash towels, you may consider bringing your own towel(s)
• Typically, you can notify the hospital staff of your sensitivities and they can accommodate
• If you are sensitive to bed sheets and products used to wash bed sheet, you may consider bringing you own bed sheets
• Typically, you can notify the hospital staff of your sensitivities and they can accommodate
• 7-10 pairs of cotton underwear you do not mind throwing out
• Large enough to manage a swollen tummy & a maxi pad
• You may consider breathable, mesh underwear
• Avoid nylon underwear
• You may consider a change of clothes for the day(s) you are in the hospital, although the hospital does provide you with a gown
• A change of clothes, may make you feel refreshed
• Select dark clothes
• Select clothes that will provide for a pregnant / swollen belly
• Select clothes you do not mind staining
• You may consider bringing nursing bras for your stay in the hospital
• You may consider bringing 3-5 nursing tanks for your stay in the hospital, in place of nursing bras
• If you are interested in wrapping your abdomen, rib cage or hips postpartum, bring your support belt / wrappings
• Clothes to wear home
• Your belly is swollen postpartum, so you may consider wearing your maternity clothing postpartum
• Shoes to wear home
• It is common for women’s feet to swell slightly postpartum, especially if they have had additional IV fluids
• Consider selecting shoes such as flip flops that have space
• Clothes you would like your baby photographed in for newborn pictures
• Common for the hospital to have an on-site photographer. In the days following baby’s birth, this photographer will photograph your newborn baby (usually, with your permission).
• Most parents are comfortable with the clothing provided on behalf of the hospital, but if you would prefer a different outfit bring that along
• Remember baby will have his / her umbilical cord stub
• Clothes to bring baby home in
• Remember baby will have his / her umbilical cord stub
• Hat for baby to come home in
• Sometimes the hospital will provide you with a cap
• Blankets for baby to come home with 

Comforting Measures for Labor Not Already Mentioned

•  Snacks for mom (if allowed) and for mom’s support partner

• Hot Rice Sock or Heating Pad
• Rolling Pin or Tennis Ball for Back Ache
• Ear Plugs, hospitals are loud
• Aromatherapy Scents (Light Scents)
• Home Pillow, with a Distinct Pattern (may become stained)
• Home Blanket (may become stained)
• Sentimental Items that Bring Mom Comfort
• Focal Point
• Favorite Picture, Family Picture or Ultra Sound
• Fitness/Birth Ball
• Cold Wipes for the Forehead

Other Items / Points to Consider

• Bubbly Cider for Celebrating
• Extra Bag for All the Hospital Goodies You May Receive
• Leave at Home Jewelry and Expensive Items
• You May Consider Leaving at Home Your Ring(s) as it is common for the hands to swell postpartum
• Leave at Home Lots of Cash or Valuables
• If you do not want to bring your own snacks,  you may consider quarters or dollar bills for snacks from the vending machine when the cafeteria closes.
• For the drive to the hospital, you may consider a large plastic bag or inexpensive, plastic shower curtain, against the car seat and a towel, in the **rare** event you water breaks during your car ride to the hospital
• On your bed at home, you may consider placing a shower curtain or mattress protection underneath your fitted sheet in the **rare** event your water breaks while you are resting on your bed
• Gifts for the Nurses, maybe a box of chocolates, this is not expected of you
• Once in the hospital, Consider Requesting  Bags for Vomiting or Bring Your Own, just as a precautionary measure
• If you would like baby to bottle feed from a particular bottle, bring those bottles along
• **Have your car seat installed and ready for baby**

Here is a great link from the Cleveland Clinic: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/Documents/OB_GYN/Pack%201.pdf