I had planned on sharing my hospital bag blog post last week, but Mr. Dane had his own plan! To be honest, I much prefer reading blog posts where people share what they took in their hospital bags and what they actually used.  So thanks for throwing my original plan out the window , Bub I’m sure this will be the first of many times you do this, lucky you are so stinkin’ cute!

I will share my full birth story soon but for now I will just give you the short version- I went into labour Saturday morning and had a c section on Tuesday afternoon… yes, it was a long process but well worth it that is for sure!

So, let’s get into it! Here is what I took to the hospital in three parts: what I used, what I didn’t use and what I wish I would have brought.

What I used:

• 1 sweat suit- we ended up being in hospital for 5 days so one was clearly not enough.
• 1 pair of leggings + a baggy t shirt.
• 2 rompers -these were great for post birth but not so good for labouring.  I was hooked up to the non stress test (I think that’s what it’s called) so they could monitor Bub’s heartbeat and my contractions. So the rompers were not ideal for that. But post birth… PERFECTION. Use code HOLLY15 for 15% off if you decide to order!
• Bose noise cancelling headphones. I am SO happy I brought these. There is constantly sirens, announcements, babies crying (this was really tough when I wasn’t with my baby) and just disruptions in general. I put these on during the night and turned on the noise cancellation to drown out the noise, worked like a charm.
• Robe – pretty much lived in this when I was in my room post birth.
• Lipchap
• Long iPhone charging cord – LONG being the key word. The plug in is far from your bed typically so having the long one allows you to reach it without getting up.
• water bottle
• Rubber Birkenstock sandals – these are great for in the shower… hospitals are gross. Need I say more?
• Scrunchie
• Face wipes – I like the Aveeno ones best. I have sensitive skin and I don’t have any issues with this brand. Not sponsored, just genuinely like them.
• Pajamas (nighty button up style)
• Breast pump bustier. You likely won’t need this but I am exclusively pumping due to our situation. Having the bustier allowed me to pump hands free. It worked with the hospital pump so I didn’t have to bring my pump from home.
• Overnight kit – face wash, moisturizer, lip chap, wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.
• Towel- again, the hospital stuff is just nothing of the sort
• Pillow
• Blanket- I took the one my friend Jess knitted for me. It was honestly my favourite thing. It comforted me through my entire labor and postpartum- such a beautiful gift!!
• Gum
• Laptop- I was in labour for 2 full days and so we used this A LOT. I am pretty sure we watched 4 full seasons of Friends, lol
• Kleenex- the hospital Kleenex is essentially sand paper so I highly suggest bringing your own.
• Freida Mom Peri Bottle – they have peri bottles at the hospital but this one is 100 times better. Trust me. C section or vaginal delivery you will want this.
• Freida Mom Disposable Postpartum Underwear– these are maybe not necessary at the hospital per say as they have some for you to use that are actually quite nice. But I used these the last day and then the first couple of days at home and I really like them. Highly recommend these!
• Snacks LOTS OF SNACKS!  We took a pretty decent amount and still ran out. Obviously, most births aren’t a 3 day affair lol but it does happen. Luckily we have the best friends and family who came to the rescue when we ran out but I cannot stress this one… bring lots!
• G2- the purple kind to be exact. It overtop of the hospital ice tasted better than a marg on a hot summer day… okay, maybe not that good but damn near close.
• Bose Speaker- We used this pretty much the whole time I was in labour and even took it into the operating room for the c section! Loved having our fav music playing, it really set the mood!

Items I took and didn’t use:

• Poloroid camera- cute intentions but honestly just use your phone.
• Kindle – I have really been into reading lately but I much preferred to watch Friends to get my mind off things.
• Adult diapers- maybe it was because I had a c section but my flow was and still has been very light. I took these but definitely did not need them. This might be different for you!
• Make-Up- I was in hospital for 5 days and I don’t think I put makeup on once.  Maybe mascara if anything.
• Soother for Bub- he was too premature and just wasn’t quite ready for one.
• Toilet paper- this was a highly suggested item but I didn’t use it.  Maybe it was because I had a c section… again, this may be different for you.
• Fuzzy socks- I had a lot of people recommend these but I really forgot they were in my bag.

Items I wish I would have brought:

• MORE clothes- again, my mom to the rescue. I obviously wasn’t planning on being in hospital for that long so I ran out of clothes pretty quick.  Again, this is hard to predict.
• More snacks… haha
• Lee wishes he would have brought a foam or something to put on the chair / bed to make it more comfortable.

I think that’s it!!! I hope you find it helpful!

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Many of you obviously feel the same way because lots have requested I share the answers. Full disclosure,  I obviously haven’t used any of these products yet because Bub is still cooking in my tummy. But, these answers were from hundreds of moms who were excited to share their answers!

Now, remember every baby likes different things… for example: many of you suggested the Momaroo chair while others specifically suggested the cheap not so fancy vibrating chair! So, like anything you will have to trial and error these things.  What works for one baby is not necessarily going to work for another. But, after going through hundreds of responses I put together the most highly recommended ones for you! And for the LOL’s here are some suggestions that I thought were pretty funny:

• a monthly wine subscription
• a nanny
•  a sleep coach
• a sound machine that plays Ed Sheeran – I love how specific this one is haha
• prescription for nipple cream- “get that shit before your birth!”
• “a shit tonne of patients not sure if you can buy that anywhere besides the liquor store”

Here are the items! Simply click the photo and it will take you right to the link.  And for anyone who is wondering what the # 1 requested item was, it was hands down the Snuggle Me Organic! Definitely on my registry!

*of course a lot of these items are available locally so I encourage you to check in with your local boutique first!!

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I have purchased (or been gifted) some really great pieces over the past few months and I thought I would share the pieces that I have been wearing most in case you are in the same boat as me.

Little Black Dress: I purchased this one quite early in my pregnancy and it has been hands down my favourite piece simply because of it’s versatility.  Its’ midi length makes it perfect for work, the tie adds a nice detail and allows you to turn any top into a crop by tucking it up in the tie! It’s tight fitting making it very flattering, and like I said it is SO versatile. Check out how I styled it below:

Midi Skirt– I actually bought this before I even knew I was pregnant. It is not maternity specific which is great because you will be able to wear it after baby as well.  I loved the black one so much that I bought it in grey as well.  It is again versatile dressed up or down, it hugs the bump perfectly!

Tunic– Another Free People favourite that I bought before I knew I was pregnant… or maybe JUST when I found out, I can’t be sure. Either way, I loved it so much that I ordered a second colour. I wore this A LOT at the beginning of my pregnancy and it was perfect for hiding the bump!! It looks great with leggings which is literally all I want to wear, biker shorts, or undone over a dress!

Leggings– Need I say more. This one is pretty standard but finding a good pair of leggings that work during pregnancy… again, not so easy! These Lululemon Align dupes are my favourite! They’re a third of the price and legit feel the exact same. * don’t put them in the drier… it may cause them to pill!

Biker Shorts – Similar to leggings but are super on trend right now so if you feel like you want to be comfortable but still be trendy these are what you need! They can be styled a bunch of ways! See below for some ideas!

Long Tank– This tank from C’est Moi is not maternity but it is SO stretchy! It is such a great staple piece. I only have this one colour- but I want to order a few more! They are so long so they go over the bump which is hard to find! As you can see from the photos below, I wear it a lot!

And of course, a romper! If you don’t already have one and you’re pregnant, make it your first maternity gift to yourself.  You won’t regret it. The romperalls are my favourite but truly they are all amazing. I am wearing size XS!

I hope you found this helpful! Let me know your pregnancy staples in the comments below!

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