Monday, December 29, 2014

What to Bring At the Hospital When Delivering a Baby

Hospital Checklist for Delivering a Baby: What to Bring to Hopsital when Having a Baby, Hospital Bag Checklist for Baby, What to Pack when Having a Baby:

As a postpartum nurse and former labor and delivery nurse, here is what you should bring:

-Chapstick

-Clif Bar or high nutrient healthy nutritional bar

-Gatorade

-Distraction: Music/objects that you can stare at and focus on, or something you can listen too.

-birthing ball (some hospitals have one, some do not). If you can insist on sitting on a birthing ball, do it. It can bring an immense amount of relief/distraction from the pain. Movement and the downward force will also help bring the baby down



Do not bother to bring:

-nightgown for labor (you will wear a hospital gown anyway and throughout labor they will need to check your cervix and your gown will get dirty and won't matter anyway. When you are in that much pain, honestly it feels better to wear little to nothing.

-Pads. (the hospital will supply you with the appropriate pads that will sop up way more blood than regular pads, so save your money and wait until you get home to get the pads

Please feel free to ask my ANY and ALL questions you have regarding labor and delivery, I will be happy to answer anything.

Help Babies with Teething Pain

After experiencing teething pain in three different ways with my children and babies, here are some of the most effective ways I have dealt with teething pain. Here's what worked: (Remember each child is different, some of these things may work, some may not. Trial & Error.

-Cold, frozen rags

-Frozen fruit slightly softened and broken up into bite size pieces (if age appropriate)

-Frozen banana in a mesh bag

-Bright Starts Vibrating teething ring

-Hylands Natural teething tablets

 -Hylands Natural Teething gel

 -Wooden teething ring

-Soft, chewable rubber teething (sophie the giraffe, lambie, or kitty)

 -Baby Tylenol and Baby Motrin only when my youngest was rolling on the floor in pain because she was getting several teeth in at once. (only followed under doctor's recommendation)