Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
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13 Must haves for your hospital bag.
Preparing to deliver your baby can be stressful. You want to be prepared for your comfort, and your babies comfort when they arrive. If you are nearing the end of pregnancy, it’s time to get your hospital bag ready, and this article is for you. I will list out what items you must have, and why they will make your hospital stay run smoothly.
Why is the hospital bag important?
When it’s time to go the hospital you will be focused on so many things, your pain and the safety of the baby are the two main things. However, your hospital stay can easily turn into a stressful time if you forget something as simple as a charger, or babies going home outfit.
“A strong intention, a relaxed body and an open mind are the main ingredients for an active birth.”
—Janet Balaskas
- Hospital paperwork, ID, and insurance card. These are major! You don’t want any confusion with what your medical history is, who your doctors are, or who to BILL!
- Socks. Hospitals can get very cold. Be prepared.
- Slippers/Flip flops. Before and after labor you will be encouraged to walk. You don’t want to pick-up hospital floor debris on your socks, so bring protection.
- Lip Balm. Heavy breathing means chapped lips.
- Nightgowns. Unless you enjoy over-sized button and string tie garments, bring a nightgown so you can feel relaxed during your stay.
- Maternity pads. The hospital will provide you with an underwear mesh panty. These do not fit as well as ones you can pick up at a drugstore.
- Toiletries. Again, the hospital will provide you with a few hospital issue items. Want to confidently do your morning/evening routine? Bring your own.
- Glasses/contacts. Seems simple, right? When your water breaks, sometimes the obvious things are left behind. Pack an extra pair/set to be prepared.
- Underwear. No explanation needed 😉
- Phone charger. You will want to have full charge to take photos, videos, and message your loved ones.
- Snacks. Snack for you and snacks for loved ones. Vending machines can be an unnecessary expense.
- Small pillow. Bring something from home to give you some comfort during your stay.
- Change of clothes for you and baby. Don’t forget to bring going home outfits for both of you. Maternity clothes work best, and a baby bodysuit if it works with your baby carrier (Don’t forget the carrier!).
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.”
― H. Jackson Brown Jr., P.S. I Love You
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Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
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