Pack Your Bags and Make Plans for a New Family Member

At the end of the second trimester, it's time to start thinking about packing your bag for the hospital. You don't need much, but you want to be ready, just in case. Pack this bag and put it in the trunk of your car, so you have it with you at all times.

Things to pack include the following:

• Toiletries
• Slippers
• An outfit to wear home, keeping in mind that it should be something loose and comfortable (you won't shed that weight as fast as you'd like)
• Nursing bras and underwear (preferably old, since you'll still be bleeding and might end up throwing them away)
• PJs or gown (again, you'll probably want to wear the hospital's gowns at least the first night, because you might end up staining anything you bring)
• Robe
• Favorite pillow
• CD player and music (if you want this in the labor room to soothe you)
• Baby clothes and blankets to carry the baby home
• Baby car seat
• Camera or video camera

Most importantly, make sure that you have a cell phone with you at all times, and that it is charged. You never know when you might have an emergency or your water might break. Be prepared. Cell phones are much more affordable today than they were before, so if you don't have one already, try to get one for a few months. There are some deals that are fairly cheap where you can just buy a designated number of minutes. Make sure your husband or support person also has a phone or a pager. And keep their number handy, either programmed into your phone or written down on paper. At the "pregnant" moment, you will probably be too excited to remember anyone's phone number.

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