FamilyEducation.com
Print this page E-Mail this pageSign-up for Newsletters

Parenting Newsletters. Great tips for your inbox.
Add a Comment (0)

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.
Add a Comment (0)
Print this page E-Mail this pageSign-up for Newsletters

More on: Pregnancy

Excerpted from:

Reproduced from Absolute Beginner's Guide to Pregnancy, by John Adams and Marta Justak, by permission of Pearson Education. Copyright © 2005 by Que Publishing. Please visit http://quepublishing.com/title/0789732165 to order your own copy.

Related
From Our Community
Most Popular

Brought to you by Baseball Blast!, the official game of family fun night for Wii! Enjoy over 20 action-packed baseball minigames featuring your favorite MLB stars. Rated E for Everyone. Click here for more info.

Find the Hottest Toys of the Year
Start your shopping early with our searchable Toy Finder -- you're sure to find the perfect toy for everyone on your list. Brought to you by Disney's Monsters, Inc.

Are You Ready for New Moon?
Take our quiz to see if you know your stuff about the newest Twilight release, plus find more Twilight and vampire facts and fun!

Baseball Blast!
The clock is ticking--can you spot the differences between the two scenes before time runs out? Brought to you by Wii's Baseball Blast!

Thanksgiving Place Card Creator
Spruce up your holiday table with custom-made place cards! Our Thanksgiving Place Card Creator can help you add that personal touch.

Thanksgiving Crafts
You and your family will gobble up the fun this Thanksgiving with these easy-to-make crafts and activities!

Need ideas for this weekend?
Visit our weekend planner page, and get ideas for family activities, games, and recipes -- everything you need for a weekend of family fun.

H1N1 and Asthma
Find out where your child with asthma stands when it comes to the H1N1 flu.