Meeting your baby at the hospital? We’re sharing our tips on what to pack!
We are so excited for you and your family! The wait for your baby(ies) is coming to an end and you are now prepping for their arrival. Preparing is SO exciting! It means you are that much closer to meeting your baby(ies)!
When it comes to packing and traveling with a newborn we understand it can be stressful. The key is to plan ahead. Take some time to make arrangements and pack as much as you can in advance. Having your bags packed and by the door or in the car can make life that much easier if you have to leave quickly. More often than not we don’t know when baby is going to make their debut so having your bags packed well in advance can help eliminate any last minute stress!
We understand that all surrogacy birth is different and that what you pack will be dependent on where you are traveling, the weather and the duration of your stay. Keeping that in mind we have but together a list of suggestions to help get you started.
-Your birth plan. (2-3 copies) Prepared by your surrogate and their OBGYN.
-Court Order (3 copies), if one is needed.
-Personal Identification (Driver’s License/Passport)
-Your insurance information
-The Pediatrician’s contact information
-Hospital/Legal Documents
-Cash/Card (You’ll likely want to have both on hand for vending machines, parking, meals, etc)
-Camera
-Chargers (phone, laptop, tablet, etc)
-Contact list for after baby is born.
-Your attorneys contact information
-Small gift for the nursing staff. Although not required a box of donuts or chocolates can certainly go a long way.
-Going home outfit/Clothes for baby(ies)
-Baby blanket
-Plastic bags or wet bags for dirty diapers/clothes.
-Clothes for you and your family.
*if you plan on doing skin-to-skin contact after birth bring a shirt like a button down to make life easier. I also recommend a wrap. It allows you to be skin-to-skin, keep baby warm and you hands free. It’s also great to have when you leave the hospital as well and for traveling.
*Bring a change of clothes for you and baby on the plane ride home. That way you are covered in case of spit up, etc.
What to pack for baby!
*Please keep in mind that you do not have to travel with all these items. You can have them delivered to where you will be staying. Amazon is our favorite tool for this and can have most things to you in two days!
Diapers, wipes, and diaper rash cream. (The Hospital will provide these while you’re there)
Hand sanitizer
Bottles, formula and a bottle brush (Most wait to purchase formula until they see how baby does on the brand the hospital provides)
Outfits for baby depending on weather and duration. It’s always a good idea to have some layering pieces.
Laundry detergent for baby. Generally dye and fragrant free.
Diaper bag with changing pad and wet bag.
Baby wrap/sling (super helpful for skin-to-skin and traveling)
car seat/stroller
A safe sleep space. (Most hotels/Airbnbs can provide a bassinet or crib. Be sure to ask when making reservations.)
A sleep machine! I may even bring two. What?! Yes! One for the room and one for when you are on the go. I recommend the Dohm and the Rohm sound machines. A sound machine is worth the investment and will be extremely valuable when it comes to sleep!!!
A swaddle or a few. Yes we can use blankets but having a swaddle with velcro or a zipper will be so helpful in keeping baby’s hands in the swaddle. *Some options available are the Ollie swaddle, Love to Dream and Swaddleme
A pitcher! Ever had to make a bottle in the middle of the night while your baby cries. Not always fun. We can use the pitcher and follow the instructions on the back of the formula container to make formula in advance. Dr. Brown makes a formula mixing pitcher and I believe Amazon even has it on sale right now! *There are many options pick your favorite. :)
BONUS TIPS!
AMAZON PRIME! We at En Route Doulas love Amazon. Remember you forgot something the moment you step on the plane? No worries. You can order it the moment you remember and have it shipped to where you are staying and it’s fast. It’s wonderful!
When booking your accommodations look for places close to the hospital and close to a grocery store/pharmacy. Having everything close will make life easier and leave you more time to spend with your family!
Traveling and worried about bringing a ton of baby equipment? BabyQuip is a baby equipment rental company that can provide what you need for your stay. Check them out to see if they can help! https://www.babyquip.com
When traveling making and cleaning bottles can be stressful. You can find ready-made disposable bottles at the grocery store to make life a little easier. They are a bit more expensive but absolutely worth it!
We hope that our tips were helpful! If you have any tips and tricks we would love to hear from you. Congratulations! We are so excited for you and your families!!