Hospital Bag: Older and Wiser

There are a lot of things you do differently the second time around as a parent.  I remember packing my hospital bag when I was pregnant with MK at roughly 30 weeks, and cramming it full of a bunch of crap that never got used. 

This time is pretty different.  For starters, I'm having this baby in five days or less, and I just packed the majority of my things earlier this afternoon.  I remember what I did and did not use last time, and what I wish I'd had. 

I'm no great photographer, plus it was storming today when I took these photos, so natural light was nonexistent, but here's a quick run-down of things I'll be taking with me this time around:

The pathetic attempt at an overhead shot:

 

So here's the basic overview, keeping in mind that I know I'll be having a c-section and will be in the hospital for four nights:

-nursing tanks, nursing bras, t-shirt, and regular tank top

-yoga pants

-nursing cover

-nursing pads (disposable and reusable) and lanolin

-Kindle, Flip Video and phone charger

-blow dryer, hair straightener

-toiletries bags

-Boppy pillow with this cover

-Bamboo post-partum wrap

-Baby's going home outfit

Here's a much better shot at the baby's coming home outfit that I found on eBay.  It's from Carter's but is no longer sold online.

 

Once I realized how horrible the photos I was attempting to take in my room were going to turn out, I decided to skip trying to take photos of the items in my toiletries bags.  I have a bigger bag of things I'll need in the shower and once I get out, and then I have my smaller make-up bag, which I'll grab in the morning on the way to the hospital.  Here's a grouping of the items in my big bag.  

 

Tresemme <span>Lightweight Conditioner</span>
Olay <span>Face Anti-Aging</span>

 

I have travel sized versions of most of these products in my bag, but here's the general idea:
-shampoo and conditioner
-body wash
-hair products, comb, and brush
-facial wash and moisturizer
-make-up removing wipes
-night cream and serum
-regular deodorant
-aerosol deodorant- With a C-section, I won't be able to get out of bed for a day or possibly two.  Also, once you have a baby, the night sweats come at you like nobody's business, so by the time Thursday morning will roll around, I'm sure I'll be a little stanky.  Spray deodorant will help.
-toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrush
-Not Your Mother's dry shampoo- I am planning on only washing my hair once or twice during my hospital stay.  This will help me ward off the grease and dirty hair smell
-Shave gel (I know I'll have a hard time attempting to shave my legs, but I absolutely cannot stand unshaven pits, amiright?)
-Spray lotion and hand crème- my skin gets DRY

A few other things I'll be bringing that I haven't pictured are our good camera, some flip flops, cozy socks, a cardigan or robe or something like that, slippers, some snacks, and a book and trashy magazines.

Ken's going back to work for the days immediately following baby's arrival so he can use his full paternity leave when I'm back at home.  During the days, it's just going to be me, baby, the nurses, and the occasional visitor.  That's why I'm bringing reading material.  Ooh... maybe I should throw some Harry Potter DVDs in the bag, too, for good measure :)

Am I forgetting anything here?  I think that's enough!

Then vs. Now

Today marks the beginning of week 33 of this pregnancy.  I find myself constantly comparing and contrasting this one with my pregnancy with MK.  The differences are greater than I could have imagined, and I'm pretty proud of that.

 

First, I'll tell you about the similarities.  I'd say that I had the about the same level of exhaustion and nausea during my first trimester.  The nausea has not bothered me as much as it seems to bother other girls, but the exhaustion kicks my butt well into roughly week 20.  Ugh, it's awful. 

 

This baby sits very high, just like MK did.  I'm always getting something nudging me in the ribs.  I don't really believe in a lot of Old Wives' Tales, so I doubt this is a sure sign that we're having a girl.  I think it could just be how I carry my babies. 

 

I have discovered that I am truly one of those girls who loves being pregnant.  I have heard many veteran moms say things like, "Women who claim to love being pregnant are full of crap!"  But I'm here to tell you that even though it has its challenges, it's wonderful and amazing, and I know exactly how lucky I am to be able to have children. 

 

Just like last time, I feel pretty strongly that this baby is a girl.  Every now and then, I get a "boy" feeling, but almost all of the time, I think we're having a girl.  Now, if we could only decide on a girl name...

 

And, just like last time, some of my major cravings have been cold cereal for breakfast, and a cold blended beverage in the afternoon.  I loved Frappuccinos and smoothies last time, and they are staples of my diet this time, too!

 

Other than the above, these two pregnancies have been pretty different.  

 

Last time, I was so excited to finally be pregnant that I indulged in every single craving that came across my mind.  I was also terrified of losing the baby and quit working out completely.  I was lazy and gluttonous, and as a result, gained over 70 pounds.  It was awful.

 

My ankles and feet swelled up to something unrecognizable.  They looked like memory foam.  In fact, Ken would push onto spots on my feet, and that's exactly what it looked like: memory foam.  It was horrendous.  I couldn't put my own shoes on past month 6. 

 

I did not care about the weight gain, though, for two reasons:

1.)  I was finally pregnant!  Everyone looks cute with a pregnant belly!

2.)  Everyone always said that girls who breastfeed lose tons of weight. 

 

I was dead set on breastfeeding, so naturally this excess weight was just going to fall off of me.  (HA!  I'll write more about that malicious lie some other time.)

 

After learning the hard lesson that breastfeeding does not always equal excessive weight loss, I swore up and down that this time around would be different.  I would take better care of myself, and discussed a plan for staying healthier with my doctor this time. 

 

For as long as I could, I continued regularly working out.  This included running, yoga, weight training, and even spin class.  I was still carrying around over 20 pounds of baby weight from last time when I got pregnant this time, and I was not about to get huger than huge again.  (Again, I will stress that all of this was cleared by my doctor.)  I am now at a point where walking, stretching, and light weight lifting are pretty much all I can do, but I feel so good about it.  The best part is knowing that I won't have another 70+ pounds to lose once this baby is born. 

 

32 weeks pregnant in 2012 on the left

32 weeks pregnant in 2014 on the right

(I'm wearing the same clothes, but I weigh about 30 pounds less on the right)

 

I've discovered plenty of other benefits to having a healthy pregnancy.  I can put on my own shoes.  I don't have memory foam ankles.  I don't have bad heartburn.  I'm sleeping better.  I can keep up with my very busy toddler.  I don't constantly feel like I've been hit by a truck.  Trust me, folks, when you're barely in control of your own body, these little things feel like small miracles.  I'm pretty proud of them, anyway.

 

I had a C-section with MK, and even though I didn't think the recovery was bad, I will admit that getting back into working out after she was born was horrendous.  I will never forget the first time I went running after I was cleared.  Ohhhhhh, it was just awful.  I've been told that recovery from delivering after a healthier pregnancy is easier, so I'm really looking forward to that, too!

 

So that's the scoop on my healthy pregnancy vs. my unhealthy pregnancy.  I'm really proud of how well I've done this time, even if it was just to prove to myself that I don't have to be one of those women who gains a ton of weight with each pregnancy.  I think the future looks really bright for once I have this baby and can get back into a shape that makes me feel better than I have in the last few years.

 

Any other healthy pregnant girls out there?  Care to share any tips or recipes?  Let's all help spread the love!