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What was/is in your hospital bag?
I got sent home from my appt today and got told I better get my bags packed...and then go to bed for the rest of the day. She's worried I'm developing pre-e. No swelling and no increase in protein in urine, but I'm now having headaches several times a day the past 2 days and increase in my BP the last 2 days too 
My eyes about popped out of my head, but granted I feel "off" today I guess it shouldnt have came as a surprise. I havn't really slept much the past 2 days so she's hoping either thats the case that I feel off or maybe I'm comming down with something like what everyone else has lately.
So, help me pack my bags. What was helpful/necessary/didn't need etc in your bags.
Also, when my DH gets home from work tonight he's going to put out back up car seat in his car just in case. Is there anywhere on short notice that we can get it checked here in Lincoln?
Sorry for long post. Thanks!
Re: What was/is in your hospital bag?
I didn't use 1/2 of what I packed! The biggest things for me:
boppy pillow
breast pump (I had the LC help with shield size)
Lanolin (I didn't have any but asked the nurse for some!)
Clothes! I wanted to be in my clothes and comfortable ASAP - when my milk came in, I was changing shirts more (I didn't have any nursing bras yet, so I just went bra-less because it was easier to cluster feed without messing with a regular bra). I pretty much just worse sweats and a cami the whole time, and threw a tshirt on over the cami if I left the room.
Bra pads :-) My milk came in the morning of our last day and that was one thing I was glad I had a couple of! (Cami held them in fine)
Picture courtesy of Heidi Keene Photography
Used/glad I had:
Make-up/hair dryer/straightener/my own shampoo/conditioner (it was nice to get ready and feel a little more normal the day or two after).
Pump. He wasn't nursing great so we pumped a little to try to get some of that collestrum in him.
Cotton Robe with nursing tanks under. I lived in these things. (still wear them all the time now). I liked that the robe covered me up but was easy access to nurse. And I liked the nursing tanks more than nursing bras so I could just undo the top and not have my stomach on display when nursing.
Snacks. Granola bars, fruit snacks, 100-cal. snacks, Gatoraid. DH probably got more use out of this than me, but it was nice to have in the room and not have to go get vending machine food.
MY OWN PILLOW. Bring a couple from home. Your DH will most likely be sleeping on an uncomfortable chair/couch/bed too, so bring more than one. We only brought one for each of us and I wish I would have had 2 for me.
Chargers. Phone, camera, laptop, etc.
didn't use:
Boppy. We tried. I'm a bigger girl to begin with and it just didn't work/feel comfortable for me for nursing. Just a regular pillow ended up being better for us.
Meditation/relaxation music. I don't know why I thought I would have needed it. I knew going in I was getting an epi, and sure enough, didn't need this music at all.
Too many outfits for the babe. I packed WAY too many outifits for the little guy because i couldn't decide what cute thing I'd want to put him in. They all were cute. And they all got plenty of use after the hospital. Just pack a 'normal' amount of outfits - however many you think that needs to be.
Wish I would have had:
Pacifier. I forgot to get one in the bag. Even though they "say" they don't give them out anymore, they found one for him.
My own clothes, my own pillow, my own bath towel.
Boppy
Camera, charger
Phone charger (my phone died while telling my mom that I was at the hospital, and she needed to come get DD)
laptop
If your having BP issues, you'll likely end up in bed with a Magnesium IV like I did. In which case, pack planning to not be able to get out of bed (ie, whisps (those disposable no water toothbrushes), facial cleansing cloths, etc.). My other must-haves were:
My own clothes...it was so nice to shower and put on my own clothes afterwards
Chapstick
Lotion (that Magnesium really tried out my skin and lips)
Boppy
Nursing tanks
Flip Flops or Slippers
Charges for phones, cameras, laptops, etc.
Enough makeup and hair stuff to make myself feel human (basics)
Clothes for DD: DD was born at 36 weeks, so she had trouble keeping her temperature up, although she didn't need a NICU stay (Thank God!). They wanted us to have her warmer clothes than the usual shirt and swaddle blanket. We had one "going home" outfit packed, but my mom and sister ended up going shopping for footed premie outfits and washing them for us before bringing them in.
We went through far more clothes that I expected to, but we also had almost a 5 day stay.
Carseat...maybe call the fire or police department?
Most important was my own pillow (with an old pillow case) and nursing tanks. And your phone/camera/laptop charger.
Everything else was pretty much moot since we lived 5 minutes from the hospital and my DH could just run and get whatever I/we needed.
thanks to jennied
Here is my list:
Pillow
slippers - didn't use
nursing tank - wore this the whole time
boppy
cell phone and charger
camera
computer
meds - prenatals, allergy pills, etc.
deoderant
shampoo / conditioner - didn't shower until I got home
comb
hair ties
make up bag - didn't use
chapstick
lotion
book - didn't use
iPad
carseat
carseat cover
baby outfit
I had DH bring me a pair of his black basketball shorts. Even with the big granny pads, I was afraid of wearing any of my clothes and bleeding on them. I figured you wouldn't see anything on black shorts.