Disclaimer: the following post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on them and purchase a product I may receive a rather small commission for referring you there! Just FYI! 🙂
Shockingly, when I entered the hospital to give birth to my first little boy, my bag wasn’t really overflowing with mommy and baby goods. Some would say I actually packed rather lightly as a first time mom about to embark on the whole “charade” that is bringing a baby into the world, and the recovery that happens afterwards within the confines of those hospital walls.
It’s not as though I am usually some high-maintenance woman - I can be, but we shouldn’t confuse can and am here, thank you. It’s more so that I am a known hypochondriac, over-thinker, and paranoid over-packer. I can’t help it. Vacations? Two suit cases packed full of every possible shoe I may need… sneakers, sandals, flip flops (yes there is a difference), flats, wedges, stilettos… 20 different outfit choices for a 7 day trip (because what girl doesn’t like to have options?)… ALL of my makeup, high straightener, curling wand, blow dryer, brush, toiletries… extra this, extra that..
You name it.
I bring it.
But when I went to pack my hospital bag, I was surprised to see how much space I had in my average sized weekender bag. I remember the nurses complimenting me for being a first time mom who didn’t bring four suitcases in tow with her.
I remember that making me feel really good.
And while I sought the advice of my sister (two time mommy) on what was actually necessary to bring to minimize the amount that my husband would reluctantly end up be hauling down the L&D halls, I realized after my perfect baby was born just how little thought I had ACTUALLY put into the individual items I chose to bring with me… and the “free” products that I so willingly slathered on my torn lady-bits the hospital provided for me, and even those that they offered for my baby… All of a sudden, all those compliments I had received for being such a great, light hospital bag packer were moot.