Hospital Checklist for Birth

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NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I love. Please read my full disclosure here for more information.

Flush with excitement about the impending hospital birth, many expectant mothers are completely bewildered by the decision of what to pack in preparation for the delivery suite. If you feel this way prior to your first baby’s arrival, just remember that you are in good company amongst other pregnant women!

In truth, many of the items you think you need, you don’t actually need. In this article, I will list the essentials and tell some raw truths about labor and postpartum care, which will hopefully help you achieve the best delivery experience possible and give you some peace of mind!

1) Depends

Yes. Not the most glamorous item, for sure! However, whether you deliver via Cesarean delivery or a vaginal delivery, you will experience a copious amount of bleeding after the birth of your child – equivalent to a very heavy period. This bleeding will continue for several weeks post-delivery (and can be worse following a Cesarean section). The delivery nurses will provide you with a pad which is woefully inadequate for this amount of bleeding.

You will need some large, “grandma” Depends – trust me! It will make your birth experience much easier! You need to swallow your pride and get on board with this. No one else is going to tell you!

2) Pumping Bra

One thing that vanishes quickly when you have a new baby is your modesty. It is true! Even though most hospitals provide private rooms (or operating rooms) for the birthing experience, you will be seen in various states of nudity by many different people during labor and beyond, from nurses, to physicians, and even perhaps some family members. If you would like to preserve some privacy following your birth process, you will need a pumping bra. Many newborns do not latch (this may take practice, sometimes over weeks), and pumping is required to produce milk and preserve supply. A pumping bra will help preserve modesty and also enable a hands-free experience as well.

I personally used this pumping bra:

3) Nursing Nightgown

Another must-have! A nursing nightgown is essential for comfort and also to provide ready breastfeeding access for baby. He/she will need it every 2-3 hours! I highly recommend this nursing nightgown from Motherhood Maternity:

4) Camera

An essential! Members of your care team in the delivery unit will take most of the birth pictures, but you will want the right choice of camera to preserve those precious memories for posterity.

I use this camera for my blog pictures, and this is the one we took to the hospital (although ANY camera will do!):

5) Snacks

You don’t think about this automatically. The thing is – if you arrive at the hospital at 5 a.m., you are not allowed to eat until delivery. The reason for this is due to the possibility of C-section. You may not deliver until late at night when the hospital cafeteria is closed. You will be starving if you do not have snacks, as will your significant other. A simple thing, but it’s vital not to forget this!

6) Infant Car Seat

This is a big one for baby care! You must have a way to get baby home from the hospital, and holding him/her in your arms is neither safe nor legal. I highly recommend the car seat be installed prior to arriving at the hospital. Your significant other will be too busy changing diapers and helping with the baby to do this prior to discharge. Especially if it is your first child, I especially recommend that you have your local fire station inspect installation to ensure all is correct.

7) Baby Neck Pillow

You would not typically think of this one. The baby is so tiny that its head will flop from side to side on the way home without the stabilizing influence of a neck pillow.

OPTIONAL ITEMS:

1) Breast Pump

This is NOT essential. Most hospitals provide (hospital-grade) pumps to new mothers for the duration of their stay. However, if you would be more comfortable with your own pump, you can certainly bring it. My all-time favorite breast pump is the Baby Buddha – see full review here! As always, the lactation consultants are your friends.

2) Fancy Outfit for Baby

Again – not essential. Most people take the official newborn pic while the baby is swaddled in the wrap provided by the hospital. However, if you have a special outfit for the occasion, go ahead and bring that. I would not recommend taking more than one as you probably won’t have time to take pictures of your newest addition in multiple different outfits.

Hope this post is helpful to new parents! Until next time!

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Best Foundation for All Skin Types

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NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I love. Please read my full disclosure here for more information.

So many different skin types exist – oily, dry, combination, mature, sensitive – the list goes on!

Wouldn’t it be great if you could find one foundation to cover all skin needs and types?

After much research, I believe I’ve found that holy grail product.

It is Bare Minerals Original Foundation.

It is packaged in a jar, filled with loose powder.

To apply foundation, you must use a powder brush to swirl inside the jar in order to pick up product.

I’m posting a picture below, “before foundation” (Left) and “after foundation (Right):

Full Face of Makeup (Below):

This mineral foundation is gentle for sensitive skin and does contain SPF 15 (would love for this figure to be higher, but kudos to Bare Minerals for including sunscreen at all!). What I love about it is that it always looks smooth and flawless. You can also dial up coverage by applying more powder, and it will never look cakey (unlike other foundations). As you can see above, it produces an airbrushed effect in pictures. It is not drying and does not emphasize fine lines (making it ideal for mature skin). It also controls oil – amazingly! This foundation has found the sweet spot for skin – a magical combination!

The one downside is the application. It does tend to make a mess on your vanity, as the loose powder does scatter. If they could package this in a compact, it would be a miracle foundation indeed!

Nevertheless, the final product is impossible to deny! Results speak for themselves!

5 STARS!!!

See Products Used Below:

Foundation: Bare Minerals Original Foundation

Concealer: Benefit Boi-ing Cakeless Concealer in Shade 2 “Best Life / Fair Warm”

Bronzer: Benefit “Hoola” Bronzer

Blush: Chanel Le Blush Creme in “Chamade”

Eyes: Urban Decay Naked 3 Mini Eyeshadow Palette

Brows: Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade in “Medium Brown”

Mascara: Benefit Roller Lash Curling Mascara

Lipstick: Mac “Russian Red”

Hope you’ve enjoyed this review!

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Best Books for Halloween

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NOTE: This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I love. Please read my full disclosure here for more information.

As Halloween approaches, you might be curious as to the best reading material suitable to the season!

Below I have compiled a favorites list of my top 5 spooky classics!

1) Dracula

This is the ultimate Halloween read, correct? For many years, I was frightened to pick up this one. One has a general expectation of blood and gore with Dracula. In reality, it is more akin to a gripping Victorian mystery. Except for one scene in particular, it is not graphic. The description of Transylvania at the beginning is atmospheric – brooding and sinister. I was particularly shocked to learn that the author, Bram Stoker, never traveled to Transylvania! He had a vivid imagination indeed.

2) Rebecca

Set in early twentieth century England, it follows a young woman who marries a wealthy older man. It is her first marriage, but his second. Once she travels to his estate, Manderley, she is constantly reminded, either by staff, her husband’s family, or by the estate itself, of his first wife Rebecca. Although this is not your typical ghost story, Rebecca’s menacing presence is felt throughout the novel and influences events at every turn. On a side note, the prose by Daphne du Maurier is gorgeous!

3) The Picture of Dorian Gray

This short novel by Oscar Wilde begins with an interesting premise. An innocent young man falls in love with his own portrait. He speculates how life would be different if he remained youthful forever, but his portrait aged instead? The results and implications are straight out of a horror movie. This book is for mature audiences only.

4) The Woman in White

This Victorian mystery novel, despite its length, is well worth the effort! It begins with a haunting image – a mysterious tragic woman dressed in white, in seeming distress, who follows the protagonist. Who is she, and who is hunting her? This tale of forced marriage, double identity, and murderous intent is a masterclass in suspense! Wilkie Collins, a contemporary of Charles Dickens, was much underrated in my opinion.

5) Jamaica Inn

Another English classic by Daphne du Maurier, Jamaica Inn presents the tale of Mary Yellan, an orphaned girl who comes to live with her aunt and uncle at Jamaica Inn. She is thrust into a world of mystery, for Jamaica Inn, she soon discovers, holds many dark and deadly secrets. The ending of this novel was quite satisfying, but it holds you on the edge of your seat from start to finish!

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