Preparing for Noah | What's in my Hospital Bag & Planning for an Imperfect Birth
When you’re entering the season of motherhood, there’s a lot of noise. Lots of opinions, lots of parties, lots of birth plans, lots of fatigue, nausea… all the things. It can get really overwhelming and you can get sucked into the tornado of materialism really quick.
There’s the latest and greatest in baby gear that assure you easy, breezy sleep-filled nights and diaper bags that promise the ultimate organization so you never lose that precious pacifier into the depths of the abyss. It’s easy to continue to listen to the world and think you have complete control to plan out this birth perfectly and enter into the season of motherhood fully prepared.
Armed with the perfect plan, the perfect expectations of how it’s all going to go down and packing the perfect bag of essentials, you can give yourself the false illusion that you are ultimately in control.
What I’ve learned most through motherhood and my own experience of birth the first time around is that this illusion of control always steals my wonder and joy and leaves me feeling disappointed when something doesn’t go according to my plans.
Birth is one of those things that I personally feel is totally and utterly out of our control. Yes, you should educate yourself and be informed. Yes, you should read up on everyone’s favorite must-have’s for the experience of having a newborn for the first time, but for the sake of your heart, please hold ALL of this “stuff” loosely.
“ I am never more sure of God’s goodness in my life than when I let go of what I hope for or want, and let His ultimate sovereignty reign in ALL areas of my life… including the journey of birth. ”
One of the best things I read leading up to Leo’s birth was the chapter on childbirth in a book called Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen & Laura Wifler. They write about birth in a fresh, gospel centered way that I had never come across before. It was a reminder that through childbirth, we are partnering with God in bringing forth life. And not in a easy, effortless way, but one marked with pain and suffering because of the fall. Yet, in that pain and suffering, we find our ultimate purpose and our ultimate dependence on God. Because of the intense vulnerability and unknowns of childbirth, we are forced to face our own reality and weakness. And in that vulnerability and weakness, we find our reliance on God’s protection to be our ultimate strength and peace no matter the circumstances.
“Find the grace. God's grace is everywhere! Imperfect births are part of the fall, but there are so many areas that God still grants us grace that we don't deserve. Doctors, doulas, monitors, medications, air conditioners, comfortable beds, birthing tubs, the fact that our husbands can be by our sides during childbirth - the graces are endless when you start thinking through them.”
In our weakness, He is strong. This will be one of the closest experiences to God that you will ever have in your life. You will be completely and utterly dependent on Him. Emotionally, physically & spiritually. In many ways, I’m so grateful for all of this. It gives me comfort, hope and peace knowing that no matter what happens in that room, I am taken care of.
And as He always does, He shows up (you can read Leo’s birth story here). Bigger than I hoped for or ever dreamt.
And even if it hadn’t gone smoothly, I know He STILL would have showed up. Because He is good and sovereign.
Despite the uncertainty of childbirth & lack of control, there are some things I found that really helped with my experience at the hospital. None of these items are necessary. And some of them you may or may not use depending on the situation so just know that no matter what, you will be prepared. You can walk onto the L&D floor tomorrow with nothing but yourself, and come out well taken care of on the other end.
So without further ado, here are my essentials to grab when packing my hospital bag
snacks, snacks, snacks… did I say snacks? But really, if you deliver in the middle of the night, it’s amazing to have something to munch on that isn’t vending food or cold turkey sandwiches from the unit floor
pictures of family & those we love to give us strength (I typically line the windows with these)
a baby book to read to Noah on the day he’s born
if you’re planning to nurse, a nursing bra/sports bra or tank top is ideal… if you’re planning to bottle feed, you can bring a bottle with you or just use what is given to you there at the hospital (for Noah, we’re planning to bottle feed for medical reasons related to me, so we are bringing a bottle this time around)
white noise machine (mainly for Zach and I because we love white noise while we sleep)
baby blanket
my Bible with a verse I’ve picked out to mark our child’s life (we put their foot print over the verse)
vitamins
one to two outfits for baby plus socks & one ultra warm outfit for when we leave (since we’re delivering in December/January)
travel toiletries… if your delivery is smooth, it’s amazing to be able to take a shower post-birth or the following day with some wonderfully smelling stuff that isn’t hospital grade soap
new pjs…. this is my birth “thing”. For Leo and now for Noah, I go out and buy a new pair of nice pjs to wear after I deliver. It really helps me feel good in an otherwise messy experience
comfy socks & slippers are a must for me
cameras galore (which I know surprises no one)
bluetooth speaker for music during labor
Remember that no matter whether you’ve packed a hospital bag or not, you will be well taken care of and ready. The nurses will give you all the diapers, the wipes, the burp cloths and clothing galore… everything you could ever need!
Are there any essentials you absolutely loved having at your own birth? Let me know in the comments below!
And for now, we wait 🥰