[moonbeam23]

I know there was a list somewhere on here regarding what to bring when you pick up your baby. We are flying to New York from Ca when we get the call, and we're not sure what to bring. Can someone repost that list or post a new one? I want to have everything ready in advance because the duedate is kind of iffy (late March to early April)

[momdad2bee]

Here is a beginning to your list ... add / delete as you see necessary:

Diapers
Baby wipes (travel size)
Hat
Jacket
Receiving blankets
Warm blankets
Onesies
Sleepers
Drawstring nightgowns / layettes
Socks / booties
Bibs
Pacifiers (sterilized and put in Ziplock)
Cloth headrest for car seat
Bottles (sterilized and put in Ziploc)
Bottle / Nipple brush
Extra Ziploc baggies
Baby soap / lotion (travel sizes)
Baby washcloths / towels
Changing pad
Burp cloths
Gift for birth parent(s)
Cotton balls
Alcohol (or swabs) for cord
Diaper ointment
Gauze
Journal
Address book to make calls from hospital
Checkbook ** certainly can’t forget this **
Name / number of social worker back at home

[Kelli]

If your plans involve the use of a car don't forget to bring (or buy when you get there) a carseat. A sling or some sort of carrier might be helpful as well. Classical or soothing music might be comforting to both mom and babe in those early days and beyond. Also, baby mitts will help keep him/her safe from germy finger touchers.

[LisaCA]

fyi: we didn't buy a ton of things until I arrived, so it was less stuff to haul cross country (we went from CA to IL). We have Target's out here so you can buy most of the stuff like diapers, formula, wipes, and even a car seat ( I bought mine in Chicago after I landed). The only things I brought were some clothing and blankets, a couple of bottles and baby name books (took a week to come up with a name, lol).

good luck!

Lisa

[Oliver1]

I agree with the poster who said wait until you're there to purchase a lot of stuff, especially if flying across country. For our first, we hauled along our whole house practically and then realized we were staying about 1 mile from a Target.

Also, make sure one of your carry-ons (a backpack works great!) can be emptied to be used as a baby bag on the way home with baby. That's one less bag you have to haul!

Don't forget to bring along Purell or some type of hand sanitizer - comes in very handy!! Also, a digital camera or a bunch of disposables. Maybe some pre-addressed FedEx envelopes "just in case" you need to send something overnight. I believe Hefty makes this small (about the size of a pack of Tic-Tacs) package of plastic garbage bags. I was amazed at how many times we ended up needed a small plastic bag.

Also, if you are going to be at the hospital, be sure to ask the nurses for stuff. They gave us a lot of diapers, formula, creams, pacifiers, lotion, wipes, booties, cap, etc. from the Isolette before we left.

Word of advice: If you bring back a can of powdered formula - do NOT pack in your checked luggage. It gets searched and they don't put it back properly and we had a nice surprise of powdered EVERYTHING when we opened our bags upon returning!! Yuck.

[Lulu Bug]

I say wait and buy it all out there. The only thing you HAVE to have is the carseat. The first time we bought everything...the mom decided to parent. The worst part of the whole experience was taking back the things we bought. I don't mean to be a downer, but that is the only time I actually broke down.

With my son, the first stop we made after we left the hospital (papers already signed) was at Walmart! :-) We even decided what to name him among the aisles of diapers. ;-)

I guess this depends if TPR is signed before you get there or not.

Good Luck!

[Nevada Jen]

We traveled with out son for a month long visit back east. My list would be a little shorter because its just easier to buy there:

5 bottles
5 receiving blankets
2 heavier blankets but still small
10 long sleeve outfits with feet
Baby nail clippers
Hand sanitzer wipes (hotel rooms are scary dirty with a new baby)
Car Seat and stroller that it clicks into (although you could buy that there just as easy)

Also, pack a normal diaper bag with diaper bag supplies like a travel pack of wipes, a few diapers, a pacifier, diposable changing pad etc. . .

The hospital will most likely give you enough samples of everything to get you through a week or so. Save enough of the small ready to feed formula bottles to get you home on the plane. You can't buy the 3 oz size in very many stores.

I second the plastic bag reccomendation. We use a "diaper duck" It looks like a duck on half a toilet paper roll and gallon plastic bags come out of the roll. They sell them at Target and they are great for many uses besides diapers.

Good luck!

Jen

[AdrienneG]

A cloth baby sling is a lifesaver! It was for me and I flew from Maryland to California with a 1 month old!

Good luck! How exciting!

[moonbeam23]

Thank you so much everyone for your great advice. My son is 7now, and I forgot about what an infant needs already!! I am so excited, but guarded at the same time. Counting down and a nervous wreck!!!

[irish11970]

They also make a portable bassinet I think it is made my safety first? It has hard sides so you won't accidentally roll onto the baby and it fits in the middle of your bed just right. We brought it with us when we visited family when D was only 4 weeks old and it worked out great. This way we didn't have to use the crib from the hotel and we had her close by for the night feedings.
Jenn

[KristineM]

If you will be meeting the birthmother I would bring something for her as well. Possibly a card saying thank you, or something a little more personal, it is up to you.

[taramayrn]

Just a note...someone listed alcohol for cleaning the cord stump. It is recommended, sorry no reference here, that cords be cleaned with water, that they actually heal and fall off faster when just cleaned with water.

[taramayrn]

Totally forgot to say congratulations on your match!!

[tobeafamily]

I agree - we went from VA to TX and brought only the bare necessities - cotton onesies, a few blankets, a few bottles, diaper bag. Everything else - formula, diapers, wipes, etc. we bought in TX after he came. We saved the 'nursette' bottles they gave us at the hospital for the plane ride home.

Agree 100% to getting a baby sling! We didn't have one and I wished I did. Ryan was a sling baby, loved it.

HTH

Regina

[alpacamommy]

Not sure if you are breastfeeding or not, but if you are make sure you bring your Domperidone (I used that), breast pump, and supplemental feeding system (I didn't use this). I would buy diapers and formula there if you are going far. We brought all the clothes and wouldn't you know it, we had to go out and buy all preemie diapers and clothes We obviously had no clue how small a 5 lb. preemie was *LOL*