Well, having been through this four times - I can tell you -- keep it SIMPLE! You're going to have a baby and likely a TON of gifts/flowers to cart home, especially once the news of this baby hits the airwaves.

You're going to have enough laundry to do once you get home - wear the hospital's gowns. Though unlike most of us, you'll have a cameraman in your room at some point so I might take something to wear when the cameraman comes, but outside of that, let Baptist/Doctors/UAMS do the laundry.

I disagree with those who say take your own pads. You're going to be bleeding like you've never bled before - you'll NEED those huge things for a few days, at least.

Here's what I have taken in my "delivery/recovery" bag: The camera - with fully charged battery The video camera - with fully charged battery The footprints page if there is one in your baby book and the "visitors" page Carmex, because I'm an addict Hard candy because that's all I could have for 12 hours post-partum The who-to-call list The "scorecard" (my husband used it to write down all the baby's vitals so he'd have it on hand when making the "Baby's Here" calls) Fully charged cell phone/Blackberry and the charger a robe and slippers for walking while in labor my journal, so I could journal the baby's birth story as soon as I was in recovery - it is amazing how much detail you forget so quickly

Things that came to my room after I was out of recovery: My own pillow in a RED pillowcase (so as not to ever be confused with the hospital's laundry) the Boppy nursing pillow My makeup/toiletries bag

Things that stayed in the car until it was time to come home: My going home outfit The baby's going home outfit The car seat (UAMS requires that the baby be strapped into the "baby bucket" before leaving the unit - not sure what Baptist/Doctors require)

My husband had his own bag and it held: The t-shirt and PJ pants he slept in his slippers a ton of snacks He went home each day to shower/shave, etc. so he didn't need a change of clothes

It was a great party. Thanks to Jamie, Sandra and Amanda. It was awsome to meet so many wonderful friends and I spend a few days with Christina. Thanks again, all my love. Lelia

I would take clothing for both sexes! I was told that I was having a boy at 4 different ultrasounds and delivered a girl,lol......she is now my pride and joy!! Good luck to you and may you have the BEST delivery ever!!

good luck

Just some ideas that were great for me; flip flops for the shower, roll of quarters for the snack machine( great for my husband), hard candy for you during labor and a light weight housecoat.

Hi!!! I am excited for you. I have 2 Great Granddaughters now & one is just 2 months. You can take a little suit for the baby to come home in, a little brush, blanket & socks unless you are using a oneszee thing.At least that is what my granddaughter did. My mom & I just think you are so pretty & we can see how excited you are. We hope you have a healthy & happy baby. Boy or Girl?? I don't think we've heard you say. We wish you & your hubby all the love & luck in the world.

Coming from a nurse in L&D, the things most often forgotten are toiletries.

Well this may sound a little personal, but take your own pads, becuase the hospital only has these HUGE uncomfy pads, its like wearing a diaper. The hospital provides the diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, and breast pads. Just pack two pairs of jamies, robe, socks, slippers, take home outfit for you and baby, pacifier, burp clothes, bibs, pillow and balnket from home, car seat, shampoo, hair dryer, toothbrush and paste, pads, lotion, a DVD if you want to watch a good movie, camera, viseo camera, and the baby's book to write everything down on. Good Luck!!!! God Bless!!!!!! It's the best expereince for both mom and dad.

Take Dad some snacks . You are so cute on tv. Ilove watching your cherry smile, Be sure and post pictures. Are u working till?????

Hey Christina! I'm not a mother yet, so I can't help you with that kind of stuff. But, I just wanted to say that you are glowing and beautiful and good luck with everything!!!!

Hi, I packed enough clothes, toiletries, etc for 5 days. I know I went over board, but I wanted to be prepared for both a ~~~~~~l or c-section delivery. For my now 2 1/2 year old daughter I packed her 3 outfits and then a friend of mine bought her 2 more - she wore them all!!! The reason we were there for 4 days -- emergency c-section and my daughter had jaundice and was given photolight therapy. We both got the clear when she was 4 days old.

Here's my list for you... baby going home outfit, your going home outfti, gown & robe, socks for you and baby, suckers!, video camera. That should take care of you.. My first child was only 13hrs old when I was released from the hospital so no one really came to see me, so don't worry about make-up!

I was just wondering if you had picked out a name yet? Can't wait to see the Nursery photos too.

One thing I was glad to have was my own pillow! Those at the hospital were not the greatest! :) I was always told to take what you would to a hotel. Comfy clothes are a must...I could not stand the hospital gown and got out of it as soon as they let me! I just had some pjs that had elastic waist that made me feel more like myself.

A notebook is good to keep track of visitors and gifts that are brought to the hospital.

Good luck!

christina , you look so cute and glow all the time i knowyou will be glad when its all over best of luck and may god bless you mr.

Christina, Remember to wash all your babies blankets and clothes before using. This will prevent tickling of that cute little nose and sneezing! Fuzz off of new blankets and new clothes can do a number on babies! A lesson learned by me with my first child 34 years ago....so I have passed this info on to my daughters in law with my three grandchildren. You are precious to watch and I have enjoyed watching you "bloom" Best of luck to you and your husband. God bless you both and your little one to come. Mary K

Take less than you think. I even had an unplanned c-section and took too much! The baby needs a couple of gowns and baby SOCKS! I spent two days in the hospital gown just because it was easier. Then I had a gown/robe. You definitely need a robe and slippers because they will want you to get up and walk. Take shampoo, toothbrush and just minimal toiletry items.

Take an outfit for you and the baby to go home in. Comfortable, but cute for pictures! I didn't wear makeup for days, which is TOTALLY unlike me, but I didn't care!

My best advice, make sure someone is there to take pictures. You and your husband will be so busy that it just sort of flies by and I regret not having someone to take more pictures when my daughter was initially born and some leaving the hospital, arriving home, etc. We have none of those types of pictures!! Best of luck to you! Most importantly, cherish every moment, it goes by in the blink of an eye. All that "Hurry up and wait" for the baby to be here totally disappears into time flying by and you wanting it to SLOW down!!!

One thing I always suggest to my friends is to take a notebook. You will need to keep track of diaper changes and feedings while the baby is in your room to be able to tell the nurses. Everything else mentioned is great. Extra batteries for the camera (just in case) and snacks for dad during labor and for all after labor would be a good idea also. Don't forget some hand covers for the baby so she won't stratch herself with her long nails.

Good luck on the new baby. My suggestion is don't forget the cell phone and charger. It is so easy to text all informationas it comes along and then just forward to all at one time. Then everyone can be the "first on"e to know. That is a big thing with family. Good luck again and congratulations.

Do you know what your having?

You need to take nightgown, robe and slippers. Going home clothes for both you and the baby, diapers and wipe. Receiving blanket, car seat.

Your make up bag with tooth brush and such.

Good luck, we listen to you everyday.

Christina~ Congrats o nthe upcoming birth of your baby girl! By the sonograms she looks like her dad!

You are goingto laugh...Jason and I are in the NUTCRACKER party scene...I can NOT dance!

My 40th b-day is the 28th of October so maybe you will have the baby then...then Colette would be a great name!

Take Care,

The Pascos

I found that my feet were so swollen after delivery, I couldn't fit them into my shoes. So you might want to have a pair of flip flops or slippers that stretch to wear just in case. Good Luck. Can't wait to see pictures of the nursery and the baby!

Hi Christina! I also recommend treating yourself to a pedicure before the big day !!

One of the best things we did was taking Thank You notes with us -- I could work on them after guests came. Our twins are 17 months old now and as I look back there is no way I could have kept up once we got home !!!

If you haven't already, I would highly advise pre-registration at your hospital. If you end up in the Labor/Delivery in the wee hours of the morning, the last thing you want to deal with is answering the endless list of questions !!! These worked for me !!

Good luck to you !!

We need to see some pictures of you and dad on this blog. Your daughter appears to be very lovely, according to the 4d pics.

Christina,

I'm willing to bet your to the point where your nerves are kicking in. I spent the month before my due date worried about how it would feel when my water broke and how much an epidural would hurt! Let me assure you for me (with a major fear of needles and a low threshold for pain) that it wasn't that bad. Other mothers had me completely freaked out. I spent all day in labor at home 45 minutes from my hospital before anybody realized i was in labor.

When it came to packing my slight ocd kicked in hard. I was asking my husband at month 7 if we should put my bag in the car just in case anything unexpected happen and i made him strap the carseat in months ahead of time. My original due date was August 20, 2006 then with first ultrasound it changed to the 23rd and with the second it changed back but wasn't noted on my chart. My son was born at 9p.m on August 17. He had a mind of his own. And i was WAY overpacked.

Here are my suggestions. Definitley put the car seat in the car. Make sure it sets at the right angle. We discovered when we left the hospital that it was too upright and our baby boys head was bent funny. I made hubby pull over and luckily i had carried and extra pillow with me which we used under the base to adjust the seat. Toys R Us has a special styrofoam roll for this, but a pillow or rolled up towel works great as well.

Take a roll of quarters or baggie of change. This was great for drinks and snacks for family more than for me. By the time i delivered we were all starving and i had plenty of change for my husband and my thirsty friend who had been in the room to take pictures of my newborn.

a change of clothes for hubby if we won't be leaving ur side.

a nightgown that's easy for nursing (if you are going to breastfeed) and that makes you feel great.

comfy clothes to wear home for you.

cute outfit for baby, blanket,

i highly recommend a good chapstick for you. I had a vaseline based one and i ended up smearing a little on my sons lips too because they became so dry and cracked looking. I noticed that there is a baby lip balm now that dr. bordeaux (the butt paste maker) makes.

if ur nursing! nursing pads and bra. i had also packed a book for me, a book for hubby, and a deck of cards. We never touched them! We didn't have the time. When the baby wasn't in the room we were sleeping and he was pretty much always in the room. i guess they would have been good if i hadn't had a quick delivery, but they really just weighed down my bag.

I also had packed my hair dryer and makeup and all those beauty essentials so i'd look good in pics. HA!!!

i ended up showering and pulling my wet hair into a bun, and never putting on a stitch of makeup. And i don't think my hospital photos are that bad. I was a new mommy happy and in love with my precious little boy who needed makeup and hair dryers. They just took up valuable space.

Oh and i highly recommend having everything ready to go! My sis in law had her baby a month early this summer. She wasn't packed and didn't have the carseat in the car. So we were running like mad to get her everything she needed.

I fully intend to be over prepared for my second delivery as well as my first!

Good luck with urs i hope everything goes extremely well and easy as possible!

HEY,

HAVE A PEDICURE AND YOUR NAILS DONE JUST BEFORE YOU GO TO THE HOSPITAL YOUR TOES AND NAILS WILL BE SHOWING VERY OFTEN AND YOU WANT THEM TO LOOK CUTE!!

A CAMERA IS A MUST!! INVEST IN A DIGITAL CAMERA IF YOU HAVE NOT ALL READY IT IS WORTH IT. PICTURES SAY A THOUSAND WORDS

CHAP STICK OR LIP GLOSS!! I DONE WHAT IT IS ABOUT THE HOSPITAL YOUR LIPS GET SO CHAPPED!!

JOHNSON AND JOHNSON BABY LOTION I JUST LOVE THE SMELL!! IT IS NOTHING LIKE PICKING UP A BABY AND SMELLING THAT LOTION.

BRINGS CLOTHES TO DRESS HER IN. IT IS SO FUN!!

HAVE HER A CAP MONOGRAMMED WITH HER NAME ON IT. IT IS SO CUTE!!! AT THE HOSPIAL THEY WANT THE BABY TO WEAR A CAP. PLEASE DO THIS BECAUSE IT IS SO CUTEEEEEEEE!!!! BESURE TO TAKE A PICTURE ALSO.

LUWANNA WHITE HALL, AR

Christina, The one thing I haven't seen anyone say, that I couldn't have done without is my own pillows. I used a long body pillow to rest my belly on at night throughout my pregnancy. It was a lifesaver in the hospital, especially after the epidural was in and my movement was limited. And if you are like me and can't sleep on someone else's pillows, make sure to take your own regular pillow. I agree with packing bows and headbands for your daughter. Everyone got a kick out of seeing my daughter first thing the next morning wearing her Razorback onesie and a big red bow in her hair! Best of luck to you. You're about to embark on the most wonderful, amazing and exhausting trip ever!! If you are having your daughter at Baptist - LR, I hope you are lucky enough to have Rachel and Jessica as your nurses. They are the absolute best!

You definitely want to pack chapstick or lipgloss!! If you KNOW the date that you will be going already, consider having your hair French braided. It just cuts down on the hassle and gets it out of the way. Good luck! You look beautiful and I wish you the best.

Hi Christina,

Thanks so much for keeping us posted thru-out your prenancy. I agree with another comment that I read. You have been just radiant during your prenancy and I have enjoyed reading your blog so much. I read the comments and sounds like everyone just about has it covered about what you need to take to the hospital. Something I didn't read was that you may want to take a cozy blanket for you from home that you like to snuggle with. Can't wait to see that beautiful baby girl. The big day will be here before you know it. Be blessed during your labor and I will be praying for you because I'm sure we will be hearing it from your channel 7 family.

Thanks Christina!

Thanks for the update Christina!

As a mother of 4 I have learned over time what not to forget.

Mother

Blow dryer Hair ties Shampoo Brush Shower gel Make-up Loose clothes to come home in Underware Bras Gown & Robe SOCKS...really important

Baby

Clothes for hospital (most hospitals let you dress baby as you like) Outfit to come home in Booties Onsies Diapers Burp clothes Brush & Bows since your having a girl! Blankets Diapers

hey christina just to stop bye and say good luck with everything and my cousin cory said thank u for sending him that pic of u i didnt know till he told my yesterday when i helped him moved to his new apartment u really help him out cause he had went through a bad relationship so i wanna tell u thank u for that and im inviting u to come down to any uapb game hear the band dance or whatever u wanna do hope u and your husband be blessed and have a great week and month from me chris adams

Be sure to pack your baby book- so when they do the footprints for the birth certificate you can have the nurse put them in your baby book too. There is also a sign in sheet in most baby books, I have enjoyed going back and seeing who all came to the hospital. My middle child is almost 10 and I was reviewing his baby book, and you just forget who all came. You have to ask people to sign it when they come in, so have your husband assigned to that duty- you will be really tired. Hard candy for you- they will only let you have ice chips, sometimes they will let you have a piece of hard candy during the labor process.

Christina:

Take a small spiral notebook that you can write down gifts and who they are from -- also good to have handy to write down questions you think of to ask a nurse or doctor since they aren't right there when you think of something you'd like to ask. I also wrote down some of the "facts" so I wouldn't forget them -- ever. I let people write messages in it too like their first impression of the baby, etc. It's a keepsake in itself and you can continue to use it when you get home to journal how you're feeling about being a mom. Good luck! Enjoy it all!!!!

I would suggest you take a nursing bra, or perhaps two. You think your big now, wait until after you have the baby and the milk starts to come in. They will need their own zip code! I am sure you will have lots of hospital visitors so I recommend wearing a nursing bra, the hospital gowns are so thin you can see through them sometimes. Good luck, you are on the down hill slide!

I just wanted to say that you have been "glowing" for your entire pregancy.

In your hospital bag, be sure and put loose fitting garments for the ride home. Your camera should also be included.

Don't be offended as you find out you are no longer Christine - you are just the MOTHER of a beautiful baby.

Best wishes on your staring role as a MOM.

Neighborhood The neighborhood I live in is horrible. A child was hurt by a neighbors dog and most of the neighborhood was on the side of the dog. Just because they are all friends with the owner of the dog. It is sad! These people lied to the police about the dog never being off a leash and running lose in the neighborhood. I wonder if they would had lied if it would had been their child or grand child. There are a few of us here that do care for the child. I just cant believe they can be so cruel!

outfit for pictures and going home

for you PJ's, you don't have to wear the hospital gown the whole time. slippers make up toothbrush, toothpaste hair brush your fav body wash and shampoo, deodrant (hospitals to have these things, but they don't smell as nice) if you wear contacts bring your solution and holder, glasses CAMERA!! snacks you like

these are things I see people forgetting most often.

outfit for pictures and going home

for you PJ's, you don't have to wear the hospital gown the whole time. slippers make up toothbrush, toothpaste hair brush your fav body wash and shampoo, deodrant (hospitals to have these things, but they don't smell as nice) if you wear contacts bring your solution and holder, glasses CAMERA!! snacks you like

these are things I see people forgetting most often.

I didn't use most of the stuff on the packing lists. Use the hospital gowns because you are "messy" for a few days. Besure to take glasses if you are a contact wearer. Most important is the cameras and baby book, you will want those footprints. A call list is good too so you can hand it off for someone else to take care of.

Buena suerte Christina. Hope things go well for you and your husband.

lot's ofpretty gowns for yourself.........and lotion..................i hate hospital lotion. take some cute headbands, burpclothes......get someone to come in and give you a pedicure and manicure..........just to make you look and feel really good ;, CUZ IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN FOR A LONG TIME. lol, lovingly, rhe'

Pack light an outfit per day for the baby. A really cute one for the picture. Your nightgown, slippers, robe, and change of clothes because you will live in your nightgown while in the hospital. Of course, that special gift for your baby. Mine was a moose by beannie babies.

Hey Christina -

Best of luck with the big day. I came across your blog by complete accident while doing some research on AllBritton. That being said, I wanted to pass along a good "real life advice" reference-site that might add to some of the suggestions you get and things you bring. And yes, I'll come completely clean - it's where I work (which makes this terrible, terrible blog etiquette - apologies, I know!). Certainly feel free to moderate this comment out, no worries. But do check the site - whathappensnow. You'll find some lists & info as submitted by lots of moms/dads under Life/Birth section. I hope it helps -

Good Luck!

I have no idea what to pack in the hospital bag. I look forward to reading the responses to that myself. I did want you to know that there are specialists at Arkansas Children's Hospital that can help you with an infant car seat base. Seats fit differently in different types of cars. ACH can give you peace of mind that the seat is secure. I've seen them add foam tubing in places to get a tighter fit. The servic is free through the Community Outreach department.

baby outfit for pictures, and going home. your own comfy, PJ's. You don't have to wear hospital gown. Nursing bra if you are nursing. regular bra if not. deodrant, shampoo, body wash. hospitals do provide these things but they don't smell as nice as what you can buy else where. toothbrush, toothpaste

CAMERA!!

this is a small list of things people usually forget:)

Christina,

Be sure to bring your baby book. They will stamp the baby's feet for you baby book. It is also fun to fill out while you are at the hospital.

Christina, I am due next week and have gotten my bags packed and ready. You will definitely want to pack you a gown or two the hospital ones are not that flattering or comfortable. Also pack some slippers and a robe for those walks in the hall. Shampoo and toiletries...I forgot those with my first baby and had to bathe with baby shampoo (lol). A roll of quarters because someone always needs a snack or a drink. Clothes for the baby, a blanket, and don't forget the car seat. You really won't have time to be writing thank you cards or truly reading a book. A don't forget your camera and maybe even extra batteries and take your cell phone charger in case your phone dies. Good luck and well wishes....don't forget to take pictures of those tiny little toes...those make the sweetest pictures!!

Get the car seat installation checked at a car seat safety check!!! (Or at Children's Hospital) Be completely obsessive about installing it the way they say to--every time you move it from car to car. I've heard that 70 percent of all car seats are installed wrong, so you know that includes intelligent, loving parents. I can't stand thinking about the possibility of getting in a wreck, my child being hurt, and then finding out I could have prevented the injury.