Happy Friday: Gift a Mommy Hospital Bag

By Bryn | Operations Manager

Apr 22, 2016 @ 6:00 PM MDT

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Sent from reader, Joline:

Hi Collin! For baby showers, I typically gift “mommy hospital bags”. Many people forget (even mommy to be) that the mommies need to be looked after too, that and well they also tend to be clueless as to what is REALLY needed in the hospital bag. Aside from the stuff I am able to put in the bag, I also include a checklist of things they need to include: chargers, snacks, socks, etc.

With many of your great deals, I was able to snag some samples, freebies and cheap finds. I cashed out on some savings catcher credit with Walmart to help bring down the cost too. Hope this inspires others for some thoughtful and even laughable baby shower gifts (Depends/Tena is probably the most “gag” mistaken gift, but they end up loving that I included it!).

HAPPY FRIDAY!

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Join The Discussion

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Amy April 22, 2016 at 6:05 pm MST

Lovely idea!! Thank you for sharing!

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StephB April 22, 2016 at 6:08 pm MST

I LOVE this idea!!! A really good friend is 37 weeks and this will make a great gift for her!! Thanks!!👶🏼

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Ellen April 22, 2016 at 6:10 pm MST

What a fantastic and thoughtful gift! I would have loved this with my 2 kids!

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Nicci April 22, 2016 at 6:11 pm MST

Totally love this idea!!

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Danyal April 22, 2016 at 6:35 pm MST

Thank you for the tip. I need to get started collecting.

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Danyal April 22, 2016 at 6:36 pm MST

Any tips for what to collect for a mom friend who is having a home birth?

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Samantha April 22, 2016 at 7:14 pm MST

Giftcards for restaurants that have takeout so her husband or someone else can pick up meals for breakfast/lunch/dinner

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Danyal April 23, 2016 at 8:18 pm MST

Great idea thanks

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Stephanie April 22, 2016 at 7:56 pm MST

Tucks pads, maxi pads, dermaplast spray, milk of magnesia, slippers, fuzzy socks, dry shampoo, Chapstick, and if breastfeeding – lanolin, disposable bra pads. Just my two cents worth. 🙂

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Jen B. April 23, 2016 at 1:00 pm MST

Oooooh, I totally second the Dermaplast spray!! My nurse told me to spray it “down there” (lol, sorry) on the stitches when she was spongebathing me (I was stuck in the hospital for 9 days after having severe-preeclampsia and a simultaneous kidney stone during childbirth so I needed A LOT of help); I thought she was crazy, but it was a livesaver!!!! It numbs up the area nicely and makes you much more onlinefortable while you heal. Definitely a great thing to put in the bag.

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Danyal April 23, 2016 at 8:21 pm MST

Apparently after having my 3rd ( I had Hellp Syndrome) I must have forgotten about childbirth essentials . Great list thank you

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Liz April 22, 2016 at 8:14 pm MST

I had a VBAC so while i’m not over overly crunchy, I do run in the same circles as those who are so I would suggest birth affirmations (Etsy), essential oils, and they generally make mixes of music for labor. Peanut balls are super popular right now to move baby down too.

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Stephb April 23, 2016 at 1:34 pm MST

What are peanut balls?

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heather b April 22, 2016 at 6:42 pm MST

Love this!!

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Heather C. April 22, 2016 at 6:49 pm MST

Love it! Great idea!

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Nicole April 22, 2016 at 7:03 pm MST

This is an awesome idea. I’m 6 months pregnant and would love a gift like this.

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Ang April 22, 2016 at 7:04 pm MST

Love it! What a thoughtful wonderful gift!

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Maggie April 22, 2016 at 7:06 pm MST

U could also make little thank you bags for the nurses. Chapstick,santizer,pens Etc they really are appreciative. 🙂

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Cassandane April 22, 2016 at 7:07 pm MST

I’ve done this a few times and it’s always great. Get started now with that Dulcolax coupon!! 😉

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Holly April 23, 2016 at 12:20 am MST

lol I second that. My first pregnancy was horrible for digestive reasons. After weeks of not being able to go, I finally was in pain and went to the ER. Just my luck, I got a young hot doctor. Imagine trying to explain what the problem was without turning red, ugh. The wonder medicine that he gave me? This, lol. Man, I wish I would have known about these for pregnancy issues. It would have saved me stomach pains and helped me save face. My exhusband thought it was hilarious.

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Happymama April 23, 2016 at 6:10 am MST

LOL, agreed. I cut down labor time with super spicy chili the night of my due date. Worked like a charm…baby was born in 8 hrs apposed to 23 hrs with my fist.

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Barbara Y April 22, 2016 at 7:23 pm MST

I think this is a great idea. I have done something similar with “hospital bags” for friends going in for surgery because I have had so many myself.

One thing though you said is that the depends are a “gag” type thing…but that’s actually a great addition.after my first child I actually took disposable underwear with me because the truth is you have a lot of bleeding, etc still and it sure is nice to just toss them in the trash instead of try to wash them.

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Jv April 22, 2016 at 7:31 pm MST

Exactly, I don’t consider it a gag. Usually New Moms laugh at it until they finally understand after 😉

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Suzanne April 22, 2016 at 7:52 pm MST

Totally agree, the Tena/Depends will onlinee in handy after giving birth (regular or c-section)!
Great gift idea!!

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Suzyq April 22, 2016 at 10:55 pm MST

Agreed!!! Never thought I would fall in love with disposable underwear until I had kids! 😂😂😂😂

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Heather April 23, 2016 at 10:20 am MST

She said the people she gives them to think it’s a gag gift , but once they have their baby though, they are thankful for them.

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Emma April 22, 2016 at 8:17 pm MST

I used depends also after I had my kids. I even told my friends about it and they thanked me.

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Christy April 22, 2016 at 8:47 pm MST

Love this idea!!!!!
One thing I would add for the mom is a bottle of prenatal vitamins! No one told me after my first that I needed to keep taking these and once I started taking them again I felt soooooo much better. They helped reduce the postpartum for me too.

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Jen April 22, 2016 at 8:47 pm MST

This is so incredibly thoughtful! I am such a planner that I thought I had it all planned out…not so much!

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Jessie April 22, 2016 at 8:50 pm MST

Yes on the depends! They seem a little silly at first but they are a life saver with all the blood etc. Much more sanitary and convienient in reality.

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Shell April 22, 2016 at 8:56 pm MST

LOVE THIS 🙂 thanks for sharing. This will be my next gift for the mommy to be.

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Dealzgurl April 22, 2016 at 9:42 pm MST

Excellent idea! My sister is having a baby this fall and this would be a great gift for her. I’ll have to pull this up on my onlineputer so I can see all the stuff in the photo. Probably try to do one for her husband too!

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rob April 23, 2016 at 7:18 am MST

Such a good idea to do one for the husband too!

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Kelly April 22, 2016 at 9:49 pm MST

Wow that is great gift! You’re a thoughtful friend. She’s lucky to have you!

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Natalie April 22, 2016 at 9:54 pm MST

This is a great idea…honestly Target / Walmart is missing the boat because I would totally buy something like this instead of putting it together myself.

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Mariah April 23, 2016 at 1:58 am MST

GREAT idea!

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Roks April 23, 2016 at 3:21 am MST

This is a fantastic idea! Can you please list the items that you included? That would be so appreciated! Thank you!

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Happymama April 23, 2016 at 6:12 am MST

Such a good idea! What an amazing friend you are!

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Stephb April 23, 2016 at 1:32 pm MST

What a great idea!! As for the first one … your clueless, really!

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Danyal April 23, 2016 at 8:15 pm MST

Ooh thanks you all for the help with ideas for collecting items for my friend having a home birth.

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Jamie April 24, 2016 at 7:14 am MST

I just had a baby- and my favorite gifts I received are the practical ones. My neighbor gave me a bunch of her favorite baby products like desatin, baby genics bath products, mothers tea, wipes, baby lotions, infant tylanol has drops etc.. It is great to have an assortment of baby products that another mother reonlinemends!

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Jen B. April 24, 2016 at 11:01 am MST

Another item that onlinees to mind aside from the Dermaplast for mom, was Mylicon Gas Relief Drops for the baby. It helped our son immensely and they are safe to use. Our pediatrician reonlinemended them and they really helped a ton. He was bottle fed since I was so sick after having him and I didn’t want to pass my medications on to him through breast milk and he swallowed so much air while drinking that he would get gassy. Mylicon saved us many hours of sleep. Definitely reonlinemend!

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visitor3 April 25, 2016 at 11:27 am MST

Great idea. I would add to the list: ear plugs and an eye mask. Helped me so much to get some sleep despite all the lights and beeps in the hospital. I figured out to take an airline kit from my husband’s last business trip. It had the ear plugs, eye mask, cheapy disposable socks, lip balm, unscented lotion, toothbrush/paste, all sorts of goodies, in a nice onlinepact kit.

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visitor3 April 25, 2016 at 11:32 am MST

Lovely idea! I would add earplugs and an eyemask to the list. Helped me rest despite the bright lights and constant noise in the hospital. For the last birth, I figured out to snag the free goody bag from my husband’s last business class airline trip. The kit had everything I needed in a onlinepact case, even the disposable socks, lipbalm, onlineb, toothpaste, toothbrush, lotion. Also the kit was no sentimental keeper, so it was not a source of worry at the hospital if I lost it or got it dirty.

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