Emergency Transport Bag

[boigrrrlwonder]

What's in your emergency transport bag?

[dogmom327]

Didn't pack one for either birth. I figured either we'd transfer for exhaustion (and there would be plenty of time to prep) or it would be a true emergency and it wouldn't matter since we probably wouldn't remember the bag anyway.

[soveryblessed]

This is what I have packed:

- gown, robe, socks, and underwear
- clothes for going home
- clothes for my husband (something comfortable and something nicer he can wear out in public)
- toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, etc...)
- chapstick
- something for the baby to wear home

I figured if I need to transfer, I'd definitely be staying overnight and it would most likely be because I needed a hard-core intervention (c-section or something), so I packed what I could if I were going to have a hospital birth...but without all the goody extras that I'd normally bring (like our laptop).

[moonglowmama]

I don't usually pack a bag, but this time I think I'll put a house-dress, gown in a bag and a shirt and blanket for the baby. If I have to transfer, it will be because I need a c/section and in that case, I'll send someone to pick up anything else I need. But, if I have to transfer for a retained placenta or hemorrage, my experience is that they don't give you ANYTHING at the hospital, in my case I wasn't even admitted to the maternity ward, just treated in the ER then we signed out AMA and went home. They had to hunt down a pad for me. So, I guess I'll put a pair of undies and a pad or 2 in there as well, in case that should happen again.

[laughingfox]

I'm definitely packing a bag and keeping it in my car, just in case. If I do wind up in the hospital for any reason, the last thing I'd want is for DH to have to leave my side so he could bring me some clothes!
Also, even though some of it wouldn't be needed at home, I think it'll be nice to have most of my after-birth stuff in a bag anyway, just so I know where everything is.

I plan on packing:
baby clothes and bunting
camis, a cardigan, and foldover-waist (no elastic!) yoga pants
warm socks
comfy black underpants, cloth pads, and a wet bag
shampoo, soap, lip balm, etc.
olive oil in case my nips get dry
index cards, sharpies, and tape for "bassinet" signs (no circ, no bottles/pacis, etc.)
SNS and supplies, just in case (since I've had a breast reduction)
boppy
possibly some Tushies

[Comtessa]

Here's what was in my transfer bag - and I was GRATEFUL for it when I had to transfer for exhaustion! I was NOT prepared to be making decisions about packing a bag at that point.

- comfy sweatpants and a button-down sweatshirt
- nursing bra and a few nursing pads
- cell phone and charger
- 2 copies of a sign for baby's bassinet (a long list of DO NOTS that I prepared ahead of time just in case)
- several copies of our transfer birth plan (and an original, signed by my OB)
- signed pre-registration papers for the hospital (with a few clauses crossed out or amended... I did my homework)
- camera with fresh batteries
- bag of toiletries: nice shampoo, lotion, lip balm, essential oils, toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, etc.
- clothes for the baby to go home in, and a couple of blankets
- clothes for me to go home in
- herbal teas
- slippers (this was a really good idea)

Here's what WASN'T in the bag and should have been!
- all DH's stuff! We never thought to pack anything for HIM! At least a change of clothes, toothbrush, and cell phone charger.
- snacks and drinks, especially healthy stuff that you can't get in the yucky hospital patient food. I was starving and they just couldn't get it together!
- warmer clothes for the baby and myself. It was cold in there!

[lizvt]

I didn't have a transfer bag ready for our 1st birth (which came a week "early") and then we decided to transfer after there was really thick meconium when my water broke. We had time to throw one together, but it was extra running around for DH while the midwife and I rattled off a list and directed him around..poor guy. This time I'll have one ready and then I won't need it
I think the other posts pretty much covered everything plus a lot I hadn't thought of. Snacks and your own healthy drinks are a must! I remember my midwife offering me a 1 AM tuna sandwich from the hospital cafeteria and still gag a little thinking of it! Luckily, we threw a few yummy things in our bag and were allowed to leave for home 1 1/2hrs after the birth.

[etsdtm99]

for my hospital births i brought homecoming clothes for me, clothes for baby, nice baby blanket and toiletries

the hard part for me, is packing things like my toothbrush etc. ahead of time because i use them! so my plan for this birth (homebirth) is to have a list, of exactly what i need and where it is .. i will have the first few days worth of clothes picked out for the baby so they are easy to find for the birth, and if we transfer, i'll probably plan to wear whatever i wear to the hospital, back home.. if those clothes get dirty, i'm sure i'll be there a few days and someone can pick up some clothes for me( my midwife's transfer rate and c-section rate are the same.. so it is likely if we transfer it will be for a c-section)

[mntnmom]

If I pack on this time, didn't last time, it'll be really minimal. This is #5(HB #2) for me, so if I transfer it won't be for less than an emergency section. Clothes to come home in, clothes for baby. Toiletries, Lansinoh... I can't think of anything else.

[GoBecGo]

I don't pack one. Last time i just laid out what we'd need for the first day with a baby and if we'd transferred i'd have had someone scoop the whole lot into a suitcase on the way out to the ambulance.

I'm not packing one this time either. I don't believe (it's a very personal thing of course!) in planning for disaster. I just accept the possibility, but i don't plan for it, because it'd make my life a misery.

[mrscompgeek]

I would HIGHLY recommend a transfer bag. I did and i did end up transfering but after the baby was born for my bleeding. And in the hurry to get out of the house we left the bag at home. BUT it was so much easier to tell my mom who went to pick up my bag later to just get the bag instead of having her go through the house getting everything I needed.
What I had was
*Sleepers for baby
*Blanket for baby
*Comfy PJs/Lounge pants for me
*Socks/slippers for me
*Nursing bra
*Nursing Pads
*Flip flops or shoes of some kind in case you leave the house without any on. (It does happen!)
Then I had a seperate ziploc inside my bag that I bought a bunch of travel size stuff and put in there so it was ready- It had shampoo, conditioner, lotion, LIPBALM (DEFINETLY RECOMMEND), Q-tips, Lansinoh, Hair ties, Toothpaste, Deoderant.

Then I attached a note on the top of the bag that said
"NEEDS THESE THINGS YET"
*Hairbrush
*Toothbrush
*Camera
*Phone Charger

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was only in there for 8 hours though but i Did use a lot of it. next time I will add some change/$1 for DH cause we left the house in a hurry and he didnt eat nearly all day and he doesnt carry cash so he couldnt use a vending machine.Also maybe a few granola bars and crackers or something again in case DH needs something to eat. And Tylenol/Tums/ whatever your DH takes the most. DH gets headaches when stressed and of course it was stressful and nobody thought to grab my purse on the way out where my tylenol was.

[Mom2SammyJoe]

I had 3 bags packed and ready in the nursery.
1- the diaper bag with baby clothes and normal diaper bag stuff. This wasn't just for a transfer and was nice to have ready to go for our first outing.
2-a bag for me with stuff others brought. I put a new toothbrush and deoderant in there, figuring I would use them eventually, but didn't open them
3-a bag for DS to go somewhere. This was nice because when we sent him to the neighbor's while I was in labor, I just had to tell my husband to grab the bag.
Maybe this was overboard, but I went overdue and it kept me busy. They midwife also said I had the most organized birth kit she'd ever seen. So I guess that is just who I am.

[UmmAbduRahman]

[Mrs.aLifeofReilly]

Mine was just a small bag (figured if we transferred it would be an emergency and someone could bring anything else I needed later) - PJs, nursing bra and slippers for me, outfit/hat/blanket for baby, photo ID, insurance card, spare change and transfer birth plan (one for the staff and a special list for DH in case I was in no place to speak about my wishes) and copy of healthcare proxy form.

[dinahx]

Subbing! Very helpful thread! I did transfer w/o a bag in my first birth, it was no problem, DH just got stuff afterwards BUT if I could have remembered one thing it would have been my Hot Water Bottle!

[starrmama]

I didn't pack one for either of my homebirths... I did have an outfit for me and the baby in a bag sitting with my birth kit stuff, but that's pretty standard it seems like when you have a midwife who gives you a list of what to have together just for the HB to go smoothly - so someone could have gathered that up I guess... my thinking is also that I wouldn't go except for a true emergency, and then I wouldn't be worrying about what I was wearing, etc... I'd just be sending dh or my parents back to my house with a list of what to bring me once things settled down!