I'm trying to figure out what to pack (and what not to pack) in my hospital bag, and I hear that hospitals give a ton of freebies - mesh panties, breast pads, diapers, socks, and a whole bunch of other stuff.
What free swag did you get from your hospital when you gave birth?
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
mesh undies, pads, peri bottles, C section support belt, tape, gauze, baby hat, baby blanket, diaper bag for LO #1, pump parts that I used at the hospital, lanolin, a few pumping bags, Medela SNS system, cooler bag for LO #2, lotions, diapers, bulb sucker, wipes and bandages.
apricot / 442 posts
Mesh panties, hospital pads, tucks, the burn spray stuff, peri bottles, two giant water bottles, diapers and wipes, and a sitz bath... we left with probably the equivalent of two-three target bags full of the aforementioned items.
pineapple / 12793 posts
Nada. I paid $20 for a kit of pp essentials, but couldn't use half of what was included. I was kind of annoyed.
eggplant / 11408 posts
Not sure about free, but I took about 10 of their baby blankets...best burp cloths ever!
We got diapers, rash cream, a sleep sack, mesh undies, a peri bottle, pads, Tucks pads, and numbing cream.for episiotomy incisions. Also a few baby hats, made by volunteers.
ETA: OH! And a Medela hand pump. I needed to pump a bit on the hospital and they offered me one. Best thing ever! I also got a Medela Symphony kit, but I don't have that machine at home.
GOLD / pomegranate / 3688 posts
diapers and wipes (Pampers sensitive newborn size)
nose suction bulb thing
baby hat, blankets, shirts
pads, mesh panties
Tucks
peri bottle
sitz bath
ice packs
hospital gowns
sheet protectors (cloth and plastic options) to sit on
non-slip socks
water pitcher thing
a bunch of samples of different BFing ointments
pomelo / 5820 posts
mesh undies, pads, peri bottle, dermoplast spray, tucks pads, nipple shields, extra flanges, lanolin, bulb suction, diapers, baby ointment, sitz bath, cold compress packs... lots of stuff!
nectarine / 2177 posts
Mesh panties, sitz bath, thermagels for nipples, diapers, blankets, sidesnap t shirts, sitz bath, peri bottle, lanolin. what i wish i had been offered more than anything was a nipple shield!!
GOLD / wonderful coconut / 33402 posts
Diapers (pamper swaddlers)
Dry wipes (had to wet with water)
Peri bottle
sitz bath (although I didn't bring that home)
mesh panites
blankets
hat for LO
water pitcher
Pads (I think)
wonderful pomelo / 30692 posts
Mesh undies, pads, peri bottle, dermaplast (sp?), tucks, big tote bag, diapers.
And we could've probably taken the baby hat and blanket with us, but we didn't.
eggplant / 11408 posts
@Pepper: @maybebaby: I forgot about the nipple shield! I came home with 3 of those. Good call!
pomelo / 5820 posts
@LovelyPlum: I was so glad they gave me a few because that was something I didn't think to buy ahead of time!
nectarine / 2134 posts
Good question! We have our hospital tour and I want to ask them what they provide so I know what I need to get next week at Target (e.g. Tucks pads).
pear / 1693 posts
Mesh panties, pads, some diapers, and a peri bottle. Oh, and a huge water bottle.
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
Mesh panties, large and smaller pads, tucks pad, dermoplast, 2 peri bottles, a numbing foam to put on the tucks pad, sitz bath, water jug, sample size of lanolin, pumping supplies (valves, tubing, and manual pump. DS was in NICU and they encouraged pumping since he couldn't nurse), and we raided the snack/drink bar.
Diapers, wipes, wash cloths, suction bulb, bath tub, syringes to feed him colostrum, rinse buckets, infant tylenol, and 2x2" guaze with individual packets of vaseline (for circumcision) for DS. We weren't allowed to take linens with us.
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts
I've been told nothing is "free" but they did provide:
mesh undies, pads, diapers, wipes, thermometer, formula, syringes, pumping accessories (tubes, bottles, ect.), peri bottle, water jug, shampoo/body wash for baby, Tucks pads, tea pads, food/water/pop for me and DH (hospitality room, meals he paid for), numbing spray, blanket, nursing cover (NICU babies got them), hat, I'm sure there was more. We came home with a full bag of stuff.
coconut / 8483 posts
A few diapers, enoigh pads for my time there, two pairs of mesh undies. The nurse "snuck" the second pair to me. I'm in canada though.
pomegranate / 3791 posts
I'd ask during your hospital tour so you know for packing!
I ended up with an emergency c-section (so I didn't need all the things mentioned) but they provided mesh underwear and HUGE pads, a peri bottle, diapers, and a blanket and hat for baby. Oh, and they had a place in the hospital where my DH was able to go get a breast pump through our insurance. And since I had a c-section obviously they also had to give me pain meds and stool softeners.
GOLD / pomegranate / 3688 posts
An important note - even though the hospital provides all this stuff, I recommend bringing your own pads and a couple pairs of underwear you don't mind tossing. The mesh things were so huge on me that I needed a pair of underwear over them to keep everything from falling off. 
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
Blankets (the striped ones and one knit by volunteers), mesh panties, ice pads, Tucks wipes, peri bottle, Dermaplast spray, Sitz bath, nipple cream, diapers, hats and kimono shirts for E, baby proofing kit, and a basic baby first aid kit.
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