Second Baby, New Lessons – What We Packed (And Didn’t) For The Hospital This Time

My wife, Erin, and I recently welcomed our second child. As every parent knows, there was a wave of beautiful emotions when we found out we were having another baby, and we were incredibly eager for our little guy’s arrival. When Erin was pregnant with our daughter, everything was new to us. Suddenly, we were navigating a pregnancy as first-time parents, determined to have everything ready for our little girl. 

While we had essentially everything well prepared for when Erin went into labor with our first baby, the dreaded hospital bag was something that could have been improved. With this knowledge in mind, we had a much better idea of what to bring —and what not to get — for the second baby. But just when we thought that we had everything squared away this time, we still had to coordinate childcare for our firstborn. Logistics change substantially when going from no babies to one baby to multiple children.  

Every family’s needs and preferences are different, and childcare while in labor varies greatly. All I have to say regarding this is to ensure that your children are in the care of not only someone you trust but also someone competent with small children. Trust is essential when it comes to someone looking after your children. However, trust won’t know how to change a diaper or make sure that the baby gates are locked. Trust and competence are two of the best qualities to look for when choosing someone to watch your kids. 

Make sure to have a solid game plan with whoever you choose to watch your kids while you are at the hospital. Having a written list and notes for them is excellent, but please don’t overdo it. Extensive lists are overwhelming and ultimately not helpful. And remember, living in the age of technology means that a simple question-and-answer via text is often your best bet.     

You will also need to decide whether you plan to have your little one meet their newest sibling in the hospital or wait to have them meet the baby at home. This, of course, is up to you to decide. What Erin and I decided to do was to have our 25-month-old daughter meet her new sibling back at home. Our reasoning for this was that we worried our assertive daughter would not leave the hospital unless mom were coming with her. 

So, we opted to have me head back home from the hospital each day for a few hours to spend dedicated, quality time with our 2-year-old. While I was doing this, a close family member hung out with Erin in the hospital room with the newborn. This way was successful for our little family, and maybe it can be helpful for yours.  

Now for the notorious hospital bag. This thing can be easily overpacked with a ton of stuff you definitely don’t need. You can —and most likely will —forget to pack something you totally do need. 

Now, I don’t know your life, so I’m not going to tell you everything that I believe is and isn’t useful. What is helpful for me might be super irrelevant for you. However, my wife and I found a couple of items helpful. One of these items is a pair of sandals or slides for each of you. You will have your own bathroom in the hospital room, but having something to slide on your feet is nice. 

Another item is disposable toothbrushes and travel toothpaste—that way you do not need to bring your toothbrush back home with you from the hospital. 

A third helpful item to bring is a portable charger for your phones. Outlets will be in your room, but they may not be in the most convenient places. A portable charger lets you move your phone wherever you need it. 

A big question is what clothes to bring your newborn home from the hospital in. There are so many cute baby clothes to choose from. However, the issue Erin and I ran into was that we didn’t know exactly how big or small our babies would be at birth. Technology has gotten pretty good in recent years, but even with impressive ultrasound machines, the estimated weight of a little one can vary by up to 2 pounds. A 6-pound baby is quite different when compared to an 8-pound one. Our firstborn was pretty small when she was born, but our second baby was several pounds bigger. My advice is to have a newborn size or a preemie size, if necessary, as well as an infant size outfit. That way, all of your bases will be covered, and you won’t be scrambling for an outfit at the last minute. 

After all of these suggestions, the most important thing to remember is that stores are everywhere. If you forgot something, you could easily place an order and have a friend or family member pick it up for you. Be as prepared as possible, but don’t let it stress you out. Enjoy your time with your little one, they grow up fast.