Packing for the Hospital
Tips for Preparing and Packing for Hospital Admissions
Preparing and packing for admission to the hospital is never a fun thing. The days I had to pack Pey and me for month-long admissions were torture. In the early days, it was a lot of trial and error on what I needed and what was a waste to bring. Now that we are in maintenance her fever admissions leave me even less time to prepare. Such was my experience this past week. Right as I breathed a sigh of relief that we made it through the holidays without a fever, she had one a few hours after receiving treatment. Unplanned admissions are challenging because of how quickly we are expected to arrive at the hospital, leaving no time to adequately prepare. I have compiled a list below of the main categories to prepare and pack for both short and long-term admissions. I've also included some of what I've seen parents do when I was still working in the hospital.
Make a List
For the first few admissions, I winged my preparing and packing for the hospital. However, I noticed I was requesting more things from home that I'd forgotten or sending unnecessary stuff back. Finally, I figured out I needed to make a list of what I wanted to take with us to the hospital. In Pey’s “Brain” Binder (click here for more information), I had a working list of what to pack. The list traveled with us so I could add or subtract as our time on the inside moseyed along. Try to take into account how your child feels during and after treatment and what worked for you. For example, in the beginning, I took a lot of clothes for Pey with me. During her second cycle of induction, I noticed that she was more nauseated through the first week of treatment and 3 days after. I guess for my vanity, I preferred her dressed than in a hospital gown. But as wardrobe changes occurred 3 to 4 times a day, I was going through a lot of her clothes and creating more laundry for our home than was necessary. That is when I decided to decrease the number of clothes I would pack for the first week and use hospital gowns for those first few days. Creating a list and then editing it while in the hospital will make future packing much quicker.
Pre-pack your GO bag
It saves time to have things already packed that you know you don’t need in your day-to-day life. We always use the same suitcases to pack for the hospital so we keep things in there to save time. Investing in toiletry bags and travel-size containers or products for yourself and your child, go a long way. By dedicating a toiletry bag and its contents just for hospital use saves a lot of time and energy, especially if you refill it before setting your bag aside when you get home. Our suitcase was also filled with some wipes and diapers, a canister of cleansing wipes for her toys, and even a travel bottle brush, drying rack, and bottle soap dispenser. If you can, pack a surge protector or extension cord for all your rechargeables and dedicate charging cables to the bag as well. My husband purchased a 10ft charging cable for our phones and tablets so there was no need to unplug from the outlet if we decided to move somewhere else in the room.
Clothing
Knowing what works for you and your child while in the hospital is a must. With Pey, I am always moving from the bed to the floor to a chair or the pull-out by the window. So my clothing of choice is leggings and shirts so I can be comfortable doing any activity with her. Therefore packing for me is easy as I only have to pair t-shirts with leggings. For Pey, I pack her side button bodysuits so she can be quickly exposed for doctor and nurse assessments or dressing changes. I found hers at Target (up to 12 months) and Kohls (up to 24 months). There are also organizations like Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels who offer/sell Comfycozy’s or stores on Etsy that have zippered or button shirts to make line access easier. These clothing options also make line access for home health staff or clinic days much easier. By already having a go-to wardrobe for your child and yourself will make packing a breeze.
Medical Equipment/Supplies
Although hospitals will use their supplies for the care of your child, it is always a good idea to bring at least one backup of specialized items just in case. Sometimes certain medical supplies for our children may be special ordered or hard to find. I always bring Pey’s spare GT, GT extension set, feeding pump, feeding bag, feeding syringe, and a day's worth of formula. There is nothing like a GT popping out and staff can't get a hold of the department that will have it. Or in the case of formula, it may take the dietary staff a few hours to make the formula with your child getting delayed on their feeds. I also recommend bringing any specialized medications that the hospital may have trouble preparing quickly especially if it is needed at a specific time. Although it may be up to the hospital policy, some will allow a home dose to be given under certain conditions.
Entertainment
Keeping children and parents entertained while in the hospital is always hard. I am such a proponent of working with the hospital’s Child Life Specialists for special activities while your child is admitted. Most hospitals have a playroom for small children and teenagers but with the pandemic, most of these areas are now unavailable. I suggest bringing a variety of toys and games to keep your child entertained. I would change out Pey’s toys weekly so she wouldn’t get bored. In the past, I have seen families bring whole game consoles (like Xbox and PlayStations) with their corresponding cables and connect them to the room’s television. Tablets, laptops, card games, board games, and craft supplies are all great options for school-age children and up. I once had a patient that would do movie marathons with the Harry Potter series or Lord of the Rings. Books are pretty hard to lug around but there are some great apps like OverDrive and Libby. You can borrow digital copies of books or magazines from local libraries. Popular books tend to have longer wait times so try to keep that in mind as well. There are also organizations like NEGU (Never Ever Give Up) where you can receive Joy Jars full of toys and encouragement.
Food
This is a huge topic that I plan to have a full post about but here are some quick ideas on food. As much as I love to eat and offer my children fresh food sometimes it is not feasible in the hospital. Some hospitals have a parent room with refrigerators and microwaves available but often space is limited. So I tried to pack things that I could keep in our room as much as possible. I would pack bananas, avocados, trail mix, crackers, peanut butter, Nutella, and bread. I would also order things from room service to repurpose. Hard-boiled eggs and a packet of mayo became an egg salad sandwich or an order of bacon for my avocado toast. My point is to use the hospital kitchen to supply some ingredients that you can add to from the "pantry" in your room. Bringing an electric kettle and bowls can be a good option as well. My husband would use it to make instant ramen noodles. I would also highly recommend bringing water with you. Although the hospital will offer it to you and your child. There is nothing like running out and having to wait 10 minutes for more water. I always made sure to pack at least a couple of liter bottles just in case. Another thing to remember is that you can always use delivery partners like GrubHub or Postmates or arrange for friends and family to drop off food for you. On that note, if family and friends are asking how they can help ask for gift cards for delivery services. Believe me, the hospital lobby will be used to having food dropped off, employees do it all the time. Just be clear in your directions of where to take the food and the room number it is for.
Comfort Items
There is nothing like having small comforts from home to make the hospital feel less hospital-y. Bring your favorite pillow from home. I have a cute fake flower the size of a large coffee cup that I would put in the window. Some hospitals will allow you to bring diffusers for essential oils but if yours doesn’t you can try a scented pack to put in your pillow. My daughter was gifted a Scentsy pal that I would put a pouch of eucalyptus or lemon ( both good for nausea) in and tie it on her bed. A favorite blanket from home was always nice to have around too.
There is a lot of thought that can go into preparing for a hospital admission. Figure out your system and in time you will get better at deciding what you need and packing will become easier and faster. Also don’t forget to bring items for yourself to keep you busy, entertained and comfortable. If you want to see my packing list for an example, please click here.
