What's in My PICU Hospital Bag

I’ve been making a list of all the things Jackson and I will need for his next Pamidronate infusion, and while I’m excited to be getting his next infusion done, it’s a little overwhelming emotionally to have to be admitted, so I’ve been planning this like a fun trip (new comfy sweatshirt for mama - check!). He’ll be in-patient in our local PICU for two days because he’s so little and had a few side effects worth monitoring during the first infusion. While it’s a relatively quick stay, having some comforts of home when you’re in the hospital are really important for everyone’s mental health. When he was in the hospital for 8 weeks after he was born, I started bringing little things from home for him like swaddles, clothing, and pacifiers. After he transferred to PICU, I was allowed more privacy in our room so I started stashing snacks, brought my own blankets, and had a change of clothes there also. Below is a list of everything I recommend bringing to the hospital for a short PICU stay. A few of these things stay permanently packed in a go-bag for emergency hospital visits like clean comfy clothes, a swaddle, and protein bars. And we’ll be in-patient every 8 weeks for these infusions, so I’m sure I’ll be an old pro in no time. Everything is linked below!

Mama’s Bag:

Comfy clothes you can sleep & attend rounds in - Listen, no one is judging you for attending rounds in full pajamas, so if you want to rock those, go for it. I just remember how little I slept when I stayed in the PICU with Jackson, and the last thing on my mind was changing clothes for 7AM rounds. I usually wore some combo of yoga pants and a sweatshirt to bed (hospitals are freezing always), and would change into fresh clothes after rounds were done.

Headband - I can’t stand having my hair in my face, and these stretchy headbands kept my postpartum flyaways contained in a cute way.

Cozy socks - Again, hospitals are freezing. And the floor is so gross.

Easy slip-on shoes - No one is judging you for fashion here, okay? I usually only wear shoes when I left the room, which was only for the ice machine and coffee runs. When I got back to the room, those germy shoes stayed off for obvious reasons, so easy slip-off is key.

Snacks - Even without the concern of catching something in the hospital, it’s really hard to step away to grab food if you’re the lone parent. I love having protein bars, cans of pop (room temp is ok - they have an ice machine, remember?), salty snacks, and gum on hand.

Cold/Hot thermos - I like bringing a Yeti in for water, but it also works for hot coffee. I typically inhale the coffee too fast to need a Yeti though!

Weighted blanket - We all know hospitals get to freezing temps, and their blankets are never warm enough for me. I sleep with lots of layers of blankets at home, so a washable weighted blanket gives me the same effect.

Extra long phone chargers - I guarantee you’ll appreciate that extra few feet of length when the only available plug-in is located in the weirdest spot possible.

Dry shampoo - This goes without saying. Drybar is my favorite for dry shampoo, hands down.

Baby’s Bag:

Dohm sound machine - This could be more for me than for Jackson. The PICU can get loud, and we sleep with the same sound machine at home so it’s nice to have those creature comforts in our room. The Dohm sound machine is the best. Do not settle for anything less. I know it’s pricey, but ours have lasted years and years.

Swaddles - I learned quickly that bringing my own swaddles in for Jackson made the whole NICU experience a little easier on me emotionally. I just couldn’t stand those scratchy hospital blankets. We’ll be bringing our own swaddles - the softer the better!

Accessible clothing - Jackson only wears clothing that completely opens in the front because of his OI, so we already own a lot of hospital-friendly onesies. Anything that wires and tubes can be buttoned up over is key. I love kimono style onesies for Jackson, and those are another great option in the hospital. One of my favorite shops that sells kimono onesies is Kate Quinn.

Wubbanub/Pacifier Clip - We use wubs at home too, but these are even nicer in the hospital where if it ends up on the floor, it’s for sure dunzo.

DockATot - We use the DockATot at home now for supervised naps and as a baby lounger. What I love about this is that it’s a piece of home, provides a barrier for the hard crib bars, and it’s washable.

Lambskin - I have friends who swear by these, and I recently purchased one for Jackson to sleep on since we’re no longer using the z-flow mattress. It’s a natural temperature regulator, super soft, and absorbs up to 30% of its own weight in moisture without feeling wet. So for my sweaty, always hot baby this is a must-have for home and hospital (especially since Pam makes him sweat even more!!)

Signage - This is likely just for OI, but when we stayed in the hospital, Jackson always had signs up on his crib that signified he was fragile and needed minimal handling. We also had some specific signs in case of emergency like “No Chest Compressions/May Intubate” to let staff know what the plan was if things went haywire.