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What's In My Hospital Bag For Baby #4?
With just over 1 week to go until baby #4 is scheduled to arrive, I’m taking the advice that I’ve passed on to many mamas in the past & getting that hospital bag packed (just in case... and I did start the whole process about 4 weeks ago for the record). Because if she’s anything like her 3 brothers before her, she may have her own ideas of when to make her debut!
Below are a few of my favourite items to include in my hospital bag. After 3 babies, each an emergency C-section, plus an unexpected stay in the NICU with our 3rd son Torin, we've spent quite a bit of time in the hospital, so I'm all about bringing along as many comforts from home as I can. It definitely helps make the stay a little more tolerable, and minimizes my stress levels by ensuring my go-to products are just a reach away when I need them!
Basically all of the products I'm taking this time (with the exception of snacks for myself & Adam and some of my personal items) are available in-store at Momease Baby Boutique and online at www.momease.ca. Many are also locally or Canadian-made which is always a bonus for me as someone who always opts to support local wherever and whenever possible!
I do have quite a few more products packed than shown, including extra ErgoCocoon Swaddle Sacks, our powerhouse zinc-based & natural Baby Butz Diaper Cream if needed, AppleCheeks Bamboo Wipes, various footie sleepers & extra gowns, plus lots more diapers, GAIA Bamboo Baby Wipes, and several more swaddle blankets to keep our new gal cozy!
It's also important to note that since I know this is a planned C-section, my bag is missing items for labour that would otherwise be there. With our first, I laboured for 27 hours before needing an emergency section, so I brought lots of hydrating drinks and nourishing snacks, my yoga ball for assisted squats, my iPod with a HUGE mix of music, massage oil for foot rubs, a nightlight/sound machine for creating a relaxing environment in the room, plus many more items that I used during those long hours of labour.
Thanks for taking the time to check this out and we look forward to welcoming this little girl & introducing her to you all this May!
🌸 Lyra
Herschel Sprout Diaper Duffle Bag
The newest bag from Herschel Supply is so big it's bound to be able to hold everything you may need for your baby, with room for big kid gear t
oo! With plenty of pockets for storage, plus a coordinating change mat, the Sprout has been a customer favourite since its release in 2017. Every time we receive a restock in the Sprout they sell out in a flash, so be sure to snag it while you can if it's on your list - even if it's well in advance of your baby's arrival!
The fair-trade and organic PEPPA Bonding Dolls are a great way to help get siblings involved and excited for a new baby, plus they are perfect for newborns having no small parts or choking hazards. The PEPPA Bonding Dolls are made from organic cotton terry with wool in their heads, which absorbs the scents of home and family members. When offered to newborns, they can help increase bonding with family members & increase the sense of security your baby 
experiences early on in life! They are also tremendously helpful in the case of having your new little one in the NICU. Simply wear the PEPPA in your shirt to absorb your scent, then leave it near your baby whenever you're not able to be there with them. My older boys have been taking turns sleeping with the PEPPA against their skin for the last several weeks, so that we can take it to the hospital and place it near the new baby once she arrives.
Little Unicorn Deluxe Bamboo Muslin Swaddle Blankets
These luxuriously-soft bamboo muslin swaddles are the perfect blanket to wrap a newborn up in. They are available as single swaddles or in double packs, and the top selling prints are also available as 4-layer quilts if you're looking for a 
keepsake going forwards, or just need a warmer blanket depending on the time of year your baby arrives.
K'pure Sweet Babe Hydrating Body Oil
Made in Vancouver by local company K'pure Naturals, the Sweet Babe Oil smells divine (think a gentle & relaxing lavender scent!), and works wonders as a massage oil for your little one before bed time. All K'pure products for mother and babe are organic and natural, and safe for you to enjoy until your heart's content! Because all of our boys were born via emergency C-section, we learned that it is particularly important to activate the nervous system of babies
born this way, as they miss out on the squeezing of the birth canal which works to get the nervous system going during a vaginal birth. Offering an after bath massage is also great for establishing a peaceful bed time routine and increasing bonding time for you and your baby!
Glow Jar Restful Pillow & Room Spray
This delightful mist is uplifting and relaxing at the same time (if that can be a thing?). It smells lightly of lavender and I currently spray my bedroom and pillow with it every night to help me relax and keep the stress of these last few weeks of pregnancy at bay. I plan to try to create the same restful environment in our hospital room if possible, since it's hard enough being away
from home when you need your creature comforts the most! Glow Jar products are made in Victoria BC, and contain organic and natural ingredients that are safe and gentle.
Our youngest is now 3 years old and we STILL use our Baby Shusher every night when we put him to bed! The Baby Shusher works by mimicking the sound of the rush of blood through the uterine vessels in utero, and it can work wonders on settling a baby down when they're upset and crying. The rhythmic shushing sound can be adjusted for volume and can be set to turn off automatically after either 15
minutes or 30 minutes. It runs on batteries but the auto shut off means we barely ever have to replace them. The Baby Shusher is also great for travel, or for attaching to your stroller if you're headed out into a busy or noisy spot with the baby sleeping on board!
K'pure Drenched Whipped Face & Body Butter
The K'pure Drenched Whipped Face and Body Butter is the most luxurious face and body butter ever! Whipped into a hydrating mousse, the organic shea butter, organic coconut oil, mango butter and almond oil it contains will melt on contact with skin and absorb beautifully, leaving skin silky smooth and never greasy. Honestly this just smells like fresh baking or ice cream on a warm
day with the rich vanilla scent, so it's a decadent treat for nourishing your skin and baby's too whenever you may need it. As I write this my 6 year old is literally bathing himself in Drenched - he loves it SO much. "Mom, now I smell like cake!"
Só Luxury Coconut & Oat Milk Bath
This gentle soak is natural and free of all nasties (toxins, parabens and carcinogens), and is made locally in Vancouver with 100% certified organic, food-grade ingredients. The combination of organic coconut milk and organic oatmeal gently cleanses baby's skin and enhances their natural baby softness without stripping the natural oils. We never use the soap in the hospital for t
he first baths, as I find this soap quite harsh and babies really don't need to be soaped right out of the gate! I always like to bring my own gentle and natural products along for using with the little ones, and I regularly use this bath soak at home with the older children (and myself) too!
These awesomely-soft wipes can be used as washcloths or as a replacement for disposable wipes for use with or without cloth diapers. After discovering the hospital does not use wipes or wash cloths with our first son's birth, I h
ave brought these along for each hospital stay since! We also use these wipes at home for bath time or after meals for a gentle face wipe. They wash up every time just as soft as before and are made in Canada too!
The 100% natural, non-petroleum based Glow Jar Soothing Diaper Balm is formulated with pure un-processed butters and oils intended to soothe and protect your baby’s delicate skin. This rich diaper balm will help seal out 
wetness, preventing diaper rash due to moisture and bacteria, and will help restore irritated and chafed skin. It's also scent-free and can be used safely with cloth diapers without affecting absorption because it's zinc-free.
GAIA Natural Baby Bamboo Wipes
Made from ultra soft bamboo cloth that biodegrades in just 14 days, GAIA Natural Baby Bamboo Wipes contain pure, natural, organic extracts like aloe vera 
and chamomile to gently cleanse, soothe and care for your baby’s skin at change time. We love these wipes at home or out and about, so they'll be joining us in the hospital as well!
Honest Company Newborn Diapers
The Honest Company Diapers are ultra absorbent and eco-friendly (made with naturally derived, plant-based & sustainable materials) while remaining extra soft, hypoallergenic, and free of chlorine processing and additives (like fragrances,
lotions, and latex). Oh, and did I mention how adorable they are? These itty bitty diapers will be joining us in our hospital bag, just like the times before. They are gentle on a newborn baby's skin, and so incredibly cute it hurts. Once we're home from the hospital we have a TON of cloth diapers that we like to use with the kids. From two awesome Canadian brands - AMP Diapers and AppleCheeks - our cloth diaper use over the years has helped us save some serious money and both brands are high-performing and make the whole cloth diapering experience a breeze!
Milk Snob Multifunctional Car Seat Cover
The original Milk Snob Cover is a fitted infant car seat cover that can also be used as a nursing cover or shopping cart cover. These multifunctional covers are made 
out of the highest quality, super soft, light-weight and breathable bamboo rayon blend fabric, and are designed and manufactured in the USA. The Milk Snob Cover is great for shielding your new baby from rain, wind or sun on your way home from the hospital and later too of course, plus it helps keep curious fingers from touching or poking your newborn if the attention is unwanted at the time!
Modern Baby Organic Knotted Hat & Bamboo Knotted Gown
The collaboration of a dynamite mother/daughter team located right here in Victoria BC, Modern Baby makes beautiful baby and children's clothes, as well as newborn essentials like swaddle blankets and scratch mitts. I have always loved using
gowns for new little ones, as it's so convenient to be able to leave them mostly dressed during diaper changes and helps to prevent fluctuations in body temperature too. The bamboo material used in these gowns is also breathable and helps maintain a steady body temperature while being naturally 
antibacterial as well. A little knotted hat is also a must-have for newborns to help them retain their warmth, and this adorable new swan print is too gorgeous to resist!
After using a velcro swaddle sac with our first born, we swore never again when we found ourselves dealing with a pesky startle reflex and sleep regression at 4 months when we tried to take away the arms-in swaddle. Although arms-in swaddling is no longer recommended (things change so much over the years!), we switched over with our second son to the ErgoCocoon Swaddle Sac because of the versatility they offer. Whether you want to swaddle both arms-in (if you're comfortable), one arm out, or both arms free, the ErgoCocoon can do it all with the snaps at the shoulders. It provides a nice, cozy swaddle environment at the top,
combined with lots of room for healthy hip movement at the bottom - the best of all worlds I think! As a bonus, these soft swaddle sacs are made from organic cotton and bamboo, so they're highly breathable and temperature-regulating for newborns. The cherry on top? The ErgoCocoons have a double zipper for easy night time diaper changes! Nuff' said I think. It's no wonder these are ALWAYS a top seller for us at Momease, and it's why more than one will be accompanying us to the hospital this time around when it's especially hard for me to swaddle the baby post-surgery.
Peas In A Pod Bottoms Up! Bum Spray
Nothing works better at tackling those first few tarry poops than this powerhouse of a natural bum spray! We use this product EVERY SINGLE DAY at home with Torin, and my big boys love it too for helping condition their skin in the most tender of spots after bathroom time. This spray is natural, highly-moisturizing, and 
made in Canada too! The organic emollients in the spray help that sticky, tarry meconium wipe right off and you're bound to find yourself reaching for this handy spray over and over again for many years to come!
A Few Other Items For Me!
I always bring along comfort items for me as well, including my Cloud b Tranquil Turtle Night Light and Sound Machine, a cozy robe and slippers, my Dreamweaver Full Body Pillow for extra support, the Blessed Nest Nursing Pillow to help establish breastfeeding quickly, and my favourite pamper-me item of all: an adult-sized Little Unicorn Muslin Cotton Quilt! Having my quilt along for the ride always makes me feel more at home, and extra cozy in an otherwise pretty un-cozy hospital room!
I also will be bringing along my K'pure Chill Out Spray as a refreshing facial tonic at bedtime, and as a method for providing a relaxing little moment of oasis during those early and sleep-deprived days! Right there with my Chill Out will be my 
French Vanilla Natural Lip Balm from Glow Jar, because I can't go anywhere without it now!
I plan to pack up lots of Coconut Water, electrolyte tablets and snacks like trail mix and protein bars for keeping us parents nourished and hydrated throughout our stay! Fingers are crossed that Adam will end up being able to stay the nights with us, so I've also packed away some junk food just for him, like bite-sized Kit Kat Bars and his all-time favourite Nibs!
Phew, thanks for reading along if you made it this far!
So these are just a few of my must-haves for the big birthday coming up. I always try to create the best environment possible for our new little ones and myself during those first precious days, and of course having my trusted products and gear close at hand makes that so much easier to do!
I hope these few suggestions can be helpful in some small way when planning your own hospital delivery, and of course feel free ANY TIME to message me with any questions or give the staff a call at the store for more information on the products listed above. You can also follow the links on many of the products listed just by clicking on the product names!
Lyra
- with Adam, Lochlan, Kingston, Torin & baby-to-be!
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In September, Torin was referred to a Pediatric Endochrinologist in order to receive endochrinology clearance prior to his surgery in Chicago. After discussing the ongoing management and the stability of his Hypothyroidism diagnosis (a very commonly-seen hormonal disorder in individuals with Down syndrome), we debated whether to schedule an ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) Stimulation Test at the Pediatric Daycare Unit at Victoria General Hospital to check Torin's adrenal response to stress.
About a week after the stim test, we received a call from Torin's Endochrinologist. Much to their surprise, Torin's cortisol levels barely changed AT ALL following ACTH administration. He was diagnosed with Adrenal Insufficiency, also knows as Cortisol Dependency.
It's a HUGE relief that this condition was caught prior to Torin's liver surgery. We quickly begin daily oral Predinisone treatments to help manage his cortisol levels, and we have a modified emergency plan in place that involves immediate intramuscular injection of steroid hormone in the case of a medical illness or emergency. Such an emergency could be a severe head bump, a fever with vomiting, a broken bone or a car accident. The injectable steroid will help Torin's body cope with the stress associated with a traumatic event, keeping his blood pressure and blood sugar levels stable. It could absolutely save his life in the case of a severe trauma.
We also have a modified plan in place for the surgery to fix his Portosystemic Liver Shunt in Chicago at Lurie Children's Hospital this November. He will receive an increased "stress dose" or oral Prednisone (steroid) in advance of his surgery and prior to invasive tests or general anesthetics. Throughout his procedures and surgeries, his cortisol levels will be closely managed and he will receive IV doses of steroids while unconscious.
We are so relieved to be armed with this new diagnosis and with better knowledge of how to help keep Torin safe and healthy: both during his day-to-day activities, and throughout his upcoming international medical treatments. As always, we are extremely grateful to have access to such exemplary healthcare in our city, as well as amazing medical specialists to help manage Torin's health and wellness.
