You're Not Expecting This at the Hospital

As two mommas, we know what it’s like to give birth in a hospital. Megan experienced spontaneous labors and births, while Natalie was induced both times. We were ready, having taken a 12-week birth prep course, the nursery arranged and the birth bag packed. We each have our birth stories full of details that share what went as expected and what didn’t. Something that really shocked us both, happened after our first post-birth shower.

We weren’t expecting this at the hospital, but now you can! A shitty towel…

Yep. It’s a hospital, not a hotel, so we’re telling you now to pack a full-size bath towel in your birth bag. Don’t want to? We got you. It’s true you’ll find yourself reaching for a slightly-larger-than-a-hand-towel to dry yourself off from your first post-birth shower. Say what? Yeah, us mommas can barely (pun intended) wrap ourselves up with a hospital-provided towel while dripping wet and raw from birth? Yep. At least, that was our experience. We were shocked. We were disappointed. We weren’t comfortable when we needed it more than ever. Wait, was this prison?

We quickly learned this would be the beginning of what showers would be like for the next several weeks, except we’d be home with a full-size bath towel. As soon as newborn mommas get out of the shower, the cold air hits our nips and the milk begins to flow. We hear phantom cries while we’re juggling a quick way to gingerly wrap ourselves up and keep the milk from making us all sticky again. We’re hoping our legs are dry enough to pull up our padded underwear… it’s a scene.

So that first time is in the hospital with a miniature towel. Maybe you’re feeling steady or maybe your adrenaline is still rattling you as you balance on one leg to slip your mesh undies on with a giant padsicle hovering in the middle seam.

Bougie or Essential?

We didn’t love this experience and knew we could make it better by packing a full-size, soft, 100% cotton (high absorbency), dark-colored (won’t show stains) bath towel in our birth bag. Seems bougie? Maybe to some, but we were a lot more comfortable and it’s one of the most surprisingly-loved items packed in our Fully Prepared tier of our signature line of non-toxic, pre-packed hospital birth bags: “Belly & Bag”.

You just gave birth for God’s sake. If you have access to a shower, at the very least you should have a full-size bath towel. We know hospitals are there to care for the mommas giving birth and we’re so thankful for how far care has evolved, but there are some ways it just hasn’t. Your birth bag ensures you’re prepared for whatever is going to give you the comforts of home when you need it most. Don’t rely on what the hospital provides… you’ll be disappointed and uncomfortable and under-prepared.

Spoiler alert!

We’ll admit we haven’t given birth at a 1,000 different hospitals (there’s only four kids between us), but most hospitals are all the same. You’re likely to be giving birth in one of them. Shout out to the hospitals that actually provide a full-size bath towel, because we’re optimists and assume there’s some out there… somewhere.

Also, be sure your partner brings their own towel…you deserve a full-size, highly absorbent, soft, dry towel that you don’t have to share.