OB "Goodie" Bags for Moms

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Specializes in OB.

What kind of things does your facility include in your take home bags for new moms and babies?

What are some other things your facility does to make the birth a special event? Special meals? "Room Service"? It's a girl/boy signs on the door?

I am a new director of a small OB unit and am looking for some simple, creative ideas to celebrate with our patients, the birth of their babies!

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

When I had my son 7yrs ago, they sent us home with a (nice) diaper bag full of newborn diapers, a rectal thermometer (!), a onesie with the hospital name, a plastic tube to measure whether a toy is a choking hazard (if it fit inside, it was a hazard), and a few other things that I can't remember now. We also got a nice steak dinner the first night after I delivered. When I had my daughter a year ago, I got diapers and formula (even though I was breastfeeding). That was it. My hospital used to give away really nice bags, but they've gotten cheap as well. We give folks a foldable car sun shade with the hospital logo on it, a CD of lullabies, and a bottle of lotion.

One thing my place does that I really like is we have the standard pink/white striped hats, but someone got creative one day and cut holes in the lower portion and threaded a strip of another hat (cut in thirds) to make it look like a bow. It is really cute, and the parents love it (for their little girls, anyway, LOL). We haven't been able to figure out something similarly cute for the boys.

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Specializes in OB (with a history of cardiac).

We send give them a black canvas bag with the hospital logo on it (it came in real handy when I had my daughter last year) and in the bag is a little onesie with the hospital logo on it- fit her till she was about 6 months or so. A couple of parking vouchers for free parking, and a $10.00 gift card to the cafe/deli. We also let the parents raid the cart when they leave- diapers, wipes, bulb syringes, basins, combs...all theirs. Some nice folks also knit a TON of hats, I swear we have like 4 garbage bags full of knit hats, in addition to the stockinette hats.

They don't go home with formula unless they specifically request it, and we try not to bring it up since we really encourage breastfeeding.

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Specializes in Obstetrics.

Wow, we don't do anything anymore. We used to do a lot but with the economy, it's scarce. We do have volunteers that knit hats for the babies in addition to the pink and blue striped hats they come up with from L&D. I think it's awesome that you're thinking of ideas to have on your unit to give to the parents. We used to give formula feeding families a diaper bag with coupons and samples of formula but since we're trying to become a Baby Friendly hospital, we've stopped doing that to avoid promoting formula.

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Wow. The only thing my hospital gives is small diaper bags from formula companies. And the only reason we give them is because we get them for free. We don't give formula though, unless they are using formula. Then they can take what's left in the crib.

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Specializes in OB.

Interesting...

Some of the hospitals in my area give out Vera Bradley diaper bags, DeBrands chocolates (very expensive, delicious stuff!), etc, etc. Patients will actually call around and ask what freebies each hospital gives out before they decide where they will deliver! Not exactly the highest priority in my opinion, but it is happening!

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What, a new baby isn't enough of a "goodie" by her/himself??

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What, a new baby isn't enough of a "goodie" by her/himself??

I know, right?

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Nothing. The baby is the parents gift.

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Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.

I'm not an OB nurse. And I've never had a baby. That being said, I think a nice laminated card or some cards with useful information would be awesome. Immunization schedules. How often to feed. Back to sleep. Benefits of breastfeeding. Decorating a crib safely When to start cereal and foods and stuff. Important phone numbers? Maybe put it on a cute ribbon and a clip to attach it to a crib or something? I dread having children because I know I'll be lost. And I love cheat sheets :)

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When I delivered my daughter (at the hospital where I currently work) in addition to the usual diaper bag with pacifiers, diapers, onesies and blankets... I was sent home with a book, I called it my baby bible..and loved having it around since she was my first child.. it was several hundrend pages long and had detailed info on baby-infant-child development, ages 0-5yrs... My daughter will be five this year and I still use it as a reference... I use(d) it more than anything else I was sent home with..

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Unless the baby is born to a known low-income family, send them home with instructions, a few diapers, and let that be it. Goody bags are absolutely ridiculous. The majority of these patients have showers for that. This isnt like going to McDonalds and getting a toy with your happy meal. Think of the money wasted, which could be better spent hiring an extra social worker or advocate for teen moms, moms without supports systems in place, or an extra lactation consultant/educator.

Also, this is a hospital, not a hotel. We wonder why patients get so needy and demanding. Its because they forget that they are in a place designed to provide medical care and support while they bring their new blessing (their GIFT) into the world. An L&D unit is not all rainbows and flowers- its a unit just like any other part of the hospital. And some moms leave there with a sick baby or no baby at all. Any intelligent new parent will be overwhelmed with gratitude just for the blessing of a healthy, new baby. No extras needed.

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