USE & REPURPOSE HOSPITAL TAKE HOME ITEMS

et me preface. After the arrival of my son, I quickly realized how much additional consumption and waste there is with a little one! At times, I felt guilty knowing how much more water, paper goods, and diapers (of course) we went through! While you will use and dispose of more than you’re use to, there are opportunities to reuse and repurpose items (when it makes sense to) to help offset! Saving you money (yay) and if you are like me, feeling better about having a smaller (although greater) consumption footprint and it can begin right at the hospital.

Hospital Provided Items

Knowing what to expect may help (dependent on birthing center or hospital). The hospital provided essential care items for both my baby and I. For me, this included mesh underwear, long & thick pads, peri bottle, medicated witch hazel iced cooling pads, Dermoplast first-aid spray, Lanolin breast ointment, diapers, large tub containers. For baby, this included, baby formula (we supplemented), baby soap, baby sponge, Medela mixing bottles and nipples, Medela breast pumping gear.

Going Home

Then on the day we discharged, our nurse told me, “Take everything that’s leftover, we are going to throw it away anyways”. She even told me to pack the bathing bucket and sponge from my son’s 1^st bath. Being polite, I obliged thinking I’d purge it anyway, but to my pleasant surprise I used just about everything!

Trust the Process

For context, I am not a gifted Pinterest crafty Mama (love you ladies) and I naturally found new ways to use and repurpose so many of these items. So, in short, take things home since you never know what you could use them for (or not, but just maybe)!

Here are some hospital provided ideas we continued to use at home or repurposed.

1. Mom Postpartum Selfcare Items

• I didn’t need to buy postpartum underwear or additional self-care items
• I kept the Deromplast spray as first aid supplies

2. Peri Bottle

• I didn’t buy a separate one when I got home

3. Baby Sponge

• Literally the best sponge that we continued to use for a couple of years

4. Baby Essentials

• We brought them home to keep using
• TIP:  Medline soap continues to be my all-time favorite because it reminds me of newborn scent

5. Travel Size Soaps

• Refilled the containers and used them in diaper or travel bags

6. Bathing Bucket and Lid

• Repurposed to use in kitchen sink to hold or soak baby bottles (I didn’t like putting bottles directly onto the sink basin)

7. Hospital Tubs

• Repurposed into a diaper essentials changing caddy
• Repurposed as toy holders for cars, blocks, etc.
• Repurposed as closet storage containers