What to steal from the hospital

The hospital will be a time when you can stock up on baby gear. I'm sure all hospitals are different, but if you are delivering at Weil Cornell on 68th, this is what they have to offer and what and how I suggest taking. Trust me, most of the stuff they get is donated from the companies that manufacture it so you will not be ripping anyone off by taking as much as you can.

1. Disposable undies - As glamorous as they sound, they are mesh, large and well weird looking. I took home as many of these as I could get my hands on. Whether you deliver vaginally or by C-section, the down there area is not pretty, and why waist nice undies when you can just throw them out at the end of the day.

2. Pads- Again you will probably need to wear these for a week or two. They are large and bulky but they are free and get the job done.

3. Doggy Pee Pee pads - I'm sure this is not the official term, but you all know what these are, they are blue, and are waterproof. I slept on them for a week when I got home because sometimes that monstrous pad shifts, and why ruin good sheets. When I no longer needed them, they were donated to my doggy Scout.

4. Nipple Cream - This stuff is expensive, and a little goes a long way. I personally had bought some of the Lansinoh stuff in the purple tube. I thought it was thick and hard to spread. The Medela brand one is fantastic and they give you tons of these in mini tube form. I got so many (and really only needed them for a few weeks) that I gave them all away. It's also great to have these instead of getting the big tube because you can leave them all over the house (and a few in the pocket of your My Breast Friend).

5. Diapers - Even if you are going to cloth diaper like I do, that first week of mid-night feedings when you are in a haze, these will come in handy. I also use disposables when I travel so I more than used all these up by the time I was onto the next size. They normally have size 1 diapers so your baby won't outgrow them for a while. Even my monster was in these for the first month. The trick to stockpiling these is empty out the drawer in the bassinet when they bring your baby to you, when they take him away, they will refill it. In no time you will have a nice stash built up.

6. Witchhazel Pads/ Squirt Bottle/Sitz bath - As I had a C-Section I cannot speak as to how useful these things are but I know those who delivered vaginally found them to be a godsend. I wasn't allowed to shower for 2 days after my surgery, and the squirt bottle definitely came in handy to freshen up down there.

7. Gel Pads - These you refrigerate and then put on your nipples. They felt WONDERFUL after a tough round of breastfeeding.

8. Hand Sanitizing Gel - They will give you mini squirt bottles of these. Like the mini tubes of nipple cream, you can never have too many. Its great to leave them all over your apartment, in your purse, diaper bag etc.

9. Formula - This, as with most of this stuff, you can ask the nurses for when you leave. Most nurses will HOOK YOU UP, so don't be shy and ask. They give you little 2 oz tubes of formula which is what they feed non breast fed babies in the hospital. I didn't take as many as I could have because I thought I was going to breast feed. MISTAKE. You never know if you can or can't. Even if you can breastfeed exclusively, this stuff is normally good for 2 years. At some point you might need it and you can always pass it on to a friend or donate it to a woman's shelter. These tiny disposable bottles were great for when I was traveling on the plane, the subway or bus. They are quick and easy and RIDICULOUSLY expensive if you buy them on your own.

Along with this, if you are having trouble breastfeeding they have disposable Medela SNS feeding systems which were fabulous if you are struggling to breast feed and aren't making enough breastmilk.

10. Chanel Makeup bag - No I'm not kidding, but sorry ladies, you will probably only get this if you deliver on NYC's Upper East Side. You don't have to ask, you will get one, but it can't hurt to try and get another one right ?