We spent this weekend in the hospital. Pumpkin 1 caught a stomach bug and was vomiting all day. When I took her in her blood sugar was low but when they gave her an IV it sky-rocketed so they admitted her to keep an eye on it. Thankfully I came a little prepared but there were some items my husband had to bring.
Pumpkin 1 is fine now but I’ve been in the hospital ER many times and seen so many parents there with kids totally unprepared. Taking a moment (assuming it’s not an emergency where time is of the essence) to gather things into a bag will make the already stressful experience a little easier for everyone. The following is my list of what should go in your E.R. trip bag:
-Diaper bag (if your child is in diapers).
-Change of clothes including underwear for you and your child (you never know if he/she’ll be admitted).
-Snacks and drinks (yes there are usually vending machines but if you’re in a room you’ll probably not be easily able to leave your child to go get something).
-Change for parking and the vending machine.
-Book or magazine for you and a coloring book and crayons or sticker book for your child (I suggest picking up a coloring book and crayons or markers at the dollar store next time you’re there and keeping it in your closet for when you need it. You could even print off this list and put it in the book ready for when you need it).
-Wet wipes (you’ll probably already have these if you have a diaper bag but if you don’t, they’re very handy. Perfect for cleaning up after eating, for dealing with vomit and for freshening up).
-Cell phone and charger.
-Towel (if your child is throwing up I recommend covering them with one in the car seat. I didn’t and of course right when we pulled up she missed her bucket and vomited all over herself and carseat. Thankfully we did have the towel so I stripped her and wrapped her in the towel and brought her in. You can also use it to stop bleeding or to keep a child warm).
-Bag for soiled items (you’ll really want this if your child is barfing).
-Toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush and deodorant (I actually keep travel ones in my purse for emergencies. If you do this then you just need to grab your child’s toothbrush and you’re set).
-Hair elastic for children with longer hair (put their hair up in a pigtail or bun on the top of their head. This will keep it from getting vomit in it but will allow them to still lie down comfortably).
-Optional but a couple simple, open ended toys like little dolls, cars, animals or books (you could keep a few new toys in your closet with the colouring book, Schleich or Safari Ltd animals are great).
-Your child’s lovey if they have one (it’s hard to sleep in a new place so you’ll want anything that will help them to relax).
-Any insurance information or your Child’s Health Card depending on what’s needed where you live.
And I think that is everything. It’s no fun when our little ones are sick but if we’re prepared it’ll help things flow more smoothly and keep our stress levels down a bit. Hopefully though, you’ll never need it.
Pumpkins and Me 