On outpatient transfusion days, it is imperative to bring everything to accommodate yourself and your baby. My daughter had two outpatient blood transfusions to fight Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN), and being prepared can make the process much easier for you and your baby.
Pack the essentials for your infant
It may seem obvious to bring a diaper bag. However, as a mom, I know how easy it is to forget things, especially on a stressful day. Extra clothing may be needed if blood gets on their original outfit. This blood could be from the original blood draw or after the IV is pulled post- transfusion. Babies are wiggly, which could make it difficult to stop the bleeding.
A fed baby is always best, so bring formula or breast feeding supplies. As a breastfeeding mom, I would always bring my breast pump, pump parts and supplies to clean and store the breast milk. Typically we would be at the clinic from 8:00 AM to after 5:00 PM. This means I would pump or feed my newborn approximately five times in the duration of time that we were at the clinic.
Since they would have an IV inserted into her arm for several hours, sometimes it made it hard to direct breastfeed, so I would bring my pump. My blanket was good for comfort in the cold hospital-like setting, but it was also good for securing breastfeeding or pumping.
Remember to take care of yourself
Due to the excessive time that may be spent at the transfusion center, it is important to bring food and drinks for yourself. I always went to her appointments by myself, so there was no way I could just leave my child to go get food or drinks. Therefore, I would always pack lunch and drinks in a lunch box with ice packs. This kept my food cold and it was a cold place to store extra breast milk that I had pumped throughout the day. You can always check with the transfusion center to see if they provide lunch, snacks, or drinks to parents before their appointment.
Keep your mind occupied
It is also good to pack a book, crossword puzzle, or an iPad to give yourself something to do to make the time pass. It is a long day, so I would always bring multiple things for myself to do. Sometimes I would bring books for myself, and other times I would bring a book to read to my daughter. There is only so much scrolling that you can do on social media, so bring other things to do as well. Just know that the day feels awfully long because it is, but it is all worth it for your tiny warrior.
What to bring to an outpatient blood transfusion
Here is the complete list of what I would recommend you pack for an outpatient blood transfusion:
- Diaper bag- with lots of diapers, wipes, and two extra changes of clothes.
- Breast pump, pump parts, cooler bag with ice packs, supplies to clean and store the breast milk.
- Blankets- one for myself and one for her.
- Bottles
- Pacifier
- Charger
- iPad
- Lunch/ snacks
- Drinks
- Book or crossword puzzle
