The “Go Bag”

The “go” bag, which is my husband’s term for the bag we’re taking to the hospital, has been the topic of constant discussion in my house for the last two months. At first it was which bag do we take? Then it became what do I need to pack? And now it’s when are you going to pack it?

With only 15 days to go, I’m pretty much ready…except for the go bag. It is sitting empty in a corner of the nursery, taunting me. The fact that this bag is the biggest duffle bag we own and could be used on a week-long trip to Holland instead of a two-day trip to the hospital where all I plan on wearing is a tank top and sweat pants doesn’t help my motivation; however, it has wheels and a handle, so I’ll suck it up. But, my question becomes: do I really need to pack it? Women were getting to the medicine man’s cave dwelling and then to the midwife’s house centuries before me without a bag packed with shampoo, a hair dryer, slippers and sweatpants.

Is it wrong to assume that when it’s time to get to the hospital, I’ll have five or ten minutes to pack this bag? After months and months of planning and preparing for this child, is it wrong to cling to one little piece of procrastination – to live in the moment, throw caution to the wind…even if it’s just via the go bag?