Congratulations! You made it this far in the process of getting cochlear implants for your child, and now you are almost to the cochlear implant surgery day. Getting this far is a big milestone. One that was filled with evaluation appointments, a life- changing diagnosis and making decisions about which cochlear company to choose. You have already come so far in the process, and now it’s time for the surgery day. Almost every day in the groups that I’m a part of, a parent asks about what to pack for cochlear implant surgery. More specifically they ask what the parents should bring for themselves while the surgery is taking place. So let’s dive into today’s post about what to pack for your child’s cochlear implant surgery.

Clothing after cochlear implant surgery

It’s important to consider your length of hospital stay as to how many clothes you will need to bring to the hospital with you. Some children get the surgery and go home the same day, while others spend one night in the hospital with their child. 

In our experience with our boys, we stayed one night in the hospital with each of them. Our babies were in a considerable amount of pain after surgery, and we made the decision with their surgeon to stay overnight in the hospital so that they could sleep and have better pain management. By the next morning they were much better!

Prepare for a longer stay, and pack a pair of comfy clothes or pajamas with slippers to wear in the hospital, and a pair of clothes to wear home the next day.

For your child, pack zippy or snappy pajamas or button shirts and pants that can be put around their body without going over their head. If they are older and walking, pack slippers or socks with grippers on the bottom so they can walk around.

Click the links below to check out the clothes that I recommend to pack for your child’s surgery. We used the kimono shirts and zippy pajamas for our boys.

My favorite zippy pajamas for babies 0-24 mos

My favorite snap tops 0-24 mos

Zip front robes for girls (4T- 6 years)

Robe for boys and girls (3-14 years)

Toiletries/ Chargers to pack for after surgery

Once again, it’s best to prepare for an overnight stay, so pack any toiletry items that you will need to be comfortable for one night. Don’t forget to also pack any medication that you take yourself! 

Chargers for phones and laptops are pretty self- explanatory here. However chargers are the things that we tend to forget, so I put them on the list!

Waiting room and post surgery items

The surgery is going to take a few hours, and the worst thing is to sit in a waiting room and worry about your child in surgery. I made this mistake the first time around, and it made the day much more difficult. 

I would recommend downloading a few movies on your phone or laptop to watch during the surgery time. You can also bring a book to read, but I personally found myself to be too nervous to concentrate on a book and ended up re-reading the same page about five times! In my opinion movies are easier to sink into, but please pack whatever will take your mind off of the surgery.

For your child- Pack books that are familiar to them, pack a favorite stuffy for comfort and download some movies or TV shows that they like to watch. Most likely your child will be sleeping the majority of the time post- surgery, but pack some things that they can quietly enjoy and will take their mind off of having just had a major surgery.

This checklist

I’ve created an entire check list for you, so you can pack and be prepared for cochlear implant surgery day! I know that you have a lot to think about today, and emotions are at an all-time high. I want to make it easy on you so you don’t forget to take the important stuff to the hospital! 

Sign up HERE to get the ultimate packing guide check list and gain exlcusive access to all of the checklists and guides on my blog!

This is a big day for both you and your child and it’s an event that will change the trajectory of your child’s life. I know it’s a lot to take- in, and you are also not alone in this experience. We have been through this surgery twice with our two children, and we are with you in community to make this the best possible day for you and your child. 

What else would you recommend packing for cochlear implant surgery day? Please help out our parent community!

Is your child nervous about cochlear implant surgery day? Read my blog post about how to talk to kids about cochlear implant surgery without making them feel anxious

Ready to learn some ASL sign language to prepare for cochlear implants? Read my blog post about how to learn ASL without adding more to your day.

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