How to Care for Yourself During Short or Prolonged Hospital Stays

Hi I’m Sammy,

Your Good Farm in-house nutritionist. Here to bring you essential information on nutrition, diet and permaculture gardening - in a bite size, easy to understand, science-backed way.

How to Care for Yourself During Short or Prolonged Hospital Stays

What to Pack & What to Eat

Hospital stays, whether brief or prolonged, place unique demands on the body and nervous system. In postpartum or post-surgical recovery, the body is not only healing, but also adapting to disrupted sleep, limited movement, unfamiliar food, constant interruptions, and a loss of routine and home environment.

During my nine weeks of hospitalisation with placenta previa from 28 weeks’ gestation, I learned quickly what helped sustain me, both in how I nourished myself and how I created comfort in an unfamiliar space. My “packing list” evolved constantly as the weeks went on.

Below is the refined list of what genuinely made a difference.

The care I received was exceptional, but what you bring with you shapes how you experience your time there, whether it is a three-night stay or something much longer.

1. Non-Food Essentials

Your Hospital Survival Kit

Sleep & Nervous System Support

• Portable night light (blue-light blocking if possible)
  → I used the Block Blue Light Beacon Light. USB rechargeable, warm light, and easy to move around. We use these at home and when camping, and I highly recommend them
• Eye mask
• Blue-light blocking glasses
• Earplugs or earbuds
• Headphones (music, meditations, podcasts, or creating your own space)

Comfort & Environment

• Your own pillow (one of the biggest upgrades to sleep quality)
• Essential oils or familiar scent (grounding in a clinical space)
• Small USB fan (especially helpful in warm wards such as maternity)

Practical Set-Up

• Extension cord or multi-port charging block (power points are rarely where you need them)
• Ceramic mug (a small upgrade that makes daily rituals more enjoyable)
• Loose-leaf tea + stainless steel infuser
• Ceramic bowl (essential if heating your own meals in a microwave)
• Large stainless steel water bottle or cup
  → Straw bottles are particularly helpful when movement is limited post-surgery

Hydration Support

• Filtered water jug or bottle
  → I used the Waters Co MyWater Jug (1.5L). Simple, portable filtration
• Mineral salt added to water for electrolytes
  → I used Salt of the Earth Celtic Sea Salt. Hospital environments can be very dehydrating

Body & Circulation

• Lip balm (hospital air is very drying)
• Compression tights (especially for pregnancy or extended bed rest)
  → I used Sigvaris medical-grade compression tights
• Dry body brush (gentle lymphatic support)

Comfort Hack (Highly Recommend)

• Folded hospital blankets under your fitted sheet
  → Creates a softer, makeshift mattress topper. Hospital mattresses are often plastic-covered and firm

Optional (Personal Preference)

• EMF-blocking blanket
  → I used The Comfy Shield. Helpful during high screen use and monitoring

2. Nourishment

Hospital food often prioritises convenience over nourishment. Having a simple system in place makes a significant difference.

The maternity ward I stayed in had a kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, and sandwich press.

Tip: a small cooler bag in the shared fridge makes organisation easier and avoids labelling every item individually.

High-Protein, Hospital-Friendly Foods

• Tinned fish (mackerel, sardines, salmon)
• Jerky or biltong
• Cottage cheese (easy snack with avocado or added to meals)
• Greek yoghurt
• Boiled eggs (brought from home)
• Nuts and seeds
• Seed or nut-based muesli (for breakfast or snacks)

Add-Ins

• Bone broth concentrates (as a tea or added to meals such as dahl)
• Sauerkraut or fermented vegetables (adds flavour, probiotics, and vegetables. Fresh salads were the foods I missed most)
• Protein powder (shaken in a jar with milk)

3. What I Ate

Breakfast

• Greek yoghurt + muesli
• OR savoury: mackerel + avocado + cottage cheese + sauerkraut
• OR leftovers (e.g. bolognese on toast, dahl)
• Bircher from home (milk, yoghurt, oats, seeds, nuts, currants, collagen, grated apple)

Lunch & Dinner

• Often identical (this reduces decision fatigue)
• Built around: protein + healthy fat + fermented veg
• Homemade meals such as bolognese, soups, and curries
• I relied on The Good Farm ready meals. Favourites included Yellow Chicken Curry, Primal Ragu, Dahl, and Chipotle Beef Brisket
• Rice, yoghurt, or cottage cheese added to stretch meals if needed
• Extra rice cooked in broth and brought in as needed

Snacks

• Jerky or biltong
• Yoghurt
• Nuts and seeds
• Avocado with cottage cheese
• Bliss balls
• Fresh fruit
• Muesli with milk
• Protein shake

Simple Extras That Helped

• My own salt
• Fresh lemons
• Loose-leaf tea

4. Mental Support

Hospital stays can quietly wear you down, especially over time.

What helped me most:

• Creating a gentle daily rhythm
• Getting sunlight every day (even 10 to 20 minutes)
• Anchoring rituals such as tea, making the bed, or short walks
• Walking daily. Outside without my phone where possible, and inside with headphones
• Shoes off and feet on grass when possible
• A visual countdown to track remaining days

Hospital Stay Packing Checklist

Save or screenshot

• ☐ Portable night light
• ☐ Eye mask
• ☐ Blue-light blocking glasses
• ☐ Earplugs or earbuds
• ☐ Headphones
• ☐ Your own pillow
• ☐ Lightweight blanket or wrap
• ☐ Portable USB fan
• ☐ Essential oils or scent
• ☐ Extension cord or charging block
• ☐ Ceramic mug
• ☐ Loose-leaf tea + infuser
• ☐ Bowl + cutlery
• ☐ Water bottle or large cup
• ☐ Filtered water jug
• ☐ Mineral salt
• ☐ Compression tights
• ☐ Dry body brush
• ☐ Lip balm
• ☐ Thongs (for shower use)
• ☐ Own shampoo
• ☐ Conditioner
• ☐ Soap or body wash
• ☐ EMF-blocking blanket