Birth Bag for Hospital - help!

[pigletmaker]

I'm having a hospital birth (Vaginal with a bit of luck) and my baby brain is in overdrive - i.e full of holes of forgetfulness.

Please can you fill in any gaps in my list below? Any suggestions gratefully received (even funny and / or sarcastic ones!)

1. kotex huge panty pads
   
2. sports bra (not BF-ing)
   
3. large knickers
   
4. large nighties
   
5. dressing gown
   
6. toilettries: toothbrush, shampoo etc
   
7. chapstick
   
8. something to read
   
9. something to wear home
   
10. books / toys for DS1 if he has to travel there with me.
    
11. clothes, nappies for new baby
    
12. car seat / carrier for new baby (don't think I can carry this myself as I go in)
    
    
    and then it all goes blank...............

[EvangelinesMum]

For new baby - cotton wool balls/wipes, bibs/muslins for feeding, blankets for car seat
For you - i got the boots maternity pads and i needed LOTS!
How about ipod/CD player for labour? I had a waterbirth and this was great for distraction (used ipod speakers tho obviously - and gave dp something to do!)
I took food as well - if you give birth early am there is nothing to eat till breakfast!
Also a bottle of water for labour
errrr think im all done!

[EvangelinesMum]

Ooh forgot to say towels for you for that all important bath/shower afterwards!

[fifisworld]

Change for payphone
Snacks
Juice - I hated having to drink plain water especially as it was never cold

[pigletmaker]

Thank you. yes, water is definitely an absolute MUST. I had completely forgotten about that. Snacks too.

[Bessie123]

One of the MN tips said to take vaseline to put on the baby's bottom before the first sticky poo

[fairyfay]

I took glucose sweets, lucozade and ribena (with straws) to give me energy when I didn't fancy eating.

[pigletmaker]

ah that's a good one.

should I put vaseline on my bottom too, before the first painful (it will be) passing? I was just going to take anusol suppositories, but they can be a bit hard.

[babywhiting]

slippers or flip flops.

[Bessie123]

Ha ha. Piglet - what do you think vaseline on your bottom will do? Make it easier to wipe?

Lol

[pigletmaker]

oh no- I had terrible piles last time and the most painful shit in the world the first one that came out, and I bled a lot.

I wondered if vaseline might ease its exit, as it were...

[Bessie123]

Sounds lovely, piglet

Something else for me to worry about... I think sometimes it's best not to know what's in store with all this babies business.

[christie00]

Those 'Kandoo' type toilet wipes saved my life after my first poo - AND I had a third degree tear so they must be good!

[choufleur]

use baby wipes - they're cheaper than kandoo wipes and you're bound to need them anyway.

take some food with you - if you give birth in the evening everything is shut and you don't get given a meal. all i got was 2 slices of toast. was very grateful that i'd taken a pack of cereal bars with me. dried fruit might help with the poo scenario too

[nappyaddict]

this was my list:

maternity pads
black pants
flip flops
socks (my feet were freezing in labour)
lucozade drink (with a straw so you can still drink when on all fours) and tablets
face wipes
antibacterial wipes (hospital bathrooms in maternity wards are not known for their cleanliness and i also liked to wipe up after myself when i dripped blood everywhere - sorry if tmi)
baby wipes (for you not lo - makes you feel a bit refreshed down there)
dark nightie x 3
dark towels
dark dressing gown
lip balm or vaseline (also good for putting on babys bottom before that first sticky poo)
arnica tablets
lavender oil to help you get some sleep
deodorant
shower gel, shampoo, facewash
toothbrush/toothpaste
make up for those first photos (not essential but made me feel better)
hair brush, bobbles, grips, alice band - anything to keep your hair off your face basically
nappies
cotton wool
vests
baby gros
hat for baby if not due in midsummer
blanket
camera
watch to time contractions with
books/magazines/ipod if no music in the delivery room (ours had a radio)
snacks
change (if your maternity ward doesn't allow mobile phones)

[nappyaddict]

this was my list:

maternity pads
black pants
flip flops
socks (my feet were freezing in labour)
lucozade drink (with a straw so you can still drink when on all fours) and tablets
face wipes
antibacterial wipes (hospital bathrooms in maternity wards are not known for their cleanliness and i also liked to wipe up after myself when i dripped blood everywhere - sorry if tmi)
baby wipes (for you not lo - makes you feel a bit refreshed down there)
dark nightie x 3
dark towels
dark dressing gown
lip balm or vaseline (also good for putting on babys bottom before that first sticky poo)
arnica tablets
lavender oil to help you get some sleep
deodorant
shower gel, shampoo, facewash
toothbrush/toothpaste
make up for those first photos (not essential but made me feel better)
hair brush, bobbles, grips, alice band - anything to keep your hair off your face basically
nappies
cotton wool
vests
baby gros
hat for baby if not due in midsummer
blanket
camera
watch to time contractions with
books/magazines/ipod if no music in the delivery room (ours had a radio)
snacks
change (if your maternity ward doesn't allow mobile phones)

[nappyaddict]

oh thinking about it even if your hopsital allows mobiles you will need change for the hopsital.

[nappyaddict]

car park i mean.

[hellyberry]

ear plugs, so if you are in long early labour you can block all the usual ward crud out and concentrate. and sleep after the birth if the ward is noisy and someone else is listening for baby?

[nappyaddict]

thinkin about it i took 4 nighties and used everyone despite only being in overnight.

[stimpy1]

pen and paper - I found it happy for writing down contraction times before I was hooked up!!