Hospital bag... Will I need the following?

[Bellyrub1980]

I think I'm virtually there with the packing (due in 4 weeks) BUT!

For the baby will I need...
A blanket?
Muslins?
Bibs?
A very warm outdoor outfit (like a pramsuit) for the car journey home or will a (thick?) cardigan and a blanket do? (Bearing in mind it will be late oct/early nov)

Also I'm really hot at the moment (obviously, being pregnant!) but normally I easily feel the cold. Is it really worth taking a dressing gown? I couldn't bear wearing one now but will my temperature return to normal after giving birth??

Also, mother care recommend taking 2 opening front pyjama sets to the hosp. I only have one like this. The rest are just tshirts. Will I really need 2 sets of pyjamas? (I have a cheap nighty for the actual labour).

[dannydyerismydad]

A blanket is a good idea for your little one going home. Padded snowsuits and jackets aren't recommended for use in car seats as they prevent you doing up the straps securely enough.

I don't think my muslins left my hospital bag (but they had a million uses once back at home).

I wouldn't bother with PJs at all. An open front nightshirt is much more practical. I took in only PJs - I hadn't expected to end up catheterised with no hope of wearing my bottoms for a couple of days!

[bakingtins]

If you stay in then most hospitals provide bedding for both you and baby. It's not recommended to wear thick layers like a pram suit in a car seat as it affects how securely they can be strapped in so I'd go for cardi and blanket. Hospitals are hot hot hot, so you only need a dressing gown as a cover-up, and not a big fleecy one.
If you are just learning to breastfeed honestly it's much easier to take your top off to start with, one less thing to deal with ( curtains round the bed for modesty, if you have any left) so your Tshirt tops will be fine.
Muslins always useful, can double as a bib if required.

[MrsMonkeyBear]

I'm due in 3 weeks

Yes to all of them except the pram suit. Cardi and blanket will be fine, you can always pop the heating in the car on. I have a wee jacket just incase it's colder than expected.

I'm taking my dressing gown as I'm positive it will be the only thing I feel comfy in. It also has big pockets for phone and tens machine control and handy if I feel like I want to go outside for fresh air.

I'm only taking one pair of pjs too, I can't stand the tops so have a couple of vests that's button up the front. I'm just taking an old tshirt for labour.

[tryingtocatchthewind]

I would go to matalan/primark and buy a couple of cheap open front nighties, pyjama bottoms might not be practical you never know what's going to happen.

Hospitals are boiling hot so I wouldn't bother with a dressing gown.

Agree with above blankets not snowsuits in a car seat

[Stripylikeatiger]

Yes to blanket rather than pram suit, maybe get your dp to go and warm up the car for 10 minutes before you go out. My advice about the journey home is to practice putting your car seat in about 10 times before you actually have to do it in the freezing cold with your pfb in it (talking from experience, it was our first parenting fail!)

Bibs you probably won't need, if your considering breastfeeding the amount of colostrum your baby will actually be ingesting is tiny so if they are sick it will be hardly any fluid. The same goes for muslins.

Dressing gown sounds like a good idea if only to give you some extra privacy when walking to the loos. I was very very hot and had terrible night sweats after my first birth but I think people react differently to the hormones so you might be cold.

Open pjs is a good idea and also open shirts for your dp so he can do skin to skin too :)

Best of luck! I'm due in 3 weeks and I have packed nothing eak! I'd better get packing ;)

[ToniWol]

Ditto for Primark for yourself. I got myself some nightwear from there including a thin waterfall cardigan type thing to use instead of a dressing gown. Will probably pack a pram suit (thinner than snow suits) for DC but will make the decision whether to use or not based on the weather.

[Annarose2014]

Unfortunately Primark seem to be currently deep in their "everything is fleece" stage. I went in but everything looked boiling!

[Bellyrub1980]

Wow that's great thankyou!

I didn't know that about pramsuits in a car seat so that's good.

Clothes wise for the baby I've packed:

3 'tiny baby' vests and sleep suits,
3 0-3 mo vests and sleep suits.
3 sets of cotton hats, mittens and booties
A thin cardigan and a slightly thicker velour cardigan.
And a blanket.

How many breast pads am I likely to need? Currently have a box of 30 packed!!!

[Stripylikeatiger]

Do you have any newborn sleep suits? 0-3 months is actually quite big, my 10 pound baby wore newborn babygrows whilst in hospital, the 0-3 months were too big.

[Bellyrub1980]

Annarose, I agree re the big fleece stuff!! Going to check out asda and see if they have any thin dressing gowns.

[bagofsnakes]

As for the PJs, I put together my own set from H&M, not their maternity wear, just got the biggest size in their regular clothing. I got a cheap long sleeved top that had buttons to just below the boobs - they have loads in at the moment, there not in the PJ sections, just in the regular casual section. I left it unbuttoned all the time and wore a nursing bra underneath. Then I picked up some of their very stretch harem style lounge pants. It worked wonderfully and I'm definitely going to do the same with this pregnancy. So, so much cheaper than maternity wear, very practical and possibly a little more stylish than maternity PJs... not that stylish is going to be a concern when you're feeding a newborn every two hours :-)

[Lilliana]

I would take a couple of Muslins. Dd cane v quickly and threw up loads of liquid before she would eat anything. Hope all goes well.

[Bellyrub1980]

Stripylikeatiger

I only have tiny baby or 0-3 month old. I didn't know there was an inbetween size! Tiny does look very very small!!

Ok, I'll grab some newborn ones and just take them I think.

How big/heavy is a tiny baby?

[Stripylikeatiger]

I think it depends on the shop but I think it goes early baby, tiny baby, newborn, 0-3 months. Theyvoften say in the label what weight the clothes are designed for, I think newborn is usually up to 10 pounds. It's good to have a variety though, my friend'a baby was only 8 pounds but she had super long legs so went into 0-3 month babygrows right away as the newborn ones squashed her toes!

[Sizzlesthedog]

Take a couple of breast pads if you want, but milk tends not to come in for about four days, so you probably won't need them

Add to your list:

Ear plugs. The wards are noisy and busy at night, you'll need to get some sort of sleep/rest.

Snacks: hospital food was pretty poor-non existent and I was so hungry. (Am veggie and they didn't have veg meals)

Newborn sleepsuits are a better size. Newborns are very scrunchy and don't uncurl for a bit. 0-3 swamped my dc.

[Bellyrub1980]

Ok thankyou! You both have answered part of my (rather stupid) question on another thread!

[fififolle]

What about a bottle of water, small shower gel, flannel, dark coloured towel in addition to your list?
I'd second a waterfall type cardi pref jersey as will be v hot. Also 2 thirst type front opening nighties one bigger for pre birth and next size down for post birth. Also cheap cotton pants.

[Sorehead]

I have nighties and pjs from primark but struggled to find a non- fleecy dressing gown. In the end I found one by chance in Mothercare for £18 (which was only £2 more than a fleece one in Matalan so I can't complain) :)

[BananaPie]

I'd add maternity pads - at least a couple of packets.

[SnowPetrel]

Just a word to say that babies get v hot in enclosed padded car seats so even the thick cardie might be too much. Unless you have a long walk from hospital to car I'd put baby in a sleep suit with blanket over for the journey home- then can always remove blanket without having to stop and take baby out of seat if too hot. Check their temp on the way by touching their chest: shouldn't feel overly warm.

[ToniWol]

I must have hit a lucky time then. Thinnish nighties (one maternity with buttons partway down and a non-mat one with buttons all the way down). Two pairs of light lounge pants and a vest with buttons partway down.

[mammycampbell]

yes yes to the ear plugs and possibly an eye patch - hospitals are SO noisy and bright at night, even when you are completely knackered it can be difficult to drift off and stay asleep when you finally do get the chance.

you've covered most things i think, only additions i would suggest

• some face wipes/wet ones - quick pick-me-up
  
• at least 10 newborn nappies - couldn't believe how many tiny DS got through in 24hrs!
  
• a backup phone if you have one - the hosp didn't allow phone charging, incase my charger was faulty and caused a short circuit or some such. Was in for 3 days in the end and could have done with a spare for replying to some of the messages / taking precious pics of newborn DS / Mumsnet between visitors...
  
  11 weeks to go for me till DC2 and have just started on the hospital-friendly dressing gown search. will try mothercare thanks for the tip!
  
  X

[PenguinsIsSleepDeprived]

Are you really planning on taking three sets of hats, mittens and booties?

You don't need any booties on a sleep suit. Most have turn down scratch mits as well, so one set of mittens at absolute most (I wouldn't bother). A couple of hats in case one gets yucky when shoved on just after birth.

You may well not need breastpads at all until your milk comes in, probably just a few if you are home fairly fast.

[RebeccaCloud9]

I was looking for a suitable dressing gown for ages - I wanted quite thin, short but not skimpy, and dark (to hide stains). Debenhams, M and S and Lands End have some good options at the mo that fit the bill for me. Also, Primark have some good button front t shirts and vests that are perfect!

[Funkyfairy2004]

I found some button down night shirts in peacocks for £4 each, i just bought some in larger sizes! I am told that your feet get really cold in labour, even if the rest of you is boiling, in fact my yoga teacher said that the more you dilate the higher up your legs the chilly feeling gets! Anyway my point is some comfy socks might be a good idea! I was also told to pack some really cheap flipflops to wear in the shower after delivery and then throw out before you go home!