Hospital bag size/ number of

[strawberrycake]

I know what I want in bag, but everything is SO bulkly! Nappies, dressing gown, pads etc. One pack of maternity pads can fill half a rucksack, as can a towel.

I've never seen what people actually tale in. In films it looks like a bloody large handbag!

All my stuff, being carreful with packing is a minimum of a large rucksack for me, my large gym back filled with stuff for baby. A bag each basically. Could quite easily use a suitcase on wheels!

It feels a bit daft going in wih more bags than I would for a weekend away when I could potentially stay 6 hours. I guess if I knew it was that long I wouldn't need it all, but I don't know the length of stay.

The big bulkly items are:
towel, nappies, pads, wipes, clothing, dressing gown. I've had suggested a pillow too, that's a whole bag in itself!

So can other describe the actual bag(s) they used.

[first1]

I've got one big gym bag and a rucksack, STILL waiting to go at the door! 40+5

[strawberrycake]

40+3, I feel your pain...

[Kirky12]

You actually only really need, nappies and clothes for the bub as you only use water and cotton wool on them so keep all the baby creams etc at home. And try to get travel size ( although nice ones!) for yourself therefore making a bit more room??

[helyg]

When I had DS1 I didn't plan to be in for long, so I took the bare minimum in a weekend bag. Of course I ended up there for 5 days so had to keep sending OH on errands!

Armed with experience, I took a suitcase when I had DS2. You name it, it was in there. So of course I was only in for 24 hours!

With DD I went into labour before packing my bag (the first two were over a week late so I expected the same and hadn't got round to it, of course she was 3 weeks early!). So I literally went in with a handbag!

You could take the minimum in with you, but have extras ready at home (in an obvious place) which you could ask your DH/P to bring in if needed?

[AnAngelWithin]

well i am on number 5 (had the last 2 at home but still packed bags just in case I had to transfer) This time I have one holdall/sportsbag thing with my stuff in and a pram changing bag with stuff in for the baby. I have packed the minimum I will need really, DH can bring in extra nappies, maternity, breast pads etc

[ktwiltshire]

ive got two holdall/sports bag size bags, one for me, one for baby, mines more full than the babys, but i have the towels and all my bath stuff in there, not to mention countless PJs and clothes, pants etc!

[hazeyjane]

Both times I had a fairly large suitcase on wheels, with a couple of bags packed inside (one for the baby, one for labour) - so that dh could find stuff easily. It was good to have one bag that dh could transfer easily if need be (the wheels were handy, because both times I had to move from mw led unit to labout ward, and both times I needed/used most of the stuff I bought.

Dh also took a rucksack, with snacks and his stuff in.

[japhrimel]

Could you get a lightweight sily dressing gown? I have one and it packs up really small, so I take it away with me alot.

Can you take the minimum number of everything for yourself and then have extra standing by for your OH to bring in as you need them?

[nickytwotimes]

I've got one bag.

nappies, babygrows, wipes.
night dress, light dressing gown, toilet bag for me. Plus mat pads, breast pads, nipple cream.

you don't really need much and if you have another half or a good pal with you, they can nip back for what you need if you are in longer than anticipated.

[Summerhols]

I am taking a on flight wheelie suitcase - so a small one (even then going to struggle to get all I need in). Hope I am not going to look like a complete plonker! The other thing I am going to do is pack a second bag with extras in that is going to stay in boot of the car, this way if I need to stay longer I can just direct DH to this one as I know he'll be useless in finding what I want at home.

[PunchlessJudy]

I took 3 bags I think, plus a pillow!

One for the labour
One for the baby
One for my post birth stuff (toothbrush, wash stuff, hair brush etc, slippers, PJs, pads, chocolate, fruit, juice, healthy snacks/biscuits, lanisoh, sleeping nursing bra, going home clothes)

The baby stuff one was zipped inside the third bag to ease transportation - but was handy for organising myself on the ward

All the best - wishing you a lovely and easy birth.

[japhrimel]

OMG, they don't feed you in that situation? Okay, I'm packing lots of food in case I have to go to hospital - I get a migraine if I can't eat. Thanks for the tip.

I know a friend of mine ended up taking about 8 bags and had a massive pile by the bed (luckily she was against a wall!). But then she is incapable of packing light in any circumstances.

[vmcd28]

ok, only take half a pack of nappies - your other half can bring more in the next time he comes to visit.

Dressing gown - go to Primark and get a summer thin dressing gown, they cost about a fiver - then throw it out when you get home, if you dont have any other need for it.

Babygros - I took 4, but ran out within about 12 hrs!! DH brought in a lot more in the morning, and took all the dirty washing home with him.

Wipes - my hospital gave me a row for using wipes, they want you to use water and cotton wool. Altho, I used wipes from the second we got home

Take healthy snacks. They dont always provide you with much thats healthy, and I got badly constipated, so suffered a lot.

Maternity pads - I took one pack, but the hospital had loads, so I just used theirs after mins ran out. In fact, theirs seemed to be better than mine.

If you're at all weird about walking barefoot in communal showers etc, take Flip-Flops instead of slippers, and keep them on in the shower.

I wore a hospital gown after delivering DS, so I didnt need clothes, apart from the ones I went home in, and DH brought them with him.

A good tip - the hospital I was in had incontinence sheets for you to lie on, to stop blood getting on the sheets (they are exactly like bed-wetting mattress protectors, about 2 feet square...) Anyway, I stuffed 5 of them in my bag before I went
home - and I'm glad I did. I didnt bleed too heavily, but I still would have had to change the bed sheets a couple of times in the first few days I got home. And we can all do without changing beds when we have a tiny baby to deal with !!