What would you pack in your hospital bag?

[baytree11]

I am due in a month..i think i should start packing my hospital bag.

_

Hello, this thread is a little old; for up-to-date recommendations, take a look at our guide to what to pack in your hospital bag.

[gem1981]

for you

wipes
lots of old pairs of knickers
snacks for you and birth partner
maternity pads
change for hospital car park/phone/tv

baby
baby vests/ all in ones
nappies
hat
cotton wool

[NomDePlume]

I packed alsorts of stuff and only actually used a nightdress, clean pants, maternity pads (bleugh) and baby nappies, vest & baby gro or 2, DD was born during a v warm August.

[merryandmad]

towels x 2 - dark ones if possible

[Anglepoise]

Wow - that's a bit more minimalist than me! (but I am known for taking far too much ...). This was what was in mine and I was grateful for most of it (I've said where it was useless):

Top tips:

• make sure your partner knows what is in your bag as you might not be in a state to remember
• next time I'll make up a second smaller bag with extra stuff in case I need to spend longer than expected in hospital (maternity pads, clean knickers, more baby clothes, etc) and have it somewhere in the house for DH to pick up, as it was a pain that I kept running out (didn't mean to spend any time in hospital, let alone two nights)

For me

• slippers
• socks - was told that feet get cold in labour, but didn't actually use these (though I did end up using one as an eye mask, as it was really bright on the labour ward and I couldn't find my mask!)
• nightie - actually this pissed me off and I ended up mainly wearing the old shirt I'd brought to give birth in (but didn't); also white was a really bad choice - get a DARK colour!
• dressing gown
• old (large) shirt - brought this to give birth in but was a long way past changing into a special outfit by the time I got to hospital and ended up labouring in a hideous maternity bra which DH then bungled getting off like a 15 year old boy when the time for skin to skin came
• big pants - I got huge hideous cheap granny ones from Peacocks but I love them as they're so comfy and they hold a pad in place better than my usual bikini/boy shorts; bit minging but white would have been better than black on the ward because they show up where your pad has leaked (which it probably will in the first few hours) so you don't then get blood on your nightie/sheets when you get back into bed; also could have done with more than the one or two pairs I had in my bag due to leakage issues
• toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, face wash, shower gel) - the bathrooms in the hospital actually seemed to have toiletries in them, but was nice to have my own
• ear plugs - the ward was really noisy, though ear plugs were really only any use when DH was there to keep an eye on LO, as otherwise I was worried she would wake up and I wouldn't hear her
• eye mask - very light on the ward, though LO seemed to have sixth sense about when I'd put the mask on and start gurgling
• hair bands
• toothbrush and paste
• breast pads - mainly useful because my nightie was a bit more transparent than I'd thought!
• maternity pads - total necessity; everyone always says buy lots, but to put that into numbers, LO is ten days old today and I think I'm on my ninth pack of ten (though also used them in the two days before labour when my waters broke early); I think I took ten into hospital and had to get DH to bring me another pack
• towel - either old or dark-coloured
• nipple cream (Lansinoh) - probably not necessary at that stage but one of those things you'd rather have than not in case
• face wipes - not totally necessary but got them free from Boots for buying something else and nice to freshen up
• flannel - was for DH to mop my brow but don't think it got used
• snacks - another total necessity: by the time I got to labour ward at around 6 am I'd had nothing to eat except dinner from the night before, which I'd vommed up during contractions, and a cup of tea after giving birth, so words cannot adequately describe my joy at finding a pack of mini jaffa cakes in my bag; cereal bars and cartons of fruit juice were also great for supplementing hospital food, and I had some of those Ella smoothie thingies so at least I knew I was getting some fruit
• straws - another total necessity so that I could have sips of water during labour - especially if you're using gas and air then your throat will get very dry and with a straw DH could just stick it in my mouth between contractions
• TENS machine - didn't actually use it once we got to hospital as I was 7 cm dilated by then and started on the gas and air, but was useful at home
• paracetamol - I actually got given paracetamol twice a day on the labour ward but was quite pleased to find some superduper strength American paracetamol stashed in my bag!
• Magicool and a battery-operated fan - didn't actually use these at all in labour (top tip: make sure your birth partner knows what's in your bag too! - we just forgot about these) but they may have been nice as I was very hot and sweaty - or they may just have been irritating; they were nice on the very hot labour ward though
• energy sweets - handy for a quick burst of energy but you need water on hand as they turn to dust in your mouth
• pillow in a distinctive cover - this was utterly fab as I only had one (thin hard) one on my bed on the ward and I also used it to lean on during labour and to sit on for the car ride home (ouch)
• clothes for me for the trip home (comfy maternity trousers, vest)
• notes
• birth plan - no one has ever asked to see this
• car seat
• camera
• book/magazines - pointless in labour but handy when I had to spend two nights on the ward (though it's amazing how much time you can fill by staring at your new baby and then relating to your partner everything that your new baby has done)
• plastic water bottle - useful for pouring water over your lady bits when peeing post-partum (though it actually only hurt the first two times), for making sure you get enough to drink (hospital glasses are very small) and for keeping in your bed so that it's easy to grab hold of (breastfeeding baby is inevitably immobilising the arm on the side your drink is on)
• nursing bras - love Bravado

For baby

• nappies - newborn size (mine were too big!)
• cotton wool - pointless as there was nothing to put water in to dampen it
• wipes - you also get some in the numerous Bounty bags you get in hospital
• change mat
• blanket
• clothes to go home in (vest, sleepsuit, socks, mits, hat)

It did all fit into a single reasonably sized (weekend) bag!

[caramelbunny]

Thanks for the level of detail Anglepoise, hope all going well with your LO.

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

i took lots that i didn't use like a book - lol! make sure you take several nighties/pyjamas, knickers, maternity pads, and also plenty of clothes and nappies for baby. i didn't take enough as i wasn't expecting to be in for 2 nights - you never know.

[ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight]

and i packed some juice boxes and a pack of hobnobs - great for snacking as hospital food is not great!

[baytree11]

hospital is only less than 10 mins away so i suppose i dont have to take too much stuff in one go? will hv an elective CS so i don't think i need less than most women....ermm ..great idea about packing another bag for DH to bring it over after the birth. am likely to stay in the hospital for a few days afterwards.