Hospital bag

[Loobylou123]

Am getting packed... Only thing is I seem to be filling a usual weekend size bag with no room for any baby items yet! Don't want to look bonkers arriving with a suitcase. Here is what I have in it so far
2 nighties
Thin, short robe
Slippers
Flip flops
Towel
Washbag with mini stuff and flannel
Pants
Pack of mat pads
Pack of breast pads

Does this seem like reasonable stuff to you? Also need to fit in nappies, cotton wool, wipes, vests, baby suits, hat, socks.

Can I ask what you all did/will do? I may need a rethink!

Thanks

[Gerty1002]

I have a weekend bag and a separate baby bag for baby things! AND a spare baby bag and weekend bag in case of extended stay as baby is lying transverse so natural labour likely to end in EMCS. Will most likely repack when I know whether VBAC is a definite no-no. I'm a first-timer though so have possibly overpacked also!

[Liveinthepresent]

How exciting - I have had my baby now so am remembering this bit fondly.
At risk of over complicating things I packed 3 bags -

1. Labour - and immediate post birth things. Drinks / Snacks / washbag / music / change of clothes / some maternity pads
   
2. Baby - as per your list.
   
3. Post birth - clothes / make up / breast pads / towel / robe / flip flops etc
   

So on arrival you only need to remember one bag. Your birth partner can retrieve the rest as required. And don't need to worry about over packing as you dont have to take the whole bag in if you aren't staying long.
Worthwhile making sure birth partner knows what is packed where.

Despite my military packing didn't actually make it to hospital this time - and poor DH was so flustered he had no idea what was in each bag as the ambulance crew asked him for stuff !

Good luck !

[princesscupcakemummyb]

hi Loobylou123 your list sounds fine heres what i usually put in mine

*nightwear for me x2 spares are a must
*pads &breastpads & big knickers
*change of clothes for your self to go home
*toiletrees /shampoo/flanel/toothbrush/etc
*camera
*phone and charger
*food/snacks hospital food aint the best
*small amount of change in your purse like £5
baby

*babygrows x2
*vests x2

• coat mines a winter baby
  *hats x2
  *blanket
  *nappies approx 10 in plenty if you need more get some one else to bring them in
  *wipes/cotton wool
  
  i have allways said if i need more then dh could bring it in

[TwentyTinyToes]

I do three bags too, so labour, baby stuff and then afterwards. Have you thought about a birth plan? If so, that needs to be in your labour bag. Early labour can be boring so books, magazine, ipod etc. Snacks? Squash to drink? Favourite sweets? Cereal bars for afterwards. Also think about anything your birth partner might want to eat, DP was starving! Camera and charger, phone charger. Tons if change for parking and snack machine.

[TwentyTinyToes]

Sorry, posted too soon.
Tens machine if using and spare batteries.
Also i took a little present for the baby in my labour bag (booties for DS and a hat for DD) to remind myself of what i was there for, is easy to forget a baby is on the way when in the labour
zone. Good luck!

[Wonderstuff]

I'd have three nighties. One will get icky in labour, one may get icky the first night, so a nice one for the next morning would be good. I had to send DH out for one when I woke up looking like a scene from a horror film, he didn't choose too well

[Loobylou123]

Thanks all. I think the multibag option may be the way forward. Hadn't even thought about coming home clothes. That could have been a disaster. Hate to think what DH would have brought for me!!

[Lottiesmama312]

I also packed -

• a pillow from home (hospital ones can suck) and the smell from home was reassuring in labour!
  
• straws - so hubby could give me water easily in labour!
  

There will always be things you don't use.....I packed everything but the kitchen sink just incase! Lol!

[SupermansBigRedPants]

Ooh ooh I've just done mine - massive summer bag filled to brim!

I don't pack much for labour - nightie is basically it. I don't eat or drink in labour, don't listen to music because I'm utterly high and chatting crap off gas and air.

Baby after birth - nappy, vest, mitts, babygrow, hat and cardigan - packed in a little nappy bag.

Me After birth - shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, brush, bobble and headband/kirby grips, bra, pants, breast and maternity pads, nightie, soft slippers.

Babys hospital stay - 12 nappies, cotton wool, 6 each babygrows and vests, bundle of bibs and muslins, 2 extra hats and cardigans.

For hospital stay - 10 pairs of black pants, wipes 2 packs of maternity pads/night time sanitary towels, 2 comfy bras, breast pads, 2 nighties. Toiletries from 'me after birth' plus toothpaste&brush, blusher and lipbalm. Diluting juice, cereal bars and strawberry laces for me to munch on

Baby going home - vest, socks, top and bottoms/babygrow/romper etc, cardigan and hat. Snowsuit depending on weather. Blanket/shawl, car seat, wee toy/comforter.

Going home - underwear, comfy bottoms - I've packed leggings, long top - mines a vest and really comfy shoes - df's flip flops

I think that's it. It's awfully long but it all fits in one bag - £4 dealio from primark!

[LouiseD29]

I have hand-luggage sized case for my stuff and a separate bag for baby. Will also be taking another bag with food/drinks and a pillow. Am 38+4 - getting impatient!!!!!!!!

[MrsWarren1983]

I took loads in for my first baby and barely used any of it...I will definately leave out most things with my next baby. Packing 3 bags is a good idea so you only need one bag at a time, your partner or a family member can bring in the other two as required.

This is what I will be taking;

2 x nighties at the most (don't forget there are hospital gowns you can borrow until you are brought a spare)
Maternity pads (Can double up as breast pads if the milk comes in before going home, which is unlikely)
1 x pack of maternity (paper) knickers
2 x big knickers
Camera, new memory card and batteries
Mobile phone
Book or magazine
Toilettries (toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner in one, shower gel, foundation, mascara, lip balm and lip gloss, hair brush)
Ear plugs
A bottle of frozen water for labour (Hospital water is rarely topped up and goes warm in seconds)
Non-perishable snacks e.g cereal bars
A hand-held mini fan for labour or a facial spray bottle
1 x baby grow
1 x baby vest (For some reason it's always far too hot in hospital, my DD was stripped down to the nappy when she was born in November and still boiling hot so one vest is fine...they don't get them dirty anyway)
6 x newborn nappies (They have spares if you need them but for the first few hours baby won't feed/toilet much)
Water wipes (Baby wipes you can use straight from birth rather than cotton wool)
Baby blanket
2 x scratch mits
A notepad and pen for recording those first thoughts/experiences
Slippers

Things that can be brought later;

A pillow if required
Going home outfit for baby
Extra nappies/maternity pads/underwear
Breast pads
Going home outfit for me (Although it's likely I will wear what I went in, unless my waters break before I manage to get into a nightie!)

Hope this helps! :)

[SeriousStuff]

I've been told to pack a plastic jug for your first wee (so you can pour warm water on yourself while you go, alleviating any burning).

If your hospital lets your DH/DP stay overnight, remember to pack a bag for him!

[gnittinggnome]

I'm a way off this list yet (edd mid-January) but I keep seeing ads for disposable paper knickers, which I am assuming are for afterwards.

Anyone any thoughts on whether these are necessary / simpler?

[DharmaBums]

Has anyone packed bottles and formula in case they've got problems BF? I saw a sign in the hospital on my last hospital visit that said they no longer provide any of that if you have problems feeding? Starting to panic about that as the thought of my DH doing a 3am run to tesco (which is what they suggest!) seems a bit unrealistic!

[Faithless12]

If you are planning to breastfeed I'd recommend Lansinoh or something similar and put it on from the first feed. I didn't need breastpads until the third day but used them with lansinoh on them and I found that johnsons were the best for the first few days/week when getting used to breastfeeding.

Baby hat as well.

[TwentyTinyToes]

Yy to straws for drinking during labour and also to a pillow from home.

[CatherinaJTV]

nursing bra in two cup sizes larger than your usual size - nursing pillow - those thinish round shaped things that will rest your arms and (if needed) protect a c-section scar from baby's kicks

[MollyNollyNoo]

Paper pants are the work of the devil gnittinggnome I bought packs of huge cheap cotton pants instead, much more comfortable but cheap enough to throw away if you need to (which you will obv...).

A sleep mask to cover your eyes is handy if you end up staying in and need to sleep when it is light, ie any time after the day shift have arrived and flung open the curtains.

Snacks are good as well, if you land on the ward at 2am and get the post birth munchies a good stash of healthy stuff is handy, and bottles of water...you need to drink lots and the hospital stuff always seems to be luck warm.

[milkwasabadchoice]

LANSINOH

I'll say it again:
LANSINOH!!

And dont just look at it - use it from the off.

Good luck to all you bag packers!

[popocatepetl]

Yes to sleep mask! I was kept in 5 days as I'd previously had a thyroid problem and they wanted to check DS (who was fine) and it was the only way I got any sleep. Also that spray in dry shampoo stuff if you can't face washing and drying your hair.

[morethanpotatoprints]

Lots of snacks to give you strength, and bottles of chilled water/lucozade whatever you like. people forget about stuff like this.
Multiply all the essentials like breast pads, sanitary towels x2.

[niffernaffer]

Here here to milkwasabadchoice!! You definitely need nipple cream!

I found I couldn't use my usual shower gel any more after giving birth as the smell of it took me right back to hospital showers/ feeling weird/ blood and other bodily secretions etc so if you have a favourite don't use it - take something you don't usually use!

Oh, and earplugs can be helpful for snoring mums/crying babies (though prob not advisable once your child has arrived!) I also took some elderflower presse to drink which was lovely and refreshing and a change from tea or water.

[niffernaffer]

My hospital also asks you to bring your own sieve if you're planning on having a water birth.... !

[ecofreckle]

no to paper pants! Big cotton black cheapies from Primark. I didn't actually need to throw any of mine away so now I have a drawer full of unattractive huge pants
also, add a few flannels to your bag. I had a friend and my DH as birth partners and had a water birth. After a few mins the friend dashed to the airing cupboard and grabbed flannels and kept a fresh coll one on my head and shoulders throughout. Pool is 37 degrees and central heating had to be set to 25 degrees. It was quite warm and I suspect even if not having water birth the effort might make you quite warm. Grips to clip away every last strand of hair were also very useful. I didn't want any hair on my face.
Good luck.

[shufflehopstep]

You need heavy duty maternity pads. I got some from Boots but the midwife looked at them and shook her head as they weren't going to be anywhere near effective enough so DH had to go off to the shops and get me some more suitable ones.

Baby grows with short sleeves are also useful. DD was born on the hottest weekend of the year last year and the hospital room I was in was south facing so it was like a greenhouse. She didn't need a sleep suit as keeping her legs bare kept her cool. In addition she had a cannula in her hand which, if it had been scaled up for an adult would have been like having an oar from a boat strapped to her forearm! It meant she couldn't have long sleeves.

I wasn't massively hungry afterwards although I'd not eaten for about 14 hours but I wanted something so had some boiled sweets.

The best thing was (although potentially not very practical to take with you - maybe get someone to bring it afterwards) my DH brought my laptop and some DVDs so that I could watch some films. DD was in NICU for 24 hours so it was nice to have something to keep my mind occupied when I was back in my room.