Hospital bag -Essentials and some luxuries

[Septbaby]

I'm sure there are 100 threads on hospital bags buried deep in here but thought I'd ask around anyways...

Packing my bag and buying all the bits and bobs, just wondering what you all packed that were essential items, things you really missed or on the other hand just didn't need, any little luxuries you took, whether to pack on the assumption I'll be there for a few days etc etc! Lots of questions!

Also any recommendations to add to post birth bath to help with healing, my mum suggested salt, anyone else got ideas?

Thanks lovely ladies

[Bigbottomtwirl]

I wish I'd taken dry shampoo to freshen up my hair a bit. And food, this time I shall pack food as I forgot last time.

[Emmie10]

I am sure someone will be along with a more comprehensive list but off the op of my head;

• drinking straws
  
• hair bobbles
  
• big pants (in size and style)
  
• witch hazel (a few drops on a maternity pad to sooth and help healing)
  
• hand cream

[NovemberRainbow]

Flip flops, as the shower floors can be grim.

A squirty water bottle to pour on stitches when you pee, as it can sting.

Snacks and drinks, for you and birth partner.

Lots of maternity pads.

All clothes and pyjamas to be dark in colour, helps to disguise any blood etc.

[Loveallmyboys]

Breast pads!!!! I was given gauze pads when I had DS1 and I went through 3 pyjama tops in one night as the milk just leaked straight through. Very unpleasant!
In my bag last time was:
Batiste
Hand cream
Creme eggs(I get gestational diabetes so was very excited to be able to est chocolate again post-birth!)

[lighteningmcmama]

salt is amazing in the bath post bath, add enough so its like sea water to get the real benefit. many will say don't do it it will sting, but it didn't sting me and i had a pretty horific wound with both previous dcs :( so worth a try to see how it works for you

i also packed a john west tuna salad in a tin with dc2 because i remembered with dc1 how we had missed the dinner time on the ward and they didn't have anything for us except toast . something long life and that would work as a quick meal, i figured i could have it with the hospital bread. i didn't need it in the end but will be packing one again this time not sure if i should be worried that the tuna salad tin had a veeery long date on it so actually will be in date when i'm due for dc3 and is the same tin i'll be packing this time

[BlueStarsAtNight]

Take a mixture of nighties and pyjamas in case (like me) you end up with a catheter and can't put trousers on!

Also found useful:
Fruit pastilles (huge bag!)
More mat pads than I thought I'd need
Hand held fan
Un-scented shower gel as the scented ones stung me for a while
Dark towel!
Baby stuff in newborn and 0-3; my DS was nearly 10lb so the newborn stuff with smaller limits was too small right away

[frankiebuns]

Food is a great idea didn't think about that in that goes

[rockstars12]

I did lots of googling for this and my list for hospital, although small items, it ended up longer than my baby's list. I saw recommendations for taking your own comfy pillow/breast feeding pillow. Dettol wipes for if the bathroom/toilet are messy. Lip balm. Definitely food. Dry shampoo. Someone also said about arnica cream/ tablets to aid healing too.
Like you I'm curious as to what I'll need, though I know I have to have a c section and take stuff for twins. My bags will have to be a series of additions packed and brought as and when I guess.

[JacktheLab]

Ear plugs, I was on a ward on four and it helped me get some sleep!

[Bunbaker]

"A squirty water bottle to pour on stitches when you pee, as it can sting."

We had bidets in the loos on the post natal ward. The midwives advised us to wee in them with the spray on. It was a great idea and really does work.

[neversleepagain]

I had a small loo bag. In it I had Detol wipes, posh loo roll, wet tissue wipes, maternity pads, spare pants, hand sanitising gel.

[MB34]

So not to overload my hospital bag - I left piles of items on the spare bed so DH/mum could just grab them if I was in for a while. Things like extra nighties/pjs, maternity pads, non perishable food, etc and anything you think you may need.
It was a good idea, as I was kept in hospital for 5 days after having DS.

[WittgensteinsBunny]

I packed far too much when dd was born. I think poor DH had to go back to the car to bring in maybe 3 largish bags whilst I was in fairly established labour

I won't be taking so much this time. But these are my ''musts":

I had a really nice porridge pot (date and coconut) that you just add hot water to. It was possibly the most delicious thing I'd tasted after 56 hours of labour and not being able to keep much down! The midwife made it up with my toast and tea. I also took some really nice toiletries. Ren mini shower gel and nice shampoo / conditioner. I'll be taking all 3 back in with me this time too!

Other essentials:

• dark, cheap pj bottoms (I needed 2/3 pairs and was in for 1 night / 2 days) and big, big black cotton knickers (i got mine in primark)
  
• maternity pads - I liked boots maternity pads best
  
• Breast pads feeding tops / vests and breastfeeding bras
  
• some snacks / bottle(s) of water
  
• toothbrush and paste - again - felt amazing to brush my teeth after my shower
  
• hairbrush / tangle teezer / hair bands
  
• lip balm
  
• this time: make up
  

I packed my DH a separate rucksack with special snacks, change of clothes, camera, change for the car park and hospital etc

And this time I'm going to pack the baby a small separate bag too. Just a couple of babygros, hats, scratch mits, nappies and water wipes, muslins and blanket

[Munxx]

Lots and lots of snacks, despite the tea and toast I was ravenous again about an hour later. I ate six cereal bars one after the other.

I'd take a really big plastic cup, the wee one that comes with the water jug isn't much use if you are hot and thirsty.

Nice face wipes amd some cooling foot spray in case the ward is very hot. Also a few carrier bags to stick things like dirt washing in.

Lastly, before you go into hospital I'd make a few clearly labelled piles of pants/bras and tops and baby items that your DH or partner can just grab from if you need to stay in a few extra days.

Depending on your hospital they may well provide maternity towels, nappies and so on.

Good luck!

[Septbaby]

This is fantastic, thank you everyone! All really helpful! Let my shopping commence

[dancestomyowntune]

woolly socks (feet can get very cold in labour)
cooling mist spray
food!!!
change for car parking
camera
plenty of breast pads/maternity pads
a book and a sudoku book/crossword book.

[Bunbaker]

I second the socks. Despite DD being born during a warm spell in July my feet were freezing.

[IBelieveInPink]

I took loads of crap I didn't need. Waste of space.

My essentials....

Straws (for drinking lying down)
Lip balm
Lansinoh (apply immediately and constantly)
Lots of nappies and cotton wool
A really nice shower gel for your first shower, I still remember mine it was that amazing.

Good luck :)

[Bunbaker]

Plenty of maternity pads. I ended up staying in hospital for 5 days because DD wouldn't feed. I had to send OH out to get some more.

[EvenFlo]

I was in for nearly a week so wish I had been more organised as far as clothes for me were concerned. I was sick of wearing pyjamas by day 3!

[missmargot]

Everyone laughed at my hospital bags before I went into labour as they said I had way over-packed and way over-thought it. In the end my labour was very long and I then stayed in a further two nights whilst backwards and forwards between the maternity ward and DS who was in special care. I was so glad of all the extras I packed.

• Nice toiletries. I packed travel sized Redken hair products and Eve Lom skincare (bought heavily discounted in the sales) plus a lovely smelling shower gel. I felt so so much better once I'd used them all and felt fresh again.
  
• Lip balm and a cooling spray (Magicool and a rose water facial spritz) as it was so hot in the hospital and my skin became very dry
  
• Semi decent clothes. I don't advocate spending a fortune on anything, however I was really pleased that I'd bought lots of cheap black yoga type trousers rather than brightly coloured pyjama bottoms. I wore them with black nursing vests and jersey loungewear type cardigans. It felt much nicer than being in traditional pyjamas for a few days and I felt less conspicuous walking around the hospital to visit DS plus I looked better in the photos
  
• Flip flops. Handy for the shower but also to wear instead of slippers as the wards were so warm.
  
• Kindle plus charger. Everyone told me I wouldn't have time to read, as it was I was having to set my alarm every two hours through the night to express and the Kindle helped me stay awake. Once DS was ready to come home I moved into the hospital's transitional ward to get feeding established and bought it back in with me to keep me awake during night feeds.
  
• Food. Porridge pots are good as most of the wards will have boiling water available 24/7. I also packed a mixture of sweet and savoury foods as I had no idea what I might fancy or what might turn my stomach.
  
• I was bought a lovely labour gift set from The Organic Pharmacy which was really handy. It had everything from arnica tablets to nipple balm plus a fantastic healing solution for my stitches. I have no idea whether it was expensive or not but I highly recommend it.
  

I packed everything into two bags, one for labour which included first set of clothes, nappies etc for DS and one for the post-natal ward. DH had another bag in the car with extra maternity pads, breast pads etc.

[Septbaby]

missmargot I'm so glad you've advocated a large supply of things lol! Someone at work was talking about theirs and it was pretty much the size of a small rucksack, mine is already filling a small suitcase, thought I was going a bit crazy on canning stuff in lol! Thank you :)

[Kittykatmacbill]

Everything as per above, but particular mention of food for birth partner, I had an long labour 36 hours and dh got offered one round of toast and one mug of tea, through out that time and I suspect only because he was a doctor .
So basically survived on granola bars and gummy sweets throughout that time.
Also I would suggest that you have a second big bag at home, incase you are in for a long time. I was in for 5 days and basically needed a clean set of pjs every day. So stock up primark and asda ones!

[butterfly86]

Definately flip flops for the shower and pants bigger than you think you will need I had a c section and was told my big pants were still too small so I had to send out for belly warmers! I packed vaseline for my lips but ended up using it on dd bum if you put it on at each nappy change it makes those first black poos just slide straight off otherwise its like tar and just sticks...nightmare when they tell you to use just cotton wool too!

[elmo2014]

Indigestion tablets? Is it just me that suffered terribly from lack of (quality) food and everything shifting position back down to where it used to be. Not sure/can't remember which ones are bf safe, but I'll be packing some again! Oh, the glamour!

Thinking of taking my multivitamins too. For some reason I stopped taking them as soon as I'd given birth at just the time my body probably needed it most.

Bag everything up too, so you can just grab the bag you need for afterwards. Pjs, toiletries, pads, clean undies. You might want to be as quick as possible if your baby is screaming blue murder, like mine did.