To ask what you really need in your hospital/baby bag?

[summerskittles91]

I imagine this has been done a million times, but just looking for tips on items you really wish you had packed in your hospital/baby bag or items that ended up being really useful.

Started packing mine, and having consulted a million lists on google I don't actually know what I really need.

Any tips would be fully appreciated!

flannels, if you have a c-section these will save your life.

music.
large cotton pants, huge high waisters.

Everyone is saying buy big and baggy so I'll buck the trend :)

After dd2 I couldn't stand baggy knickers or pyjamas/trousers. If felt like my pad was too loose and I was going to leak all over the place. I felt much more secure in tight (still high-waisted and black) knickers and a pair of leggings on under my nighty.

Dd2 was born at home though so I didn't have to worry about looking daft on the ward.

Not baggy! I second that. But my pg tummy was post section and so they did have to be big!

Several changes of pjs! I had one set for giving birth in, took them off once the baby was here and they were a bit ruined, put on my spare set and immediately pulled out my catheter and spilled it all over them. Ended up in hospital gown. And I was so proud of my two sets as well ...

I also brought in real coffee, mugs and an aeropress, but that's cos I'm a coffee snob.

Food for you and partner.
Towel - to soak in water and tie to your bed, to cool yourself down in the night after birth.
Another towel
Maxi sanitary towels and nick your male partner's ancient undies you'd love him to chuck out. Soft boxers ftw.
Sports bottle of water, with strap to attach to bed.
More food and drink

That was about all I used. On day 2 after birth I put the T-shirt and skirt I'd arrived in back on.

For baby, more babygros than we thought (was using very large ones by day 3). Cotton wool and nappies were provided in the hospital so didn't use the ones we had.

I think everything has been covered already but since I'm giving birth to my third in the summer I'll say what I'm packing

bag for baby - nappies & clothes
small bag for me :
fruity water
lip balm
socks
nightdress to give birth in
giant pack of pads as I like to change them very often

bag to keep in car - clothes to wear home and a spare, small overnight toiletries consisting of towel, shampoo, body wash, tangle teezer, hairbands and toothbrush/paste. bag for dirty clothes and two pairs of pyjamas as I get really hot and sweaty in maternity wards!

I had to be induced last time , if I have to have another one I'll be taking hard boiled sweets and buying a tv pass thingy to pass the time again.

My best advice is to pack an extra emergency bag and leave it in the care. Nice comfy big towel. Pj's. Spare leggings 2 tops socks underwear and for your new baby 2 outfits spare nappies and wipes.
If you have to stay in longer than expected it will be worth it.

Lucozade sports drinks
Lip balm (gas & -air dried your lips out)
Flip flops for the showers
A lot of spare big underwear
Warm bedsocks

Just to reiterate: pants, pants, pants! Ones you'd be happy to throw away afterwards.

Snacks for you and your partner. I downwe diet coke while in labour, think the caffeine was needed (normally wouldn't drink diet coke).

The midwife advised me to take old 'period pants'then you don't feel guilty throwing them away. I had to send out for a tiny hat as they were going to keep DD as she could't regulate her temperature but hat solved this. Flip flops or crocks for showering. Plenty of drinks. TENS machine with spare batteries

Even if you're planning to breastfeed, take a little starter pack of ready made formula just in case. My baby was totally unable to latch for the first 5 days. I'd planned to bf (and ended up doing so) but he had formula on day 1 just to get some calories into him, as he was unexpectedly tiny and unwell.
Maternity leggings and long baggy t-shirts. I'd foolishly brought maternity jeans but couldn't even look at them after EMCS.
Nighties and t shirts with a wide or button neck for getting your boobs out.

I remember DH being worried I hadn't packed enough and I still didn't use most of what I brought!

From memory what we actually used (discharged about 10 hours after birth) was:

Baby:
Nappies
Bodysuit
Sleepsuit
Hat
Blanket
Coat/wrap for going home

Me:
Maternity tankini top for water birth (DH wondered why I didn't bring the bottoms!! )
Pads (maternity and breast, but the hospital maternity pads are great)
Makeup (I don't normally wear much but was so glad of foundation and lippy afterwards!)
Hairbrush and hair clip
snacks eg breakfast bars (enough for Dh too)
Change of clothes including comfy black undies
Drinks
Phone & charger
Presents for DH and midwives

This time around I'll add a present for DD but otherwise will be roughly the same

I have one pack of pampers wipes with the seal tab/lid, I opted for that instead of water wipes. For when we're home we've bought the ASDA sensitive wipes in a large multipack that was discounted. I've been told to keep wipes upside down too to stop them drying out.

Loving all the other suggestions - I think I'll have my bags ready to go at the weekend! Thank you :D

For you:
Face/body wipes - to feel fresh even when you are not brave/strong enough to go to the shower room
Food/snacks
Phone charger
Cheap underwear and nightgowns that you can throw away afterwards
Thick socks

I'd go with making sure you have high waisted, cotton dark underwear - I went in thinking I would be giving birth naturally and wound up with a section (as do a lot!) and I had to send my Mum out for emergency big pants as the ones I'd packed were old, but not particularly adequate post section.

I'd also go with your own pillows - I made the rookie mistake of thinking I wouldn't need them but after four days of sleeping (read; not sleeping at all) on one, plastic-y pillow in 30c heat in the antenatal ward I was begging for my home comforts.

Drinks lots of drinks. It's as tropical heat and despite being told to drink plenty I wasn't allowed to go and fetch watch myself
Food. Hospital sandwiches pretty inadequate!
Pillows
Several changes of clothes. As its tropical, spend most time sitting on plastic bed/chair and going for a shower is a big mission I got a bit stinky sweaty. Wish I'd had more changes of clothes. Loose PJ's/ yoga pants etc.
Baby clothes in a variety of sizes

Everything has been covered I think, but the second time round we took paracetamol as after my first (long, overnight, dramatic) labour, my husband had a storming headache, but they couldn't prescribe him any paracetamol because he wasn't a patient and they don't sell it at any of the shops in the hospital because they are concerned that people will supplement their drug regimen with them given the chance. I felt very sorry for him as I was offered every drug going and he couldn't get anything!

This might have been mentioned already but I forgot to add that your DH might appreciate a change of clothes, or a clean top at least.

Not read the full thread but there are three things I always recommend based on things I wished I had with me during my first labour.

1. Lip balm - the gas and air dried my lips out so much
2. Face cloth - to be rinsed under cold water and placed on the back of your neck if needed
3. Change of clothes for your birthing partner, even a fresh tshirt, my husband was up for 36 hours with our first and would have appreciated being able to freshen up.

Large anti bacterial swipes for the shared facilities

Shortbread , dates , chocolate

Make up !

Don't forget the wipes the lips were so so bloody (not the women's fault but still .....)

And pants and pants and more pants and yoga pants !

And tena lady as they are better than Sani towels

loo - not lips don't want to alarm you OP

My spare bag in the boot had an extra pack of nappies and maternity pads plus a few more nighties and a v shaped pillow. All came in very handy as we were in for three nights in the end - v shaped pillow worked for breastfeeding, holding the baby comfortably and also sleeping.

I wouldn't have wanted my toiletries etc in the car as my dh was v panicky after the birth and wouldn't have wanted to leave me so I'd have had to wait until our first visitors came.

If you're going to be travelling by taxi and therefore can't do the "leave one bag in the car" thing, would strongly recommend thinking about what shops are in the hospital and reducing quantities of things accordingly. So, for example, I didn't take a whole pack of nappies, just about 10 - my DH popped out and bought more later. Similarly, I only took a few snacks and then sent him out for further supplies after birth. That meant we could just about get everything into one bag.

I wish I'd taken more clothing for myself - especially another pair or two of pyjama trousers. Also - think about the fact that you'll want to have some nice photos with the baby so, while whatever clothing you take should be comfortable, don't make all of it too old/tatty. I took a lot of stretchy black pyjamas and t shirts which don't look too bad in the pictures.

In agreement with all of above (big pants, as many maternity pads as you can fit it, things packed in separate bags, lovely lucozade) I brought a little bottle of fancy shower gel (not one that would irritate any delicate bits) and a shower puff that I just threw out afterwards. It was just bliss to have a nice shower afterwards and having that "fancy" stuff distracted from the blood and soreness!
Lots of the lists on the Internet go on about your "going home" clothes for you and the baby. I thoughts way too much about this and ended up scuttling out of the hospital and home having seen no one! Best of luck!

This list is great! Place marking too, am 33+5 and disproportionately excited about going to primark when I'm on maternity leave to get all this stuff. I remember the black pants from last time. Quite a lot of sniggering from dh and dsis about boats going around without sails as they were currently drying on the line. Those jokers.