Help needed with packing hospital bag.

[Moulesfrites]

Am 37 + 5. Have packed my stuff but not yet stuff for the baby. So far have bought a variety of vests and sleep suits, some in newborn size and some in 0-3 months. For some reason my mum convinced me to get the latter as she is convinced baby will be a whopper - no idea why she thinks this - midwife will not give any indication of size and am measuring normal for dates. So, how many sleep suits and vests do I need to take in and should I take some bigger sizes or just the new born? I have little cardigans and blankets - will these be enough plus a sleep suit and vest to bring the baby home in or should I have some sort of outfit? Sorry for sounding so clueless?

For DS I took 4 sets (vests and sleepsuits) a couple of hats, mitts and socks for straight after the birth. And an outfit to take him home in. I doubled that for DD though as she was a ELCS so I knew I'd be there longer, and DH still had to bring stuff in as we ran out

Unless you have been told that the baby is going to be very big, newborn will fit. We were told DS would be 9lb+ so we took newborn and 0-3 - had to swap with the lady opposite us when he arrived at 6lb 13, and her son was nealry 10lb. DH had to go and buy tiny baby stuff for DS!

Ok thanks, will just stick to the newborn stuff.

I agree, I was told my daughter would be big and she was born at 6lb 3, so she had to wear tiny baby and premature baby. She was still wearing new born at 10 weeks! I had to stay in overnight, and if anything, I'd overpacked for her and forgotten things for myself! I packed travel minis for after the birth so i could have a bath but take up less room in my bag. If I'm honest, I was planning on having a waterbirth and packed old t-shirts, nighties, bed socks, dressing gown etc..and ended up giving birth in the bed in my pyjama top! So it's hard to know exactly what to pack, and when the time comes, if you've forgotten something, it might seem at the time like the worst thing ever and you want to get someone to go straight back home and fetch it! But when you're in the thick of it, it really will be the last thing on your mind! Good luck

There are a couple of good checklists on the internet ? I've been using this one. It says 2-3 sleepsuits and vests. People assure me that a hat is essential, which I hadn't realised before.

Yes newborn will be fine for even bigger babies. Mine was 8lb 10 and the newborn babygros were still a bit loose on her.

I took three babygros and three vests. One hat and one cardi (which she never used) and one snow suit (with feet). It was December and snowing really heavily so she needed proper winter gear. She only used the one babygro and vest as I gave birth in the early hours of the morning and we were let out the following afternoon.

Don't take more than 2 or 3 of each as you probably won't need it. If you do stay in longer, your partner or Mum or a friend can bring you extra.

We did take a blanket and sort of draped it over her in her car seat when we took her from the ward, but we didn't really need it as DH went and fetched the car so we didn't have to go more than a couple of metres outside.