Top tips for hospital bag

[stripeybumpsmum]

Anyone got any good advice for a first time mum? It is time for us to think about packing hospital bag for me and bump (week 27 but with three hospital admissions so far I am not taking any chances!)Besides the usual recommenations in the baby books,does any one have any top tips for the really useful stuff we should take? Any anything usually recommended we should avoid?

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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.

Put your knickers on top. My midwife had to empty out my whole bag to find mine for me.

Who had time to read magazines??? 3 x labour spent hugging bed. 3 x unsettled sleepless babies meant no reading for me.

any paperwork from prenatal care
I wore casual clothes instead of nightwear.
flip flops to walk around
pads, pads, pads and more pads
bras/ undies
makeup/hairstuff to make me think I looked okay
plastic bags for dirty clothing
toiletries
sweets and munchies
baby clothes, wipes, nappies

Would also suggest you fit baby seat with life size doll or similar. We didn't do this and my dh spent 10 mins adjusting clips and belts on seat so baby would fit properly.

mymama - I was in for 4 nights post c/s. I read everything I could lay my hands on (inc. several books) and played hours of scrabble with dh! DS didn't sleep at night, but did all day . Thought if this is how it is going to be, it's easy

re melting chocolate - my friend (who works in the NHS) brought me minstrels as she said they don't melt in the hospital heat! They didn't melt but I had my window permanently open and the fan on and it wasn't all that warm outside so it wasn't as sweltering as it could have been. Might be worth a try anyway. Plus no energy used in snapping bits off. She got them in a tub, so they were less likely to spill out everywhere. She's one of those lovely people who thinks of everything

Sorry if I am repeating things that have already been suggested:
a can of magicool to cool you down.
Some chewing gum or tic tacs for all those kisses you will be getting.
note pad and pen
gameboy
ipod
small mirror so you can sort yourself out before photos
address book for phone numbers

Just re opening thread as some good advice here!

Bump

I haven't read all the posts on here, but have just had my DS and my top tips, in addition to the obvious baby stuff and your clothes and toiletries etc, would be:

• water bottle & straw for labour
• flannel for labour
• snacks for ward
• button front night shirts if breastfeeding
• some nice bubble bath or similar to have a wash in in bed if you can't have a shower immediately
• a pack of thank you cards for any staff you want to thank & a pen to write in them

Painkiller for your DH/DP

My friend's husband got a massive tension headache (could barely see or stand) he had to leave the hospital to find a shop with painkillers which obviously meant he had to leave her for 15 minutes or so.

an isotonic drink bottle filled with cold water squirted at your bits when you're weeing is heavenly. another tip, when wiping just get a load of cold wet paper towels and press gently.

no scented perfumey toiletries as baby is programmed to be comforted your real smell.

lansinoh if breastfeeding.

loads of snacks as labour burns thousands of calories and you feel ravenous afterwards. oat bar flapjack things may help with milk production too.

some roomy footwear too as its quite common for your feet to balloon after birth.

ooh its bringing back lovely memories of those first days with her. good luck.

A midwife recommended a water bottle to pour over youwhen you pee (heaven) then pat yourself dry with a maternity pad then use a fresh one (or two at the same time the firs couple of days)

Mini cartons of juice

I'm entertained by how ancient this thread is!!! I was wondering why a poster was putting pound coins in a pay phone! How times have changed!

To enter into the spirit of things- The most useful thing I took was the picnic, but because I used the freezer packs to cool down my hormonal hot flush face. The rest of it was not unpacked because I was home within 4 hours of delivery. I suppose I must have used some toiletries and put on some clean pants but it's all a bit blurred.

Antiseptic wipes

YY to a big water bottle with a sports cap, to squirt water over your bits when you wee. Much easier than trying to pour water from a jug, or resorting to weeing in the shower. Priceless if you tear or have stitches.

Someone on another forum recommended wearing a nighty as well as dark pyjama bottoms. Just gives you (and your bottom) a little bit more coverage.

^That was after birth on the post natal ward. I was very glad I took her advice.

I suggest pre prepairing a pair of knickers with a maternity pad already stuck in. Too weak post birth to do this myself and trying to explain to my husband how to do it was taxing!