Hospital bag

[AmbaRoyle]

Would someone like to come and pack my bag for me?

I've bought a hold all on wheels to take in as my weekend suitcase was on its last legs and the other "big" bags were nowhere near big enough. Officially 1 month till due date and I haven't even packed or prepared a list - I have however delegated the shopping and have my nan a copy of the hospital list from the maternity book and got her to get me things :) perhaps she'll pack for me to?

Struggling on what to put but read some other people stuff on other forums etc and have just drafted this list:

Hospital bag

Towels - big shower one, smaller one and hand/face towel
Toiletries - shampoo, shower gel, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush, bobble, Vaseline,
Granny knickers
Maternity pads (2 x 10 pack)
Nighties x 2 (button down/pull down for bf)
Maxi dress (black)
Clothes to go home in?? Leggings and big t shirt
Nursing bras x3 - may need to get re measured and buy some in a bigger size
Phone charger
Money (change for hospital tv etc) - ask about a card and put credit on beforehand?
iPad
Kindle
Dressing gown
Slippers
Flip flops for shower
Laxatives
Painkillers
Snacks and drinks
Tens machine
Maternity notes!
Clothes for baby to come home in - hat, outfit
Bath towel for baby
T shirt and deodorant for jay
Makeup
Tinted moisturiser

Labour stuff
iPod
Docking station - check if need battery or there is plug
Vaseline (to go on baby's bum to make first poo clean easier)
Tankini top for birthing pool
Long strappy dress or vest top for labour - leggins which will be taken off at some point
Bed socks
Water sprayer
Wipes
Snacks and drinks
Lip balm/Vaseline for me
Camera
Nappy for baby
Clothes for baby
Face cloth to be wettened to keep me cool
Sanitary pad(s) for me x 2
Glucose tabs/drink

Changing bag
Nappies for baby x1 20 size 0/1
Cotton pads
Sudocreme
Nappy bags
Changing mat
Baby wipes
Baby lotion

Anything else important? Anything that shouldn't be on there or anything that should?

I really shouldn't have started this when I came to bed to go to sleep - brain is in overdrive now and I'm surprised I haven't got out of bed and started rummaging through all the bags to see what I have and don't have.

Breast pads. And take many many more maternity pads than you think you'll need, you may be wearing 2 or 3 at a time for the first day.

More maternity pads, definitely. After my first birth I was using two at a time and changing hourly.

I may have missed it, but did you have vests & babygros on your list? At least 3/4 of each because you can guarantee they'll squirt meconium on a couple/throw up/one will get covered in birth gunk.

Muslin cloths, the most useful thing in the world.

Nipple cream. I gave birth last week and stupidly forgot it (you think I'd be better after 4 DCs, huh!) it was a painful 18 hours without it until DH managed to get out for some. Lansinoh is best.

I think you've got everything else covered.

Good luck.

Not sure you'll need laxatives or painkillers. YY to more maternity pads. Bottles of water that have been in the freezer. Mini fan?

A book and/or puzzle book. I'm sure you'll be be in & out quite quickly but the time can drag (when baby is asleep). I was in a few days as blood pressure was all over the place & was Very Bored.

Good luck!

YY to laxatives (glycerine suppositories are best) for that first poo.

If you're planning a vaginal birth I highly recommend a little plastic jug. Fill with warm water and pour as you pee!

I took nighties but I felt like my bum was hanging out so I got DH to bring in large pjs - vest tops with sewn in boob support to hold breast pads and huge bottoms.

Haha all I can say is oh sh1t, I'd better re think!!!! Due in 2 + 1/2 weeks and all I have in my bag is my wash bag, nightie, clothes to come home in and baby clothes and changing stuff. However I am supposed to be having water birth in a midwife lead community hospital and I only stay in for a few hours as there are only 2 rooms. Am I being to hopeful?

Thanks for posting this. I'm 33 weeks and just finishing mine off. I've not heard that I should need laxatives in the hospital and now im wondering if I should get some?! First baby and oblivious to these things. How important is this? How many nappies are u taking just one? Or am I misreading that. Ppl told me to take plastic bags for dirty clothes too. Do you need baby lotion? As at ante natal class they said not to use any products on baby for the first 4 weeks, not even soap?! It's such a palava for 1 day (hopefully) in hospital isn't it, packing for a new life.

I just ate loads of fruit and drank plenty and I didn't need laxatives. I took one pack of nappies but we had to send DH off for tiny nappies and small baby grows as DD was unexpectedly weeny (5lb 4oz!). You're likely to be in 6 hours minimum so yes you should pack more than one nappy! I haven't used baby lotion at all yet and she's 15 weeks. I definitely didn't need it in hospital.

One thing I'd say is labour and the hours after are rarely like you expect it but as long as the hospital isn't in the middle of nowhere if you stay in you can always send other people out for stuff you need! :)

I took a pack of prunes.

last time I planned for a water birth and home the same day and ended up with a c section and in for basically a week. I'm planning for that this time but taking much less than that. I know I'll have visitors everyday who will bring and take stuff so I am packing light.

eg one pack of mat pads, couple of outfits for me, no maxi dress, nothing to wearvin labour other than what I arrive in.

baby made no mess in first week from sick or poo and only wore vests in Hosp it was so hot. for the first week we changed babygros for fun!

I loathe carrying around the kitchen sink tho and others like the control it gives, but remember there isn't much space to put stuff.

I've gone back and re packed.loads more! I feel super prepared for staying in hospital longer if I have to. Dh just asked if we need to take bouncy exercise ball or will hospital have one? I presume they will......right? Can't imagine having to roll that in as well! I love mine.

My hospital has them but I took my own. Never got it out the car! :)

Re laxatives etc - although my labour didn't go brilliantly & I was stuck in for several days after because of a number of little problems (stitches, blood pressure, Epidural took AGES to wear off, bladder infection), I didn't have any problems or pain when 'going' to the loo. Didn't need to pour water over my stitches, wasn't constipated.

It's good to be prepared but try not to worry about it. Good luck!

Make sure your shower gel and shampoo can hang from the shower, bending down to pick them off the floor nearly killed me afterwards!

Great list! That's exactly what I took. The only other thing I found useful (in labour bag) was a couple of bottles of Lucozade (or water if you prefer) for drinking during labour. And don't forget a straw. My hubbies job was to hold the drink and hold straw to my mouth whenever I needed it. My mouth was very dry during labour with gas & air and heavy breathing.

Pack some disposable incontinence pants (the big tena ones) so much better than maternity pads for the first few days as you don't need to worry about leaking everywhere! You can add a pad inside these for the first few hours. To compliment these, pack a large baggy pair of pyjama bottoms

DC3 due soon, and I saw a tip recently about dabbing smoothing olive oil onto your newborns bottom so the meconium doesn't stick too badly (can be like tar!). I have put some in a travel bottle. It is also nice to put on cracked skin if your baby is overdue.

Great list! You might get away without a few bits though - I was in for a week after my DD was born and never used my dressing gown/slippers. Was in flip flops the whole time as my hippo feet wouldn't fit in anything else. Same for bed socks - birthing suites and maternity wards are boiling! I also didn't bother with make-up, but I am a bit of a slob.

I might put an extra hand towel in for down there too. Drying after a shower was a bit manky really.

We were in because neither of us was very well, so I didn't read or anything. Basically when I wasn't breastfeeding/gazing at the baby, I was asleep or being interrupted by various hospital staff for a million tests (they check all the basic reflexes/vital signs, hearing, help with feeding, show you how to bath baby, do various postnatal checks on you and also in my case monitor vital signs and administer meds - a lot over seven days, so I can't imagine it crammed into one!).

Good lord. My second was 5 weeks early hadn't packed a thing and was fine. No one batted an eyelid at me going to breakfast in my husbands shirt, hiking boots and unshaven legs!

Good luck!

I packed loads and left it all in the car because I gave birth pretty much as soon as I arrived! Didn't even get to wear my birthing pjs! Hospital provided sanitary pads and I took a load home as they're nice and big and thick! I used water jug given to me in hospital to pour down below when going the loo! 2 sets pjs are good idea as I bled all over mine in night as the pads shifted around.

My iPhone was all I needed to keep me going as most of the time I just fed and stared and smiled at my baby!

Hi all,

Hope you don't mind me jumping in - great list btw ladies!

If you have been given the advice to prepare for premature labour by the quacks, is there anything else you would add? I have bought a set of baby grows in smallest I could find which they is 5lbs. Considering I was 4lbs when born hopefully it won't drown bambino out!
I am only 25 weeks & have spent 2 nights in hospital with a bleed, so as I am home now & on tender hooks I want to be as prepared as possible. As lovely as my hubby is, bringing me thong as part of my underwear considering i was on pads wasn't the best move he ever made lol!
Thanks
CM X

You shouldn't need to take your own laxatives and pain killers - they will have them on the post natal ward.

Not sure you need so many toiletries for the baby - doubt you'll want to put baby lotion on newborn skin.

I second the poster who mentioned shampoo or shower gel that you can hang up. I've just had my second section and faced the problem of a shower without a shelf to put things on.

ooh marking this for later! Seems like a comprehensive list there!

Good luck with your birth!

Thanks for the list, its great I have a question though please. I've read alot of people suggesting lucozade to help energy levels, would you advise the sparkling or still one? I was wondering whether the gassiness would impede labour?

Plenty of clothes for the baby, vests, baby gros etc as they will spit up a lot!!