Hospital bag tips?

[laura20]

I'm currently 36+5 and packing my hospital bag. Looked at lists online but they all seem so long and would need a suitcase to pack it all.

Can anyone tell me what I need the most and in unnecessary things i don't need.

Need for you: pads, nightie (incase you have a catheter), giant black pants, fluffy socks (feet went freezing in labour), dark bath towel for your first post birth shower, drinks (I foubd caprisuns perfect for labour and beyond)

Need for baby: three vests, three sleepsuits, a little hat and cardi, a pack of newborn nappies and a pack of wipes (or cotton wool)

Leave behind: makeup and hairstraightners (SIL!!), dressing gown (roasting on the wards), snacks (I just rang/text whoever was visiting with my orders)

oh, and try and take two little bags - one solely for labour, and the other for the postnatal ward.

Would add to MA's lists -
For you: lip balm, face wipes/flannel, easy to eat food like muesli bars, bananas, gummy bears, chocolate (whatever you like though) as you will get hungry but won't want to be faffing with a sandwich.

After I'd had DS, the new magazine, large bar of chocolate and bottle of lucozade DP got me were fantastic - DS slept a lot in the first day so was nice to have something to read in hospital until visiting hours officially started.

Phone and charger - as MA says - you can then make requests!

if your partner is joining you in the labour ward, pack something for them to do. mine did my head in doing nothing! for ds2 i packed the nintendo dsi

I'm definitely taking my make-up! This is DC3 and when I had DC2 I had no make-up on or with me. I look like death warmed up in all of my post-birth photos.

I haven't even thought about packing mine yet (only 27+2). But it was my birthday yesterday and as part of my present my sister gave me a lovely washbag with travel sizes of everything I will need for hospital -- toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand cream etc. Even antibac hand gel! It was genius, and means that I don't have to worry about that bit at all. I can just put the whole bag in when I pack.

Personally I was extremely pleased I packed my straighteners and make up. As soon as I had given birth I was desperate to shower straighten my hair and put some make up on to feel normal again and feel presentable for visitors etc. (I was lucky enough to have a quick straightforward birth though). Gummy bears were also great as I had a quick birth so needed a burst of energy after as I started feeling faint.

If your partner is going to be parking the car at the hospital then you can always leave a bag full of extra stuff in the car (clothes to go home in, extra baby clothes, car seat, extra maternity pads, nappies, wipes etc) and fetch them into you if/when you need them. I just took in a big bag containing stuff for during labour, nightie, towel, toiletries, knickers and pads for afterwards, and a couple of babygros, nappies etc for the baby. I ended up staying in the night she was born so DH took away all the dirty things and swapped them for fresh stuff from the car before he left. He then brought extra stuff in the following morning to last us through the day until we were discharged.

Don't forget your phone charger! And a book/kindle/magazine/puzzle book for on the ward during non visiting hours.

I was shocked at how little I actually needed but was glad to have extra stuff in the car outside just in case.

I actually really valued having my own soft pillow! They had spare ones in the hospital, but they were all hard and uncomfortable. Sorry OP - not really heing you to pack lightly!

Paracetamol incase you miss the lady with the drug trolley when you get to the ward. Tena lady ultra night pads. I used 4 the night after labour. And much more coverage. I took mars bars and lucozades too as I got to the ward after dinner and couldn't eat all day as there was a chance I had to have c-sect and I puked up my post labour toast so was starving! Didn't use make up or anything.

ooh yeah I second the pillow. Comforting for when on ward as its not that nice there really.

Lots of good ideas.

I was really glad of my own pillow, flip flops and a lightweight dressing gown.

Really cheap, really big (dark) cotton knickers (much nicer than disposable ones and about the same price tbh)

And whatever you do, make sure you pack your own coming home outfit. I ended up staying in longer than expected and dh helpfully brought my favourite stretchy maternity top which had looked lovely over a taut full term bump but looked frankly depressing 4 days post partum.

The rest of it don't worry about too much. I went into labour unexpectedly and had a bag packed full of labour stuff that I didn't have time to use and had to send dh home to pick up everything else!

Moisturiser for face and toothbrush/paste.
Stick some money (change) into your bag - when I went the hospital DH grabbed the bags and me my phone and when we got there and settled in, DH wanted to get a drink. We then realised neither of us had any money with us
So if there's a next time, I'll be sticking some money in the hospital bag when it gets packed - just in case!

Thanks very much, think I've got all listed above. But will need to be taking my makeup otherwise will look like death warmed up

I put everything on the bed and then asked DH to pack it. I figure d I'm having the baby so you get stuff out of the bag! Also means they don't have to ask you where everything is!!