What should go in my hospital bag???

[staceym11]

Right im due nov 13th so am 32 weeks pg today, pretty sure this baby will be early (by how much im not sure) and am panicking as havnt put maternity bag together yet and even tho this is my 2nd i have no idea what is supposed to be going in it!

help!!!!!!!

glad you asked this, am due 6th nov... can't remember what i packed first time either

Food and snacks for you and your DH/DP (as hospital food is generally not nice or not available when you need it).
Lipsalve
More maternity/sanitary pads than you think you will need

loads of magasines/books or something to do. nice bath stuff to make yourself feel human again. many, many pairs of knickers

I havent packed mine and I am due in 3 weeks!!
Some ideas are:

Birth plan
Maternity towels
big comfy pants (to keep towels in place)
breast pads and nursing bra
old nighty to give birth in
socks (my feet got cold last time!)
Tens machine (if using)
nicer nighty/pj's to wear afterwards
lightweight dressing gown
slippers
2/3 vests for baby
2/3 sleepsuits for baby
nappies for baby
wipes or cotton wool for cleaning babies bum
going home clothes for you
going home clothes for baby (include jacket or cardy depending on weather)
toiletries (shower gel, shampoo, deodorant, etc)
make up (if you can be bothered afterwards, lol)

Cant think of much else offhand, but should really get my own list and pack my bag soon or I'll run out of time!!

right well i got a few paper pants and loads of huge knickers so at least i had one good idea.

never thought of bath stuff, didnt bath in hospital with dd was so scared of leaving her on her own.

ditto the mat pads - I got through loads in the first 48 hours or so.
antiseptic wipes for the toilets
chocs for you for midnight munchies!
more babygros than you think you need - 2 of mine where quite spitty and one went home in dirty clothes poor thing

camera
sugar free sweets for energy - I found I didn't really feel like eating once labour was established - but it depends on how long you're there for . dh had most of the food I think!

lots of drinks - was nice to have something other than water

i used to have a bath and leave ds with dp. he sat in the dayroom with him

good luck seona, thanks for that list!

regarding nice pj's for afterwords - watch with the bleeding as it could soak through in the first while after you've had the baby.

wear 2 pads as well, not because of soaking through, just for extra pressure and comfort.

was only in overnight with dd, when dh came afterwards we went home, hopefully will do that again, if not will send dh out to get me some nice smelly stuff!

2 pads is a good idea, thanks will write that down! lol (brain like a sieve these days!)

nappies, baby gros, vests, socks, cardigan, hat, cotton wool, nappy bags??, couple of old towels - I can remember trying to change DS3s nappy on one of his first poos and it just kept coming out on the bed.

baggy tshirts/nighties, baggy pants, trackie bottoms, sanitary pads, wet wipes, sweets/choccie, couple of plastic bags for carrying home presents etc, toothbrush and paste, deodrant, wash bag.

Car seat for when you leave, also DH bought a bucket in so could put all my flowers in to take home.

Sure there is more??

Don't know if this will help but I gave birth on 24/06/06 and these are the things I either took, or wish I had!!! Depending on how long you plan to stop in.........

YOU

NIGHTIE (to give birth in)
NIGHTIES x 2(to wear afterwards)
DRESSING GOWN(preferably not white!)
GRANNY PANTS x 3/4 (don't bother with the disposable ones, they don't hold the maternity pads in properly - take some "granny" pants with you that you are never going to wear again!)
TWO TOWELS - (one for showering after the birth and a clean one for later)
MATERNITY/SANITARY TOWELS
BREAST PADS (disposables are easier)
BLOODY GOOD BRA!
A nice smelling SHAMPOO (Essential - it is the best pick me up after labour I could have imagined, I took Herbal Essences - gorgeous!)
DE-ODERANT, HAIR STUFF, TOOTHBRUSH
COMFORTABLE CLOTHING (some moms don't but I couldn't sit in my nightgown all day, but don't take in skinny jeans and tight top - just won't make you feel any good!)
Slippers (I walked around in my socks - not great!)

FOR BABY

Two/three vests
Two/three sleepsuits
Socks
Scratch mittens
Nappies & Cotton Wool balls
Toy/comforter (if you are soppy like me!)

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nappy bags! brill idea! you wouldnt think i have a nearly 2 year old and have done this all before would you!

An empty bag for putting dirty clothes in so dh can take them home for washing,
phonecard/change,
soft tissues,
decent toilet paper(it was awful at my hosp last time),

What everyone else has said but don't take 'proper clothes' apart from to leave hospital in. Why? I was reading mary cronk website and absolutely loved this suggestion of hers that after giving birth you wear only pyjamas and dressing gown for a few days. Her theory is that new mum in PJ/gown = needs to be looked after and nurtured.
New mum in jeans and t shirt = the one doing the looking after.

"Right im due nov 13th so am 32 weeks pg today, pretty sure this baby will be early"

Oh dear, you've just jinxed yourself and will now go two weeks overdue

Haven't got any specific ideas on what to pack, but I would suggest putting labour stuff, hospital stuff and going home stuff in different bags if possible, so your partner can take the labour bag home and bring the going home bag in when you need it. Hospital lockers are often really tiny and you don't want to end up tripping over a big bag and being kept in with a broken leg If you're planning early discharge you can always keep the other bags in the car and just get them when needed.

CAMERA!!! - Don't forget the camera.

Hiya Stacey I have posted this ont he ante-natel thread as well but thought you might be looking here for ideas:

(It was typed out to pass onto someone else so that is why there are extra notes all over it!)

For Mummy...

• Maternity notes
• Birth plan
• Dressing gown (only a light weight one, labour wards are kept very warm)
• Slippers
• Socks
• Nightshirt (to labour in)
• Second nightshirt/pj's (for after the birth - front opening is easiest if you plan to BF)
• Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, tooth brush/paste, etc. also if you plan to use anything like nipple cream or femme pads)
• Hair band
• Lip balm
• A watch (with a second hand for contractions)
• Magazines, puzzler, books, mp3 player/stereo, anything to help you relax and pass the time!
• Camera (don't forget extra memory/film, batteries)
• Camcorder
• Change for phone and parking
• List of friends and family phone numbers
• Nursing bras (if BF)
• Flash or anti-bacterial wipes (for the shower/bath and anything else that seems mucky)
• Cheap plastic flip flops (for use in the shower)
• Hair brush
• Drinks and snacks (for birthing partner as well!!)
• Breast pads (whether you plan to BF or not)
• Big knickers, the big belly warmers, the papery disposable kind are just awful!! Check out your local market for cheap big pants, and get the biggest size you can find!!)
• Go to Boots or Mothercare - anywhere that does proper maternity pads, they are thicker and longer than normal sanitary towels, my midwife said to use two at once in the beginning and I still had to be careful with them then! Get about 5 packets at the ready, you will need to buy more, but that should see you through the first few days/week!
• Dark coloured towel and flannel
• Going home clothes (You will probably be about the size you were at 6 months when you come home, so maternity clothes will still be needed)
• Bed mats, these aren't really for the bag, more for the car (and handy for in bed), if you look down the aisle in Tesco near the nappies, pampers have bed mats, meant for use as disposable changing mats, they are slightly quilted so will hold liquid, so if you line your mattress and car seat with them, if your waters should break then you won't be trying to clear up rather than concentrating on the labour!!

And for the baby...

• A travel changing mat (or if you buy a changing bag with a mat on it, just take this)
• Wipes and/or cotton wool - check with your hospital, some won't let you use wipes, some won't let you use cotton wool, when I had DS they wouldn't even let me bath him, so check what your hospital policy is.
• Scratch mitts, most babies come out with long nails - the only reason I had to have stitches was because his nails scraped against me!
• Hat
• Socks or booties depending on what clothes you take in, obviously if you only take all in ones with feet in them, then you won't need socks!!
• A good few bibs/muslin cloths, I'd say at least 6 - you can never have enough!!
• Going home outfit - think carefully about this, it needs to be easy to fit the car seat straps around, and in November it will need to be warm!
• Blanket (at least one for the trip home)
• Take a full packet of nappies, you may be home in no more than a few hours after the birth, or due to the time of birth and doctors rounds etc. it could be closer to 36 hours, and new born babies (especially if BF) poo A LOT!!!
• Nappy/barrier cream
• Nappy sacks
• You don't need anything more than sleep suits and all in one type clothes, I will take in 3 vests and 3 sleepsuits for whilst we are actually in hospital, but obviously if you want fully blown outfits then that is up to you!
• Lastly I will be sneaking in some baby lotion this time, as I said, last time they wouldn't let me bath DS, and a two day old baby smelling of where it came from isn't very nice if you get my drift!! So even if I have to put some lotion on him when no one is looking, I will!!! LOL

Don't forget to put the car seat in the car, we actually put the carseat in the boot before I was any where near due last time, just in case!!! LOL Sounds silly now, but you never know when you will need it!!

I don't really know what you would do if you are planning to bottle feed, I guess you would have to ask the maternity unit if they have bottles and formula there, and if not take it in with you.

Also find out visiting times so you can pre-warn family and friends!

NJ, can you come and pack my bags for me, i dont have the energy for that list!

not got time to read whole thread - so sorry if repeating anything! i packed everything and more, but when actually in labour , could not speak !! so lips cracked from all entonox and couldn't ask for lip balm! DH got wrong outfit out for baby and couldn't tell him!! had packed a book ! god know when i thought was going to read it!!!!! so advise labour partners to offer you things and tell them about baby clothes in advance etc and show them where in bag the stuff is!!! love the tip about wearing jammies so people know to nurture you, wish i'd done that -i was ironing 48 hours after the birth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Definitely Flash wipes or something similar to clean the hospital loo/bath.