Hospital bag, what will I really want/need?

[Courtney0x]

Hi all, I am 38 weeks and in the middle of finishing packing my hospital bag and am now worried about over/under packing! It is ridiculous, we live a 10 minute drive from the hospital, so I'm sure if I forget anything or desperately need/want anything my mum or partner can run back for it!

I think I've got everything for the babies section of the hospital bag, although may have over packed.

I was just wondering if there was anything you didn't take and really wish you had, or on the other hand things that you took that you didn't need? I'm aware that my bag looks really full and bulky, but wondering if I've packed all of the wrong stuff! What a ridiculous thing to worry about, I know! But I think worrying about my hospital bag is taking my mind off worrying about childbirth it's self!

I'm hoping to have a water birth, but of course anything could happen and I know this might not happen for many reasons!

Lots of big black knickers
More maternity pads than you think need - I went through 50 in 2 week
iPad / phone to keep you entertained
Phone charger!!

Maternity pads, maternity pads and more maternity pads.
I was surprised how many I used before the birth when my waters broke.
And big big knickers. The bigger the better

Good luck!

I packed light as we also lived close to the hospital and the midwives kept commenting on their surprise that I hadn't brought the kitchen sink with me! Think most people overpack.

Only thing I wish I'd brought more of is baby sleep suits. Think I took 3 with me but it only takes a few spit ups to go through those very quickly even though we left within 24 hours of giving birth! So I'd take plenty of those, nappies and - I'm afraid to say - a lot of maternity pads. I changed mine very frequently after giving birth as it made me feel so much better.

Congrats and good luck!

Tea bags and a mug !

I ran out of sleepsuits too, with ds, however dd (three) was a clean newborn so it threw me when ds started havingpoo explosions and spitting up every few hours.

Maternity pads
Giant knickers
Deodorant
Pjs/nightie
Hair bobbles
Toothbrush and paste

Outfit to travel home in

Sleepsuits qnd vests
Cardie
Nappies (and milk if ff)

Carseat and blanket

The way I got around this was to pack a few different bags. The "essentials" one for labour (t-shirt, towels, music, aromatherapy oils, TENs machine stuff, wash cloths, straws, isotonic drinks) came with us into hospital. The stuff for baby after birth (apart from a first babygro/sleep suit) was in another bag and DH fetched it later and took back down the bloodied stuff from labour. I think I might have stashed a smaller bag with some magazines in case I had a long labour. Didn't need that!

With DC2 I also took my going-home clothes and make-up in another separate bag which stayed in the car until needed. With DC1 I trusted DH to bring clothes for me (I had even laid out the ones I wanted!) and ended up in clothes that were sweaty/hot and uncomfortable on a scorching summer day!

We also had a cool box in the car with food and drinks for DH in case it was a long labour, but we didn't need them in the end.

In spite of packing thoroughly, the one thing both times that was a problem was music. I'd been using hypnotherapy CDs so this was vital to me. DH almost had to go and buy a CD player when the hospital didn't have a working one (found one in the end). So make sure you have music in a playable format with charger for your phone.

Yes I ran our if baby clothes too, but we were in for a week!
Lucky for me the hospital was v close to sainsburys so visitors came via with extra clothes

Thank you everyone!

Hadn't even thought of chargers, will add them to the list I have done for my partner of what needs packing if in a rush!!

Do you think 20 maternity pads will be enough to take with me? Have stocked up so can always send my parter home to collect more, but I feel that's something that you really won't want to be without!

I have packed 4 sleep suits, would you think that's enough?

Thanks everyone that's replied, it's really kind of you all!

I have just packed mine. The last time I packed a lot but not enough vests and babygro's

Really big pants - ended up having emcs

Didn't use dressing gown

Do pack a camera and batteries

Panadol - I wish I had packed a packet of my own for drug the night

I would pack seven or eight baby gro's. little hat, mittens

A towel! The shower afterwards was so good and much needed but totally forgot that my towel was still in the car! And definitely lots of maternity pads. I also found a pack of maternity sheet things useful, to go in our bed in advance, then in the car and then the next day at the hospital just incase. Boots sell them with their maternity pad range.

I'd say make sure your birthing partner knows what's in your hospital bags and where. I was forever asking DP to pass me things and getting cross when he took forever.

Take change for the car park. At our hospital you get pass for 24 hours after that you need to pay to park

A sponge. A baby sponge. I still remember the nurse making me bathe the baby with a rag.
Cotton pyjamas I miscalculated how hot a hospital in November can be!
Breast pads for leakages :)

Can you pack a bag of minimal stuff then have a massive hold all that you leave in the boot of the car that your dp can go and get any extra stuff you need? Like take in 20 pads with you but have a spare 20 in a bag in the car..... That's what I did. Like a back up bag if it's all taking longer than expected but to save time and space in the hospital with unnecessary things

Also for taking into the hospital I packed two small bags a "labour" bag and an "after the birth" bag, made it easier for dh when I was asking for things

Warm woolly socks - the ward will be warm but you can get cold feet in labour.

Supply of chocolate, crackers, nice drinks - I found there was always a good supply of water brought to me but if you need a snack it can take a while (quite reasonably).

I took my own favourite pillow and pillowcase! (clean) when I was in for several days after a cs.

And sorry about this but maternity clothes for coming home in! I didn't realise I would still have a big bump and took a normal t-shirt which I couldn't get over my stomach. Have a cosy, comfy and generously sized outfit to leave the hospital in.

That's enough sleep suits. If baby is throwing up on everything straight away the hospital will have spares, and your dh can go back for more once your on last one.

There's really not much storage or space. I had a private room but even then just a small bedside lockable cupboard then the floor. Both times the nurses said they really don't like stuff on the floor in case mother crashes/ some emergency as there could suddenly be 10 people in room and bags in floor delay moving patient/ treating them efficiently.

I took one small holdall plus handbag. Handbag had valuables in plus basics like lip balm/ mints. Other bag I just separated into mine and babies with luggage organiser bags.

The towel....don't go packing a naice white fluffy one.

Buy a cheap one from Tesco, preferably brown or red, that you can chuck away if needed.

Just saying .

Don't want to scare you, but both of my labours were quite bloody!!

Gosh at the things some people take!!!! We forgot the car seat when we went in (well actually my husband didn't think I was in labour and that we would be home for tea - I had him a couple of hours later!) he just went back home to get it! 20 maternity pads is plenty - you can use the nasty nhs ones if you run out - but home is only 10 minutes away!!! I needed extras with my first but that was because I was in for 5 days! And mug and tea?! Honestly, they will bring you tea and toast lol!

Maybe check with you mw about tea/toast if you're worried but I've had two babies in two different places and never even considered that!

We took loads of snacks and isotonic drinks for energy. I took a sandwich in with me but could only eat chocolate when in labour
Your own things for a shower when you feel like it and dressing gown/slippers
I took ear plugs with me as I naively thought I might get some sleep!! Was too happy and overwhelmed at the birth of DD to sleep plus I realised I might not hear her cry if I had ear plugs in! Not slept properly since
Hope all goes well its such an exciting time

My experience is that I neede a lot more than 20 maternity pads!
Similar to mother I had a pre-baby and post-baby bag but my pads were in the post-baby bag. It hadn't occured to me that I'd need them when my waters broke. Or that my waters would break all over the clothes a was wearing therefore rendering my wardrobe half the size

I forgot to pack a hairbrush, by the time we went home I looked like a wild banshee woman, I'd advise having your hair tied back in labour even if you have got a hairbrush in your bag!

I was encouraged to shower quite soon after the birth (about 2 hours) they left me to it, dp was having skin to skin with the baby and had seemingly forgotten how you stand up holding a baby so I was hobbling about trying to find the shampoo and conditioner in the bag, I'd advise packing it in an easy to access side pocket so your not unpacking the entire bag.

Good luck :)

We were discharged 3 hours after birth and I didn't even open my hospital bag except to get a nappy and babygro out for the baby!

YY to towel. I took a black one

Also I took some Neal's Yard frankincense face spray. Read somewhere it helped with pain but actually it was amazing to get a spray of that in the face during labour (when asked of course!). Very refreshing. Ds was born 5 days before Xmas so also suitably festive and suited the banging Xmas tunes I had playing during labour