Hospital bag - any advice?

[lillamyy1]

I'm 31 weeks tomorrow and want to start getting things ready for my hospital bag. Apart from the obvious, so far I've been advised to take drinking straws, several packs of maternity pads, extra nightwear and disposable pants or big cheap pants. Also snacks.
Anyone else got advice on what you wish/we're really glad you'd taken?

Folding change mat - the one you get with your changing bag. Extra clothes for you in case you get wee/poo on you (DS managed to wee on everything I was wearing in one merry stream, about six hours after he was born!). It's nice to change for the day time if you get kept in for any reason.

Lip balm - hospitals are dry like the desert.

This may sound silly but I wish I'd taken a Thermos flask. I was desperate for a cup of tea (well, several cups of tea) the night after ds was born so called a mw to ask if she could watch ds whilst I went and got one (there was a little kitchen along a corridor and around a bend IYSWIM and it would have been hard to take him). The mw said I should just leave him but I got upset so she watched him whilst i nipped to get one. Next time I'll get a flask full so I can help myself in my room.

I agree with the lip balm! All the books suggest it's a hot and sweaty affair - I nearly froze to death! I know it's different for everyone, but I wish I had a shawl or soft blanket from home. I also took some lavender oil, which did really help

Another for the lip balm. I would pack a book or something to entertain yourself with incase you are admitted to be induced and it takes a while.

I feel I took too much. Most went unused and stayed in the bag. I was home the same day though. Was a ballache knowing I had to unpack again

small cartons of drink... coconut water was my choice and really thirst quenching. shower stuff so you can freshen up afterwards. oh and a pillow! x

A water spray for your face, hospitals are so hot, I couldn't of done without it in labour. Don't get paper knickers they are so uncomfortable, just get cheap x large ones from primark. So they are comfy for you and to fit at least 2 San towels in. Lavender oil (can get in Holland and barrett) that can go on San towel for healing if you have vaginal birth.
Drinks to quench thirst and give energy like lucozade sport it's the gas and air that really make you thirsty!!
couple of pairs of comfy pj's for after and comfy stretchy long black vest for birth ( also primark) they are good cause they keep you cool and easy access for skin contact when bubba arrives. comfy outfit to go home in, own towel for after showering hospital don't always supply!
Hope this helps, i'm just getting my bag ready for 2nd birth and found all of above great for first xx

Great advice, thanks everyone

Socks for your new baby - the midwife was delighted I had them packed when she was dressing my DS..
Good luck!

Get really dark coloured pj bottoms so if you flood you don't have a stain. Make sure your slippers would still fit if you went up a size (or two). Lansinoh nipple cream if you want to breast feed, which can also be used on dry lips!

Flip flop type shoes for the shower at the hospital, small hand held fan. Your own paracetamol/ibuprofen. Comfy bottoms in case you're in hospital for a few days. HTH

Flapjacks and juice, your camera, a notepad.

Enjoy!

phone charger
camera charger or batteries
ear plugs, sleep mask
some sort of box or container that you csn attsch to the befraild WHERE YOU CAN COMFORTSBLY REACH IT. dh put my phone snd othrr stuff in the lockrr then turned it round.

I don't really have much to add for contents, to be honest I barely used anything in labour I just wanted cold Ribena and lip balm But I do wish I had shown my husband where everything was before. Trying to explain it to him in labour was painful!

Flip flops, easy so you dont have to bend.

I had huge great ugg boots on at the hospital as DD was such an early suprise, I thought I was going for a check and she decided to arrive

I've put a couple of sports cap topped bottles of water in the freezer ready to take this time. Can't bear room temp water which is what they tried to get me to drink last time so hoping these will encourage me to drink which was a bit Of an issue last time

Other MN posters told me to get OH to pack the actual bag so you don't get that situation where the man can't find anything!!

Yes to ^^ Oh needs to find stuff! Also use zip lock bags to separate things in the bag or, like mine, it'll all end up a mess, for example put the baby's first outfit and a nappy in one; soap, 2 maternity pads, knickers and clean nightie in another (for the after- birth shower). It also helps to keep your labour bag and ante natal ward bag separate. Oh and carrier bags for washing burning dirty clothes.

Tens machine and oil/lotion for back-rubs. kinda depends how close you live to the hospital as I didn't bother with lots if after the birth stuff, knowing DP could just nip home and get us a few outfits if we are kept in, but with ds2 I was getting induced so took iPad and flapjacks etc that never came out of the suitcase with ds1.

substantial snacks for post birth, nhs meal budgets are smaller than childrens school dinners! You werent allowed to eat on my labour ward and i spent the 'tea and toast' period throwing up. I was starving for weeks after giving birth!

If you want to use cotton wool and water rather than wipes initially on your baby take two tiny plastic bowls/tuperware type things so you actually have something to put some water in and somewhere to put poey cotton wool whilst nappy changing. Little chaning mat is handy too, you'll be changing nappies on your bed or the babie's cot and those first poos are sticky buggers!

Your own pain killers are a MUST. First time round I managed to miss the drugs trolly because I was in the loo one time, then I got some painkillers on another drugs trolly round but they got put down on my dinner tray and were cleared away before I'd taken them becasue I had no water. A physio said I needed to take anti iflamatories for my dodgy wrist which I'd spent the whole 10 hours labour leaning on and knackered and the ward doc refused to prescribe any because of my history of asthma (extreemly mild, barely bothers me, and has never ever before been made worse by shed loads of anti inflamatories I've taken for dodgy joints!). Grrrr - can you hear I'm still frustrated 4 1/2 years later.

Second time round I also put one complete first outfit for baby into one inside pocket of the bag, and one complete outfit for me (big pants, warm socks, loose trousers, loose top, feeding bra) in another so it was very easy to direct DH or MW to them. First time round MW was trying to be so kind and helpful asking what to put on the baby, and what to get out of the bag for me, but I was just so knackered I couldn't tell her where anything was, couldn't remember what I'd packed or what I wanted, I just wanted to not have to answer (in the end she just put me in a hospital gown!).