Hospital bag do's and don'ts

[LJFM2B]

So I am 24 weeks pregnant, stupidly organised and am planning to pack majority of my hospital bag by 30 weeks (i know enough people who have given birth early to scare me into being this eager)
Im a first time mummy so looking for you 'been there and done that' mummys for some tips on what you wished you had and what you wished youd never bothered taking!

Looking forward to getting ideas :)

GO GO GO

More food! I went in late at night so nothing to eat til morning. I was famished!

Earplugs

Less is more!! Some hospital cubicles are tiny and you often get moved around a few times. You won’t need that much stuff!

A nice shower gel and body cream as you’ll want to shower post natally, and it’s nice to have a little bit of luxury for your body at that point!

Yes to ear plugs and food!

Boots maternity pads I found best, spare t shirt for partner (mine had to go and buy one, baby was born at 4 am he was covered in gunk and wanted to stay all day obvs) SNACKS! Energy drink (food is so expensive at hospital) slippers defo, cover to feed. The midwife said we wasn't aloud curtains shit I had a lady across from me and her husband kept trying to look the creep 👀

Also a good tip is be organised in your bag, I put baby first outfit and nappy on top and told DH so he knew what to do, then a clean outfit pad and undies for me underneath, thank god I did because I was so out of it for at least 4 hours

Food, food and more food. Juice or squash. Boots maternity pads. Ipod. Lip balm. Huge pants. Magazine or book. You don't actually need as much as you think, just spare clothes, spare nighties, flipflops I found better than slippers as I could wear them in and out the shower. I also wish I'd brought a mug in as I got annoyed with those tiny plastic cups!

@Pamdoo OMG yes Lip balm!!!!! I was smothering my self in it my mouth was so dry from gas & air!!!

Pack one bag for the labour, and one for after. It'll help your partner find things quickly.

Paracetamol. The midwives on the ward will be busy and mine took ages bringing it.

Maternity pads. About twice as many as you think you'll need.

Nightie that buttons up the front of you're thinking of breastfeeding.

Lucozade and glucose tablets for labour.

Comfy bed socks.

If you are traveling by car have two X2 bags. One for you and one the baby for a 2 day stay, and another with enough clothes in to cover 3 days. Leave the 3 day one in the boot of the car. (If you can walk leave the 2nd set of bags at home.)

Make sure your birthing partner knows what is in each bag using a list and relevant labels attached to the inside/outside of the bag(s).

The labels will also help the midwife/healthcare assistant if they have to get things for you instead of your partner.

Also put each baby outfit set e.g. vest, baby gro,scratch mits, hat in it's own small bag inside the baby bag.

Make sure your birthing partner knows the opening hours of the nearest supermarket, large pharmacy and take aways.

Old towels to dump after showers, a nice smelling shower gel, plastic bags to send home dirty clothes.
One bag for labour and one bag for the few days after.
Babygro, vest and nappy for baby in a sandwich bag at the top of the labour bag.
Hair bobble. Lip balm. And some snacks for after in case u give birth middle of the night.

Disposal pants. My friend gave me them and they were a god send!! I used them for days after baba was born and it was great. Saved soaking/washing pants if they got stained xx

*disposable x

Separate bag of snacks for birthing partner.

I ate all the snacks

Lip balm
Snacks
Slippers
Lightweight dressing gown
More pants than you have. Trust me
Chargers
Download stuff to watch in case your hospital, does t have WiFi . My last one didn’t.
Your own pillow from home
Big sanitary pads
Bobbles hair brush, toiletries etc.
Flip flops for the shower. They are often not very nice.
Ear plugs. Yes.
Sports water bottle for when you are in labour or a few straws as you will not always want to sit up and have a sip from a bottle.

Decent amount of baby clothes (not outfits just sleep suits and vests and nappies )
Hat and blanket for baby in car seat when leaving and weather appropriate cardigan.

Carrier bags for bloodied underwear, sick covered baby clothes etc.
Salty crisps, water, sucky sweets, squash.

Clothes you can step into easily just in case you have a section, difficult labour and struggle to get into leggings.
Nightdress that opens to breastfeed if you are planning and nursing bra

All three times I forgot some of the above.
Good luck!

Food food food. DD was born this morning and I am currently in hospital absolutely starving!!

Pack a bottle of prosecco and plastic flutes

Echoing the need to seperate everything. I just used sandwich/carrier bags.

Babys 1st outfit, in one bag, baby toiletries/nappies etc in another.

Couple of nighties and a 5 pack of big pants in one.

Leaving outfit for me in another and so on.

Definitely take snacks and one of those little squeezy fruit squash things.

It was like food and drink was rationed when i was in. Got a chicken baguette about 12.30pm, had baby 6pm and was given 1 slice of toast and a tiny plastic cup.of bad coffee about 8pm and that was it till the next morning when i was directed to a kitchen area where i could make myself toast.

Thankfully i had a secret stash of cereal bars, nuts and peperamis that kept me going till i could go home the next morning.

Ear plugs and eye mask!!!

Any charges etc, try and have ones with long leads! My plug sockets were limited and well away from the bed! If u end up with c section extra maternity pads are great for sticking to your knickers to rest against the scar. Makes it more comfy and absorbs any err leaks. I second organising the bag and having all baby clothes, each outfit in separate small labelled plastic bags. I ended up staying a lot longer than I thought and having a bag of organised extra clothes etc for me and baby was very handy. Cash/coins for vending machine may be useful.

Flip flops are way better than slippers. Think it was said up post you can wear in shower and yes own towel..

It does all of course depend on how it happens. My planned water birth in the birthing unit became failed induction and emergency c section! Ideal if you can have someone able to bring in extra bits if needed.
Best of luck.

Flip flops

Bottled water - sounds silly but I was so dehydrated and kept having to bother the midwives to fetch me water

Food for you and you OH

I took a pack of newborn nappies and a pack.of maternity pads. I nearly ran out of the latter but my OH went to buy me more when he went to get himself some food. Hospitals don't feed partners which is why it is worth having plenty of snacks and to know where the shops outside the hospital are.

This is all so helpful - thanks everyone...

I will make sure i seperate all things into some sort of order that makes sense and asking my DH to pack or pack with me is a good idea...

Its funny how many people highlight the importance of snacks! i think my DH will very much enjoy doing a snack shop for us before D Day!

Eeeek

I had a baby section and a me section.

Nightie that buttons up the front of you're thinking of breastfeeding

I've been breastfeeding for over 2 years and have never found the need to wear a nightie, buttoned or otherwise. I see it listed on every single thread though! A pj vest top will probably give you more space to feed!