Packing my hospital bag for planned induction - tell me what I need !

[somethingdidntgotoplan]

I'm booked in for a planned early induction due to having precipitant labours in the past - this will be the first time I've had an induction

I'm packing my hospital bag - I've read lists after list and watched hundreds of YouTube videos but what I really want to know is people who have been in my position, what did you take that you just couldn't do without and what didn't you have that you wish you did !

Phone charger, kindle, face wipes, slippers or flip flops, ear plugs and eye masks as it can be noisy and difficult to rest. Induction can be a long process

I packed all sorts and was induced 11am on a Wednesday, gave birth 2:37pm Friday and went home Saturday afternoon. I had a couple of baths and a shower so old towels for after birth that you are happy to throw away. My Labour was long and back to back so didn’t really read or relax much after the first few hours! Something to entertain you though whilst you wait to get going.
Afterwards (i had epidural and emergency forceps) i was pretty much bed bound but midwives helped me wash. Lots of old big undies and shorts/PJs you are happy to throw away as I bled a lot and had minimal bladder control. Dark leggings to leave hospital in.
Honestly, pack for entertainment and comfort and double the amount of grows for baby as mine was sick a lot the first night (apparently its the amniotic fluid they have swallowed) so he changed a lot.
Oh and snacks! Loads and loads of snacks and nice drinks.
Good luck! xx

Phone charger, if you have Netflix / prime / now tv download some episodes of tv series’ you like or films.
If you don’t have them sign up to a 7 day free trial and download some.
Headphones and snacks.
You might be lucky and go straight into labour but some women hang around for days waiting for it to happen (or 5 if you’re me and it’s boring)

Someone told me to have two bags in the car one for up until the baby is born so like one nappy, babygrow, hat and then your stuff, such as tens machine snacks, spare pj’s, toiletries, bath towel etc.

Then in another bag more babygrows, toiletries, pj’s and clothes.
Otherwise you’ll be taking in so many bags you won’t have space to move around easily, especially if you’re on a ward and when you get moved from delivery suit to ward your partner can take bag one home and unpack / wash stuff and you have bag two to take to the ward with you clean and organised and without bits and pieces in it you no longer need.

Thank you for all the suggestions !

Something to do - books or kindle app, tablet, magazines. I was lucky and went into labour within about 4 hours but they put in the propess and then were going to chuck me on the ward for 12 hours before they checked me again. Your own towel. Large knickers for maternity pads and a nice shower gel.

I think you need to calm down a bit if you have genuinely watch 100s of videos! You dont need much different for an induction than for any other birth. At the end of the day if you forget anything your partner can always go and get it for you.

I was induced in August, I wish i had packed extra set of clothes for me.

I had what I had on, plus a t shirt to give birth in, pjs, and clothes to go home in.

They broke my waters, and unlike in previous induction where i went into labour soon after, this time nothing happened so was sent for a walk around the hospital grounds. Anyway I leaked so much as I walked around that o had to go back to delivery as I was soaked and had nothing else I would have felt comfortable wearing to wander about. I didn't want to walk around leaking in pjs in case I had to stay in overnight. And I didn't wanr to wear my home outfit (just trackies and a top) in case I got to go straight home.

Extra long phone charger. Tablet with Netflix etc. Snacks. All the other bits you would take to give birth.
My room didn't have any sort of mirror so I used my little compact to do my hair, make up etc.
I was in the induction room for 2.5days so got pretty bored!

Extra long charger is a great tip!

It can be a very slow start so magazines/books/things to watch are a must.

I ended up swapping magazines with people too as I was there for awhile!

Slippers.
At least two towels as I struggled to find anywhere to dry mine after a shower.

Ear plugs.

Night dresses rather than pjs - easier for examinations.

Hair bands /clips if you have long hair.

And for your partner - a neck pillow!

Good luck 😉

Earplugs. My induction took 3 days to get going and it was so noisy I couldn't sleep. I was exhausted before baby was even born.