What I need in UK hospital?

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Hi everyone

I have 2 kids but they were born in a different country in a private hospital. Think 3 star hotel, they had toiletries in the bathroom, a pair of slippers and stuff like that. Great catering!! Meals were fantastic!! And cheap, btw (husband had to pay for his separate).

Now... DC3 will (god willing) be born in the UK.

What do I need to take to hospital? What have been your experiences? Do they give you mesh underwear and huge pads? Or not really? Did you take food? Do you take clothes? Or you wear hospital gown while you're there?

Thanks for your help

I’d be really interested to know this too - I’m due in 2 weeks. Had DD in a private hospital abroad, although not as luxurious as your experience. No toiletries or slippers, and also no air conditioning in 35 degree heat. But I did at least get 3 meals a day brought to my bed.

I was horrified to hear that in UK postnatal wards you have to get up and walk to collect your dinner and make your own breakfast in the kitchen. I don’t understand how you’re supposed to do that if you’ve just had a c-section. Or how you’re supposed to walk back to your bed carrying both your baby and your dinner tray. Not everyone has a partner to help them

Nothing is provided you need to take your own clothes, slippers, flip-flops for the shower, birthing clothes, snacks, drinks, toiletries, going home clothes, nappies, milk if not breast feeding, baby outfit charger etc.

You do have to walk to end of ward for meals but if on your own the baby can be put in the wheely cot thing and wheeled with you or you could ask another mum to watch yours, I watched another ladies when I was in as she was alone.

Not sure if private patients get stuff but if your bog standard NHS you are expected to bring it all yourself tbf.

I do however recommend the birthbag company you just add food drinks and clothes then.

You have to collect your own food??!! is this at all hospitals? Why??!!!

What about hospital gowns??

It isn’t the same everywhere. Labour Wards tend to supply a lot more than midwife led units- talk to your midwife for local details.

My hospital delivered my food to my bed 😨 I would not have expected to go and get my own food at any point during my hospital stay!? Gowns are provided but that's it. You have to provide everything else. My hospital had packs of formula with sterilised tests - ready to use kind. I've heard that this isn't universal though so if you're planning to formula feed, take your own just in case.

Mesh pants and giant pads were supplied but you did have to get those yourself if you had a natural birth. Not sure about csection as I didn't have one

How much did your private births cost? You know that 6000 odd quid that you won't be spending, you can use a tiny part of it on a dressing gown and slippers and maternity pads.
Or you could go private here.

I gave birth 10 weeks ago to first baby.

Food wise you had a choice if two meals. They came round in morning to take your order. The delivered to your bed when ready. Breakfast was offered in morning at bedside on ward. Take own snacks. Post natal were fab at tea and coffee offering. Water jugs filled all the time.

Hospital gowns are provided. Disposable pants were provided with huge pads if you wanted. Post natal you had to collect pads from a stash outside bathroom if you wanted to use hospitals.

No air con. It’s roasting on the wards but could have a fan.

Take own clothes, you don’t have to wear a gown to labour in if you don’t want you can wear what you want. Or nothing at all during labour. Post labour you’ll want comfy lightweight clothes/pjs. Take flip flops rather than slippers.

You might want to take your own towel although my hospital provided them they were size of a hand towel and felt like sandpaper. Having said that I used theirs due to the amount of blood I was still loosing after showering.

I took pre made formula with sterile teats to the hospital but they told me to use theirs. They had the same brand and would fetch a bottle whenever I needed one.

No tv etc on beside so bring headphones/ipad if you want them.

Definitely pack earplugs the wards are mega noisy!

Think about anything else you may need as it’s likely your partner will not be on the postnatal ward with you due to covid.

My husband could not attend the hospital until I was in established labour (I was induced) so I wanted entertainment whilst induction happened. He then came when I was transferred to labour ward. Was there throughout labour and the birth. Post birth we had about an hour and a half in the labour room and then I had to go and have surgery to repair a nasty tear. My husband stayed with our baby. Once I was out of theatre and moved to recovery ward with baby my husband had to leave and had to collect us from car park following day once discharged. This is all due to covid. I think many hospitals have the same policy.

If you’re hoping to go into labour spontaneously my advice would be to stay at home for as long as humanly possible. That way it’s likely your partner can stay with you the who time as you will arrive to hospital in established labour. Hopefully have a straight forward birth and be discharged as a three shortly after therefore not needing to go to postnatal ward.

Good luck

You can wear a gown, but usually your own clothes to give birth. You need your own underwear and pads. I was given milk and tears but my sister wasnt at a different hospital so take your own milk and bottles. Take snacks and drinks you will want. Your own nightwear and rob.e for post birth on the ward and flip flops to wear in the shower (as a bit grim). Toiletries (take mini ones). Your husband eont he supplied meals but you will although he will have drinks during your labour. He should also take food he will need but can always pop yo the canteen to grab a sandwich or something.
Nappies, wipes or cotton wool, obviously clothes and a car seat as they wont allow you to leave without one.

Be aware due to covid often once on the ward you can’t leave so might not be able to go to canteen etc.

My hospital didn't provide anything besides puppy pads for the bed and the first pad post birth, a gown for my emcs, hat for baby and blanket for baby (to be returned).

Food I had a much better experience than others. Was provided with an entire menu to select from and it was brought to my bed.

You can find quite comprehensive lists on Google for what to bring.

Oh yes forgot about hat for baby! They want baby to have a hat on at all times. I took a homemade knitted one and a cotton one for him. They will provide a hat if you don’t have one but nice to have your own. And nappies, wipes etc all need to be provided by you

You may not end up on a post natal ward anyway! I’ve had 3 babies and always just birthed them, stayed in Midwife Unit/Delivery suite for a few hours until the checks have been done, then gone home.

Last one I had 2 weeks ago today, I was brought shepherds pie, jelly and ice cream after the birth!!

Meals are provided and drinks but you'll need to take snacks. I had Neal's delivered to my bed. I've never heard of people collecting their meals. Otherwise you provide everything else including pads, knickers etc

We had our food delivered to us, our own free tvs on a movable arm over the bed with free view. Hospital supplied pads, reusable pants, formula bottles for babies, a hair dryer and that's about it.

I had a great experience recovering from and emergency section. Food was a lot better than expected but defo pack a lot of snacks, juice etc

I just recently gave birth in an NHS hospital. I brought snacks etc for when on the delivery suite, but I stayed overnight on the postnatal ward and was given maternity pants/ pads, dinner/breakfast/water was brought to me in bed when the HAs were doing the rounds. There was also a ward kitchen with a toaster and microwave so I could walk and get my own toast if I wanted.

Wow seems like most do get food brought to you, ours just told you the time the trolly would at the end of the ward and how long it would be there, I only had one meal there though as the rest was vile so I watched other ladies babies if needed.

All we had given was the puppy pads for the bed and a jug of room temp water 😔.

I was only the post labour ward for 10 hours though, 12 hours on the pre labour ward and 9 hours in the birthing suite, I was brought tea, toast and a sandwich in the suit though tbf.

I gave birth last week and had a choice of 5 meals every day for lunch and dinner ordered from my tv screen and delivered to my bed. An example evening meal would be soup, fish and chips, bread roll, ice cream and a piece of fruit. Breakfast was a choice of all major cereals plus toast with butter or jam - as much as you liked. Again delivered to bed.

I got given tonnes of hospital maternity pads but after day 1 switched to less bulky shop bought maternity pads as they were softer fabric though less absorbent. I ended up in a theatre gown for delivery but I was in theatres. Had laboured in my own stuff. Post delivery I wore pjs and a dressing gown of my own and flip flops (too hot for slippers)

Where I gave birth, you had to go and collect meals from the dining room (presumably you could normally eat them there, but this was recently so lockdown impacted it). They brought meals for people who physically couldn't go and get them but otherwise they just let you know when it was ready and you went to go get it.

If you take everything that you and baby will need except meals & water for you, then you'll be prepared. Don't expect toiletries, robes or even nappies to be provided.

Thank you so much for your replies :))

Looks like I have a few more questions for the midwife when I eventually see/talk to her again.

I had meals delivered to my bed.

I gave birth 14 weeks ago at a ‘nice’ NHS hospital. It was totally basic, I took everything including pads and disposable pants.

Breakfast was self service at the end of the ward and I struggled to walk to it or carry anything so ended up with just a piece of toast (only thing I’d eaten in 36 hours by that point) and felt rather faint.
From being put in our room (private room so very lucky there) at about 10pm, I didn’t see a midwife until I was discharged at 11am the next morning.

I rang a couple of times and a midwife did stick her head in once for me to ask about whether I was bleeding too much, but I got the impression they really didn’t want to help me.

You take everything with you usually though I used a gown. And everything for baby. I had mine in different countries too, very different systems! Don't forget towels, I did - they found one but it was super scratchy

They do feed the mother but worth taking snacks, hospitals did have fast food outlets and canteens for your dp but at present who knows???

Food was on a trolley in the kitchen area when I had dd, so poor I discharged myself and dd within the hour, I needed a proper breakfast having given birth late at night.