Most Useful & Complete List For Hospital Bag (please add your suggestions!)

[Rtuff]

Hi all,

I know there have been a million threads on what to take in your hospital bag (which i really should pack with only 5 weeks to go), but wanted to try and get a complete list together with the most useful things....

So what would you recommend, i'll start with all the basics and feel free to add all your essentials too (including things for c-section)....

For you
-Sanitary towels ('Always' jumbo ones)
-Knickers (large!)
-Tshirt (for giving birth)
-Nightshirt/p.j's (for sleeping in after giving birth)
-Slippers and socks (feet get really cold for some reason)
-Hair bands (if you have long hair)
-Going home outfit (a pregnancy outfit that you feel nice in)
-Shower stuff (dont forget your shower gel with hook & dark towel!)

For Baby
-Nappies
-Baby wipes
-Blanket
-Sleepsuit
-baby vest
-Going home outfit for bub

C-sections
-Arnica

Thank you!!!

Flip flops for gross showers and bathrooms

Does this include for labour? If so, snacks for yourself and birth partner and some Gatorade for late labour.

Flash wipes as well, for the wisenheimer's bathrooms.

Message withdrawn

I would say check what the hospital provides...

Mine provides all nappies, cotton wool, maternity pads and towels for me and baby. They will also provide gowns for me and baby should we wish. They can also maybe provide disposable knickers.

Not allowed anything with a plug so no mobile charger for me

lucozade tablets, great to give you a boost of energy (and if you're sick takes the taste away!)

small choc bottons, can let them melt on your tongue during each contraction. by the time its melted, contraction over! (partner can have jumbo choc buttons!)

arnica is fab for any birth, so that's a must!

when my DS2 was born, we had bought a nice soft towel which we'd snuggled with before birth, so when he was born he was wrapped in that. it smelt of us so was comforting, and was super soft. (and you can keep it if you want too)

hat and snow suit/coat for baby

music for birth

breast pads/feeding bra etc

i actually have a 'what to pack' handout i can email to you if you like?

Antenatal notes and birth plan

Any medication you need

A bag of prunes

Mobile phone, you'll want to tell everyone as soon as possible
Make up - after you've had your bath/shower and get dressed it's really nice to feel human again with a bit of mascara!
Kids size juice boxes are handy if you are in a pool for example
Couple of nightshirts if you are staying in for a few days as they get covered in baby sick and milk from leaky boobs
Definitely own pillows, towels and flip flops

dark dreesing gown came in useful for me. after giving birth they say ok we've run you a bath off you go to the bathroom. so there you are in a big t shirt..

also vaseline for your lips cos the gas and air is very drying with all that huffing and puffing.

re. sanitary pads. i found the big fat proper metarnity pads best for the first few days as they act like a nice cushion on your sore bits. then i moved onto the night time always once i wasn't so tender.

finally, it's nice to take stuff so you can sort your face out without going to the bathroom (can be busy, grubby, and you may just want to stay near your baby). so that means a little mirror, face wipes, and whatever you need make up wise if you wish.

LOL at the lamp!!!!

and like the choc button idea, will save this thread for late August

one advise I got was to have a nice pedicure before labour as it cheerrs you up when you can see nicely manicured toes (alebit in stirrups but anyway..)

black comfy clothes
some tinted moisturiser and mascara for the photos!!!!

I also bought a disposable camera and packed in the bag as in the eventual palava to go wqe forgot the digi camera

A thermos full of tea

emergency whistle
torch
long-johns
stout walking boots
ingredients for a nice stew
Bottle of vodka

Moist toilet paper (the stuff that's like baby wipes you can flush). Makes that post-birth poo a bit nicer.

Okay here goes......

For you
-Sanitary towels ('Always' jumbo ones & Maternity ones)
-Knickers (large!)
-Tshirt (for giving birth)
-Nightshirt/p.j's (for sleeping in after giving birth)
-Slippers and socks (feet get really cold for some reason)
-Hair bands (if you have long hair)
-Going home outfit (a pregnancy outfit that you feel nice in)
-Shower stuff (dont forget your shower gel with hook & dark towel!)
-Flip flops (for gross showers and bathrooms)
-Flash wipes (again, for gross bathrooms)
-your own pillows (in patterned/ coloured covers so you don't forget them)
-A cool bag with nice drinks
-raisin tea loaf (cut into slices for fibre-rich sweet nourishment)
-Prunes

• Mini DVD player, headphones

-Charger and mobile -Ear plugs -CD/ MP3 -Present for older children when they come to visit -Camera -Breast Pads -Feeding Bra -Ante-natal Notes -Birth Plan -Make-up -Mirror -Face Wipes -Dark Dressing Gown -Moist toilet paper

For Baby
-Nappies
-Baby wipes or cotton wool
-Blanket
-Sleepsuit
-baby vest
-Going home outfit for bub
-Muslins
-Light stretchy swaddling cloths
-Hat & snowsuit/coat
-Formula (if you can't/aren't breastfeeding)

C-sections
-Arnica
-CD/ MP3

Labour
-snacks
-Energy drink/sweets
-small choc bottons (for each contraction)
-Juice Boxes
-Vaseline
-CD/MP3

And finally get a pedicure and bring a lamp!!

Right that should hopefully cover it.... Looks like i'm digging out the biggest suitcase i have, should have enough here to last a month!!

Thanks everyone!

Victoriascrumptious posts much sense (except for the torch. There is nothing in hospital that I would feel the need to take a better look at. Bottle of vodka would have been nice though!)

Have a separate bag packed for if you have to stay in hospital for a few days. OH seemed peculiarly incapable of bringing me clean clothing, even when I wrote him a list. I only took in a short nightie for giving birth in and a pair of pyjamas, and the both had crusty bits on them after 5 days of leaking bodily fluids from all parts of me. Yuk! (Mind you, OH went on holiday this year and didn't pack any trousers - he felt the ones he was travelling ought to last him all week. I love him dearly, but would like to change this aspect of him!)

I gave birth on Sat.... Out of my bag, I used:

knee-length nightie to give birth in (wasn't a mark on it either)
big knickers - avoid hosp paper ones, yuk
slippers
hair bobbles and headband
cartons of juice for me and DP
bananas for energy
dark towel
beachtowel (big and comfy and old so didn't matter)
nice Dove shower gel
dressing gown
fleecy blanket from home for bit of comfort
face wipes
maternity towels - went through about 6 in 24 hours
camera, mobile phone
Kit kats
change for vending machine - craved a can of ice cold Coke just as DP was leaving at midnight
change of t-shirt for DP

For baby:
hat, socks, scratch mitts
4 vests and sleepsuits (meconium poos went everywhere)
6ish nappies
knitted blanket from home, although the hosp cellular ones were quite good
snowsuit for going home

Didn't end up using:
magazines (was too distracted)
special bra - boobs were fine

Facecloth: cool and wet for mopping your brow and/or for covering your eyes/face so you don't have to speak to anyone! I took some crosswords but I was off my head on diamorphine for the early stages of labour so found it a little difficult to concentrate on them!!

vaseline - gas and air and the breathing really dries you lips in a dry hospital environment.

I have a massive one in the depths of MN - let me go dig it out and post. I cannot think of anything that is missing from it, though it does require a big bag(s)!

Labour Bag

Maternity notes
Birth plan (not doing one this time though I don't think)
Nightdresses (or old T shirts) (a few as I puked all over mine twice)
Socks (although last time I had fat people socks for my epidural )
TENS machine
Books/magazines (last time I took a puzzle book, was great fun for me and DH)
Snacks and drinks (incl. energy drinks, boiled sweets, MINTS (dry throat alot))
Camera
Camcorder (eek!)
ipod
Massage oils (have to check good pregnancy ones, last time I just took baby oil)
Leg cream (that tingly stuff from Clarins I was on about as I was in bed alot due to epidural)
Water spray (so worth the £6/7, keep in fridge as long as possible)
Wet wipes
Hairbands (last thing you want is hair all in your face)
Clips
Hairbrush
Lip balm
Watch (with second hand)
Dettol wipes (for the baths if you have a bath in labour)
Face fan !!! (and spare batteries, will be mid August!)

Hospital Bag (me)

Feeding nightdresses
Dressing gown
Slippers
Nursing bras
Breastpads
Nipple cream
Going home outfit (last time was BIG tracksiut trousers and a big comfy top and I think my slippers!)
Knickers (BIG stretchy disposable, I found boots ones were not good (they feel like paper) The best ones are the ones when you stretch, they are like stretching a white dishcloth (see throughy))
Maternity pads
Toiletries bag - toothbrush, toothpaste, mirror, flannel, soap, shampoo, makeup etc.)
Towels (dark, or just not white)
Change for phone
Arnica tablets
List of phone numbers
Spare clothes for DH incase we are there a while

Baby Bag

Bodysuits (tons - about 6)
Sleepsuits (about 6)
Nappies
Cotton wool
Hat
Mittens
Socks (DS was born very cold)
Sunhat
Suncream (?)
Muslins
Nappy cream

lamp??

things I actually used from my first hospital bag and hence were included in my second one (in order of use):

maternity notes

nightshirt
hair elastic
lucozade sport
chilled water

camera
phone
cereal bars, flapjacks etc

dark towel
tiny shower gel and shampoo
deodorant
big pants
nursing bra

nappies
sleepsuit
hat
snowsuit

I bet these have been said already but, apart from the obvious already said:

Lipbalm - I find Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream the best by far!

I took face wipes and used them to wipe myself (ie under my arms etc) as it was so hot in hospital - even in late November - that I felt a bit sweaty. And one morning I couldn't be bothered to have a shower as I was goin home that night so I just used those to "wash"

On the same topic - deodrant

I actually took a bt of makeup to make myself feel human for visitors - concealer, blusher and mascara! (vain I know) Also a mirror.

re santitary towels - kotex night were the best I found for the first week (swelling) and after that sometimes those or always.

Flip flops for the shower and generally.

Water water water.

Sweets for instant enery boost.

eyedrops - I wear contacts so my eyes felt v dry but they are probably useful even if not wearing lenses.

I took a razor and shave under my arms (I wax bikini line but shave legs and under arms) - it just made me feel cleaner and better!

Strappy tops - it was so hot. Shorts. TB I spent most of the two days I was in wearing the hospital gown (attractive) and doing skin-to-skin with the baby. Or a strappy top and shorts.

Straws - so your partner can give you something to drink between contractions, without you having to get out of your birth position with your head upside down...

Lansinoh nipple cream

Iron supplement - for some reason they only tell you when you are being discarged that you are severly anaemic...

Lactulose

• and don*t take too much, you might have to carry all that stuff yourself when beeing moved within the ward...