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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Hospital bag(s) - am I taking too much stuff?

129 replies

bananapeanutbutter · 10/03/2010 12:39

Bit of a silly question but just packing up my hospital bag and so far, following all the MN lists of stuff to bring, I seem to have filled two small carry-on suitcases (with baby stuff, my stuff plus change of clothes for DH), plus a bag of snacks, and a tote bag with towels and flip-flops (hoping for water birth). Feels a tad ridiculous to be marching in with all this stuff for potentially just one night...? Will I even be able to fit all this stuff in the labour room? How much did everyone else take in?

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Hello, this thread is a little old; for up-to-date recommendations, take a look at our hospital bag checklist.

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curlimum · 10/03/2010 12:53

we marched in with 3 bags! - i had packed a sensible big bag with everything i needed as well as packed all the baby stuff into changing bag...then when we got to the hospital, dh pulled another big bag out the boot with all his stuff! this included a change of clothes, copious amounts of energy drinks, chocolate and a cd player. i was quite embarrassed to begin with but i was soon distracted by contractions!

take as much as you want...better than dh having to rush back home to get something you thought you probably could do without

paulaplumpbottom · 10/03/2010 12:55

Hmmm maybe we need a more detailed list of what you have in order to tell you what might be eliminated.

babyOcho · 10/03/2010 12:58

DP lugged 3 bags around with him. We used hardly any of it.

The best thing I took was my own pillow.

Original poster
bananapeanutbutter · 10/03/2010 13:11

Good to hear I'm not alone!

I have for me:
PJs + nightie
underwear and nursing bra
long vest & yoga pants to labour in/give birth in (if out of pool)
bathing suit
towels x 2
change of clothes for wearing home
flip-flops
toiletries (pads, shamp/cond, makeup, lipbalm)
slippers
socks

For baby:
Sleepsuits x 2
Vests x 2
hat and socks
cardigan
towel
nappies and cotton wool
blanket

For DH:
change of clothes

Snacks (fruit juice, fruit, snickers, crisps!)

Paula, eliminate away!

OP posts:
blossoming · 10/03/2010 13:15

Your list sounds quite good.

The best thing I bought was an aubergine coloured bath towel from Debenhams.

Also I find digestive biscuits and a Jackie Collins novel, must haves.

Have you got your breathing under control?

Best of luck!

amber1979 · 10/03/2010 13:22

Just out of genuine curiosity - why the bathing suit?

girlsyearapart · 10/03/2010 13:29

maybe she means bikini top?..

Allthe8s · 10/03/2010 13:30

List sounds ok to me

Lucozade or dextrose tablets help - can get them in the sweet shop : )

Good luck

nomorecake · 10/03/2010 13:31

we had two bags.

labour essentials and few clothes for baby in one and going home clothes rest of baby clothes in another bag that dh fetched from the car after i had baby.

also pack a couple of plastic bags for washing for dh to take home (or dump in the car)

dh was allowed to pack 1 t-shirt for himself and toothbrush, in case he wanted to freshen up.

also i took a combined shower gel and shampoo in a small travel size bottle, to save on carrying toiletries.
and only 1 small dark towel to dry off after shower. then changed straight into clothes before coming out of bathroom.

skinsl · 10/03/2010 13:32

I took 1 bag for me, 1 for baby. All organised, and for some unknown reason DH took them home after DS was born. We were in for 4 days!!
I would forget the change of clothes for DH!!Tell him to wear a tshirt and sweatshirt, that'll do!
And I would take extra knickers, we had a hilarious time with paper disposable ones, useless, then sis went out and got me some incontinence ones.trying to maintain dignity after waters broke, but failed miserably!
I didn't take towels, or change of clothes for coming home, DH could bring that in. But then you could come out same day!!
Best tip someone gave me, was to take moist toilet wipes.

If you want to pack for every eventuality then it is quite a lot. But we were just 5 mins from hospital, so someone could nip back for something if essential.

good luck, it's very exciting!

paulaplumpbottom · 10/03/2010 13:32

I think that sound ok but can I make a suggestion?

Sorry

I would get a big t-shirt to labour and give birth in. I think wearing trousers might make things complicated. I also wouldn't worry about a bathing suit. I know you are trying to keep a bit of dignity but again might make things complicated in the end. I know when I was in the pool (it was unexpected so I was in a large t-shirt haveing to stand up to take anything down below would have been very difficult.

IHaveABlueCar · 10/03/2010 13:33

One thing to think about - why not leave a bag with things for after the birth in the car? You may end up in two or three different rooms and the fewer bags you need to keep moving around the better.

I would put things like nursing bra, clothes for leaving, clothes for dh (he may well not need to change at all) and spare towels in this bag.

After I had both my ds's I just needed a nightie to change into and some basic toiletries. All the other post-birth stuff I didn't use until the next day so my dh just swapped the labour bag with the post-birth bag when he came back the next day. Assuming there is car-park if you were desperate your dh could nip and get it.

pigleychez · 10/03/2010 13:34

You could leave DH's change on clothes i the car. Then he could just grab them if needed.

DH didnt get a change of clothes at all till after the long 27 hour birth.
He had been in them all day at work too before we went in that evening.

Bathing suit? If your wating a water birth then just a bra/vest top will do if want to covered up top.

Again, you change of clothes to go home in could be kept in the car for DH to grab when needed.

I echo BabyOcho on the Pillow

IHaveABlueCar · 10/03/2010 13:34

Sorry - x-posts with just about everyone!

BlackYellowRed · 10/03/2010 13:35

We kept some stuff in the boot of the car. Luckily we parked right by the Maternity building so DH didn't have to go far to get it once DS was born.

babyOcho · 10/03/2010 13:35

Your list sounds quite good and not full of randomness like mine - herbal teas, thermos mugs, loads of snacks, essentail oils. A book for me to read!

Dont forget to take a hairbrush. And seriously consider taking a pillow. That's my best tip.

Good luck!

pigleychez · 10/03/2010 13:37

apologise for all the spelling mistakes (DD is "helping!")

X post lots too.

BlackYellowRed · 10/03/2010 13:37

yep x-posted too

duvetqueen · 10/03/2010 13:38

You could put things you'll need during/straight after labour in one bag and the rest in the other and leave it in the car until it's needed.

Labour rooms are usually pretty big so there shouldn't be a problem of having space for it there, it's usually the maternity ward that has limited space but by the time you get there you won't need most of it any way and DH can take it home.

duvetqueen · 10/03/2010 13:41

Me too I really need to learn to type faster

mnistooaddictive · 10/03/2010 13:42

I had one bag for birth and one for after which we left in car and DH got once I was on the ward. Take your own pillow. Also take a bottle of water. Once on the ward they took jugs away at 6.30 am for washing and didn't bring them back until 10.30. 4 gours without water is a long time so at least I could go and fill up my bottle. Take your favouite snack be it crisps or chocolate ot something else. You will want comfort eating and now is not the time to worry about calories.
One of the most useful things I did both times was to go to the bank before hand and get £20 in pound coins which was in my hospital bag. It was invaluable for the greedy parking meter and snack machines when the restaurant ws closed. I ended up being in for 4 days the first time and we used them all but didn't have to worry about scrabbling around for loose change.
Camera. set up a blank email in dratfs folder with all the people already on it so when the baby is born DP can add a photo, and details and send it.
My hospital wouldn't let us take a stereo that needed to be plugged in so we bought travel IPod speakers to play music.
WE were told not to take blanket for baby as it could get caught up with the hospital ones to be put in wash and never seen again. If you need one for taking baby home make sure it is not white and don't use it whilst in hospital.

A small cuddly toy - one of thise blanket type ones that you have had next to your skin for a few days. Yes I walked round with it ih my bra for a week so it smells of you to comfort baby.

Sorry I am adding lots more stuff aren't I when you wanted less.

Good luck

JackBauer · 10/03/2010 13:47

I packed 3 bags after the disaster with DD1 that meant I needed DH to pack my bags for me!
I had one bag for labour and birth with t shirt, snacks, clothes and nappy for DD2, flannel etc and labour stuff.
Then the other bag had clothes to wear home, more nappies and wipes and chocolate/books and biscuits to get me through the night.
the third bag stayed at home and had more pj's, books, clothes for us both and snacks and was an 'extra' bag incase we had to stay in.

Original poster
bananapeanutbutter · 10/03/2010 13:49

Thanks everyone.

We don't have a car - will be taking a taxi to hospital, which is 20-40 minutes away. So everything I need for an overnight stay has to come with me! I suppose I could pack a separate bag for DH to bring in the next day, but then, like someone said, what if I don't stay the night?

Re water-birth and bathing suit, I wanted to bring a bikini top and bottoms (bottoms to take off later obviously). These don't take up much room! The extra towel obviously does though (blossoming mine are cheap dark blue ones from M&S!).

A pillow is one of the things I have cut because it is too bulky! Would ask DH to bring one in if staying for longer than one night.

What else? I figure I can dump the dirty/wet clothes in the tote afterwards. paula I was thinking that if my labour is long then the yoga pants might be nice to labour in - don't have the best legs and would feel more comfortable I think if I was walking around in more than just a tshirt! What do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
bananapeanutbutter · 10/03/2010 13:52

Oh I forgot to pack a water bottle! Thanks for reminding me mnistooaddictive

OP posts:
bronze · 10/03/2010 13:59

flipflops and slippers?

To be honest you hardly need anything. change of clothes and some pads plus some stuff for the baby. Noone cares what you look like. Wear the yoga pants and vest to go to the hospital and then you're all ready anyway then you can wear the vest to the hospital.

Of course if you want it all take it but personally I felt cluttered when I took more stuff and the last time hardly had anything with me. Makeup etc was the last thing on my mind