Hospital essentials are;
Button down pjs to help cannulas etc. My child was 0-12 months when he spent his year in hospital so was in button down onesies, but these look a really good option as they’ll allow access for IV’s, especially if they have access through his femoral etc https://www.fledglings.org.uk/products/kapow-hospital-pyjamas?variant=32907648466967&country=GB¤cy=GBP&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=shopping_feed&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAoa9yHiqvmx85LtSV3l6JDUtZSELo&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_Yq-BhC9ARIsAA6fbAgtxasJ5DGM4hSv8VAUJZdk7lgWZpB9EIWgtzmwUQF0c7Wj_P20CfQaAp12EALw_wcB
slippers for you and him - it’s honestly all I wore.
travel cups - we weren’t allowed hot drinks on the ward, but were allowed if they were in a sealed cup.
water bottles with long flexible straws
eye masks and nose cancelling headphones for the hellish nights
a bedside fan for when it gets too hot and stuffy/ your child overheats (we used a rechargeable one)
chargers with really long cables
and iPad with downloaded things for him (and you) to watch as signal can be so bad
a rehydrating spray mist as hospitals are so so dry
this is pathetic, but coloured markers helped me. I would rewrite the notes on his bedside whiteboard beautifully and with colours - it made it feel a little homier and more personal
a bright quilt for the bed, again to try and bring a semblance of home/ normality to the situation
easy to eat snacks on hand for him and you
something mindless to distract you from the mind numbing hell that is hospital - I did crosswords, sudoku, knitted. Anything that distracted me.
very soft and comfortable loungewear for you
zip up tops for your child as easy to pop on and off
lots of Lego/ puzzles/ craft stuff that your child can do in bed (again we didn’t need this as our child was so young when in hospital, but we would see lots of others do this activity. The pay therapist on the ward was very good about providing activities for the kids - as a paeds ward you should have one - talk to them about your child’s interest)
Lip balm as lips get so cracked and dry
our family members set up a rota of feeding us. We were about an hour away from everyone, but between three of them, someone would always come in and see us each day which helped so so much and would bring dinner. We had a room in RM so could heat things up in the kitchen. If friends or family are able to do this to any degree it really helps
speak to the hospital about filling in the forms for financial compensation - I cannot remember how much it was, but you get some financial contribution for every day spent in hospital, and it really adds up. The nurses will be able to tell you, but it’s worth looking into as hospital gets bloody expensive without even realising.
I’m trying to think of other things - I’ll update as and when I do xxx