Hospital bag

[BBB18]

I'm 29 weeks this Sunday & want to have my hospital bag packed by my 30 week mark! I'm expecting didi boys 😍 cannot wait! It's just all coming around so quickly.....

I have a little girl & apart from the basics for myself and some clothes for the boys I cannot remember or even think what else I may need....

Anyone have a handy list?

TIA

x

@BBB18 hey I'm 31 weeks today and expecting twin girls so we are practically due the same time. Are you having a section? I was thinking of packing a bag this weekend to for hospital, I think we better take a fair few things due to perhaps having to stay longer then average labours and restrictions with partners potentially. Maybe post in pregnancy as well, in fact do post in the pregnancy topic , the multiple threads are so unbelievably quiet, you'll get loads of responses in pregnancy.

I'll be following with interest ☺️

This was my list for both me and the babies. With Nappies i took size 0 and clothes were just tiny baby (i took newborn and they were huge and had to borrow some tiny baby from NICU)

Hi @BBB18 I’m 30 weeks (today I think? Maybe tomorrow? I don’t keep track of these things)

My midwife suggested I pack 2 small suitcases - one for me, with enough stuff that I could stay in for 4 days if necessary (because of partners not staying, she says it’s best to have spares just in case there are complications) and a separate bag for my DTs (boys in my case as well) in case we have to be separated at any point. She advised 10 vests and grows for the babies (so 5 each), 2 hats each so they have a clean one if they need one and enough nappies for 4 days.

I didn’t pack much of a Washbag for my first, but will do this time because I’m more likely to be in longer (less than 24 hours for DD) and I won’t be able to summon/send DH like I did last time.

Think a out how you would like to feed (and any back up plan if necessary).

Some snacks for yourself - you might miss meals during labour and if you won’t have a partner with you to send to the cafe it could be a long time till the next meal!

Oh, and flip flops in case the shower is FOUL

@crazychemist thanks for the tips, especially the flip flops, I'll definitely be packing those now. I'm only just under 2 weeks ahead of you with twins so we are due a very similar time. Other thing was my midwife said don't worry about taking a breast pump, keep yours at home and sanitised ready to use as they give you the hospital ones. And she also said to take bottles as well as liquid formula as they don't prepare powered and with twins those teeny throw away bottles of formula for twins will get VERY expensive if your in for a while. They put the litre bottles of the pre made stuff in a fridge and liable it with your babies names and they serialise your bottles too so you can take a selection of you wish.

She said those teated throw away bottles have to be used as well after an hour of opening where as other liquid formula you can keep in the fridge for longer and the midwives or you can top up the bottles of needed.

I'm planning on mixed feeding so non of this may apply if your exclusively breastfeeding but could be useful for you ☺️

Bottles were what I was thinking of. I bf my DD, but I had bottles and formula in my hospital bag just in case it didn’t work out. Haven’t decided if I’ll do that this time, definitely not packing pump though - far too bulky!

@crazychemist are you thinking of induction, c section, or waiting to go naturally so to speak? Sorry I can't remember if yours share a placenta or not as I understand that can inform decisions on birth choices. Mine are separate sacks and placentas but having a c section this time round, my last two children were vaginal births which went really well though so understand both options as being good ones

I used the hospital's pump to try and get my supply going (didnt happen).
I took small 200ml bottles of ready made aptamil (without the teat) and just wrote name on the label and time as they would throw it out after 24hrs. I wouldn't take 1ltr bottles of ready made formula as I dont think you would get through it all in the 24hrs once opened as my girls only took 30-50ml feeds at the start.
At my hospital they have single use little 70ml bottles that you can use so don't have to sterilise etc. Ask your hospital if they have similar.

@crazychemist also great advise on two cases, I didn't think of this so I'll do one fore and one for the twins now, especially sensible as I won't be physically able to search through a case so will make it easier for the midwives.

@ChampooPapi will see consultant at 32 weeks for a final decision on delivery. I would have preferred vaginal (my first birth with DD was very straightforward and recovery was very easy), but looking more likely to be c section. Mine share a placenta, and although both are head down, neither is engaged, and midwife thinks they won’t as they are kind of in each other’s way and there’s not a lot of space (I’m quite short and have fairly narrow hips). Have to admit, I’m nervous about the potentially longer recovery time of a c section.

Thanks @Wishing56 and great list upload as well. It was my midwife who suggested the large bottles but what you say makes perfect sense, newborns do not drink much at all at a time.

I wanted to use hipp organic formula anyway to mix feed and they don't sell the larger bottles so suits me fine taking the smaller ones. Thank you so much for posting, this twin situation combined with a hospital stay is very daunting and so unfamiliar to me personally.

Will do exactly what you did and not go down the throw away test bottle route, you can get double the amount still for the same price and brand in the smaller bottles with the screw caps so it does make sense.

How old are your twins now?

@crazychemist tell me about it, it's such an alien thing to me this c section/surgery business, I keep floating between wanting to kind of just be under general anesthesia for it all to wanting to try for a 'natural vaginal birth'. Each is fairly concerning with two, if it was one it would be a no brainer and I'd plump for vaginal every time. Mine are transverse and breech currently so c section would be the way forward anyway, but I did request one fairly early on, Its the vaginal intervention elements as well as induction that made the section choice for me personally

@BBB18 how are you getting on? I get my c section date on Tuesday next week 🙌

I'm 33 weeks currently

Hey everyone,

Sorry I'm only just replying! Thanks for all your messages. I've packed the babies bag, all my stuff is on the side I just need to get the OH to venture in to the loft for my case! Haha

I'm 32 weeks on Sunday & I have my last consultation on Monday so will get my date for my induction or c-sec then. I have everything crossed the bottom one is head down as at my 28 weeks scan they were transverse!

Hope everyone's doing okay! I'm definitely feeling more exhausted since hitting the 30 weeks or it could be that I'm just exhausted running around with my 2 year old! X

@BBB18 what date were you given in the end? Are you able to be induced or is it going to be a section? Mine is booked for the 5th of November 🎇

@ChampooPapi - wow yours isn't far away at all how exciting? Are you having c sec or induction. I'm booked in for c sec on the 17th November x

@BBB18 mines a c section too, I'll be 37 and 2 then. I am soo looking forward to not being pregnant any more, I obviously want to keep them in untill that date, I'm certainly not wishing they come earlier, but I am very done with lugging around these two babies now.

How are you feeling? Are you still working or homebound? How many weeks are you exactly? I'll be 35 on Tuesday and in a week I'll be getting my first steroid injection for their lungs. I assume they are giving you these too? They say most babies are fine from 37 weeks but it's a precaution they take when delivering then so I'm keen to have them before they arrive.

My sharps box has just arrived too for the post section Injections, glad my friend told me to order one as no one else said I'd need to inject myself afterwards!

I will also be 37 + 2 I'm 33 weeks pregnant today & I completely understand what yours saying. I have no more room or so it feels for these babies! I am uncomfortable & just want them here.
Do you know what your having?

My friend mentioned this to me & I haven't been told that either. I have an appt with my midwife next Monday so will ask her! 😘

I expect it varies from trust to trust, but mine gives you a sharps box along with the at-home injections when you get discharged from hospital. I didn't need to order my own.

Thanks @PowerslidePanda , we have to sign our local council and they deliver them, I'm under the South hams.

@BBB18 what are you thinking feeding wise? I breast fed my other two children but I'm going for bottle feeding this time, will try and do mixed by pumping, but may be formula babies this time. I'm was told to take small bottles of formula into the hospital for the section, they have a fridge and steriliser obviously there to sort that all.

All the different trusts rules on visiting and 'the golden hour' after a section is messed up, it's difficult everywhere! I'll be at Torbay where my partner can only visit for an hour a day but can at least be there for the section and 2 hours afterwards. Hoping we can push that a fair bit, we are having twins after all!

See we're quite lucky where we are. He can be with me the whole time & for as long as I need to stay in. His not allowed to leave the hospital or he won't be allowed back in. I hope they can extend that for you also! Fingers crossed.

I'm formula feeding these babies too! For various different reasons, but main one being my OH can help out with one haha x

*different everywhere

@BBB18 that's a felt for you both, it really is the way it should be. I hear you on the feeding malarkey, I've got the perfect prep as well to help us, anything that makes it easier so we can focus on loving our twins and coping generally is best in my opinion. And of course being able to do a night on and a night off so someone can sleep all night sometimes, compared to being the one 'on tap' every night like I was with my other two, that is going to be a godsend.

I've got another scan tomorrow, no one is really sure why but the more the merrier I suppose. Gets bloody uncomfortable doesn't it laying on your back for them? I've been having mine on my side mostly so 1. I don't pass out and 2. So my entire back doesn't go into spasm.

How are you coping generally? I just spent the entire afternoon asleep, I am officially a sloth and I dare not look at my stretching stomach, I can't actually see the underside because it's getting so big but I know serious stretching is occurring because when I revealed it to my midwife for a Doppler last week she exclaimed! 'you poor thing, your poor stretched skin!'.

Ignorance is bliss ey 😆

Another thing to add to the twin pregnancy endurance test.

It's exciting your only a few weeks behind me, I don't know anyone with twins 🥰

*that's a relief

Not that's a felt 🤦

It is how it should be & it's such a hard scary thing to do let alone with covid restrictions!

Haha exactly my thoughts! What ever makes life easier & less stressful!

Amazing I'm so pleased your resting I've been trying to do the same today but I have a 2.5 little girl so she keeps me on my toes! Haha 😆

It's so nice talking to someone in the same position as me aswell! Such exciting times ahead.
What kind of twins are you having? Do you know the gender??

Do twins run in your family 😘