More maternity pads than you think
Lip balm
Sweets
Slippers/flipflops

Lasinoh(if I remember correctly) nipple cream-if you intend on trying to bf
More knickers/ maternity pads than you'll think you'll need
Snacks/drinks
Paracetamol

Take some nice shower gel, a sponge/body puff if you use one, a towel and deodorant for you to clean up afterwards. I also ended up wanting a razor but people can bring you things if you have a longer than wanted stay.

Start with 5-10 nappies and it'll see you through till someone can come and go for you.

Power bank charger - much better than long cables for charging (although maybe take a long one to charge the power bank).
LOTS of maternity pads.
An extra large, insulated water bottle with a straw (insulated to keep your drink cooler and straw is much easier during labour).
I’d literally just take a couple of vests/long sleeve/sleep suits. If you end up staying longer (e.g. NICU the baby won’t be wearing anything anyway).
Snacks - hospital food is awful.

Big high waisted pants in case you end up with a c section. You'll need pants that sit well above your wound. I made the mistake of not buying high waisted and had to send my mum off to M&S!

Bluetooth Earphones - wards get noisy and it's nice to be able to zone out with your baby during the night.

Dressing gown - your pjs can easily get stained and it's nice to throw something on over the top if you need to walk to the bathroom etc.

Water bottle with a straw.

Wet wipes (for you) in case you struggle to get access to a shower (if your DP is there throughout then you'll be grand. But I was alone when he went home and basically couldn't shower coz I couldn't leave or bring the baby)

Make sure any nightwear you bring is light - hospital wards are hotter than the sun, even in winter, you won't be wanting thermal pjs!

For the little one, if you can get sleepsuits with zips they're so much easier for middle of the night changes when you don't have a lot of light.

My throat was killing me due to gas and air, so maybe lozenges would be a good shout.

Then all the obvious stuff like pads, lip balm, snacks, charger, hair bobbles, flip flops, toiletries...

I was in hospital for 2 days in labour and used absolutely nothing from my bag. After my section I was in for about a day and a half and only used the things listed above.

Good luck when the baby comes!!!

Flip flops, the showers are minging.

Sounds like you might have to just take everything and the kitchen sink if your partner can’t leave. I’d take maybe 4/5 vests and sleep suits for baby, don’t forget a lightweight blanket for them too. Pack of nappies, wipes. I needed to double up with pads (one front one back) so at least 3 packs of maternity pads. Eye mask.

Disposable knickers

Apple juice mini cartons. I was really thirsty afterwards the first night and they were handy to drink one handed whilst feeding baby.

Juice is a good call. I craved ribena for some reason after labour and drank lots of it

Take a nightdress or a long top you can wear without bottoms for afterwards. I had a catheter in for the next day and felt better with no trousers while that was still in.

I will go against the grain and say thermal socks and a warm blanket each!

Hospitals are usually boiling but I ended up labouring in one of the rooms for covid positive mums and it was freezing due to the industrial ventilation unit.

The hospital could only offer me a thin blanket and after I’d had an epidural, they ended up having to wheel a heat lamp over me like a canteen lasagna

Dh wasn’t allowed back in either or to stay when Ds was born May 2020. In mid morning, baby born 4pm ish Saturday. Dh had a leave a few hours later and wasn’t allowed back. We left Monday lunchtime and midwife carried bags and I carried baby to door where Dh was waiting.

Shower gel/bath soak with Arnica extract.
Flexible straw so you can drink in any position
Baby wipes.
Plenty of snacks, savoury and sweet.
Juicy fruit like grapes or tangerines.
Super concentrated squash ( those mini bottles that make about 20 glasses)
DEXTRO Glucose tablet sweets (Boots)
Entertainment for the quiet times...wordsearch , Uno, whatever take your fancy.
Phones and chargers.

I had an emergency c-section and couldn't wear the joggers I took for post birth so draw string joggers. Also a pen because its so hard to get a nurse to lend you one. I very much appreciated taking my flip-flops for the shower and my own pillow which helped with BF. I also wish I had a toiletries bag with handles to hang it up on the door. I put it on the sink and it fell out everywhere and my MIL had to bring me a new toothbrush! Good luck - just don't stress. Supermarkets are 24hour and your OH can pick anything you need up!

@Tiredpregnantmess do you mean private en-suite rooms for labour and delivery? Surely the postnatal ward isn't all en-suites!? Don't forget there's a very real possibility of you going up to the ward after delivery (usually in a bay of 4 or 6) unless you're going private I've never seen a postnatal ward with just private rooms.

Buy the tenna 'nappies' for yourself and thank me later. Mat pads are good incase your waters go at home and for when your bleeding decreases but the giant pull ups are 😘🤌🏼 for the days following delivery.

Bring your own towel because hosp ones are tiny. Bring snacks.

The other biggie is bring your own paracetamol and ibuprofen. Midwives are on their knees, there's a huge staffing crisis in midwifery at the moment and more are going off sick with the new variant. You don't want to be sat on a ward waiting hours for pain relief. Take your own but make 100% sure to let them know what you've taken and when.

All the best

Food, was really hungry after giving birth and all the food outlets were shut in the hospital, this was before the explosion of takeaways though

I packed all of the above recommendations but was only in 12 hours after giving birth.

I would recommend taking extras of certain things (mostly toiletries, i packed an extra bag of spares for the car, figured it was easier).

Make sure you take a phone charger or charged camera - you'll take loads of photos

@stmw123 if op is in the US the postnatal area is likely private rooms with en suites.


I brought too many clothes for myself and husband, if you end up needing to have a longer stay he'll likely be able to pop out and get you something. I didn't end up using breast pump at all, if you need one the hospital should have it.

Slippers
Your own shampoo/conditioner/bodywash can be nice
Diaper cream!! The hospital didn't have any and newborn poop is so sticky and I was so afraid of rubbing her bum raw trying to clean it. Earth mama diaper balm is very gentle and wipes away clean unlike desitin.
Front zip or front button newborn clothes (so much easier than going over the head)
Snacks- I was totally put off the hospital food the whole time I was there. I had several protein shakes and bars and some clementines I brought from home.
I liked having a minty essential oil roller
Consider your own pillow from home, it takes up a lot of space but my bed in Land D was broken and it was so uncomfortable I actually broke down crying several times
Consider having someone braid your hair nice and tight after washing it right before you go in.
If you are getting a prostaglandin insert I recommend getting pain meds beforehand and if they offer you Valium to sleep take it!

Also my favorite postpartum disposable underwear were the freida mom ones. Very very comfortable