how big is your hospital bag?

[Rootatoot]

Ok, so I had an unexpected hospital admission this week. Thankfully allowed out again but I flung things in my bag I thought I was going to use & now realise I can't get all my bits in! I will be taking a bag for me, bag for baby & keep another bag in car with my going home clothes etc in probably.

So how big was /is your hospital bag? I know there isn't much space in hospital but have to take own towels to our hospital, so need a fairly big bag!

I bought a suitcase for everything to be in one bag. It's a size bigger than what can be carried onboard. I have to bring in cot sheets and pretty much everything. I've got baby grows, towels, pack of nappies etc etc. Few PJs for me and leggings and a top for me to leave. Ob I have travel size creams, showers gels etc

I have 2 small carry-on sized bags, plus the baby's changing bag. Bag #1 has all the things I will need in labour (clothes, slippers, Pure radio for playing music, handheld fan etc), Bag #2 has things I will need if staying in postnatal ward (toiletries, pjs, breast pads, sanitary towels etc), and baby's bag has enough kit for a 24hr stay in hospital afterwards.

On top of that I will have two pillows which I won't pack in the bags- will just carry them.

I've brought my own towels but no need to bring cot sheets or anything with us. We have a few snacks packed in bag #1 but there is an M&S foodhall in the hospital so we've packed very light in that sense.

Don't think I'd dare pack suitcase. Simply no room at our hospital for them at all. The 'locker' they tell you to empty stuff into is teeny weeny too!

I think I am going to get a new holdall, which will be bigger than my existing bag. Hopefully that should do the trick. I'll follow your example Trans and perhaps organise my bags that way. Makes sense. :)

I'm going to try a medium size holdall but this is very confusing. So much to take and so little space.

TransatlanticCityGirl - You are very lucky to have an M&S food hall in the hospital. The shop in mine is currently under refurbishment for the next six months and then there is an overpriced coffee shop that shuts at 4!! I never thought about taking food/snacks in before!

An M&S food hall!!! Wow! Envious!

I have a large hold all and a biggish hand bag. DH has a bag of water bottles and snacks for the labour. I never unload my stuff into the locker though, it?s usually too inconvenient to get to. When you have your baby the bassinette you are given for them usually has a shelf underneath for a few bits like nappys etc.

I always pack a second bag though with extras just in case I get kept in, DH can bring that in a day or two if needs be.

i have 3 4 bags, one with everything i need during labour, one with 2'3 days of hospital attire as i have a mountain of health problems that will mean i am kept in for a few days and a bag with my going home clothes in and a bag with all my knick knacks ie phone charger, straightners, makeup etc so huge is the answer lol, ive taken over my dh's boot lol he's not that impressed

I had a little (carry-on size) holdall with baby clothes, nappies etc, then a huge holdall with all my stuff. The lockers are tiny, so I kept clothes in the bag and just put toiletries and stuff I'd need all the time in the locker. TBH towels and a dressing gown took up a good half of my bag, and once you add in 2 packs of maternity pads.... :) We also had a separate bag with food & drinks in it. Looked like we were going on holiday for a week!

Naive question here - everyone keeps talking about lockers.... I didn't see any lockers on the hospital tour. At what stage does your belongings go into a locker?

i think they mean the bedside table you get, usually you have a key to it to keep valubles in

It's more exciting than a holiday though we are having babies

(although i may need reminding of that comment when i am 4 cms dilated and screaming lol)

When I had DD, I had a hold-all size bag, plus a pillow. There was stuff in there I never used, although the pillow was fantastic and my top tip! I would say keep the baby changing bag in the car, and just have a couple of nappies, one vest, babygrow and cardi for the baby to wear back to the ward after it is born. Your DP can get the baby's bag out of the car later on.

The reason I say this is that we had to carry everything from the room we first went into, up to the ward and then back down to the delivery room, and then again back up to the ward. We couldn't leave things at our bed, because we wouldn't necessarily go back to the same bed, and the staff would have had to move all my stuff! So when you look at your bag, imagine your DP having to carry it all over the hospital for you! Best to have one smaller bag with your essentials in it (PJs, knickers, maternity pads, baby's first clothes, and then get the rest from the car when you know where you're going to be.

And yes yes yes to taking snacks! Although it's really hot usually on maternity wards, my chocolate all melted!

Well, i just ordered a cheap BIG holdall from Amazon, so at least I have something I can pack soon (just in case, getting twitchy on account of high bp !)

Yes trans locker = bedside cabinet thingy. It has a key you can ask for I think but looking at it, would fit much in so I'll follow advice to keep stuff in bag and just pop it on chair so can reach it from bed.

Thanks pookamoo for tips.

ah thx for clarifying!! :)

re the lockers, if they do need to move you to another bed while you're down in the delivery room, you will have to empty them anyway! Much better if you don't take any valuables in until you are settled after delivery, or not at all if you can do without!

I am 32 weeks now with DC2 and this thread has made me start thinking perhaps I should get a few bits together just in case!

My suitcase will be going under the bed although like I stated it's not massive so won't be an issue :)