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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

I have started to pack my bag...

132 replies

ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts · 05/08/2011 10:45

Can someone tell me if I have forgotten anything?

I know there have been so many threads about this but just need someone to tell me to stop panicking!

So far I have:

Towel/flannel
Pants
Maternity pads (3 x 10pack)
Nighties x 2 for labour and one after
Jogging bottoms and vest tops to act as pjs for the ward
Toiletries - shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, toothpaste, face wipes, hairbrush, bobbles and clips (toothbrush will go in at end)
Carrier bag for dirties
Slippers
Socks
Phone charger.

Have I missed anything essential? I haven't started babys bag yet as I haven't washed any of the clothes yet, doing that this weekend. So far that has pretty much filled a small pull along case, like an air hostess has. Is that ridiculous? I'm going to have to have an extra holdall for baby things. I feel a prat going with 2 bags.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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abigailj · 07/08/2011 12:33

lucozade/pastilles/barley sugars - something to keep you going if you have a long labour and need a sugar fix at 3am :-)

RickGhastley · 07/08/2011 12:42

Second the suggestion of nail clippers and nail file to trim baby's nails. DS popped out with talons and scratched his face to bits.

nomorecake · 07/08/2011 14:57

sorry if i'm repeating a post, haven't read the whole thread yet, but I recommend taking Parazone wipes in you wash bag, as not everyone cleans up properly after going to the loo.

littleoldme · 07/08/2011 17:23

Second above poster. Def take disinfectant wipes unless you have your own roon with ensuite. Lots of postnatal women sharing bathrooms and toilets ... need I say more

Indaba · 07/08/2011 19:24

No idea, but can I please apologise to the woman who was having a baby at Queen Charlottes (London) in Oct 2002 who packed up a big plastic bag with her favourite music, wipes and oils...I am very, very, very sorry.... I took your bag home with me by mistake after just giving birth. I didn't unpack for a week and then I found it. I was horrified. I took it straight back but I still think about you and am so, so, so sorry!

Ellie4 · 07/08/2011 19:56

I tried to have all stuff I might need for labour and stuff for after delivery in separate bags so things were easy to find. A tip I got from here was to have a couple of clear plastic bags with a complete set of what you will need for baby once delivered ie nappy, vest, sleepsuit, hat and scratch mitts. I did this recently for my 3rd child and it made it so easy to just pull one bag out rather than instruct hubby to find each item separately. Another tip is to use socks instead of scratch mitts. They stay on far better as you can use the sleeves of the sleepsuit to keep them on.

DoraJo · 07/08/2011 21:07

I'd suggest:

  • lots of dried fruit to eat (to help make that scary first post-birth poo a bit easier)
  • some nice nightwear you don't mind being photographed in!

I second anti-bac wipes and flipflops for grubby shared bathrooms. And lots more food for post-birth midnight munchies..

Wishing you all the best!

Hannah31 · 07/08/2011 21:43

Lots more maternity pads (yuck) than you think you'll need. I mean LOTS.
Or is that just me?

funnynoises · 07/08/2011 21:54

Not just you Hannah
I took Tena incontinence knickers (double yuck but not as leaky as the pads)

Noo99 · 07/08/2011 22:26

Definitely need lip balm, Hair bobbles for long hair, more than one flannel, isotonic drinks (non fizzy), plenty of change and I definitely agree don't bother with disposable knickers - just buy dead cheap proper ones.

cuteboots · 08/08/2011 13:11

If I can give but one word of advice it would be disposable knickers. I think they are made of paper but you cant have enough of them.

kateyfer · 08/08/2011 13:52

moist toilet tissue,
LIP BALM - my saviour as gas and air really dried me out
socks (if you end up having an epidural, the shivers caused by the drug make you cold)
paracetamol - you can never get enough from the MW
sports bottles of water (squeezy spouts for OH to squirt water into your mouth when you physically can't lift it yourself)
snacks
antibacterial hand gel
flipflops fpr wandering about the ward/bathrooms
Ipod/book/anything distracting during the long first stage of labour (and afterwards while baby sleeps in ward before you are released...)

Dummyhunter · 08/08/2011 17:36

Spare t shirt for OH - DD got handed to DH gunk and all after 17 hours of holding sweaty me in various positions. He was really touched that l had thought to pack him a spare to travel home in.

cutiepie1 · 08/08/2011 19:37

Hi

Disinfectant wipes are a great idea, definitely not OCD!!

Also, take (this will sound odd!) some toilet roll. I was on a pre labour ward overnight and the toilet roll in the toilet nearest to me ran out at 8pm and still wasn't replenished when I left the ward at midday the next day Shock. Got this tip from a mag and it was a lifesaver as I was drinking litres of fluid each night so the toilet was my best friend!!

Ipod - to while away the hours if you have a slow labour
Car seat - for taking baby home
Pillows - these can be in short supply
Socks - feet can get cold during labour
Dressing gown - handy if you prefer to cover up when you leave your bed
Snacks for any birthing partners too

Hope this helps

Alll the best

SantaLucia · 08/08/2011 20:14

Take a huge wheelie suitcase and fill it with everything you may need for a few days away. EVERYTHING! Grin My hospital supplies maternity pads so I wouldn't take those (too bulky). But don't feel the need to pack light. Its all about comfort and little things that might make you feel good. And its also about food, lots of food. I'm planning to take a cool bag filled with goodies. Hospital food sucks.

boognish · 08/08/2011 21:23

Definitely bring a squirty sports bottle of water for peeing. You will need this every time you have a wee post-tearing (ouch!). You won't be going in the shower every time and few hospitals have bidets.

Giant black towels from primark.

Shutupanddrive · 08/08/2011 21:27

Extra pjs/tracksuit bottoms, I bled through everything and was out same day! Maybe a small hand fan, I was boiling hot and definately the frozen bottle of water

MotherOfHobbit · 09/08/2011 06:19

I'll second everyone who recommended straws and frozen bottles of water. Also don't forget the snacks. You're probably going to be there for a while.

Icanonlytry · 09/08/2011 10:35

Yes it is possible that you could give birth in the clothes you arrive at hospital in, I certainly did, only just managed to get my trousers off. Unfortunatly didnt get as far as the long floaty WHITE top dp had to help me into just before we left home (it was all he could find :-))
Frozen water was a life saver kept me cool in the sauna that was the postnatal ward.
Take your own pillow, there was no shortage of hospital ones but having my own pillow was so much nicer.
A black towel I didnt have a shower other than the one straight after birth when I used hospital towels but Iwas loosing a lot of blood (soaking through 2 pads at a time) and it was worrying dd who spent most of the day after ds was born with us at hospital so I sat on the black towel so the blood wasn't as noticable as it was on the white sheets.
Wet wipes, handy to cool you down and make you feel clean if you are pinned to the bed for hours by a very hungry baby.
Sorry for any mistakes, typing one handed on my phone feeding my still very hungry 10 week old. Writing this has brought back all the lovely memories of my tiny newborn.. Good luck..

pinklaydee · 09/08/2011 11:13

Lots of snacks - I was ravenous after having DS, and if you're up all night, it's a long time to wait until breakfast. Some daft magazines that aren't too taxing on the brain either. Good luck! x

pinklaydee · 09/08/2011 11:14

And nice smelling body wash to make you feel pampered - if that's possible.

Badgerwife · 09/08/2011 11:16

a HAND FAN - it was a balmy 25 degrees Celsius on the ward when I gave birth a couple of weeks ago, and what with the hormone sweats you get afterwards, it was hell.

bilblio · 09/08/2011 12:10

The first thing going in mine is anti-bacterial wipes.
Not everyone clears up after themselves after going to the toilet and there was nothing provided by the hospital. I had to clear up other people's blood every time I went to the loo. Very gross.

razzlew6 · 09/08/2011 12:50

Sorry if someone has mentioned already ... bit random but straws are really useful! Much easier for drinking through in the throes of labour than drinking directly from the cup ...

sherbetpips · 09/08/2011 13:36

dont worry about baby clothes the hospital gives them tie back garments for easy access, etc. Just take a few babygrows and the going home outfit, hubby can always go and get more if needed - and dont be taking labels off and washing things until you know how big baby is - many people dont use the newborn size at all!
Hospitals are boiling hot so make sure you take light clothing as well. Make sure your knickers are the large unattractive type - I would recommend buying a pack of 5 bellywarmer style from M&S and just chuck them away each day (maternity pads are not that good).
nappies for baby of course and cotton wool (if I where you I would sneak in sensitive wipes too - rubbing cotton wool across a new baby's bum trying to remove tar poo should be labelled as child cruelty in my book!)

Take a pack of dettol antibacterial kitchen/bathroom wipes too - you will probably need to clean the bathroom/shower, etc and wipe down the surfaces in your room (not nice I know but I found very necessary the toilet wasn't cleaned the whole time I was there).