Hospital Bags for Dummies ...

[TheBreadstick]

OK, so what's the definitive list of stuff you wouldn't live without in your hospital bag? Equally, what's a waste of time packing?!

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Hello, this thread is a little old; for up-to-date recommendations, take a look at our guide to what to pack in your hospital bag.

A nightie! I only packed pyjama bottoms because I HATE nighties - ended up with forceps delivery and a catheter which I had to feed down the leg of my pj's. The tube wasn't quite long enough though and I had to kind of squat/bend down as I walked...not easy or glamorous!

I was in hosp. for 8 days, so needed all that I'd packed and so much more, agree with others that you would be wise to have a back up bag at home! But if you are out sighing the day, you'll probably need very little, my DH found water mist spray a good distraction, gave him something to do. A towel and basic toiletries nice, as would imagine you will want to Freshen up before you head home.
Most useful thing I had was some lasinoh, which is fabulous nipple cream, I used from the moment my boobs felt just a little bit sore and it seemed to work wonders, I can highly recommend, although it's not cheap!

babybythesea Camelbak is what you need - the perfect way to drink without sitting up! It's a soft water carrier with a long tube like a hose to drink from :) My DH had one and it was a God Send, especially when on the ward learning to breastfeed.

Things that I didn't expect: if you wanted cold water you had to ask for it from a passing nurse (or have warmish tap water from the bathroom). Make sure you have some hidden away for the 4am thirsties when there's nobody around to ask.
Newborn nappies didnt fit dd so well, so poo leaked onto her baby grows - take about two or three for every day you expect to be in hospital and then a couple more.
Take a big supply of tissues for tidy ups. If you leak some post birth blood you want to wipe away the worst before shuffling off to the bathroom for a proper clean.
There was nowhere to change the baby, just on a changing mat on my bed or in her cot, so don't forget a mat, cotton wool, the aforementioned tissues and something to put some water in to use to clean the baby.

I packed too much for my first, so will pack less this time. I have been told that you need flip flops for the shower ( I had a private room, but I have heard this is pretty uncommon in the hospital I am having this baby in ) and diapers as the hospital probably won't supply them.

My must have items include:

Flip flops in case the showers are grim or (as was the case with DC3) you can't bend down to dry your feet in because it makes you feel faint.

Fruit, there never seems to be enough of it in hospital and never before in your life have you ever needed fibre as when you have given birth.

Fibrogel, brilliant stuff for making it easy to 'go' after delivery.

Nighties in stead of p.j's, it's a bit grim, but basically if you wear a nightie you can hoik it up and sit straight on the huge pad thing that the hospital give you, that way if you do have an accident you don't have to get completely changed (or have several pairs of p.j's in your washing pile when you go home).

Ear plugs and eye pads. To make it dark and quiet when your baby is asleep and the ward is busy.

Pack two bags - one for labour/baby's arrival and one for afterwards. Your partner can go and get the "after" bag later.

Your own pillow.

The softest toilet paper money can buy! Guard this with your life.

I overpacked didnt use half of it. Next time will probably just go for

3 babygrows
3 vests
Pair of mitts
Hat
Pack of nappies
Pack of wipes
Little teddy for baby

3 pairs of pyjamas
Loads of massive pants
Maternity pads
Breastpads
Slippers
Washbag
Phone and charger
Outfit to go home in
Straighteners
Make up bag
Old towel
Hand towel
Couple of nursing bras

how many pants is loads of pants?

i have got 8 pairs of Asda's cheapest granny pants. Should I be investing in any extras or would that do?

Nice suggestion about the bog roll, I'll be remembering that one!

8 will be enough im sure

8 will be ample for the hospital if you are planning to ditch them. You may need more for when at home though. It is embarrassing how much I loved my disposable pants from Boots - the number of times I thought "thank god!".

Pack two bags. One for if you get out when you think you are going to, and one for if you DH has to bring you extra things in. Men are clueless. my DH tried so hard to pack extra things for me when I was in hospital with by DD, and I just had to keep sending home items that were ludicrously wrong for someone that had just given birth.
If you take baby wipes, do do please use alcohol free ones on a tiny newborn. Or better still take a load of soft cloths and just dip them in warm water.

Quick question as I am bag shopping next week, I want to get a wheeled case, any ideas on best size? Am having a cs and will probably be in 6 nights.

I would take small amounts at a time and put a couple of top up bags somewhere your dp/dh can find them because in my experience there isnt room for big cases on maternity wards or in the private rooms if your lucky enough to get one. I would get the small one

I had cs with both my babies and was only in 3 nights after my second cs think was about the same with my first too i wanted to go home

Also get the very biggest pants you can possibly get if your having a cs because i didnt buy big enough when i had my second and the waistband on my pants cut into my scar. Hadto send dp to tesco for propper belly warmer pants and i have never been more greatful for anything in my life than i was for those pants pmsl

Yes have already got the pants This is my 3rd cs the last two times my bag was no where near big enough for everything and I was very of the woman opposite me who had everything all neat in her case by the side of her bed, luckily I will be on the same ward as have been on previously so I know they have plenty of space lol.

I barely used any of my stuff (emcs), didn't use the hair bands, i pod, face spray, make up. I can't remember using nipple cream in hospital either.

I didn't have enough clothes for dd and dh had to bring in more. I also had to get dh to bring in clothes for me to wear home as I had planned to wear the stuff I'd gone in with and got meconium covered waters all over it.

Definitely needed pads, big knickers, drinks, snacks, camera and phone, eye mask and earplugs, washbag, pyjamas, dressing gown and slippers for me.

Lots of clothes, hat, carigan, nappies for dd.

Agree with theonewiththenoisychild, there isn't a lot of room in the cubicle for stuff so less is better.

Not sure if its been said but paracetomol is a good idea. Invariably you will finf that you need painkillers when they can't give you them. Ie paperwork at pharmacy!

O god the big pants. That takes me back. Had an emergency csection and had to send MIL out to buy some. O the shame.

Thegirlwithhairylegs Mot sure about 6 nights. I was in 4 nights with 1st and 2 nights (just) with my 2nd.

I have another medical condition that needs to be monitored york sadly.

Sorry.

Some brill suggestions so far and will add my piece:

• YES to big log-sized maternity pads! Lochia is not fun, especially when bitch nursing staff are rationing them out (yes, really) and you are leaking all over the floor- gah.

• LOTS of normal pants - even your maternity ones/cheap ones you don't mind getting dirty (I was told to bring those disposable pants and they were awful - waaay too small and I felt like a prat).

• LOTS of light cotton Tshirts/longer sleeved tops if Winter...I sweated loads as my hormones were going nuts and I had to change so often.

• ditto to pyjama or lounge/tracksuit bottoms (light, cotton) as they will get stained and you'll need a few changes.

• LOTS of baby wipes, also for yourself (you may be in pain and struggling to get in/out of bed, so useful to wipe yourself with too!)

• Water mister to cool you face and other bits.

• Your own flannels.

• Some nice BF tops to get dressed in - nothing fancy, just nice to be in normal clothes after having been in labour clothes and hospital gowns! Feels good to have a shower as soon as too and get dressed - I felt instantly better.

• Dried prunes :) I was the only woman in my 8 bedded bay who didn't have constipation! I was handing them out to the others in the end :) (M&S are gorgeous too).

• A water bottle you can fill up with tap water.

• CAMERA (I was early...and forgot to oack mine :()

• EARPLUGS!!! Bloody noisy on ward. Eye mask too.

• Check what provision they have for bottle feeding/expressing/sterilising in case you can't/don't want to BF or baby isn't latching on.

• Lots of newborn nappies (very stingy with their rations)

• Easy to put on babygros - poppered down the front. Some vest style, some long sleeved, cardis, little hats. When you're changing them at 3am, almost in the dark, yiu'll be bloody glad not to be wrestling with over the head vests/jumpers etc!

• Your own baby blanket (my DD weed in hers and it took nurse 4 hours to bring me a clean one :()

I took a little more with me and had a duffle bag on wheels - good thing, as I ended up having ECS and staying 3 days...

-Good luck :)

The best advice I got here was to put the baby's first clothes and first nappy, for straight after labour, in a ziplock plastic freezer bag, in your labour bag. This meant my DH found them immediately.
I wish I had brought more water in, or at least got DH to stock me up before he left me overnight with DD. I was incredibly thirsty about 12 hours after giving birth to DD. I had asked the nurses to top up my jug four times and didn't want to bother them again so drank small five cartons of orange juice and a large bottle of prune juice that I'd brought with me in case of constipation.
Ended up violently throwing up in the middle of the night! Glorious...

With DS, I ended up in hospital for 10 days. No amount of pre-packing could really have prepared me for that.