Advice needed for prepartion for labour bag and home aftercare

[Dunnyjo]

Last time at the hospital with ds i forgot to pack pants! So think that says it all i need to be bit more prepared.
I am only 28wks but if anyone has advice on what i need would be totally grateful.
My head is a bit blank at the mo trying to write my list lol

BIG pants
arnica homeopathic remedy - take a few days before and after to promote healing
many nice snacks for you and birth partner
if you are going to use tens machine practice beforehand (we didn't, DH fiddled with machine and I got very large shock when needed pain relief)
travel sizes of nice shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, lipgloss and a nice nightie for afterwards, just in case youa re in for a day or two and want to feel nice.

Disinfectant wipes for the dirty NHS hospital!

Packets and packets of the biggest sanitary towels you can find!!

face cloths if you cant get to the shower

Disposable pants!

IME had lots of stuff and never opened the bag (24 hr labour, dd born 4.50am, went home 7pm) Think it depends on how far you live from hospital. If you're close enough for dh/p to bring extras if you stay in overnight as we are then what I'm taking next time is:

Two nighties, spare knickers, socks, TENs, Drink, some coins for dp's vending machine visits, babyvest and babgro, baby blanket and a ton of Tesco maternity towels. And thats the lot!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing!!

Gotta get pg first though :o :o

some decent non-perishable food!
flip flops in case bathrooms are a bit dodgy
disposable camera

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the essentials for my labour bag were:

FOOD and yet more FOOD
Drinks
water spray
nice toiletries for the shower afterwards
camera

and er, that's it - didn't touch anything else from my carefully packed bag

now the other bag is another matter, I did use all that stuff

essentials:
pants (and actually I took old comfy ones that I didn't mind throwing away, papar ones are vile
flip flops or similar
baby clothes, nappies etc.
plenty of clothes for you to wear in bed - I bled through loads and it was grim. maybe I was just a bit of a bleeder though!

but seriously, food is the thing (obsessed, moi?)

lip salve. hot and dry on maternity units and you don't want cracked/tattered lips on your proud mum photos

Agree with Satine,as many packets of Sanitary Towels that you can pack-buy them when they are on offer!

Always night time are great and much more comfoartable than the thick maternity ones!

the car seat is a good one too!

breast pads !!!!!!!!!!!!
i went through boxes and boxes and boxes
100's and 100's
lip balm for labour.
refreshing shower gel for after birth and at home .

black and white camera otherwise pictures can look a bit bloody!. so glad i had a black and white, got fab pictures but they would have been a bit much if they were colour.