hospital bag

[bugsyburge]

Helloooo....anyone care to share what is in their hospital bags? I need to get cracking with mine and I don't know where to start!!!!!

I asked this not long ago and got some brilliant advice from alt of ladies on here. Have a nosey at the link if you like.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1912218-Hospital-Bag-done-to-death-but-please-tell-me-if-I-missed-anything

I've got 2 bags. One for labour, one for if we have to stay in hospital afterwards.

Labour bag has:

2 nighties (1 for labour, 1 to change into after I clean up afterwards)
Dressing gown
Slippers
Wash kit (everything travel-sized, new toothbrush etc)
Make up
Lip balm
Moisturiser
Hairbrush/hairbands
Knickers x2
Maternity pads
Vest & sleepsuit for the baby
Nappies x2
Towel
Flannels x2
Water/cereal bars
and stuck to the top of it is a list of things to remember as we leave -- car seat, phone, kindle, charger, camera.

In the 'after' bag:

Nightie
PJ bottoms/top
Nursing bra
Knickers x4
Maternity pads
Breast pads
Towel
Clothes to go home in
Plastic bags for dirty clothes
Vests/sleepsuits for baby x3
Nappies
Wipes/cotton wool
Muslins
Hat/blanket/cardigan for going home
I will transfer the dressing gown, slippers, kindle, hairbrush, phone, wash bag from the labour bag to the staying-in bag.

This all fits into 2 hand-luggage sized bags. The 'staying in' bag has wheels because I was given an excellent tip by someone on my antenatal thread that when you leave hospital your DH/DP will be carrying the baby/car seat, so you'll be left carrying the bag.

Good list Tobey. I would have moee than one baby sleep suit even in the hospital bag though. You can have a baby who does an explosive meconium poo within two minutes of being dressed

Other than that I agree. Wouldn't bother with dressing gown in first bag myself but would have flip flops.

Toby I've heard that too about dh carrying the car seat but I'm just going to make dh take two trips to the car. It'll go some tiny, tiny way to readdress the imbalance in physical exertion in evacuating the baby in the first place.

Have also been advised to make sure towels and dressing gown are dark colour to minimise any embarrassingly obvious blood stains (yuck!) and some big T shirts/extra nighties for labouring as common to vom down yourself - also change of clothes for hubby in case he gets chucked up on too.

Midwives keep reminding me to take plenty of snacks for DH as he won't get fed.

Also am taking some orange squash concentrate to encourage sipping on fluids, and fruity sweets as gas and air apparently very drying on the mouth.

My one piece of advice, don't bring in brand new black towels. After a shower I had loads of fluff on me so the health care worker got me a different towel so I could dry myself properly.

Mine is based on what I used the last 2 times. I definitely used a dressing gown in labour when I was patrolling the corridors! And my flipflops are in the 'after' bag. Forgot to mention them :)

Oh, and 'NOTES'! Written on the list of things to pick up on the way out.

How many weeks have you got left?

When did u prepare your bag?

I'm due this weekend. Did mine a couple of weeks ago.

I thought I'd seen you mention on another thread that you were on no3 Tobey (so am I, so people who mention it at the moment tend to stick in my mind).

I totally agree on dressing gown, that's why I said personally. Some people use it loads, others wonder why they bothered. .

Your babies are obviously less shitty than mine . DD1 went through two vests before she got as far as her first babygro!

I'll start doing my bag about 37 weeks or so (been at least 41 both previous times). It's a back up as planning a home birth and obviously some stuff, like slippers, are in use at home until the last minute too so there will be a big 'don't forget' list.

Massive knickers. Granny style, up to the waist. Maternity pads are enormous, your normal pants won't hold them well. Also, if you end up having a c section, they'll be big enough to cover your dressing and not dig in. I think everything else is covered above!

Currently on the induction ward and they no longer provide gym balls because of health and safety . You can bring your own though. Don't know if it applies in the birth centres/delivery suite but worth checking if they are something you'd want to use during labour.

Both of mine had got rid of a load of poo before they were born! Maybe that's why

thank you

Good list above but I was smiling when I read 'Kindle ' ... no time to read during labour and absolutely no time or inclination to read after labour whilst on a noisy ward with zero sleep and new baby! :) Also didnt take towels as the hospital provide you with fresh clean towels for after showering... saves you packing these as they are bulky ...

Not much to add to the great list already posted, but I did put aside a few extra things at home just in case I had to stay in longer. Not packed in a bag, but put somewhere that DH could easily find if needed. As it happened, I didn't need it for hospital, but it was also useful to have everything together at home.

Eg: I bought two packs of maternity pads, took one to hosp and left the other at home with some extra knickers, nappies, baby clothes etc.

I read during both of my labours, and on the postnatal ward. I love reading. And it's going to be easier to breastfeed with a kindle than with a book.

I'd rather have it and not use it. I take it everywhere with me in case of unexpected downtime.