Hospital Bag

[FirstMumToBe]

Help!!!
When is a good time to start on my hospital bag?! and what the hell do I put in??? I have googled it and it's given me a few good suggestions, but other than that wanted to see whether anyone else had any hospital bag must haves...
Plus would it be ridiculous to use a small carry on suitcase as my own bag due to the fact it will be easier to carry in/out of the hospital?

So my questions are:
At what point did you pack your bag? and what did you have in it?

With my first I think I started packing it around 32 weeks maybe? This time it was more like 34 and I’m havign twins so Really should’ve done it sooner! But we were having building work done and I didn’t have anywhere to leave it accumulating.

A carry on suitcase is a great idea I think. I have the twins stuff in one of those and my stuff for labour and afterwards in a duffle bag / hold-all. There’s also a ziplock bag in my bag with two vests, babygrow and nappies so we can leave the twins bag in the car until after they’ve arrived. Then we have a big Ikea bag with my feeding pillow, extra pillows and other things we might need if we’re kept in more than a couple of nights.
One thing we haven’t sorted is snacks...

I'm 28 weeks, so I'll leave it a few weeks to start packing but wanted to make sure I had most things that I needed before hand! How much clothing did you take in for you and baby? I have a pack of newborn nappies to take with me just incase too.. I hadn't even thought about pillows or anything like that, that might be a good idea. Plus I am going to try and breastfeed but been advised to take in bottles and formula milk incase it doesnt go to plan! Any idea of how many bottles/formula milks to pack? Soooo confusing, I'm glad I've started this early, because I don't even know where to start!!!

With DD I packed my bags at 35 weeks (after my waters had broken)

I recommend snacks as even after you have had your baby, you will feel ravenous at 2-4am when you have been woken up for the 5th time.

• Many spare changes of pants (full briefs if having a C-section)
• Maternity pads
• breast pads
• night dress
• a couple of changes of clothes
• shower gel
• shampoo/conditioner (to feel human again)
• towel
• flannel (to protect delicate areas in the showe - the shower head in my local hospital was like trying to wash yourself with a hedgehog)
• toothbrush/toothpaste
• nappies
• baby grows/bodysuit

Drinking straws: easy to sip liquid with

Get a ready made formula stater pack. They can be found in most large supermarkets and come with disposable bottles.

Put in the essentials about 4/5 weeks before in case you go early then that gives you time to change things around and add things that are nice extras.

Personally I didn’t take any formula or bottles, I knew our hospital would provide if we were really desperate, and we are in an area with plenty of 24 hour supermarkets. But everyone is different. For the first day or two in hospital it’s just drops of colostrum which is enough for a heathy full term baby (and if they had any health probs or were early hospital would have sorted us out). I took lansinoh nipple cream in with me and used it from the start. We had some issues breastfeeding but they didn’t start until we were home anyway.

I think with DD we packed about 6-8 babygrows and same number of short sleeve vests, and a 24 pack of size 1 nappies. Cotton wool to clean her with.
This time I’m taking water wipes though instead and I think we have 10 vests/babygrows per baby as expecting to stay in a little longer :-) still not planning to take any formula though.
For me I took baggy tshirts and just lifted them up to feed. Hospital was so hot I don’t think I even wore a bra!

Take a big towel for your post birth shower. Felt like a right prick trying to wrap myself in a hand towel

Argh thanks I have not packed a bath towel!! Totally forgot.
I found a dressing gown useful but a lightweight summer one so can be tricky to find in the shops at the moment. It will almost certainly be too hot on the ward for anything thick.

I'm 35 weeks with my second and keep meaning to get round to it. Once DD is back in nursery this week it's on my list to sort! Most things have been covered, but I'll also be taking -
Lip balm (the gas and air was really drying)
Flip flops for the shower
Spare tshirt for DH
Magazine (I was kept in overnight, there was no 4G signal and DD slept for about 6 hours. I was full of adrenaline so was wide awake and so bored!)

I'll have the essentials with me and then another bag which I'll leave in the car with more baby clothes, nappies, clothes for me in case we're kept in for some reason.

I start gathering bits around 35 weeks but at 38 weeks I've basically only got a pack of nappies this time. Planning to get sorted in the next week.

You really don't need much. Clean pj's, few pairs of pants/socks, maternity pads, toothbrush, lip balm, shampoo and conditioner for you. Clean comfy clothes for going home (And lots of snacks for after!).

Nappies, wipes, a Muslim or two few vests and babygros for baby. Cardi, hat and blanket for going home.

Don't forget your phone charger!

Other than that, it's just extra stuff if you want it.

Fucking autocorrect! A muslin or two. Not sure how useful a few random Muslim people would be for you.

Phone / camera charger. The longest one you have in the house! I was taking hundreds of pics of DD and doing lots of texting to tell people the news; my phone kept running out of charge and my cable wouldn’t reach to the bed. We’ll be at the same hospital this time so I’ve bought a 3m charging cable off amazon to avoid this particular problem!

Hadn't even come across my mind of taking a towel... google missed that off too! I will be making notes of all these, thank you!!
Think this will be a good starting point.
I have told my OH to sort his own bag out and snacks because I don't want another bag to have to deal with!!
I weren't too sure about the dressing gown or not, I'll see whether I can pick one up, if not I'm taking my thick one in with me!

TOWEL YES. Forgot that, sorry.

Dressing gown etc is fairly optional. Even thin ones are crazy hot in hospital. I never bother with one.

I need to pack mine today. 38w. Last time I didn't pack until in labour!

I'm taking some of the ready made formula just in case. Midwife specifically said they have no supplies. They only have donor breast milk for the prems.

Snacks for after. I ended up having to stay 3 days and the food was bloody awful.

Small suitcase is a great size to use.

I also took my hairdryer, which sounds pathetic but my hair is a frizzy mess if left to dry and it made me feel a bit more human afterwards. I don't usually wear make up either but had foundation in handbag because everyone wants bloody photos when you look like crap.

Definitely take a hat for the baby. This time the midwife put one on our son very soon after birth. Also, the little pre sterilised bottles of formula (if you're bottle feeding).
Chargers for phones and cameras. A couple of huge, dark coloured old towels for the post birth shower and to lay on the bed after birth.
A carrier bag for dirty clothes.
Flip flops for the shower.
Toiletries
Hair bobbles and hair grips and hair brush.

I didn't take any snacks or drinks in because the midwife team didn't let me go into hospital until I was in very established labour and I was in hospital less than an hour before my son was born. I was also out before lunch time so the post birth tea and toast was all I needed.

Never too early to pack the bag! I packed mine in bits and pieces from about 25 weeks which was lucky because i had DD at 28 (emergency and not expected at all) and DH just had to grab the case!

I would suggest a nightie and really good slippers as a must, I also packed a set of each size tiny, newborn and 0-3 vests and baby grows because then baby would have the right size and someone could pop back and get the right size (none of which was used for a couple of months)

I tend to over plan! Makes me feel safe iyswim. Definitely food - hospital food times are pretty random and breakfast was self serve once I wasn't bed bound so for a normal delivery would be immediately. Lunch at 2 then dinner at 5!

If breast feeding you need something to get through the night!

I'd also pack a couple of days worth of your maternity clothes because you will still need them. I also brought a pillow and needed my own blanket too. The pillow ended up getting lost somewhere between rooms so get a nice bright pillowcase.

Yes take a small wheel suitcase - what if you have a c section?

I also brought my own water jug and cup because the hospital one was a bit crap and I had also read that pouring water on your nethers helps with the first post birth pee (never needed to try that, small benefits of the section)

Don't forget the maternity pads and big knickers - post birth bleeding is not a joke! I was only in 3 days after birth but I used the whole pack, breast pads too.

Phone charger and a portable battery if you have one in case the plug isn't by the bed. I would charge the battery while using the phone then use the battery to charge so that I was never without my phone.

Not having DD with me I also bought earplugs but I doubt that would apply to most people.

If you're not a planner like me I actually wouldn't worry so much, if you forget stuff it's only a day or so and you can always get people to bring stuff and if you're in longer you can also get people to bring stuff!

Tldr: nightie, and pajamas, slippers, maternity clothes, vests and onesies for the baby (that do up at the front not that go over the head) maternity pads, lots of pants, food, water jug and cup, phone charger and a pillow. All in a suitcase that you can wheel. Good luck!

I bought massive knickers for comfort a couple of months ago but now I fit in them properly! Poop!!

I've got a small wheeled suitcase, a changing bag for the baby, and a separate toiletries bag for me that I can take to the bathroom. I also have snacks, bottled water and lucozade. The biggest problem I've had is fitting in maternity towels, they're so massive!

I also have a 'longer stay' bag which will be ready for dp to fetch if I need to stay in more than a night or two, with extra clothes for me and baby, extra maternity pads, spare towel etc. it's ready packed so that he doesn't have to try and figure out what I might want to pack, he can just grab it and bring it.

You might want cheap flip flops for the shower. I got some for less than a pound from primark. Also don't pack regular clothes to come home, soft leggings and maternity gear is the best bet, you may still have a bump, or a c section scar, so go for loose comfortable stuff. I've got maternity leggings and feeding tops, and just a basic cardigan. A bag for soiled clothes is a good idea too.

Another tip I saw was once you have everything, get your birth partner to pack the bags so they know what is in them and where. If you have to ask them to grab you something, they stand a better chance of finding it then. Also my dp is a bit of a packing ninja, he's made loads of space in my bags by packing better!

Lip balm
Toiletries
Face cream
Face wipes for removing make up or to freshen up
Hand cream-I found the heat very drying
Flip flops
Socks
Flavoured drinks
Snacks
Shawl or cardigan-hospital was mostly boiling but occasionally cold!
Change for vending machines
Nightwear/ something to give birth in-dressing gown
Hair bands
Maternity clothes to go home in plus an extra set-I went in with my waters breaking and was soaked -got kept in so had to rely on husband to bring extra outfits in
Maternity pads/Tena knickers
Big knickers
Baby blanket
Nappies
Ready made bottles
Lansinoh nipple cream
Baby vests
Sleep suits/ grobag/ swaddle-slot of midwives say don't use though
Baby wipes
Vaseline to make meconium easy to wipe off
Nappy bags
Towel
Bags for dirty or wet clothes
Pillow

I'm almost 38 weeks and have mine packed about 2 weeks now
I was gathering bits for a good few weeks before then

Rather than having separate bangs for baby/labour/after etc I decided to pack enough for baby and me for 36 hours in an expanded carry on wheeled case
DH can then bring more in when and as needed

Towel wise i love big bath towels but they take up loads of space so I got a few massive microfiber ones from amazon! They are really great!

I used a hang luggage size case for hospital bag, as I was being induced and thought (rightly!!!) I may be in there for a few days, so it had my bits and baby bits in. I always was told (and read) to make sure your bag is packed by 35 weeks.

For you:
Lots of clean underwear
Comfy pjs/lounge wear
Toiletries (incl sanitary towels and breast pads if needed)
Book/magazines/iPod or equivalent
Birth plan (if you have one)

Baby:
Shit loads of vests
baby Gros/outfits
Baby socks
Bottle & ready made formula (just in case of planning to breastfeed)
Muslims/burp cloths/bibs
Nappies & wipes

Congrats and good luck

Yes forgot blanket for bubba too

One thing I don't think has been mentioned - eye mask for sleeping. Always too bloody light in the hospital for me to sleep.

Do they not provide towels in UK hospitals then?!