what did you regret not packing in hospital bag?

[Waterfountain97]

I'm 30+3 and over next couple weeks I'm buying the things for hospital bag so was just curious as to what things people were happy they took things they didn't actually use and things they wish they took
Thankyou 😌

A lot more filling snacks. I was breastfeeding two babies and expressing for scbu to have a store and given a tiny pack of cornflakes and a banana for breakfast. I was starving!

Pineapple juice for that first post birth poo😫

Extra bra! I was wearing my only one when the midwife did skin to skin so ended up without one. Also earplugs, maternity wards are super noisy.

Food. I was put in a side room and no one offered me food or drink at any point between 8pm and 1pm the next day.

Luckily I had read mumsnet and packed food. Tracker bars, apples, Rice Krispie squares and sweets.

More than one night dress - I brought 3 pairs of pjs and one nightdress to give birth in, my waters broke all over my first set of pjs (I was induced) and my nightdress got all bloody and gunky during my labour. I ended up with a section so couldn't wear the pyjamas I'd packed 🙄 hubby was sent out to buy me a nightdress for the remainder of my hospital stay.

Bubble bath! They let me have a bath during the early stages of labour (I was induced so was at the hospital the whole time) and shower gel just didn't cut it. They also though the showers would be too much for me after my section so I had a bath after labour too.

I ran out of baby grows

More pyjamas and lip balm !

My divorce lawyer.

Lots and lots of maternity pads. I also mistakenly thought the nighttime sanitary towells would be ample. How wrong was I!

Enough comfortable clothes - ended up staying for 5 days (as had various problems) and was constantly having showers. Thank goodness i had family around who took the dirty stuff home and chucked it into the washing machine as didn't take enough loose lounge wear with me

Strepsils or lockets. The gas and air gave me a really sore throat.

Two things I recommend to everyone as I wished I had them in my first labour - lip balm, as my lips got so dry from the gas and air and a face cloth so my husband could wring it out in cold water and place it on my neck.

Oh, and a spare tshirt and maybe deodorant for him, we hadn't considered that my first would take almost 24 hours once we'd got to the hospital so he could really have done with freshening up. Good luck!

I was glad I had lots of snacks with me and an extra pair of pajama bottoms as the first ones got stained with blood.

Regretted not having nipple cream and extra panties and lots of big sanitary pads, everything was soaked in blood in the first 24 hours so take a few extra ones. I only had one pair of panties and less than 10 sanitary pads and that wasn't enough.

With DC1 I regretted buying and packing newborn sized clothing. He was ten pounds and didn’t fit in any of it so was essentially naked (just in a vest and blanket) until exH dashed home to get some 0-3 clothing. Never made the mistake again and it’s lucky because all of my DC were big.

A second packet of Jaffa cakes.
In reality I packed far too much, I barely used any of it. I was discharged straight from the delivery suite within 4 hours of giving birth both times so all I used was toiletries, clean clothes, a nappy, vest and sleep suit for the baby.

Lip balm and fluffy socks! Also snacks

Juice, water etc.

Those places are hot.

You probably don't need clothes - best thing is just a comfy tracksuit/maternity clothes for leaving - and tena pants very much worth it. Essentials for me were: sippy cup for water, a large old towel, flip flops, some baby clothes of course (just vests and sleep suits that's all you need), cotton wool, nappies. I couldn't eat/drink anything but water during labour but bring a few treats for yourself for after. I'll eat anything and everything though so didn't mind the hospital food. Wish I'd brought a nursing pillow - later found it invaluable.

Shower gel! Somehow I forgot it (actually I think I thought they would have it) although I did had a full size bottle of Chanel no. 5 (from my mother so I didn’t feel ‘like a cow’) and an assortment of travel size perfumes I thought might help relax me. I would have also loved something disposable I could have thrown up in. Have never been so glad to see those weird cardboard bowler hat things in all my life. Would have been nice to have baby clothes in a range of sizes. I didn’t expect DD to be so big! And I could have done without the antique knitted baby bonnet my mum gave me also. It did up (somehow) with ribbons but no one could figure out how. Very glad I brought a hotwater bottle and paracetamol.

With my first, it was just about having enough of everything. I ended up having EMSC and staying in 5 days, so ran out of clothes for me and DS. I also ran out of maternity towels. I needed LOADS of these.

With DS2, I packed two bags, so DH could just grab stuff from home easily. Glad I did as well cos I ended up in hospital for 5 days before having him and 3 days after. I didn't pack a nighty second time around (had another section) so had to send DH to get me one to wear after the birth.

Hot water bottle. It was last July and my friends really struggled to get hold of one....they managed in the end and it was heaven!! I did labour in my back though

A big bottle of water. My jug wasn't topped up overnight and I couldn't move due to section and catheter. DH was sent to the shop so I could keep the bottle next to me on the bed.

Cool nightie/vest. The hospital was sweltering and I needed something cooler than PJs.

Hand fan...have I mentioned that the hospital was hot?!

Food , after two days of not eating i was offered the most disgusting meal and the only thing i had in my bag was some rice cakes and a kit kat then on the third day the doctor said i was going to be discharged later that day so i didnt even attempt to eat their food as i was fantasising about my spaghetti bolognaise at home but then there was a complication from my surgery and i didnt get discharged till gone 7pm the next day so in 4 days i ate a rice cake and a two finger kit kat im surprised my milk came in

The correct sized paper knickers!!! Was so used to buying maternity stuff in my usual size (eg size 10 maternity jeans) that I grabbed size 8-10 paper pants. Big mistake!! Luckily the hospital swapped them for size 16-18s.

A massive bar of chocolate and water.