How big was your hospital bag/ bags?

[Paie]

Mine keeps expanding

And multiplying.
Now have 3 big bags- one for me- one for baby- one for other crap.

Currently I have 2 bags, 1 small(ish) wheelie case for baby and one medium hold-all for me. Keep thinking I have packed too much but my midwife give me a list of things to pack and I have stuck to it fairly well.

I am mostly all packed, it’s just the last minute things like charges, notes etc to go in. Oh and I am going to have a snack bag but it’s not packed yet

I had a suitcase. It fitted everything in. No problems.

I've managed to get all mine in a cabin sized wheelie case, and that's mine and babies stuff. I am a light packer tho lol. I figured if I needed to stay in longer than one night I'd get my partner to bring up more stuff for me

I just had a medium sized hold-all and then DH brought up another bag with bits when we were due to go home the next day. I was only in for 2 nights so it very much depends on the length of stay. Just be mindful that if you had to move bed or move quickly in case of emergency that you don’t have too much stuff and the bed spaces on postnatal ward will be tiny compared to the labour rooms.

I had a weekend sized holdall for labour and immediately after, and then a second one that DH brought up to the ward afterwards for overnight and going home. DH brought a separate rucksack with some bits for himself and water / snacks.

I went on hospital tour beforehand and was warned only to take one bag.....3 is too much and can't be stored anywhere!!! X

I have a holdall for me, quite a small tote bag for the baby and a massive box of duplicate "extras" for the car in case we are in for longer than expected.

I have done all the baby prep so husband would struggle to find what I want at home without explicit instruction. Telling him its in the back of the car is much simpler!

One thing I wish I had packed was at least 3 more extra large comfy nighties/t-shirts to lounge about in after. I packed several maternity tops but all I wanted was a mens XXXXXXXL cotton tshirt and pj bottoms.

3 bags will possibly make you a bit famous with the staff 😊 Even staying in hospital for a few nights after c section I definitely didn't need this much - if you did spend a while in your DH would be heading home at night anyway so can always get more, or you can leave some bags of spare clothes in the car. And with a vaginal delivery second time around I was able to head home only a few hours later. A couple of outfits for you, a couple for your baby (bundlers and easy stuff is best), a few muslins and quite a few nappies and loads of big pants, maternity pads and sweets would do for me...

I took a carry on suitcase, a large hold-all and my handbag. In my defence I’d prebooked a 3 night stay with my c-section package and I took formula as I wanted Hipp and not the hospital’s Aptamil.

One medium sized hold all. Barely used any of it, we were home within 6 hours of birth with both. This time I will take less and get DH to bring more stuff in if I need it.

3 bags is excessive. Most people spend 1 night in hospital. A couple of my friends had a section and were home after only 2 days.

Pack 1 cabin case with stuff for you and baby. Afew pairs of pj's for you just in case, pants, socks, slippers and a going home outfit. Afew Baby grows and vests for baby. Nappies, pads, toiletries and baby wipes. Thats all you really need.

You can have a bag or 2 of extra things already packed in your boot in case you need to stay longer but i definitely wouldn't bring 3 bags into the hospital. There just isnt the space.

I packed a cabin bag for me, a holdall for baby and a carrier bag of snacks and toiletries. We were told to bring a bath towel and two packs of maternity pads, which was half a cabin bag in itself! However, due to a slightly dramatic end to the birth where we only made it to hospital just in time the bags actually all stayed in the car until about two hours after I'd given birth - and that was fine, and perhaps even a good strategy! It did mean that we realised afterwards that we essentially took a birth ball on a nice little road trip where it never left the car, however!

The trouble is, you don't know what you're going to get, birth wise. I was packing thinking I was going to be induced (I was scheduled for induction at 40 weeks but he came early) and then have to stay in, so could be in the hospital for days and days. I was actually there for 14 hours, almost all of it overnight, and so I needed none of that stuff - but I might have done.

I used my baby changing rucksack to hold the babys items and I used a small wheelie case (cabin sized) for my things.
I have no idea what people pack to need more than this?

I didn't even wear the clothes I'd packed because my legs were so swollen, couldn't even get in to my maternity leggings so just wore pjs ...I even wore pjs home! I packed makeup which I now find hilarious because I definitely didn't have time to put my face on, nor did I care to. To be honest I didn't need most of what I packed. All you need are toiletries, one set of large comfy clothes, pjs, pads and phone charger.
Then leave some extra sets of clothes in the car in case you need them.

I will say that the snack bag was amazing, though, and I regret it not a jot. At midnight, two hours after giving birth, DH going to the car and getting the giant bag of jelly tots made me almost cry with happiness.

I have no idea what people pack to need more than this?

As I said, our local hospital specifically advised us to pack some quite bulky things - towels, lots of pads, ready-made formula and bottles as a back-up (they won't give it to you except on prescription). I packed exactly what they suggested, I went through the list ticking it off in fact, and there was absolutely no way to fit it in one cabin bag.

3 big bags is crazy! i would take enough for 2 nights max and if you have to stay in any longer your OH/family can bring stuff in. if you end up on the postnatal ward they are often small especially in the bays of 4 beds. i barely had enough room for the one holdall i had.

What on earth have you packed?!! I took a medium sized hold-all for 3 nights (had a c section) and didn’t use it all. You don’t need much. Nappies, wipes and a multipack of vests and sleepsuits for baby, some nighties, pants, pads and dressing gown for you. A few snacks, phone charger, maybe a magazine?

I had one bag for labour/delivery (both me and baby), and one for on the ward post birth that stayed in the car until we knew it was needed. I ended up in for three nights with my first, and dh just brought some extra stuff in from home. I was in for one night with my second (well, half a night, I made it to the ward about 3am).

I had a hold-all, was more than enough.

Im taking a small overnight bag for me and the baby changing bag with babies things in. I've only ever had to stay in between 6-12 hours for each of mine so hoping to be out soon after birth! If I do have to stay longer then DH will be able to bring me extra supplies... it seems like a faff to take extra stuff unless you're booked for a section or think you'll be in longer.