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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Hospital bag! Am I missing anything?

24 replies

ThorsMistress · 13/09/2018 21:39

Hi all. 38+4 and finally have packed mine and babies hospital bags! This is what I have so far. Am I forgetting anything?

Babies bag:
Nappies x 15
Vests x 5
Baby gros x 4
Dummies
Wipes
Cotton wool
Bepanthen
Blanket
Muzzies
Hat
Nappy bags

My bag:
Pads
Toiletries
Home clothes
Pjs 1 pair
Pants (need to get some)
Slippers
Charger
Towel
Bra

I am planning on also putting in snacks and drinks

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
isthistoonosy · 13/09/2018 21:43

More PJs and extra bra for you

something to do during labour and after birth - Ipad/book etc

Formula if bf doesn't work out or your milk doesn't come in as quickly as hoped for

HeyMicky · 13/09/2018 21:44

Separate snacks for DP/DH/birth partner. DH ate all of mine

Change for the car park and for vending machines

LMMontmomery · 13/09/2018 21:47

Flip flops to wear in the shower as if you end up on a ward you will be using the same shower as lots of others!

LMMontmomery · 13/09/2018 21:48

Oh and water spray and hand fan! (I'll shut up now!)

HannahHut · 13/09/2018 21:48

Lip balm!!

Flaminghotcocoa · 13/09/2018 21:49

Definitely another set of pjs or nightie (it’s always boiling in hospital nightie might be better). I had a bleed in bed after having dd and soaked through my nightie and sheets.

Also agree on more snacks. Everyone is so busy on ante-natal wards I wouldn’t rely on them for sustenance before during or after birth!

Flaminghotcocoa · 13/09/2018 21:51

YY Hannahhut - lip balm

Also, a flannel. Lovely and cooling and as a bonus, refreshing the flannel was something dh could usefully do in a situation where he felt pretty helpless (emergency c-section)

Ginmakesitallok · 13/09/2018 21:52

You won't need formula in your bag if you're breastfeeding, you're likely to be home before your milk comes in anyway. I don't think you'll want a dummy of you're going to be establishing breast feeding? I'd put a power bank in for my phone.

SofiaAmes · 13/09/2018 21:52

We needed a wrench to turn on the water in the bathtub/shower (@ St.Mary's in central London).

GuntyMcGee · 13/09/2018 21:53

You won't need dummies or bepanthen for the first couple of days surely?

Baby:
Hat (for first 24 hours after birth)
Nappies
Vests and babygrows (put a vest, nappy, babygrow together as one outfit into individual small bags, like freezer bags to save having to unpack everything to find stuff)
Cotton wool
Blanket for going home
Car seat

Mum:
Lip balm
Hair bobble (for labour)
Small bag of toiletries (face wash/wipes, toothbrush and paste, small shampoo and shower gel)
Hair brush
Something to wear in labour
Flannel (for face and neck if hot in labour or warm compress on perineum during pushing)
At least one nightie (I'd go two. Pjs just may not be comfy or practical. And maternity wards are really hot)
Slippers (hospital bathroom floors...)
Light dressing gown
Big black knickers (a cheap 5 pack from supermarket will do)
Maternity pads
Comfy soft nursing bra
Outfit to wear home.
Towel (hospitals usually only have hand sized and usually quite rough from over washing at high temps)

Pack very lightly for you both as space in hospital is very limited and then pack a second, extended stay, bag to keep in car/by front door so that if you stay longer than planned your birthing partner can just grab it and bring it to you and take the other stuff home.

meow1989 · 13/09/2018 21:54

I packed some still lucozade sport in mine, I'd recommend something in a bottle like that that you can drink lying down!

ThorsMistress · 13/09/2018 21:59

Thank you all for your replies! Will pop and grab a cheap nightie and some flip flops!

Not planning to breast feed so will I need to take formula? Or will the hospital provide that?

OP posts:
beccii161016 · 13/09/2018 22:01

Definitely take more pjs. As other posters have said, the hospital wards can be extremely warm so id recommend a thin nightie. Primark do some nice ones. Also, slippers!

A dummy you won't really need even if you're planning on giving one. DS had one but didn't use it for 2 weeks and didn't need it at all the first week as they are asleep most of the time.

And however many maternity pads you have, put some more in haha! Good luck!

Astrid2 · 13/09/2018 22:16

Please don't just shove a dummy in straight away. Only use it if you need it when they're needing something to settle them. You also won't need nappy cream right away. You don't need to use anything on their skin so early on.

I only used 2 vests and 2 babygrows in my overnight stay. They don't have big poos or wees right away! Definitely a little hat as they'll want to put that on as soon as baby is born. I took water wipes as they're less of a faff than cotton wool and you don't need to get up for water when you're in bed.

For me, big black pants, maternity pads, 2 pairs black pjs, 2 pairs black leggings, 2 long nursing vests, 2 long light cardis and a pair of flip flops.

I found having some nice mini toiletries helped as was desperate for a shower after labour and to brush my teeth.

I took in loads of snacks but ate none!! I did drink a lot of lucozade sport during labour tho.

chipsandgin · 13/09/2018 22:29

I get that this is controversial - but for your babies sake please consider breastfeeding if you can, even for six hours then formula afterwards. On a basic level the first six hours are the most important:

‘Colostrum is considered your baby's first immunization because it contains large quantities of an antibody called secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). As breastmilk changes from colostrum to mature milk, the concentration of immune factors and antibodies decreases, but the volume of breastmilk greatly increases’

Six hours does that, six days of you can, six weeks even better, six months...etc (reduces the risk of diabetes, cancer, obesity for the baby, reduces risk of breast cancer for both you and a daughter). If your baby is exposed to a virus during the time you breastfeeding - even if you aren’t exposed, then breastfeeding will mean that the requirement for immunity is relayed to you, you create antibodies & your baby is protected.

Worth thinking about unless there is a medical reason not to. If you have time have a read of Dr Jack Newman’s website - breastfeeding doesn’t have to be hard or restrictive. To reduce the risk of SIDS if nothing else is worth a go. If you can’t you can’t, fair enough, but if you can then great, each to their own, but make an informed decision if there isn’t a medical reason not to - there is a lot more money behind marketing for formula (a big money business) than breastfeeding (all free apart from the cake).

Other than that I second the big black pants & a nightie recommendations. Good luck Flowers

coffeeforone · 13/09/2018 22:48

I'd take your own formula if you're not planning to breastfeed. I did the ready-to-feed starter packs. Also paracetamol so you don't need to wait for someone to come round and offer it.

I'm also 38 + 4!

enbh · 13/09/2018 22:51

chips pretty sure OP asked for help with her hospital bag, not a lecture on breastfeeding!

ThorsMistress · 13/09/2018 22:53

The reason not to breast feed is i was forced to in hospital with DS Sad they wouldn’t let me leave until he has latched properly which resulted in me lying that he was so we were allowed home. He didn’t feed for days and lost a lot of weight Sad

Will take the dummies and bepanthen out if not required straight away Smile I have packed wipes but was unsure whether they let you use them? The last time I experienced birth and hospital was 6 years ago!

OP posts:
doodlejump1980 · 13/09/2018 22:55

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

butlerswharf · 13/09/2018 22:56

Definitely paracetamol. I was so glad I'd packed some. I was on a very busy postnatal ward and asked for pain relief which never arrived. I was so glad I had my own.

fruitpastille · 13/09/2018 23:12

I had to send DH for dummies!
Water bottle and some squash is nice.

WhirlingTurkey · 14/09/2018 07:09

If your set on FF then go prepared and take a starter pack of formula. They come with little bottles of ready made formula with teats and are by far the easiest and safest way to FF a newborn (premade formula is sterile) - most formula brands make then. The hospital may not provide formula unless there is a medical need. Many hospitals don't anymore due to NHS being overstretched for funds for crucial things... and really feeding your healthy baby by your preferred method is something parents should be prepared for in advance.

I'm really sorry you had a bad experience of breastfeeding your last child. Lack of support can be a real killer for the breastfeeding relationship, and you may find this time is different, but it's your decision and you need to do what you feel is right for your family situation.

WhirlingTurkey · 14/09/2018 07:12

P.S. Hospital were fine with me using water wipes on DS from birth. I sheepishly asked the midwife if they were OK to use at first nappy change - she told me it was my baby and I could do what I wanted. I wouldn't faff with cotton wool and water personally. If anyone tells me off for using wipes this time around they'll get short shrift!

Flaminghotcocoa · 14/09/2018 09:51

Unnecessary chips. Why do women try to bully other women?
Choice is a fundamental right. Leave the OP alone.

Some great tips here OP. I do think you have the right amount of clothes btw. DD was sick in her first few hours (csection baby, coughed/sicked up a lot of nasty phlegm) so that was one outfit down straight away!

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