Taking suitcase as hospital bag

[Pinkflower23]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone is planning on packing a suitcase. I’ve got a nice medium size one that I think would be 10x easier to use rather than a bag.
Anyone else taking a suitcase or am I going to look silly when I rock up with it on the day ?

Thanks xxx

I took a suitcase on wheels. It's fine.

I used a cabin size suitcase, much easier than lugging a carry bag around.

I took a carry on sized suitcase for dc2. It was way easier than the two or three smaller bags one for me/one for baby/one for labour etc.

It sat on the visitor chair and easy to access. I took a handful of carrier bags and just chucked the dirty clothes into them, knotted them and chucked them under the bed til shometime.

I had a cabin size suitcase for me, the changing bag all packed up ready for baby and DH had a sports bag for himself - we knew we'd be asking for a private room so he put a tiny roll mat and sleeping bag in it too so he could sleep on the floor not a chair. Felt like we were moving in! But I didn't know how long we'd be there so just packed for every eventuality!

What a fantastic idea!!!! Why did I not think of that 😮

Just nothing super big as some rooms/space in shared bays isn't huge. Also make sure your birth partner knows what stuff is where in whatever bag you use, makes life much easier!

I used a small cabin bag as well- so did my sister.

I think most people do as it’s easier to wheel a cabin bag when heavily pregnant/ immediately post natal than lug a conventional weekend bag about the place.

With my first I took a sports bag with birth essentials for during labour and had a suitcase in the boot of the car with clothes/other post birth essentials which DH brought in once we were settled in a room. We were moved about a lot during labour so I'd suggest not taking anything too big.

I am so glad I had a private room (medically indicated) as I'm sure there would have been a thread about my suitcase on here otherwise We took an absolutely massive suitcase with stuff for me, the baby and DH. I knew I'd be in for a few days though (elcs). Probably could have gone down one size but there's no way I'd have managed with cabin luggage

My daughter took a suitcase on wheels

I wish I had taken a small suitcase, I will be this time! I took a small holdal type thing last time & I found it too small & too messy! My stuff got mixed up with babies and all in a jumble getting dragged around from one room to another post birth. It was so full, I ended up with satellites of carrier bags around my bed as well to hold nappies & additional bits! A small suitcase seems much more practical!

Why would you mix baby’s stuff with your own? It would be a bollocks to find anything.

I just brought our regular change bag for all the baby’s stuff and then the cabin bag just had mine. Two small bags were handier than one big bag where everything would just get jumbled together.

I've had two babies and two separate bags (one for you and one for baby) is way easier. Both my babies were born at night so DH couldn't come up to the ward with me (this might be different in different hospitals) and being on your own with a newborn, trying to rifle through your stuff to find a babygrow is a pain in the arse.

I've had 2 babies on my 3rd now and always used a smaller suitcase instead of separate bags. I couldnt be bothered with having two bags lol. It isnt hard either to keep stuff separate little pockets on suitcases for nappies/wipes etc. Rest folded up inside.

I havnt done this myself but I did actually see this on another thread which I think is a good idea. Someone put their babies outfits in clear sealable bags.
So babygrow/vest/nappy etc for when they was first born.
Obviously spare outfits too and then a going home outfit all in different sealable bags so they didn't get mixed up with mums stuff. X

You can get packing cubes to separate stuff out to make it easier to organise. Loads of choice on Amazon

It really depends on how big the labour and postnatal wards are. Where I am the labour rooms are massive but the postnatal wards are tiny - so you are told to pack for the latter. All you really need immediately for you are changes of clothes / pants, medication, flipflops, a bath and makeup kit, some money, and pads. The baby’s kit may be bigger depending on how long you stay and whether you want a bounty portrait and so it’s probably easier to pack this seperately.

well.. you don't need make up... :/

I think that is down to personal choice @00100001 - I was in hospital for a week and I put on make-up every day, made me feel more myself.

I will be taking a small bag for baby and a small carry-on suitcase for myself (which is tiny I might add - I use it for single overnight stays sometimes and only just manage!)

I'm taking a small cabin bag for me and OH, baby's nappy bag for baby stuff :) x

I put makeup on too! I mean, not a full face obviously but a bit of powder and blusher and mascara made me feel a bit more human. Plus, people take photos!

For my first I took a small cabin bag for baby and me. It's easy to keep bits separate. I used the top bit for toiletries and things like pads and and toothbrush etc. And the bottom bit I just split in 2, one side for baby one side for me. I also packed a baby change bag and another small suitcase in case I needed to stay in for an extended period of time. Both those bags stayed in the car and were there just in case.

I'll be doing the same again this time

I know this is an old thread but I really don't get how people are fitting everything into their cabin bag trolley things... I can't even fit in one of each thing for myself. The towel itself takes half the case 😂🙈