32 weeks and got no pregnancy bag ready

[Dawn2820]

can you tell me what i need to get ready to take to the hospital with me when the time comes?

Hello - you need all the obvious stuff, nighties (breastfeeding), nice dressing gown in case you need to stay. Toiletries. You need to get panty pads, I was told not the ones with sticky on them as if you have stitches - then well, you can use your imagination!!! Mothercare do good thick ones with no sticky!! I used alot of these.

Muslins, something for the baby to wear. Nappies, wipes or cotton wool, whichever you're going to use. Oh and breastpads!

I took those clean your face wipes things, which are good if you're feeling a bit scuzzy at any point. I also took lollies for the labour, which again was recommended. My hospital wouldn't let me eat but when my blood sugar dropped at one point the midwife did let me have a lolly and it was very nice!!

oh - and you might like something to listen to - ipod or whatever.

I wouldn't go too mad, you can send whoever out to get things if you get stuck and I know people who had lovely normal births (not like my disaster) who popped into the shops on the way home!

I think Mothercare do a list on their website...

Dont forget the camera!!

And maybe a water bottle which is easy to drink from (i pretty much had one permenantly in my hand, only releasing it for refils!)

I had the most brilliantly packed bag you have ever seen with everything that everone has ever suggested crammed into it!! But DURING the actualy labor.... it wasn't even opened!! So for me the stuff that I needed after was much more important. Off the top of my head:
(much like Conkeyhead said)
For Baby

• clothes (couple of singlets, couple of sleepsuits and something special to take them home in if you want)
• blanket
• nappies and wipes
• few muslins/cloths FOr Mum
• breastpads and sanitary pads (lots!)- i didnt need the maternity ones, just hte biggest ones i could find at the pharmacy -toiletries -couple of nighties, lightweight dressing gown nad slippers, clothes to wear home -camera, credit on your phone

Think that is all that is necessary.
Make sure your birth partner is well versed on everyhting that might happen, all the choices you want to make, and is in a strong frame of mind. I could not have done it without the constant support of this loved one.

GOOD LUCK! It will be over befor eyou know it and you will have a wonderful little baby!
xxh

lucozade sport or similar
I swear that staying sugared and hydrated during labour made it quicker and easier.

I packed so much stuff in my labour bag we needed a travel rucksack to fit it all in, I hardly used any of it!

Sanitary pads (the cheap ones as they are more padded, the expensive ones rubbed my stitches)

Camera and film

Drink and food (cereal bars ect)

Change of clothes

breast pads

all in one shampoo soap thing

moisturiser

magazine or book

babygros

Agree with everyone elses suggestions, I'd also suggest you take some warm socks, a small mirror for shoving on a bit of lippy before inevitable photos, plenty of snacky nibbles like oat biscuits or cereal bars just in case you miss your tea and toast like I did, or give birth at dinnertime and don't get a meal til the next morning. Don't rely on the hospital having well stocked snack vending machines as they're normally broken or empty! You will probably be a bit shaky and hungry after giving birth.

Don't forget to take some paracetamol with you, so you don't have to chase the midwives for pain relief when they're all busy (sod that, I had stitches, it took me half an hour to get out of bed, I wasn't about to start hobbling off to beg for painkillers!)

Books/magazines are handy for if you have to stay in -leave them on the ward for the next poor woman! Take a few plastic bags with you to take home the cards/presents/flowers and bounty packs you'll get.

(Oh, top tip actually, in retrospect I wish I'd been cheeky and asked if I could take home a few of those incontinence mats they put on the hospital beds to protect my bed at home while the lochia was at its worst. If you don't ask you don't get, eh? They also give out samples of lansinoh if you're breastfeeding and sore. Good stuff, and you only need a tiny bit, but it's a tenner to buy in the chemist)

re incontinence mats, get Pampers Bedmats - £3 for 7 or something - by the nappies in Tesco

and yes to food - I was ravenous after the birth.

Take a mirror - I was gutted I didn't cos when the time came I desperately wanted to see what was going on (then again I had an e[epidural so it wasn't painful which is why I think I was interested!!!!]

Take a HUGE bottle of cordial too - I drank like a fish

Oh yes, definitely take a bottle of squash or whatever, otherwise it's small lukewarm glasses of water, bleurgh. DH and I drank a whole bottle of Ribena between us...

Don't think anyones mentioned - Take some showergel, shampoo and deoderant, and a hairbrush & hair elastics/clips and towels, etc...

Chances are, you'll feel really scuzzy after labour and want to shower as soon as you feel able to, especially if it catches you unawares and you end up going in before you've had chance to have that luxurious pre-baby bath we all plan, lol.