Hospital bags - what to pack for myself and baby

[Bellsx]

Morning ladies would anyone be able to help me with a list of things I will need to pack in a bag for me and what I will need for baby please 😊

I’m just starting to pack mine - lots of useful threads been done on this before if you use the search function - that’s where I got most of my info! Good luck!

there is a thread that has a list of what to bring, will link it below
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/1207446-Hospital-Bag-realistic-list
Primark flipflops are mentioned, but as primark is closed you can get a pair cheaply here.

all the best x

Oh gosh yes, flip flops or sliders for the ward, the loos and the showers!

I preferred sliders after my sections as I always found them easier to get on than jiggling my toes to get into flip flops.

I just take comfy clothes - t shirts and leggings for me plus a very thin nightgown. Don’t bother with nightclothes, there is no sleep 😂

And food. All the easy food - cereal bars, biscuits. The past two times the food has been served in a room off the ward and I was expected to get there myself, post section pushing the baby crib. The first time, I starved for three days. The second time I lived off snacks.

oh, and for your baby:
bodysuits, vests and sleepsuits
an outfit for going home in
a hat, scratch mittens and socks or booties
plenty of nappies
a shawl or blanket
muslin squares
a pram suit if it's cold
a car seat for the trip home
-taken from nhs website x

Hospital bag for me

lucozade raspberry ✔️
Diluting juice✔️
Snacks✔️
Outfit for leaving the hospital including shoes✔️
Flip flops for the showers ✔️
Birth nightie✔️
Pjamas for after birth shower✔️
House coat✔️
Slippers✔️
Lip balm✔️
Toiletries✔️
Hair bobble✔️
Pads✔️
Big pants✔️
Spritz for bitz✔️
Nipple cream✔️
Hair brush
Paracetmol & ibuprofen✔️
bra✔️
Phone charger
Ipad✔️
Phone
Magazines
X2 water bottles (to make diluting juice up in)
Socks✔️
Plastic bags (for dirty laundry)
Pillow✔️
Blanket✔️
Lactulose✔️

Hope this can help, this is what is in mine for me only.

Baby's bag i packed x4 first month vests & sleep suits and x4 0-3 vests and sleepsuits as i dont know how big he will be.

Also packed nappies, nappy sacks and 8 starter aptamil ready milks with attached teats incase breast feeding didn't work out for whatever reason.

Packed a blanket too xx

Forgot to say too im being induced hence the magazines, ipads etc may have a bit time on my hands before 💁🏽‍♀️ xx

Extra long charging less for your phone - the plugs are always miles away when you are on the bed.

I had my DD on Friday morning, got home on Saturday afternoon so it’s fresh in my mind what I wish I’d packed

Extra pants! I bled through mine despite the big pads.
I didn’t bother wearing my pjs/clothes, it was so hot and stuffy and they provided hospital gowns so I just wore one of those.
Extra flannels for the shower, I bled all over mine the first one I had so had nothing to use after that.
More snacks than you think you will need.
A charger!!! I forgot mine and had to beg a midwife to find me one because my battery went and DP had gone home.
You don’t need formula, the hospital should have a selection. Ditto lactulose, I was given a huge bottle so save your own. Ditto paracetamol/ibuprofen. Save the space in your bag.
Small and large baby clothes. I only packed DD one small outfit because other DC were so big, she was not only tiny but also vomited over it straight away so spent the rest of our stay in a huge baggy vest.
Shoes you can easily take on and off!

Great suggestions from pp's. I'd add that I followed advice from Mumsmet on what to pack and had most of the above in our bags. HOWEVER, I hadn't anticipated a week stay for me and baby after the birth so with hindsight, I'd pack more baby clothes and mum clothes. Poor DP was sent daily to get more supplies. If you are giving birth soon, this may be tricky depending on covid rules on postnatal ward. Better to take far too much, than not enough. Best of luck!

Just to say i know OP said you dont need formula, my hospital scotland has made it very clear they won't provide formula and they emphasise this at midwife appointments.

Also regarding paracetamol/ibuprofen, i only say this because im an NHS nurse and it saves the NHS supplying them when they are penny's to buy yourself if you require gentle pain relief 😃 xx

Thank you ladies that's all really helpful and lists are made 😊 I'll be 30 weeks on Thursday so I think I'll start putting things together and start packing 😍

also, a little off topic, but I was on another thread and realized a lot of people don't know about baby clubs. Clubs like emmas baby club give out freebies and vouchers, so are worth joining. Don't give a phone number (the spam calls are annoying) but provide an email address, you could even make a new one if the spam will bother you. Another good one to join is the cow and gate baby club link since they have a 24/7 helpline, which is a reassuring support.

all the best x

Another thread (can't find it again but it wasnt that long ago) also posted about a really good idea of separating things into sandwich bags, so a vest & baby grow together, so it can be easily found rather than having to rummage!

Thought this idea was genius and I've just bought sandwich bags today get organising!!

I didn't know about the formula milk, I don't intend on BF so I'll have to stock up on some incase my hospital doesn't provide. Love MN for all this info!

Don’t forget it’s the premade formula with teats that you need! I know that’s probably obviously, but One of my friends is a FTM, had her baby last month and took a box of formula and bottles to the hospital, didn’t realise she couldn’t make up bottles there or sterilise.

On the subject of formula - I don’t know how many of the premade bottles with teats to take?

I tried and failed to breastfeed my first two, it was awful so I’ve decided to spare myself and the baby this time and actually enjoy the first month.

I’m getting the pre made Cow and gate bottles with teats and they come in packs of 6. Having a section, of all is well I know they will turf me out after 24 hours, but I was in for three days with the other two.

Any tips on how many to buy? I bought some out of desperation with my second Dd but she refused the teats on them and would never drink premade milk for some reason (nor would Ds, fussy babies), so I don’t want to waste loads of money.

@Billyjoearmstrong that is amazing advice re the teats! How stupid but I hadn’t twigged either - luckily I can change my Tesco order still!

So glad to see this thread was just about to post something similar myself! Can’t wait to start packing my things