Washing and hospital bag!!

[Sandy1301]

I really need help, I'm worrying too much (first time mum probs)!!!!

When to start washing baby clothes, I'm 33 weeks and really think I need to start! I'm using persil non bio and comfort pure, hat wash cycle do I need to out it on? Is daily 59min okay?

Also any tips what to put in hospital bag and when to have it packed by??

What? I dint preach clothes but if you want to start now. Just pack two or three babygrows, muslins, blanket, cotton beanie, nappies, cotton wool. I'd pack it by 36 weeks (as I went in at 37 weeks after waters broke with nothing packed).
For yourself: comfy nightie/big t shirt, dressing gown, change of clothes (couple changes of pants), maternity pads and toiletries, books or mags, battery charger for phone.
You may only be there less than a day, or a couple. Your partner can always being stuff you forget (and food as hospital food can be awful).

Yeah, I've heard youre meant to wash new clothes before putting your baby in them..
Thank you! I thought I'd need more than 2 or 3!

I’m just coming to the end of washing everything and I’m 37 weeks tomorrow. I started around the 33 week mark as it’s taken a while in between normal washing and drying things!
I used Fairy fabric softener and Fairy non bio pods and they smell so lovely and fresh.
As it was just a case of freshening bits up I used our quick wash daily cycle which is around 40mins.
It’s not a case of doing anything wrong so do as you feel best! If you want to start washing, Go for it! I found it made things very real!

It won't hurt to wash it now and get set up, a normal wash should be fine. And same with ur bag always best to ready, someone had a thread the other day about what to pack and was really helpful

I wash my babies clothes on a one hour cycle but turn the temp down to 40° as I find the hotter cycles were too much for delicate baby things. :)

Thank you all so much!!

@88bowie thank you, I will try and look for the post, have you got the link please?

Have I missed anything? - Hospital Bag www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/4075409-Have-I-missed-anything-Hospital-Bag
Think this was it x

I'm 29 weeks and have washed all mine already and even made a start on packing
I just like to be organised otherwise I stress.

I only took one outfit in the hospital bag - which dd promptly pooped all over 😂 . I had to dress her in a hospital gown and then call DH to bring more clothes in with him. She was also small and we had bought 0-3 month clothes which were too big! So he also had to go out and buy some small baby sizes!

So I would definitely wash some now - and pack a few more than you think you may need!

One very helpful tip for the hospital bag is to get you DP / birthing partner to pack it once you have everything laid out ready - they’ll be the one who needs to find everything for you. At a critical moment you don’t want be explaining which pocket you second favourite lip balm in.

Take more pants than you think you need. Nice stuff to shower with and a soft towel.
Nice snacks to eat, earphones, (download some podcasts), slipper socks. Hair bands.

Everyone list I've seen says dressing gown....it's not something I'd normally wear, so would rather not buy one for brief use.

I'm guessing they're not really vital items and just nice to have?

My bag is almost packed apart from my clothes which I'll pack before we leave. 29 weeks.

I washed everything around 39 weeks - on a normal daily wash, 30 degrees.

In your hospital bag:
2x nightie/pjs (in case of leakage when bleeding)
A mountain of maternity pads
Big comfy knickers
Comfy outfit - I had 2 pairs of leggings, a vest, a t shirt & a shirt
Phone charger
Wash bag
Towel
Snacks

Baby:
3x babygro
3x sleepsuit
Nappies
Wipes
Formula (if required - I took the small premade bottles with the sterilised teats)
Coming home outfit (ours was a cute sleepsuit)
Hat
Cardigan

I've never understood why people take dressing gowns - post natal wards are hotter than the sun, even sleeping under a single sheet was too much for me!
And I'd slightly overpack than underpack. Then you don't need to worry about your partner having to bring extra things in if you need to stay in over night

That should've said 30 weeks, not 39!

@MsSquiz oh wow! That's such a big help thank you! When I read 39 weeks I was so shocked I best start now then

Honestly I don't think there's anything wrong with being prepared. I'll probably pack my hospital bag and do the washing at 30 weeks too, as you never know when these babies want to come! Ha

Unless you know already that your baby will be very big or small, wash 6 x newborn vests and 6 x newborn sleepsuits. Pack 3 in your hospital bag and have 3 at home for your partner to take in for you if need be.

No point washing other stuff til baby is here in case the sizes turn out to be wrong and you want to swap some of it. Fwiw I washed everything before DC1 but didn’t wash any of DC2’s new stuff (though she mostly wore hand me downs anyway, which I did wash).

@Pipandmum

What? I dint preach clothes but if you want to start now. Just pack two or three babygrows, muslins, blanket, cotton beanie, nappies, cotton wool. I'd pack it by 36 weeks (as I went in at 37 weeks after waters broke with nothing packed). For yourself: comfy nightie/big t shirt, dressing gown, change of clothes (couple changes of pants), maternity pads and toiletries, books or mags, battery charger for phone. You may only be there less than a day, or a couple. Your partner can always being stuff you forget (and food as hospital food can be awful).

Just to point out that with Covid restrictions your partner may not be able to bring anything you forgot. I had my first DD six years ago, and yes my mum and partner popped in and out with bits I needed like tiny size baby grows as we hadn’t expected her low birth weight! But this time, once I’m in the birth centre, DP will not be able to pop in and out- once he’s in (with me), if he leaves he will not be allowed back in, that’s even to collect extra bags from the car etc. So you have to be prepared to take everything in you might need, I was in for 2 nights last time. Mums get food as the patient but dads/birth partners don’t. Other family members can drop things off at Reception if you have someone nearby to do that, but midwives are busy doing actual midwifery and might not always have time to collect and deliver things throughout the day so you might be waiting plus wouldn’t want to give them extra work to do.

Definitely take more baby clothes than you think you'll need, I packed 8 sets of vest and sleepsuits and used them all. We were kept in for four nights and DS did a lovely impression of a fountain whenever his nappy was changed, one particularly impressive time he even soaked the hat he was wearing!

Also bear in mind when packing for you that most maternity wards are about 1000 degrees, I had to send DH home to bring more vest tops.

Out of curiosity what’s the rationale behind washing baby clothes (assuming they’re new of course)? I wasn’t going to bother, given anything fresh out a packet is probably cleaner than our dog hairy washing machine?!

@Carabu1 new clothes are covered in chemicals as part of processing in factories. They aren’t clean, and babies skin is delicate.
I washed mine, then thought it was daft and stopped only for DD to have a horrible skin reaction.

@Sandy1301 fabric softener is not advised for babies. I washed new on a 30 quick wash.

Well that is good to know, thanks - better get the washing machine one pronto then!!

I washed baby's clothes for one hour at 40°C.

I was in hospital for a week so I wish I had brought more, but six babygrows, long sleeved bodysuits, two hats, a blanket and four muslins.

For myself, I wish I'd brought a thin dressing gown and a few t-shirts. But if your partner can bring stuff from home should you need it, great! Definitely utilise him :)

Don't forget basic toiletries, maternity pads, breast pads, maternity bras aaaaand if you have one, a breast pump!

@LittleRa
No way! I'm hating all the covid restrictions, my partner hasn't felt involved one bit except the private scan we went to (£100 because the NHS wouldn't allow him to see our baby) Thank you so much for the info! He is a big foodie so God help us if we're in for some time

@Pinkywoo Thank you so much! We dont know their gender so definitely something to keep in mind incase we have a boy haha