Must haves for baby and hospital bag!

[BessieBye]

Hello!

FTM here.. 21+2. So excited and the lists are starting 😁

So.. I want to know.. what were your baby must haves?

And what were your maternity bag must haves? Or what did you WISH you took with you and you didn’t?

Thanks!

I’d double check about taking food that needs heating. My hospital doesn’t allow you to use kettles or microwaves. I used baby wipes with my first which was so much easier then faffing with cotton wool and water. Midwives have never mentioned that they’re not allowed.
Take more maternity pads then you think you’ll need. You go through a lot.

They try to get you out as quickly as possible at the moment but pack enough for 3 days to be safe.

Very large disposable pants.
More sanitary towels than you think you'll need.
Definitely ear plugs and an sleeping eye mask. The post-natal wards are a fresh level of hell.
Some kind of rope to tie to the end of the bed in case you need a c-section so you can pull yourself up.
Another poster recommended a peri bottle but I brought with me an empty water bottle with a suction hole which I think would have done the trick, should I have had a vaginal birth.
Buy spritz for bits on Amazon prime when you've given birth. I bought some in advance (£19 a bottle) and had an emcs so it never even got used. Couldn't return it though as I'd taken the wrapper off and sprayed it to see what it smelt like when it arrived! Not able to attempt a vbac if I ever had another baby so a wasted buy for me.

It was quite a while ago....

Don't take pyjama bottoms or anything that restricts that area!!

I took a night dress and massive pants, dressing gown and slippers

Clothes to go home in. Toiletries to have a shower, and a large towel,

I remember with the second one having a shower as soon as i could whilst still in the birth room as you won't want to leave your baby at any point. The midwife was still in the room with him and it felt safe. As soon as your in the ward you won't want to leave your baby to have a shower.

Prune juice drink this as soon as you can you will thank me when the time comes 😬 💩

Food take food! I hadn't eaten for 24 hours and was offered a cup of tea and a biscuit at 7.30pm and wasn't offered any other food until 8am the next day...

Energy tablets/lozenges to suck, I got tired in the pushing stage, the midwife gave me some of hers!

Non fizzy energy drink. Preferably in a sports bottle so you can drink lying down. Also water in sports bottle incase you're told nothing but water at any point. Any meds you usually take, a few days worth just in case.
Tell DP to pack any medications they usually take, and some paracetamol. You don't want things to be taking longer than expected and they need to leave to get meds or headache pills (and you REALLY don't want them blathering about a headache when you're having contractions!) also tell them to pack a change of clothes incase they're in the wrong place when waters break or you're sick on them or something. Snacks for you, my midwife recommended dried fruit, try and get something in non noisy packaging in case you're starving on the mat ward when everyone else is asleep.
A list of phone numbers of people you'll want to call incase phones die or you're out of it and DP doesn't have great aunt maud's number.