1 bag or 2 bags for the hospital?

[MimiDaisy11]

Just a little question. The advice I've been given says to take 2 bags to the hospital. One for labour and one for after. Does anyone do this? Most posts on here are about "a hospital bag". I was thinking just to pack things all in one bag. Is there any benefit to doing two bags? It's my first time so I don't know about the practicalities and there might be something I'm missing.

www.nhsinform.scot/ready-steady-baby/pregnancy/preparing-for-parenthood/what-to-take-with-you-for-labour-and-birth

I think we took about 5 bags to the hospital and then used about 2 things from it

It doesn’t matter how many bags you have as long as they’re arranged well that you can find what you need. Do you want to be pulling out armfuls of baby vests when you’re mid-contraction and looking for your lucozade?!

I had 1 bag for labour (ie snacks and comfy clothes), 1 bag for post-labour with more comfy kit and shampoo and towels, 1 bag for baby, 1 bag for husband, 1 bag of “useful stuff” like tens machine, fairy lights etc which ended up not even being opened.

My top tip is to keep an extra bag packed in the car with more knickers, soft clothes, more clothes for the baby etc just in case you end up being kept in hospital for longer

I had one for me and one for baby and we needed everything in both. I'd advise two.

You are approaching this the wrong way wrong. Make a pile of everything you want to take (for you and baby). If it fits in one bag, take one. If it doesn't, pack in two.

Good luck with for the birth!

I had one bag with enough for one night for me and baby, then a second bag that only came out if needed. It was needed with my first, not with my second. DH took the first bag with him full of dirty clothes when he did the swap.

I had 3. One for me, one for baby, one for snacks!

Dc1 was birthed while I was drinking a juice box from the snack bag so the third bag was definitely worth it.

First time I had 3. One for me, one for DS and one for snacks!
Second time I had one small suitcase that had all our stuff in and a small back pack with snacks and extra bits.

I only took 1 bag, still have it and will use again this time. Mine is a big weekend bag with wheels, fit in everything I needed for me and my twins last time. I had ready made bottles of milk then too, only stayed 1 night though thankfully (cesarean birth too). If you end up with a longer stay than expected you can have someone bring more stuff. I ended up in 6 nights with my eldest, hubby had to bring extras that I needed after a few days.

I'm due my 3rd baby now on 1st May. As I did with my other two children I am taking a small holdall/weekend bag for myself and a general changing bag for the baby

I took two. One for me and one for my baby. The baby was was smaller (just a baby changing bag) and I took it into the delivery room so I had everything I needed for when she made her arrival.

With both of mine I used the changing bag I got with my travel system for all the baby stuff and a weekend bag for my stuff.
I'm planning on doing the same again this time round.
I always pack a couple of decent sized carrier bags to keep mucky washing/used bath towels away from the clean stuff.

I took a suitcase. 1 side for me and 1 side for baby. Luckily I had quite quick labours and was out within 8 hours so I didn't use much.

I take one for me, one for baby and have an emergency bag at home for if i stay in longer

I used a changing bag for the baby and a weekend travel suitcase for me. DH brought snacks in a backpack. Good luck ;)

The first time, I took a massive bag with everything I could think of. The following 3 times I took 1 small backpack with:

Medical notes/ID
Phone & charger
Water bottle
Sponge bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo and shower gel, comb, hair band
Pack of disposable pants and pads
clean leggings, t-shirt and socks
Slippers
Small purse with vending machine change

I left a bag with nappies, clothes and blanket for the baby in the baby carseat in the car, ready for DH to bring in when it was time to go.

Splitting into labour and post labour makes sense. But your find there might be some doubling up for example your going to want some toiletries to clean your self up with. Its hard to tell when its your first -what your actually end up wanting and how long your likely to be there. you could keep some back up bits / extras in the car - nothing is stopping you bring them in if you end up spending longer then planned ?

I’m having a planned c section so won’t need the labour things. I’ve packed a small suitcase with clothes and toiletries for DH, baby and myself. I’m also taking the changing bag inside a hold-all that will contain snacks for me and enough food to last DH 2 days as he won’t be given food and can’t leave to get any.

Don’t take anything you can’t carry, particularly in COVID times when you can’t guarantee your partner can be with you. I’ve got one wheelie bag and one very light bag for towels and nappies and dressing gown.

I took a cabin suitcase and a large changing bag, the cabin one I used for my stuff and large changing bag for baby's. I packed stuff in the order I would need it so slippers, nightie etc at the top and baby's in the same order so DP literally needed to open and get it out without routing

One bag for me, one for baby (small suitcase). I pack super light but definitely needed both for an overnight stay.

I took a very small wheely suitcase and DH's big back pack, which inside had a carrier bag full of snacks amongst other things. There were some things we packed that I didn't use but nothing that I wouldn't pack again. The only thing I didn't pack that I wished I had done was my frozen colostrum as ended up having to hand express overnight once when DD wouldn't feed which I hated and I already had frozen colostrum in my freezer at home so I wished I had brought some with me and will do with this one.

I took 2 and used most of it! One for me (inc. snacks and bottled water!!) and one for baby

I am taking a suitcase (medium big) on wheels with everything in it.
Apart maybe from DHs stuff. Ill let him pack his own backpack separately.

@hollyannfra2020

Splitting into labour and post labour makes sense. But your find there might be some doubling up for example your going to want some toiletries to clean your self up with. Its hard to tell when its your first -what your actually end up wanting and how long your likely to be there. you could keep some back up bits / extras in the car - nothing is stopping you bring them in if you end up spending longer then planned ?

Check the advice at your own hospital because at mine, if you leave anything in the car you can’t leave to retrieve it- current Covid rules are that birth partner can come in with you when you’re admitted but then they must stay for the duration, if they leave they will not be readmitted. The advice is even to take your car seat in with you when you’re admitted along with bag for you, bag for baby and bag for partner as well as plenty of food for partner as they don’t get fed. Obviously check with own hospital.

2- one for me one for baby/ the latter stayed in the car until I had either of my children to reduce the amount of stuff I had in the hospital room itself (schleped between a few rooms).

I had one small suitcase for me, a gym type bag for baby and a bag for life full of snacks and drinks. Oh and I took a pillow from home (best idea ever in my opinion!)
I was only in for one night/less than 24 hours so barely used any of it but it was good to know it was there.