When did you start packing your hospital bag?

[MummyLE]

I'm heading towards 30 weeks and my pregnancy apps are all recommending that I start thinking about packing my hospital bag for labour but I've not even thought about it!

What week did you start packing yours and what did you include? FTM so no idea where to start!

Thank you

I'm 37wks now. Started at about 34 wks and I reckon I have my bag half-packed but a pretty clear idea of what needs to go in. I'll put the rest together when I need to go to the hospital - I'm very much hoping/expecting it won't be a mad rush and I'll have some time.

In terms of bags I've got a wheelie suitcase with my stuff, snacks and bit for DP and a small gym bag for baby stuff. I've also put all of the smaller size baby clothes and nappies etc we have in carrier bags and just going to put those in the car boot so if we are there longer than we think we've got spares nearby.

One thing a friend recommended was taking some straws so whatever position you find yourself in it's easy to have a drink!

My DH started packing at 38 weeks when I waters went in the night.

Didn't take long and he came back with more when we stayed an extra night.

I chucked relevant things in the direction of my holdall bag as I bought them but didn't actually pack it until I was in labour, I figured that if needed they have spares!

Ps if anyone here has caffeine sensitivity take your own tea bags - they had no caffeine free!

I had mine packed around 32 weeks as I had a brief admission around 30 weeks and had nothing ready and it gave me a bit of a kick up the bum to get sorted! A couple of things I found useful on top of the usuals:
-I had a sandwich bag with a nappy, hat, vest and baby grow in and had it in the top of babies bag. I was having an elective section and it could just be grabbed out of the top of the bag for OH/midwife to pop on baby in recovery without searching through bags.
-I had a small makeup/wash bag with some lip balm, mints, face wipes, hand gel and cream, tissues, hair bobbles, nipple cream/pads and a bottle of concentrated squeeze juice that I could keep on the table next to the bed was really handy (I had baby during first lockdown so only very brief visiting so wanted things close by!)
-At home leave a pile of PJs, clothes, maternity pads and babies clothes etc ready just in case. I ended up staying in for 8 days after my first due to complications with us both and it would have been much easier for hubby/parents to just be able to grab me stuff to bring in if needed.
-my friend bought me some lovely molten brown shower gel which I took in and now everytime I smell it it reminds me of having my babies 🙂
-peppermint teabags will help with wind which was very uncomfy!
-have a stock of paracetamol, ibuprofen and mild laxatives at home. You don’t get discharged with any painkillers. Also tea tree oil for the bath is very soothing and keeps any wounds clean!

Even after a csection they will want to discharge you as soon as possible as they need the beds so you might not actually be in there as long as you thing, I spent 3 nights with my dd and 2 with mu ds although they would have happily discharged me after 1. Also labour wards are not huge so I wouldn't pack huge bags. It will be the maternity assistants who are shifting them from the prenatal ward to postnatal after you have had the baby unless you are lucky enough to be given your own room which are few and far between in nhs hospitals. I would use ziplock bags, I used ikea ones to put full outfits together eg. Hat, mittens or babygro with foldover mittens, vest together. That way I didn't need to go rummaging in lots of bags after my section. I just grabbed one with everything I needed in it. I second taking snacks. I didn't for my second and wasn't given tea and toast after my section even though I hadn't eaten for over 15 hours, dh had to grab me some snacks from the hospital. I will be more prepared on that front this time. I would also take light bags if you can a suitcase won't be easy to lift after a section and you don't have loads of space to keep things open. Taking noise cancelling headphones is an idea but taking your own pillow just takes up unnecessary space in my opinion. I took my own towel and hairdryer but wasn't bothered about makeup second time around. If you are due anytime soon you are unlikely to have guests on the postnatal ward but makeup can perk you up so depends on how you feel. I took lip balm as my lips got dry on the hot postnatal ward and moisturiser.

I plan to start mine at 30, it’s early enough that I can make a list and pick the bits I need to buy over the next week or two and take my time but it will still be sorted early. I’m a planner and definitely don’t want to get to 34 weeks without it done, I couldn’t imagine the stress for me if I went early and had nothing together.