Hospital bag help!

[ExcitingTimes2021]

38 weeks so slightly late packing hospital bag. Basically I’m struggling to fit everything recommended in. I aiming to just have a small wheeling suitcase (hand luggage size) and separate wash bag and my partner can take his own bag. Just been trying to pack mine for the last few hours and I just can’t fit it all in. Making me think I’m taking too much but I’m following the list my midwife advised to take…. I don’t want to take a bigger bag coz they will think I’m moving in!!! X

I took a medium sized suitcase. If you've packed straighteners and hairdryer then you've packed too much.

@thingymaboob no I deffinately haven’t packed a hairdryer and straighteners!!! I feel like Iv packed the minimum I can get away with an got it all in a hand luggage sized wheelie suitcase with a separate toiletries bag hooked at the top. Will probably have to take my handbag aswell but that’s only small for my purse and phone. Partner has his own small hold-all with his stuff plus snacks and drinks. Iv packed enough for what I think is maximum an overnight stay. Do you think thats too many bags? X

What have you put in it so far? It’s impossible to say what’s unnecessary without knowing what you’ve already got!

@ExcitingTimes2021 this is making me feel like I've majorly under packed 🙈 I've got all of my baby bits in their changing bag then a separate small holdall bag for my bits i could prob fit it all in a small suitcase

This is what I have packed
. Small/medium sized Towel (can’t stand the scratchy NHS ones!)
. Warm socks x 1, regular socks x1,
. Knickers x 5 (I always pack and excessive amount of knickers 😂😂😂)
. Comfy bra x 1
. Nighties x 2
. Very light cotton dressing gown
. Leggings and vest for going home (will leave coat/jacket/hoody in car just incase)
. Extra vest incase I get to use the pool
. 1 pack of Mat pads
. 6 breast pads
. 10 x nappies
. 1 pack baby wipes and 1 tube nappy cream
. 4 x vests (2 x newborn and 2 x 0-3)
. 4 x sleep suits (same sizes)
. 2 x hats
. 2 x bibs
. 2 x small muslins
. Baby cardigan
. 2 x small cellular blankets
. A separate small toiletries bag

Partner has his own bag which has ready made formula and snacks and drinks plus whatever he feels he needs.

Does that sound ok. Hope I haven’t missed anything as I cannot for anymore in x

Just pack a second bag of similar to leave at home so your partner can swap them over if you need to stay longer.

I've ended up using a small suitcase, not cabin luggage sized, the next one up. And I've got a backpack with snacks and 'comfort' stuff like phone chargers, speaker and oil diffuser. I asked my midwife if they thought I was mad but she just said different people take different amounts so I'm just going for it!

*They would think

More knickers. Lose the bibs.

Good luck

@ExcitingTimes2021 I’ve got a bag for me, a smaller bag for baby then I have a bag for life type bag that has things that will most likely not be coming home (nappies, pads, milk etc) so I can just bring the two bags home

I'd say the really important stuff is food (for you), a filled water bottle (the kind you can clip to the bed ideally), painkillers, tissues and wipes, earplugs and sleep mask if you want to get any sleep at all, plus phone charger and something like a Kindle to read on in case you can't sleep.

I never go near a hospital without that stuff.

Just pack another rucksack or something, no big deal.

@ExcitingTimes2021

This is what I have packed . Small/medium sized Towel (can’t stand the scratchy NHS ones!) . Warm socks x 1, regular socks x1, . Knickers x 5 (I always pack and excessive amount of knickers 😂😂😂) . Comfy bra x 1 . Nighties x 2 . Very light cotton dressing gown . Leggings and vest for going home (will leave coat/jacket/hoody in car just incase) . Extra vest incase I get to use the pool . 1 pack of Mat pads . 6 breast pads . 10 x nappies . 1 pack baby wipes and 1 tube nappy cream . 4 x vests (2 x newborn and 2 x 0-3) . 4 x sleep suits (same sizes) . 2 x hats . 2 x bibs . 2 x small muslins . Baby cardigan . 2 x small cellular blankets . A separate small toiletries bag

Partner has his own bag which has ready made formula and snacks and drinks plus whatever he feels he needs.

Does that sound ok. Hope I haven’t missed anything as I cannot for anymore in x

I would just use the NHS towels because of the mess. I was covered in blood, vomit, sweat and meconium immediately after birth. Even once I was on the ward the blood loss would have made my own towel grim. Don’t forget toiletries!

Sorry, just noticed “toiletries bag”

I'd do a 'going home' bag that your partner can bring when he collects you, that's one set of clothes out the way!

Can you roll up the towel and secure somewhere outside bag? I'd lose the dressing gown too, wards are hotter than Hades (I have a beach coverup shirt rolled up in my bag, it's about the size of a pair of socks now). You'll need more nappies I think if you end up staying more than a short overnight but again you could keep the spares for partner to bring in during visiting.

I've done mine in a rucksack for during and immediately after labour then a small holdall for postnatal ward. Partner will have his own bag..plus my handbag is big enough for a few bits. I did have quite a long stay last time so have probably overpacked but am worried about visiting hours being a bit more restricted than when he could come and go last time (oh, DP, please pop down to the hospital shop and get me a big bag of crisps, kind of thing). I also do a spares bag and a going home bag that lives in the car, definitely hammered that last time!

You're right about pants though. No such thing as too many pants. Oh and label bags and any sections within bag. Nothing worse than partner doing a 'man look' when you really want your hair bobbles 😂

Take the blankets out, hospitals have blankets to use for babies and they'll be taking up loads of room. Leave one in the car seat for the day you leave if you want.

Agree with packing baby's stuff in a separate bag, maybe your changing bag? It can help if you get separated (baby in NICU etc) and you don't want to be rooting through their stuff to find your clean pants etc.

For your own bag I'd also take hair ties, hair brush, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, mini shampoo/shower gel, extra long phone charger cable + rechargable block.

Lose a bib or 2. No need for 2 blankets for baby. If you want to take one for photo ops that’s fine but otherwise just leave one with the car seat. Same with cardi. And you shouldn’t need the nappy cream. But only if you want to downsize. What you e got sounds fine to me. Don’t forget extra long phone charger so you don’t have to twist in bed. Take a cooling sheet face mask as wards are hot and stuffy and it’s a little luxury to do overnight while unable to sleep. Also, pack another bag to leave in the car/ accessible at home with the same things in, just in case. From experience, men are useless at finding what you need when trying to direct over the phone.

I wouldn't bother with the warm socks or baby cardigan, it's hotter than hell on the ward 🥵 you also won't need cellular blankets or a hat (unless they're for cute pictures) as the hospital provide these. Bibs aren't necessary either.

I took a cabin size case, a hold-all and my handbag and literally never opened the case except to get my phone charger out. I stayed one night following a c-section.

I have a small hand luggage on wheels case for me and a silver cross baby bag (size that came with DS1s pram so I'm getting good use of it) looks bigger than it is but I've managed to fit all of DS2 clothes and bits in

I had to use my own hat and blanket after the initial wrap up while still grubby ones got changed, but that might have been because I'd got them IYSWIM. Definitely leave one in the car seat though, good point.

I enjoyed my fluffy socks whilst wearing a vest and shorts because I'd not been able to feel them for more than 24 hours in the end, but again that might just be me 😂

Feel my feet, that is.

OH! Flip flops for the showers. Tue them to the bag handle if need be.

What I did last time was have an "extras" bag in the car... with more clothes, baby clothes, nappies etc, just in case we had to stay longer than anticipated.
I took a small wheely case and a baby changing/nappy rucksack last time... plus my own pillow!

Thanks everyone. Think I’m majorly overthinking everything at this stage! It’s sounds really silly but my cat died a few weeks ago and I just lost interest in everything! Now I’m 38 weeks and it’s just panic stations!! I think I’m might separate babies things from my things and put them in the changing bag and see how I feel about that. I did want to keep everything in one bag as I was hoping for a birth centre birth so would be home about 6 hours after birth. Knowing my luck that won’t go anywhere near to plan though haha x

From my own experience it sounds fine
I would even pack more knickers and maybe another nightie! Bleeding after labour is no joke and both would barely take up any more room

If you're hoping to only stay in a few hours then you don't need loads of changes if clothing. You can always pack a second bag with spare clothes and ask DH to bring this later if you end up needing to stay in for some reason.