Hospital bag - am I missing anything obvious?!!

[Gemy]

Hello there, I am just getting my hospital bag organised (due on 27th Dec) and this is what I have so far.

Me
1 X Nightdress to give birth in
1 X loungewear tracksuit bottoms for after the birth
1 X matching loungewear top
1 X vest top
3 X massive knickers
10 X maternity/always pads
3 X tena-pants... more (incase I prefer these)
Basic make-up
Make-up removal wipes
Moisteriser
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body wash (I can't remember from last time - will I need an unperfumed etc one incase of stitches etc?)
2 X nursing bras
1 X pair of slippers
MP3 player containing hypnobirthing recording

Baby
2 X sleepsuits
2 X vests
1 X snowsuit
1 X hat
1 X packet babywipes
10 X nappies
1 X jar of sudocreme

Does my list seem horrendously long or seriously lacking?

Do you think - for after the birth - I'd be better taking something that would also be suitable incase of C-section? In this case, what?

I've heard some people take their own pillows and things like personal DVD player/candles with them - anyone done this? Is it a good idea?

Yes. You have forgotten the magic elf.
(previous MN thread concluded this would be the most useful thing to take with you )

Seriously - you need more pads than you can possibly imagine (though maybe the hospital has some? can't remember)
Also, you will need more vests/sleepsuits than that for baby, so unless your dh is primed to bring some more in quite soon, it might be worth upping the 2 to 4.

Also: flannel, brow for the sponging of.

I would take extra knickers and more pads, you can never have enough.

Im booked in for c-section next week and have 2 nighties and 2 pj's packed. Last time i justtook in pj's not thinking about the chance of a c section and i had to get more nighties brought in as if you have a cathetar its a nightmare with trousers on

you will need lots many more pairs of knickers than that!!!! Trust me - you bleed like crazy afterwards!!!

More pads

Bath towel (in a dark colour)

Way more vests/babygrows - we took 7 of each for DD and had got through them all by day 2/3 (I had an emergency section so was in for 4 nights though).

Snacks and mags for DH and you.

drink bottle/sports one
savlon for washing sore ladies bit
cotton balls as babys first poos are sticky black/green
breastpads
bras
hat for baby
cardi for you
carseat
i took loads more baby clothes and hardly used them
parazone toilet wipes (to clean seat)
socks ++++++
undies +++
comb/bobbles
nibbles

if i think of any thing else will add it

Bloody big bar of galaxy!
I needed some instant energy afterwards and mealtimes were not inspiring.
So excited for you!
mp3 player saved my sanity too!

Oh, yes I agree with everyone else about the pads situations - LOADS!!!!!!

More pads.

I had, like everyone else, loads of bleeding and the best thing I had was loads of flannels, I found that running the cold tap on one and then holding it on the sore bit, helped the swelling a bit.

Plus, this might seem a bit OCD, but I took in a small spray dettol, which I used on the toilet pan every time. I still managed to get a hospital acquired infection right enough.

Sorry if this is TMI

Sorry, meant to say...

GOOD LUCK!!!

food
drink

I'd include some snacks but basically it seems fine to me. What I would recommend is making sure that whoever you have at home knows where all the extra bits are if it turns out you need more pads, clothes (for you or baby)etc

Yip definitely more pads
Flip flops/Slippers
another nightie in case you stay in longer
Towel for you and for baby
Blanket to wrap baby in when coming home
Deodorant
cotton wool
change of clothes for DH/DP
drinks for you and DH/DP
snacks
brush/comb

toothbrush/paste, flipflops for shower in case it's yuk. snacks/drinks/
mobile phone/charger. cash, camera

Oooh ooh - a small plastic jug.

A SMALL PLASTIC JUG.

Yes, I'm shouting, but only because everyone should take A SMALL PLASTIC JUG into hospital with them. Pour tepid water over your stitches when you wee. It was the single best thing I took in with me.

In case you missed it, that was A SMALL PLASTIC JUG.

LOL, this hospital bag business is a minefield. I've nearly packed mine and I took less to New York for a fortnight!!

But I did remember to pack a plastic jug!

My hospital bag is pretty much packed - got loads of helpful advice from ladies on here and a friend who has a 3mo.
I've packed arnica tablets (to help heal any bruising afterwards) and distilled witch hazel, on my friend's recommendation. She put the witch hazel on her pads, and it was very nice and cooling on her a sore bits (she had a 2nd deg tear). Same friend said she was given pads at hospital, but would take more just in case they don't. Oh and maternity pads are better than normal sanitary pads - the latter have a mesh on them which can catch on your stitches (if you need any).
Someone told me vaseline is good for baby's bottom - helps gets the meconium off easier, so have packed a bit of that - and my mum says it's great for your stretch marks.
Definitely want unperfumed body wash, again for sore bits! - I've packed some baby top to toe wash for me to use in the shower.
I can't find my bloody flip flops though!

I'm packing a t-shirt and shorts for DH - a friend recently toured around the labour suite I'm giving birth at (I'm going next week) and she said it was like a sauna, apparently that's quite typical!
Also what I have done is I've written a list of wverything I have already put in the bag, so I'm not obsessively packing and repacking thinking have I got this or that - under orders from DH! I've got 2 bags, so will give list to DH so he will know where to find things when I'm high on G&A
You'll need lots of cotton wool for cleaning baby with.

Some cash - if you can, find out what cash you'll need for the phones. On my ward you had to buy a phone card with pound coins (which I didn't have). And make sure your DP gets you one before he goes home. The card machine was outside the ward (so you had to leave the baby to buy one) and my DH went home straight after I'd delivered, taking my bag with him and so leaving me at midnight with no pads / nappies / spare clothes + new baby and no way of calling him!

disinfectant wipes /spray. Found that the bed area on the ward after birth was not amazingly clean. Wish I'd had some. Agree also with the jug and arnica...and extra pads!!

Saw some flip flop in tesco, a couple of weeks ago
(had a bit of a chunky sole, but i suppose they're better than nothing)

Food and T-shirts for your DH - it gets very hot and they get very hungry as I recall.

Also flannels - I had one on my head and one getting cool ready to be swapped back on to my head for the whole labour. This time round I'm taking 4 flannels!

And I think I should make a note about a SMALL PLASTIC JUG. Seems quite important!

I second the arnica and disinfectant wipes!

Also lip-balm (vaseline is good) as the gas & air dries you out something terrible!

Cosy socks - our tour of the suite/ward was roasting but in fact when you were there 24hrs (in January) it was baltic!

All the best!!

As well as the SMALL PLASTIC JUG (did I mention that?)...

Before you go in to hosp, put a few litre bottles of water in the freezer. Take them in frozen, et voila - ice cold water to drink as it melts.

definitely definitely definitely flip flops for having a shower in

earplugs

maternity wards are so bloody noisy and also an eye mask so you are not bother by lights.

snacks

hospital food is disgusting. truly disgusting.

flip flops

so you can shower without touching anything with your feet.

a camera

so you take lots of pics of your baba

And make sure you know how to fit the car seat in whichever car you'll be going home in.

Amazing that the hospitals actually let us take these tiny babies home, you don't need a licence or anything! (It's very exciting, the taking them home bit)!!!

Very best wishes for your birth.