Hospital bag

[sausagechops66]

Can someone please take a look at my hospital bag list and let me know if I've forgotten anything. It's been a long time since I last gave birth and I can't remember what I took last time.

For baby:
Baby grows
Nappies/wipes
Formula (will try to bf but plan to take some ready made bottles in case there any issues).
Outfit/layers to go home in
Muslin

For me:
Pads/maternity pants
Pjs and slippers
Toiletries
Maternity notes
Clothes and socks
Phone charger

Earplugs and sleeping mask?
Sweets/snacks
Book
Dressing gown in case its freezing?
Towel

Earplugs, snacks, book, headphones. I would take flip-flops instead of slippers, easier to wash if the bathroom floor is gross.

@greenmacaron

Earplugs, snacks, book, headphones. I would take flip-flops instead of slippers, easier to wash if the bathroom floor is gross.

Good idea the bathroom floor is always gross

Dry shampoo?
Lipbalm

I saw following on some lists:

For charger - make sure the one you have has a very long cable
Cash for vending machines

Snacks
A book
Extra maternity pads on top of what you have.
Lib balm
Dressing gown

How did I forget a towel and dressing gown! Thanks guys. Lip balm also a good shout.

A thick blanket to put over baby in the car seat when you leave. Extra pjs for you incase you leak or get baby sick on yourself. A hairbrush! Sounds obvious but I forgot mine and after being in for 5 days I was desperate for it haha. Good luck!

Baby vests x

Lip balm defo, I used mine about 10 times and was only there from 1am through till 4pm. Chocolate coated rice cakes and wine gums are good snacks too! And spare hair bands if you have long hair 😊

A water bottle with inbuilt straw. Then you dont have to faff about either paper or plastic cups.
Instead of slippers / flip flops, take sliders. You'll have to wear surgical stockings even after a vaginal delivery and my flip flops wouldn't go over them properly.

Bag for used nappies

Hat for baby (might have been included in your outfit/layers bit).
Drinking straws in case birthing partner needs to help you with a drink.
Vests as well as baby grows.
A midwife mentioned having a freezer bag with a baby grow, nappy, hat and vest in which says ‘for theatre’ in case you have to have an emergency c-section. Obviously wouldn’t be needed if you’re having a planned one.

On the BF front at an antenatal class I went to they advised not to take formula if you’re planning to breastfeed because of the psychology of it. They said that if you aren’t able to BF the hospital will provide bottles. I thought it was interesting because I was planning to take bottles too but won’t now.

Blanket for baby in hospital. I was asked where mine was first time round. I assumed they gave you one as you always see babies wrapped in hospital blankets.

2 years later I gave birth in the same hospital and they gave me a blanket but I used my own as much nicer

Nipple balm if planning to breastfeed, my LO had a tough time learning to latch and I wouldn’t have been able to keep trying without it!

I packed two bags. The extra one stayed in the boot of the car and was needed when I stayed longer than anticipated. Saved my partner having to rummage at home.

I took:
Sleep suits for baby
Muslins
Nappies and wipes
Nappy bags
Ear plugs
Headphones
Toiletry bag with travel size toiletries
Hairbrush
Maternity pads (plenty)
Bottles of water and snacks

Buy an extra long charger for your phone. You'll need it.

My second bag had more sleep suits, muslins, nappies, wipes and pads for me.

If I'd known what I do now I would also have taken a nursing pillow. Learning to breastfeed can be tricky enough without breaking your back contorting positions and fannying about with crappy hospital pillows.

@bloatedorpregnant I'm also planning to breastfeed but my hospital says to bring a small pack of bottles as they don't provide them. If I don't need them maybe I can pass on to another mum. Just check with your hospital what the scenario there is, I can imagine it would be super stressful to struggle with feeding and not have a Plan B, though I totally understand why you wouldn't want to bring the formula.

I'm going to bring foot cooling lotion as my feet are quite swollen already, good tip above about sliders as I had packed ordinary toe post flip flops which would be a faff with the surgical stockings.

@sausagechops66

How did I forget a towel and dressing gown! Thanks guys. Lip balm also a good shout.

I didn't bother. The hospital have towels and the place is so bloody hot all the time. I just took an old tshirt to labour in and some baggy night shirts for the rest of the time.

Do hospitals really not provide baby milk? I am really shocked by that.

That’s interesting @Arecklessmanor the midwife who took the class said there’s no way the hospital would let a baby go hungry. I’m not entirely sure about my hospital but I know my SIL was provided with bottles when she needed them.

It has been the case for many years where my family live that hospitals don't provide milk. I'm in a different part of the UK and this is taken from my local hospital website:

*If you have made an informed decision to feed your baby with formula, the maternity team will support you. The county’s maternity units do not provide formula milk unless your baby requires it for medical reasons. In all other cases you will be expected to provide formula yourself. As there are no facilities to make up feeds in the maternity units, you’ll need to pack premixed liquid formula. You can buy starter packs containing single use bottles and disposable teats.

Please ensure you that you bring sufficient supplies. Your baby will feed every 2- 3 hours so a pack of 12 bottles should last you 24 hours. These starter packs are available from most supermarkets, so if you require a longer stay you should ask your partner, a friend or relative to bring more.*

Warm clothing, thermal socks, a decent blanket. I was in a freezing draughty delivery suite as they’d replaced a window with a massive industrial extractor fan for covid positive mums. I got so cold after my epidural they had to wheel in one of those thermal incubator lamps for cribs and put it over me!