How big was your hospital bag?

[SickAndTiredAgain]

This may be a silly question that I'm overthinking!

I had a homebirth with DD, and was planning one for DD2 but my waters leaked a bit at around 34 weeks so now I'm being induced next week. I've got my bag packed (a little wheelie suitcase) but I think I might need another bag for some extra bits especially since I know being induced can be a long process sometimes.

DH can't drive due to a medical condition so getting anything extra will involve his parents driving him to our house and then back to the hospital. PILs wouldn't mind, but they're already looking after DD so I don't want to impose too much.

But I don't want to look silly - I'm guessing the suitcase I'm taking is cabin luggage size, is that what people generally take?

For my first just a small hold-all, had everything I needed.

For second went a bit overboard with large hold-all, large rucksack and large tote style handbag. Hardly needed any of it in the end and was far too much to carry.

Yours sounds perfect and if I did it again I would take the little wheelie suitcase plus handbag.

I’ve got two bags, I’m going in next week. Small hard cased cabin bag type thing for clothes (image 1), hold-all for everything else (image 2). But I’m going to be in for a C-section and I’m probably a bit scarred after DC1 who was born during the pandemic and I couldn’t be sure DH would be able to bring anything in!

Do I need to take a towel? For some reason I hadn't really considered that..

@SickAndTiredAgain I did but it was one of the things I didn't use because I just went home as soon as I got up the next day. Most people want a shower though and I'm not sure whether they would supply them.

They did supply baby blankets though so I didn't use any of those either except for coming home.

I just took a babygro, vest and nappies for the baby, and a change of clothes, pads and toilet bag for me, plus a book to read in labour. Went home 8 hours after delivery, so was in hospital only about 13 hours in total.
I would have gone home sooner, but as DD arrived at 2am, I thought I might as well have a night’s sleep before leaving.

I have one of the cabin bags on wheels. Then a nappy bag with my purse, things I needed then nappy's an wipes !
Used same case for all of mine ! X

I had three! 😂

Large hold-all for me, changing bag with baby stuff and small hold-all for DH

I didn't have anywhere near enough for a little suitcase. You really don't need very much at all especially you should be out quickly. I was home within five hours of having mine so taking a load of unnecessary stuff in was just a waste of time. A few toiletries, baby going home outfit a couple of nighties and underwear at the very most will more than suffice.

Medium suitcase for mine and baby’s stuff. Rucksack for husbands/snacks for me 😂

I couldn’t have fit it all in a small case (I did try) and it was just easier to have one big one to wheel around.

A backpack but I think you'd be normal with a suitcase, they laughed at me (nicely) and my little bag.

You do need a towel (at least at my local hospital).

Bear in mind that if you're having an induction, you could be in for a few days. I was hospitalised before DD was born, and had a couple of holdalls (similar in size to a small wheely suitcase) plus a handbag. So you're definitely not overdoing it!

I just packed a standard cabin suitcase.

I'm being induced though so I'm aware that even if I'm out quickly after actually having her, there may be a (much) longer period before that where I'm just sort of waiting around a bit for things to start. A friend of mine was induced and was in for three full days before she went in to labour - I'm really not sure how long to expect to be there as I think it's quite variable.

I went in to be induced.
I had a cabin pull along suitcase for baby and a bigger bag shape size pull along on wheels for me 😂

I ended up staying 2 nights though so everything was useful and yes take a towel for body and a hand/ face one for morning/ night. Inductions can take days.

I would pack 1 bag and pack a second with more of the same so if you need a second load of stuff it's there ready to go. Or ask in laws to leave in the car.

My baby will need at least a 3 day stay after being born by c section, so I've packed a small cabin suitcase for me (clothes/pjs/underwear, toiletries, some pads, outfit to go home in, flipflops, and snacks), a small cabin suitcase for baby (6 sleepsuits &vests in two different sizes, nappies, wipes, nappy cream, blanket, muslins, cardigans and hat, some ready feed formula), and then a 'go bag' which is the changing bag that came with my pram (zip bag with baby's first outfit and nappy, zip bag with my first post-birth outfit, some toiletries for my first shower, snack, phone charger, fan, muslin). Plan is that I'll be able to keep the 'go bag' on the bed with me after the c section so I'll be able to easily reach all my essentials, and should have enough bits for me and baby to last us the 3 days/with minimal need for DH to pop home for extras.

I'm a first time mum though, so this might not work out at all!!