Hospital bag

[bon]

A friend was asking me what she should pack in her hospital bag. It made me think back to some of the ridiculous things I put in my bag when I was going into hospital with my first. I can't say we ever used that baby's hairbrush set that I proudly purchased. Have given her a list of the obvious, but do you have any suggestions of things that came in really useful/things not to bother with? Thanks for your help.

Cll - I took a new sieve too, but never got in the water..and ended up having a c-section. you're right about the amount of blood!

Suedonim I was provided with one nappy and five cotton wool balls. The cotton wool balls didn't even clean up the first lot of meconium. Also a small tube of vaseline and powder for the cord which was sufficient.

Magazines and fruit juice are a good idea for afterwards (or maybe for before - I didn't get there until advanced labour). Camera is a must. Also think about what you are going to wear to come home. My DH brought me a skirt and trainers - but no tights or socks and it was February and snowing..... And try to suggest to your DH that he does not park at the far end of the car park when he comes to collect you....Lots of pads and disposable knickers. Also beware of slippers - as soon as I got out of bed I flooded onto mine and had to send DH home with them. Flip flops would have been much better. A friend confessed to having done this with her second baby.

Hi Bon, I would say homeopathic arnica pills for bruising 'down there' really helped. They reduce the swelling too. You can take them while breastfeeding too. You must take them as soon as possible after the birth and although you think it'll be the last thing on your mind I rmembered as soon as the throbbing started!! Really recommend them, HTH

I packed a lovely bag for my dh, shaving stuff, deoderant etc, he didn't use any of it, and looked crap in all the photos. I would't let them wheel me out the delivery room until I had my lippy on.

I do suggest taking a mirror - yes I know I'm vain- but everyone in my ward borrowed it as the only mirror was in the toilets and was always steamed up.

Suggest a couple of new tops to wear as a treat for leaving hosp, packed already DONOT trust dh, similar stories to before.

I wish I'd had earplugs. I could still have heard my little darling, but could have dimmed some of the cacophony of buzzers, wailing, snoring, arguing families and bellowing crack addicts. Lord knows, I hope they aren't necessary at your hospital, but they would have been lovely where I was.

I second the water spray - I took in a bottle of Evain spray. I found that the (over reliance on) gas and air really dried out my mouth so I had dh on hand to spray water into my mouth between the breaths of gas!

Too rushed to read all this so don't know if they've been suggested but a bottle of lavender oil would be on my list, plus sucky sweeties and squash

Toots - when my last baby was being born, there was another couple in the next room. Every time she had a contraction they BOTH screamed at the tops of their voices! I could have done with the earplugs.