Essential items for your hospital bag

[memoo]

What are the items that are a must have for your hospital bag?

I'll probably end up with a huge suitcase, half of which I proably don't need. So what are the absolute essentials?

Sanitary towels

Loads of 'em!!!

• Lovely new clean nightie/pyjams/t shirt to put on when you feel scuzzy.
• Mints - I had a c-section and couldn't get up to brush my teeth for a day, yeesh.
• Face cleaning wipes - again, as I couldn't get up to wash my face these made me feel a bit nicer and more human.
• Slip on shoes/flip flops

If you have a straightforward birth (fingers crossed ) I can guarantee you will use hardly ANYTHING in your bag

My list would be:

Sanitary towels and Big Comfy Pants
Some nappies
Outfit for the baby (vest and sleepsuit)
A large t-shirt/nightie to give birth in, if you wish to
Pyjamas for after (easier to bf in than a nightie, IMO, if that's how you plan to feed)
Clothes for you to go home in
Camera
Mobile phone

Oh, and a wash bag with the usual bits and bobs in

secret choccy stash

Take your own pillow.

Ditto the pillow! The hospital ones were like board. Don't worry - I turned up with an enormous wheely suitcase, it looked like I saw moving in.

Do you think you can get away with using big sanitary towels rather than brick like maternity pads?

Trying to remember...

Maybe maternity pads for the 1st day or 2 then onto jumbo super-absorbent normal ones (think I used night-time ones)

You bleed a lot

Nobody told me this!

Food (cereal bars, chocolate, dried fruitanything you can pack and won't go off quickly). if you give birth in the evening/at night you won't get any proper food until morning and you'll be starving.

proper pants - not horrible paper ones. jsut buy some cheap ones that you don't mind throwing away.

I'd go for maternity pads - you bleed a lot after giving birth.

flip flops to wear in the shower, in case the previous users haven't cleaned it very well.

Definitely the pillow - I took a v-shaped one and was so glad of it.
1 or 2 of those shampoo/ shower gel satchets in case you're in long enough to shower.
Those small cartons of fruit juice you can drink with a straw for when you're breast feeding at an odd angle and water just isn't enough. (My midwife's tip: If you can put these in the freezer at home and remember to take them out when leave for hospital, they'll defrost but still be nice and cool for a bit!)
Flip flops to shower in

a fluffy towel from home!!! & a comfy dressing gown definately

I think maternity pads are better than the usual heavy duty ones as they are padded and softer... you may be quite sore.

I wouldnt bother with disposable pants, get big black cheapo ones. Or even better, incontinence pants for the first week or so when the bleeding is quite heavy.

Dito the flip flops.

Also take some breast pads.

A hand mini fan thing, god it gets so hot and sweaty, that was dp's job just keep the fan on me. Got a travel one from boots.

Cheap, Big, knickers also and lots and lots of maternity pads.

Snacks, I was sooo hungry afterwards.

Oh I'd def get maternity pads, sanitary towels would not have done the job...

I have had 2 DC already but there is quite a big age gap and my youngest is 8 so can't remember a thing really.

I remember that it hurts! but appart from that it feels like my first time. I didn't have great experiences and really want to make this one a positive experience.

Did anyone find that music was helpful? need ways to help me relax but not sure if music would really annoy me. also i can't stand being touched when in labour so massage is no good. Really want to avoid an epidural as had a nightmare last time.

I'm determined to breast feed but someone told me that if you want to bottle feed hospitals don't provide formula anymore. Is this true? Hopefull shouldn't need any though

i would buy tena lady pads FAR softer than other pads and VERY absorbent! also foot spray and flip flops for the shower!

Arnica

Music would have pissed me right off!

I required lots of back rubs - but as a form of pain relief not as massage to induce relaxation

Don't know about the formula thing, I bf mine and left 6hrs after with both

Lots of good ideas here, can't add much, more to reitterate... was recommended kotex nightime pads as super huge but couldn't use them, was so sore and swollen and they were too rough...mothercare maternity pads were great, bought loads this time, can't have enough...breast pads, cheapo knickers...forget the paper ones, they itch and they're tight ( I couldnt even get them on...so much water!) Like the food idea too...sent hubby out for sushi and coke last time...oh the things you miss! TENS MACHINE!
GOOD LUCK!

Oh yeah, cotton wool for bub's bum, muslin squares for whatever you feel like...a million uses! Nappies.

Get pads without the rubbery surface so that your fanjo can breathe. I didn't and got thrush

Buy Arnica D6, alternative meds to help you heal. Great stuff.

Facial spray with water (Evian, etc.) was a relief as hospital air was so dry.

Aromatherapy candle was great to make the room smell less hospital-like.

Peppermint tea/fennel tea against trapped air in bowels.

a CD with songs to relax you, lift your mood.

I have never heard of the word fanjo before but strangely enough I know exactly what you are talking about!!!