MN Bumpfest: What should mothers-to-be pack in their hospital bags? Chance to win a £50 voucher!NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

In the run up to BumpFest (which is going to be totally awesome by the way) we’re looking to get a better understanding of the experiences Mumsnetters have had around different issues surrounding childbirth.

We've seen from the many threads on the subject, that Mumsnetters have got packing a hospital bag down to a fine art. We’d like to hear what you think are the essentials, and what can actually be left in the shop.

What items did you pack the first time around which you later realised were completely unnecessary on the day? Did you find you overpacked your hospital bag when you were pregnant with your first PFB DC?

Everyone who adds their thoughts to this thread will be entered into a prize draw to win a £50 John Lewis voucher.

Thanks,

MNHQ

Jelly beans - but take enough for you other half too or you will have less than you think!

A variety of different sized clothes for the baby. I was told she would be large so I took 0-3 month clothes but she came early in the end and was tiny. She was drowned in the clothes I took so the next day we had to buy some newborn clothes.

Frozen flannels are great for cooling you down during labour - plenty of lucozade, nighties, clothes for the baby, your own pillow is nice to have, BIG knickers if needing a csection to avoid the scar. Snacks are a good idea - the ward I was on lost my meal order sent down from recovery ward so I had to have a salad with some cheese on it for dinner - not a calorific meal after a 40 hour labour and trying to get the hang of breast feeding!
Don't bother with the magazines or a book - once the baby arrives I can gurantee any spare moment will be spent sleeping or with visitors - mostly you will spend all your time feeding,changing generally cuddling the baby!

Agree with everyone, plus change for the car park! Or find out what the parking rules are - at ours, we can park at one, pay for the whole week (infinitely cheaper even if you stay a day), and transfer to the other hospitals in the same trust. So if you have to move to another hospital it's fine to use the same ticket.

Big comfy knickers you are happy to bin and pads are a must. Some comfy clothes for the trip home.

Drinks and snacks are a great idea.

Cash.

First time round I packed a hair dryer and straighteners! Second time round I packed some 2 in 1 shampoo! I would recommend packing;
Water spray
Lucozade
Lucozade glucose tablets
Snacks for you and birthing partner
Something like iPad with some programmes to watch, either for partner while you're in early labour or when you can't sleep in the night due to the noise
Phone charger
Lots of maternity pads - my midwife had told me the hospital supplied them and not to take any - they didn't!
Disposable knickers
Breast pads
Clothes, blanket, hat, nappies, cotton wool for baby
Hair clips to keep hair out of your face while in labour
Magazine - again to read in the night. You don't get much sleep

Our NCT teacher suggested bendy straws so you can be given a drink whatever position you're in. Didn't use then either time but still think great idea.

My mate said take nice food for after not cereal bars but crisps and chocolate and things you'll actually want to eat. And loads of cartons of Ribena type squash - I was so very thirsty afterwards (maybe the drugs?!)

Also notebook and pen for questions you may want to ask doctors after that you'll then forget.

And buy a spare phone charger to take. Spare because you'll probably leave it in the labour room like I did.

Oh also I packed two bags. One for 48 hours and one I left at home with more baby stuff and clothes for me. Turned out to be invaluable when with dc1 we were in for a week. (Expected a bit as we knew in advance she had medical condition). Meant dh could just go home and grab the second bag when turned out we did have to stay longer and not have to guess at what I'd want.

Oh also lots of sandwiches. First time round dh ate them all in first hour.

NO PAPER KNICKERS. Just big granny pants into which you can put sanitary pads and your belly.
Lots and lots of babygrows. Forget scratch mitts, tiny socks for the Edward scissor hands that you have borne.
Nice new maternity pyjamas for you.
Nappies.
Toiletries.
Something stretchy and comfy to go home in.

Jelly babies!

ear plugs- I had a private room but could still hear the woman next door labouring (and swearing) very loudly all night. Not what you want to hear when you've just been through it yourself!
lots of lovely snacks, it can be a waiting game and hospital food is grim.

Hand cream to stop your hands being destroyed by hospital hand wash.

I have a great memory of DH trundling down the corridor like a pack horse with my two hospital bags, jackets, my pillow and who knows what else.

I had a 'labour' bag and a 'after baby's born' bag which worked quite well though despite labour lasting around 15 hours most of my labour bag remained untouched. The only things that got used were my nightie, something for DS to put on when he was born and my bendy straws which were an absolute godsend. Loads of other stuff - pillows, snacks, music etc. didn't get used at all. These kind of things came in more useful because I had to stay in hospital for a few days, but DH and other visitors could have brought these as and when required.

Baby wipes, in case you have a c section and can't shower for a few days.

for a CS
3 x nighties
2 bath towels
breast pads
spare bra
pack of massive pants
pads
toothbrush/paste/hairbrush/bobbles/lip balm

the most luxurious shampoo/showergel
old flipflops to wear in the shower and discard in the hospital upon discharge
ditto old slippers
mobile & charger
lots of snacks, little drinks, crisps.

I was starved at night feed time, will never forget eating massive bags of quavers MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

also stuff for baby - different blankets, vests, sleepsuits, a little hat, nappies, cotton wool, a little water bowl, metanium, poo bags, towels to change baby on.

yes.... ''Edward scissor hands''

I got dh to bring in some nail scissors as he scratched himself to pieces, but got furious with scratch mitts

-Giant noise-cancelling headphones for labour (before the pushing stage!)
-A huge amount of food that is actually healthy and tasty and suitable for during and after labour - the hospital offered tea and toast after labour (tea=caffeine, toast=constipation, neither contain any micronutrients...??), and the meals were poor and not even healthy. I had a variety of dried fruit, nuts, fruit juice, and then since I knew when I was going in, I also brought a whole packed meal involving aubergines and chick peas. My husband thought I was nuts, but it was actually absolutely perfect when I was finally transferred to the postnatal room at 3am.
-clothes suitable for the ridiculous tropical hospital climate
-definitely yes to the flipflops
-change of shirt for sweaty, smelly daddy in overheated hospital

Ear plugs and an eye mask! Maternity wards can be bright and noisy. They are also bloody boiling so ignore any advice that you need to pack a dressing gown. Definitely pack a sports top water bottle.

Knickers! I didn't have any at all which made for an interesting time post-birth!

The biggest knickers you can get in your size! Also, a wash cloth! I don;t use one in the shower so didn't think to bring one, but as my first wash post-section was at my bedside I needed one. MW went off to look for something and I ended up washing myself with a J-cloth

For baby, plenty of sleepsuits, nappies, bibs and muslin cloths.
And I would suggest a cheap cotton sleepsuit as the first one, not your favourite one that you wanted as a keepsake - when DH changed DD's first pooey nappy it went everywhere; meconium is apparently very sticky and does not wash off easily!

For antenatal or induction:
Some entertainment as it's boring and lengthy
Earphones
Eye mask & earplugs as it's noisy
Snacks & juice, chargers for your sources of entertainment!

For labour:
Sports water bottles & snacks
iPod & dock
Comfy nighty/ t shirt

For the aftermath:
Big cotton knickers
Facecloth
Fave toiletries
Maternity pads ++
Lansinoh cream for nipples
Lavender for the bath if you have sore bottom (highly likely)
Germoloids cream for piles
I took my own paracetamol & neurofen (in case staff to busy and I was too desperate)
Comfy clothes
Lots of baby grows/vests & muslin clothes (easy open close ones)

Take car seat on last day as it just gets in the way

And don't forget your courage!

Loads of pairs of black pants that you don't mind throwing away, towels from home, lots of pads just in case, arnica for any bruising , any beauty products that smell nice and make you think of home and toothbrush and toothpaste.
For baby babygros and nappies, easy!

Bag of fun sized Mars Bars and Capri sun for the munchies in the middle of the night.....life saver!

Sports bottle for labour and a v shaped pillow in the car for if you have to stay.

Flip flops are essential- that was a tip I got from Mumsnet and I was very glad of it. The midwife even complimented me on my sensible choice of footwear!

Definitely snacks. And also headphones and your phone, fully loaded up with podcasts. I was induced late in the day, which meant I spent the first night on the ward, in increasing pain but not sufficiently in labour to be allowed to go down to the labour ward. The only thing that kept me going was listening to podcasts to take my mind off the pain. That and the birthing ball I was bouncing on!

I didn't eat any of the snacks I packed so I wouldn't have any in my next labour bag. I was too busy / nauseous to be hungry! I packed too many clothes for baby and not enough for me. I didn't expect birth and the days following it to be quite so gory!

Has anyone said Fybogel yet?! If there is a next time I'm taking a holdall full of that and nothing else!