another question about your hospital bag.

[hayley]

i know we've had lots of questions already about what to put in your hospital bag but this is a different question!

i'm confussed... you go into hospital - get shown your bed or room! change into your Pj's or night shirt... you'll have all your stuff with you - like toiletries, underwear, pads etc.. what happens when your ready for the delivery suite? do you get time to go through your bag and get the things you'll need?

In my hospital you can deliver in your room if you don't need an epi or C section (obviously) i'm hoping i wont but if i do need an epi then i'll be moved to a delivery room where the MW can keep an eye on me... at this stage what will i need from my bag?

Also is it best to get your coming home clothes ready but leave them at home. When your OH goes home to change and freshen up he can bring your clothes back - saves taking too much in when you first go - what do you think?
x

 

[Urchin]

Hiya

Your OH will be able to bring your bag when you change rooms so don't worry about that.

I kept a bag at home with more baby clothes and nappies and my coming home clothes. Then when I needed it OH brought it to me.

 

[Rosieroo]

I thought that I'd be changing into clothes, but instead just ended up pulling off my trackies and giving birth in OH t-shirt. I even still had my pants on til the MW whipped them off when my membranes started bulging

 

[Lou]

Hi

I had a big suitcase for me and Isaac's toiletries and clothes and a labour bag which was full of things I never used! I went into theatre to deliver Isaac by forceps so all they needed was Isaac's nappy and his clothes and hat. The hat is very important because newborn babies cannot regulate their temperature and lose heat throught their heads.

After I was taken from the recovery room to the ward (which was about 3am) the midwife told Jarrod off because she said I had too much stuff with me to unpack. Horrible cow!

My advice would be that its better to take stuff and not use it than to not take stuff and need it. Make sense?!?!

oooo its so exciting!!!!

Lou

 

[hayley]

think i've finally finished my bag... its only a small travel bag but i got lots of mini toilerties... spent a few days at a nice posh hotel this week so pinched the shampoo and conditioner... he he

got to start on babies bag now! the MW told me to bring only the following;

3 sleepsuits
nappies
cotton wool
hat
cardigan or blanket for going home

i'm sure i'm going to need more... will i need a dummy? was going to try and not use them but everyone keeps telling me they're a god send! i'm also bottle feeding! i'll need bibs too.... anything else?

x

 

[Urchin]

I'd take scratch mits for the baby too as I wished I'd had them for Brody.

 

[hayley]

the mw said not to bring blue baby bath.. to clean the baby with water only... what do you all recomend? i can't see water getting the baby clean.

x

 

[beanie]

they advise not using any baby toiletries for the first six weeks to give their skin the time to protect itself. water does the job fine

 

[Keely]

I also learnt that you are not meant to bath the baby until the cord has fallen off, to stop infection xxx

 

[lauramumof2]

Im taking as little as possible this time. Only the essentials. I took make up and all sorts the last time and I laugh when I think about it.
Water is okay for now, all you will need for baby is sleepsuits and nappies. I would take the dummies and even if you are bottle feeding they give you a disposable glass bottle of whatever milk your baby will be drinking.

 

[beanie]

I had a labour bag with two nightshirts (one for birth and one for after), TENS machine, book, lip balm, toiletries for me, water, jaffa cakes, nappy, baby gro, maternity pads and pants. OH also had a labour bag with snacks and drink for him, books and his Nintendo DS (I nicked that though but kept crashing on mariokart everytime I had a contraction).

I also had a big bag with more baby clothes, clothes for me, blanket, going home outfits for us both. OH bought this onto the ward for me when I returned to the maternity ward.

 

[Bagpuss17]

The problem is you don't know how long you'll be in there for.

I packed a small trolley dolly case for baby.

It had vests, sleepsuits, hats, mitts, 2 blankets, cardigan, nappies, bibs and various other bits for the babY

As we ended up staying in a week after the birth, my DH had to keep bringing stuff in. We went through lots of vests. plus none of the stuff we'd bought fitted anyway so DH had to go and buy more.

My hospital bag had maternity pads, disposable knickers which were more comfy than I thought as I didn't have a c-section. Very handy as you can just bin them, toiletries, a couple of outfits, underwear and that's about it.

When I got taken to the labour suite I had to take everything with me as they make up the bed on the ante natal ward for the next person in. Then I got taken to a different ward after birth as we had transitional care due to him being a few weeks early.

 

[Rachel]

As bagpuss said, you don't know how long your going to be in there for. I expected to be out in a couple of days so did'nt take that much. As it was I was in 5 days and my mum had to keep bringing me things coz I had run out.

I took maternity pads, knickers, 2 nighties, baby clothes ( too big though, had to get me mum to buy early baby ones), baby blanket, nappies, baby wipes, magazines, and shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush ect, I also took snacks but did't eat them.

Rachel xx

 

[nicki]

I also learnt that you are not meant to bath the baby until the cord has fallen off, to stop infection xxx

The cord takes several days to fall off & your baby will be mucky from the birth so will need a bath.

At my hospital they gave us a demo on how to bath a baby & they used baby bath & I have done with Jamie & everything is fine? I guess its another one of those things that everyone differs on & has their own opinions (I stopped listening after a while coz it was sending me demented!!)

Hayley, only use a dummy if you want to, its such a personal thing. Your baby may not take to it anyway. I didn't want to use one but my DH kept shoving it in J's mouth & now it does help settle him so is a relief, just hoping it doesn't become a pain down the line (i'm the one who'll have to deal with it not him!)

 

[Vicky]

my mw helped me bath kacy a day after she was born, as everyone else has said you don't know how long your going to be in their i was only in for three days and in those three days i went through a three or four baby grows three or four vests i took half a packet of nappies and my mum needed to bring more for me, so you never ever no. and scatch mitts i would take them.

 

[SarahH]

How many babygrows/suits do you take with you. Some people have told me to take 3 or 4 and other have said to take about 10!!

S. xx

 

[violet-glow]

I took about 3 with me, I was in hospital over night and zack only used the two sleepsuits. Maybe take alot of bids just incase zack needed them alot!