Hospital Bags - Please help

[First Baby White]

Hello,

For those of you who have had your babies. What did you actually take in your hospital bag for both you and baby and what did you actual need/use. I have been told what I should take but no how many of each etc and didngt want to take unnessesary stuff.

If you could advise that would be great

 

[KJL]

In mine I took:

for me:

Toiletries (tooth brush, tooth paste, soap, shampoo and conditioner, cleanser, moisturiser)
Some makeup (for piccies!)
Maternity pads (I was surprised how many I needed!)
Disposable knickers
2 x Nightdresses and one pair of loose pjs
Dressing gown
Track suit (to go home in)
Slippers
Underwear (granny style high waisted pants )
2 x Nursing bras
Nipple cream
Lip balm
Lucozade Energy tablets (really useful if you have a long labour like me!)

For baby:

A few nappies (the hosp provided nappies so I didn't really need them)
A babygro (she wore the hosp gown while in hosp so didn't really need it)
Going home outfit: A pretty baby gro, a short sleeve vest, mittens, hat)
Blanket
Car seat

 

[trixipaws]

i was planning a home birth but packed a hosp bag just in case- but nothing went wrong so i never used any of it! (lol well i did, i took the nappies out and used them, but ykwim!)

i packed for me:
change of clothes (comfy baggy pants and top!)
about 4 or 5 pairs of cheap tesco knickers i could throw away once worn
pack of maternity pads
hand-held fan
asthma spray
a little bag of make-up essentials and travel-size shampoo and deodorant and toothpaste and moisturizer
toothbrush
maternity notes

i packed for baby:
pack of newborn size 1 nappies
bag of cotton wool balls
about 4 or 5 babygro's
a little outfit
baby towel
couple pairs of socks and scratch mittens
a bib
a tiny cuddly toy
fleecey cardigan-y thing just in case it got chilly even tho it was june lol

i *think* thats it- just very bare essentials- but as i did not have to go to hospital idk whether i'd have been left thinking "oh, i wish i'd packed..." if i had gone.
i thought if i did hav to go hosp and was stuck there then could always send my boyf or my mum on a mission for me so i wasnt too worried bout it. xx

 

[shadow]

When I went into hosp i only took vests for the baby as was told didnt need baby grows, but after I gave birth the midwife asked for a baby grow from me and i didnt have one, so they put him in a second hand one someone had left behind! Want impressed!

I went through quite a few pairs of knickers and nighties too, so make sure you take a few.

 

[Becky]

Along with what the others said, I recommend:

Face Wipes - great for freshening your face and other places without having to wash
Face cloth - if you have an emergency section (like me) the midwife will need something to wash you with if you aren't able to get up and about the first day.


Someone suggested to me to have 2 bags ready. A small one for "best case scenario" with enough in for one or two nights and a second one that has extras in if you end up needing to stay in longer. That way you can send your OH or relly home to get "the blue bag in the hall" or whatever without them having to ratch round your house trying to find what you want!!

 

[Magic Monkey]

I took 3 bags! One for labour (rucksack), one for baby (changing bag) and a suitcase for me:

Labour:
Big t shirt - Didn't wear it as they put me in a gown
Pillows - def take your own as hospital ones are horrible
I Pod - didn't even occur to me to use it!
Magicool spray - didn't use it as I used fan
Flannel - as above
Sponge - as above
mini fan - the best thing I had, we even had to change the batteries
Vaseline for your lips - you will def need this
Food- cereal bars, crisps etc. - I really didn't want to eat, but dh made me and I am glad he did as once the epi was in i wasn't allowed to eat.
Socks - i was too hot to wear them

Suitcase:
nightclothes, slippers, dressing gown (i bought a thin one from Asda)
Underwear - take lots
Maternity pads - i needed loads as my waters went gradually so i used a pack during labour
Money - didn't need it
Big knickers (but tight ones to keep the pad close to you)
Disposable knickers - didn't use
toiletries
towel - dark coloured and soft
food
ear plugs - in case you are on ward before birth

Baby
Nappies (at least 10 a day)
Cotton wool
towel
4 babygrows - i needed more than this as the nxt morning she was sick repeatedly
4 vests
scratch mits
hat - she didn't wear it, it was too hot
cardigans - as above
blankets - hospital provided them
muslins
a coat to go home (depending on time of year)

My dh also took a bag with food and a change of clothes

 

[Urchin]

Don't forget a hair band if you have long hair! Vital!

I took 2 flannels, for cold water on my face during labour.

ONe vital thing I forgot was moisturiser in my hospital bag.

 

[Gem & Leland]

straws ! brilliant if u cant move durring labour and need to sip drink ( i was on limited fluids so nu gulping !)

 

[Full of hope!]

What the others have said but I recommend that you take lots of bibs and babygrows for baby. Jacob was so sickly for the first few days I was changing him all the time!

Also, plenty of maternity pads and pairs of knickers

 

[daftscotslass]

Check what your hospital supply for the likes of maternity pads and nappies for baby. I had bought 3 packs of maternity pads and went through 2 for leaking waters before Rebecca even arrived! Sent my mum for more but ended up not using them because the hospital supplied pads - used a TON of them! Again, the hospital supplied nappies so I didn't have to bother dragging nappies for Becky either. Definitely bring a selection of clothes for baby - our hospital only had baby gowns that vaguely resembled a straightjacket! Used up loads of bibs and muslins, too but then I was bottle feeding rather than breast feeding.

Definitely a flannel and straws as well as lip balm. Glad I didn't buy disposable knickers - I bought tesco cheapie ones (actually cheaper than disposable ones!) in a bigger size and they were great. Cereal bars were a godsend - I was in hospital for over 24 hours before I gave birth and ended up missing breakfast and lunch so although I didn't want to eat they gave me some energy I really needed.

I had brought a couple of nighties which were great (was far too hot for jammies) but I brought a pair of crocs shoes with me too instead of slippers because there was occasionally horribleness on the floor in the shower. Flip flops would work too.

I didn't use any of these things I brought...

Water spray
My ipod
My towel (hospital supplied them)
Cotton wool/wipes/nappies
Scratch mitts (too hot and they were off within seconds)
Wet wipes (just used the flannel)

 

[debecca]

What I actually used:

* Maternity towels x 20 (GET LOADS OF THESE)
* Big pants from M&S
* Crisps and chocolate for between meals
* Magazine for quiet moments (!)
* 3 cheap comfy cotton nighties (was in 3 nights)
* Dark comfy towel
* Shampoo and conditioner
* Brush and hair bobbles
* Mobile phone
* Flip flops (great for hospital shower with icky blood on floor)
* Maternity mats - for under bed and on car seat when waters broke. Also stuck baby changing mat under me!!!

What I didn't use:

* Disposable pants
* TENS machine
* Snacks/drinks for labour (too fast)
* Shower gel / bubbly stuff (cos of stitches)
* iPod / DS Lite / puzzle book etc.
* Straws

And for baby:

* Newborn vests & sleepsuits x 4 or 5
* Loads of bibs and muslin cloths
* Newborn nappies and loads of cotton wool balls
* Bottles and feed (not provided in midwife unit)

Think that's it!

 

[Urchin]

straws ! brilliant if u cant move durring labour and need to sip drink ( i was on limited fluids so nu gulping !)

I agree!

I had a few cartons of ribena and ended up using the straw from one for water

 

[Miss.Monroe]

great thread girls, im thinking of getting my bag together soon.