Can anyone help me out and tell me what I really need to pack in my hospital bag. There are so many different lists I've found on the net and if I take everything they suggest I may aswell start packing the biggest suitcase I can find!!!
Can anyone tell me what you really need and will use,

Cath

for you:
nightgown to give birth in(depends on wot hospital so give you 1)
maternity pads
breast pads
wash bag and towel
bras
pjs
money!!! (phone card, tv , shop etc)
slippers or somthing 4 your feet
first out fit
baby:
grows and grows(lots of both if your lo is anything like mine as the have sooo much stuff on his chest after his first feed kept being sick lol)
hat
mittions
nappies
cotton wool
blanket

i recomed you do a bag for yourself and one for baby easier that way and also in your bag put your first outfit and a nappy in a small bag in your bag at the top for straight after the birth as its easier than digging into babys bag.
hope this helps x x good luck

I have my hospital bag packed and all. I have a suitcase!! I have the following:

2 nighties
slippers
5 pairs pants
maternity pads
breast pads
2 towels
toiletries (soap,sponge,shampoo,toothbrush,toothpaste,deodorant,
facecloth,perfume)
(I will put in bras, camera, change for payphone, magazines etc closer to the time)

3 babygros
3 vests
pack of bibs
pack of nappies
going home outfit for baby
blanket

My oh asked how long I thought I was staying for coz this stuff takes a medium sized suitcase but I'd rather go with some extra bits than have to ask my mum or oh to bring things in.

Closer to the time I will put in an outfit to wear home. Maternitiy trackkie bottoms and a t-shirt etc.

I hope this helps xx

for you: old T/ nightie for labour, change of clothes, pads, tooth brush/toiletries (depending on how long you are there).
for baby: i'd say 3 body suits, 3 sleepsuits, jacket and blanket for going home, nappies x10 and wipes.
then if you are in for longer than expected you can send o/h for more stuff x.
lol! 2 more replies while i was writing mine!
KThom sounds like your planning a weeks trip!

[Modified by: mumto2,24 on October 31, 2007 07:53 PM]

dont take a dressing gown!! i did as advised by loads of different lists of internet, it took up most of my very big bag and it was so hot in the hospital i well didnt need it. its a good idea to have two bags, yours and babies. we left babies in the car at first, just brought in mine, but in that i had vest/grow/nappy for babe. cds!!!! i was stuck listening to crap on a local radio station to be fair im sure they dont expect many listeners at 4am on christmas day morning! it improved as time went on and by the time we were in theatre lo was born to the sound of take that - a million love songs!

thanks for your replies, I'm going to try and get my bag packed this week and then put it away (but make sure my oh knows where it is) and try to forget about giving birth, well at least till after Christmas, and concentrate on getting the nursery finished.
Cath

You're very organised to be doing it this week Cath, I'm due on the 28th December and have only just started thinking I ought to sort a bag out!
I live over in Norway and they recommend you stay in hospital for up to a week to get fully rested etc after giving birth so think I am going to need a suitcase! I don't trust my oh to find things at the house to bring in for me! Maybe I will have to leave piles of things in obvious places just in case!!

I've also been told it can be a good idea to take your own pillow so you can get comfy. A trick I used to use when I went away on business a lot and stayed overnight in a hotel was to take a pillow case with me as it smelt of home and I used to sleep a lot better.

Liz xx

Hi Liz, I guess one of the reasons I'm doing it now is I'm already off work, I've been signed off by my docter as I'm suffering really bad headaches. I was planning to leave work at Christmas so being told I had to stop work so early was a bit of a shock, but as my docter reminded me its for mine and my little ones health.
I have far too much time on my hands and am trying to find things to do as I've worked ever since I felft uni 5 years ago and feel a bit lost without it.

How do you feel about staying in hospital for a week? I know my mum and my oh's mum think new mums are sent out of hospital too soon over here?

HI
take some disp knickers (from mothercare) and HUGE san towels as for first few days the blood will come to your knickers and ruin your good ones.
Slippers...hosp floors filthy
own mug....for tea etc.... think how many have sipped from hosp ones!!!!!!!!
own pillow and nursing pillow
do nut ring (to soothe sore bits if stitched)
ipod (if you have)
change for phone or mobile phone and list of people to contact.
All other things have been mentioned by others but thought would list stuff I found make stay so much better.

I also take biscuits, fruit sweets, books and mags and if have other kids a colour book and pencils to occupy them. Also, if worried about having camera there incase knicked then buy a disp one as you may want to snap first bath etc......
d x

forgot.....loo roll as usually run out on ward or disgusting stuff. Oh and some dettol wipes and loos can be filthy too!!!!!!!!!! Amazes me how some of the ladies will leave blood on seat etc.. OK I know they may be feeling shitty but at least tell the mw you have left loo dirty so can be cleaned!!!
One last thing is Epsom Salts. They are great to bathe in if you have stitches. I also dried my stitches with hairdryer as helps to heal rather than left wet!!! Sure the rest of ward thought I was vain as kept drawing curtain and puttin hairdryer on!!!!! if only they knew which hair I was drying

lol @ dee dee that made me laugh lol I was also advised to take in a nail brush as under your nails are gonna get pretty dirty!! Im also planning on taking my widgey for breast feeding

Hi Cath,

The hospitals over here are really good, there is a good chance I will be the only one in when I give birth as at the hospital I am going to they only have 2,000 births a year and most of those are in the summer or spring. The maximum they have ever had is 5 deliverys in one day! Its quite a nice small maternity ward, I know two ladies that have had their babies there in the last year and they say the treatment you get is fantastic and to stay in as long as you can!! Plus its only a ten minute walk from the hospital to my husbands school (he is a teacher) and as he is allowed to stay with me over night it means he can still work the first week and start his paternity leave the week I am home and need more support.
So I think I am going to make the most of my time at the hospital, especially as its my first and all the help I can get from the midwives will be greatly appreciated!! xx

Hiya my lo is 5 months old! the only thing i can tell you to remember is clothes for yourself for coming home! i went in wearing maternity clothes and after i had my son they were far to big so had to run to Asda to get some clothes! oh and plenty of pants! and my baby was 7lb when he was born but fitted perfectly into the tiny baby - baby grows from next!

hiya, I spent ages preparing my bag for hospital only for the labour to be really quick and the bag was in the car till after the birth!!!
I found that you don't need half the stuff the lists tell you. Knickers you don't mind binning are a must and some really comfy pjs.
I ended up giving birth in my lovely nightshirt i planned to wear after as had no time to change.
The best recommendation i can give is to pack some food in your bag, crisps etc, as i got a chicken salad at bout 5.30pm on the ward and that was it. by bout 10pm was starving!!
My hospital provided pampers nappies and maternity towels so ended up not using the ones had packed, check with midwife bout you hospital as could have saved so much room!!
Good luck
xx

im due in 2weeks and here is what i have packed:

for me: nightshirt, socks, bed socks, 3pairs of knickers, maternity pads, breast pads, towel, face cloth, toiletries, and my phone charger

for lil man: 3babygrows, 3 all in ones, loads of bibs, nappies, wipes, sudocream, bodywash, shampoo, scratch mittens, socks, booties, nappy sacks, blanket, towel, hats, soap (just incase) baby sponge and probably some other things ive forgot, but i think i over packed lol my bag is huge, but in my mind better to be safe than sorry, rather have it to hand then someone have to run around for something, good luck x

Hi, thanks for all the advice thats really helpful! I am just wondering what I should pack for me to wear going home? I'm assuming that maternity clothes will be huge, and pre-pregnancy clothes too small, but how do I know what size I'll be? Any tips on what to buy? I'd like to spend the first few days with my new family rather than rushing out to buy some clothes that fit! Thanks x

i thought of a great idea for new mums planning on breastfeeding.. dont know if this had been mentioned before or not but instead of waisting money on new nursing pjs as we know how expensive these can be even if you buy them from ebay second hand, if you can.. buy some second hand formal button up shirts from a charity shop or ask you partner/friend to donate some of their old front button up shirts to you.. that what i though of doing but had already bought a few materiny pjs but still going to use my patners old formal/work shirts.. expecially one of them when im in labour then my little man can with ease get to my belly and breast. my partner was about to give these shirts to charity.. im thinking of buying a few pairs of plain cheep counfy leggings to wear with them.. specially for when or if im end up staying in hospital so i dont have to walk round bair legged. this is my second child and with my first admitidley i was so un-prepared that i had to wear a hospital gown and my dressing gown i grabbed while i was in labour and after they gave me pads, the basic washstuff they have, nappies and some spear clothes for baby ect.. when he arrived until my X-partner came back to the hospital with what i had got which was not much : / so this time iv been paking my hospital bag since beofre i was half way through my pregnancy.. dont know what ill actually take use off everything i have and will take with me.. i was also thinking of buying some maternity vests but they are soooo expensive.. and then realised i could use the really stretchy vests i bought from primark in the uk to fit me while i was pregnant as they are really stretchy like i mentioned before and easy pulled down under your breat for easy access?? weather this will work propely at the time of breast feeding, i will have to see.. only another 7 weeks to find out. i do think materity bras are a must though.. ill just wear vests and a jumper or cardigan with them.. wheather these are good ideas or not?.. we will see .  ill like the idea of the salts but would that not sting at all using them after giving birth, even with stiches?? xxx

We thought long and hard about  what to pack in hospital bag as we were in hospital for over a week for the birth of our baby.

To juliew3

I'm a expecting mummy and I've packed everything in my hospital bag except clothes to come home in i was baffled what to do too but I've decided I'm going to wear my maternity t-shirt and top and just buy a cheap pair of trackie bottoms because they are very stretchy with a tie cord so it shouldn't matter what size you are they should fit if not maybe a pair of leggings would be good? I hope that helps x

In my hospital bag I have:

3x baby grows
3x baby vests
2x baby hats
2x pairs scratch mittens
Warm outfit to put baby in for journey home
Sudocream
Baby bath and oil
Nappies and small portable changing mat
Baby wipes and cotton wool
2x bibs
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Hairbrush
Make-up
1x beach towel
Knickers
Sanitary pads
Breast pads
Contact lenses
1x pair pjs
1 x pair of slippers
Toiletries (small travel bottles)
Dressing gown
1x old cotton nightie to give birth in
Biscuits in case I get the nibbles
Padlock for my bag for security