The Hospital Bag!

Blndbby

When did you ladies begin packing your hospital bag?
I am almost 31 weeks & have pretty much everything bought for it ( I think).

I have a few questions! FTM here!!

Do you pack a separate bag for baby or just place all the bits in your own suitcase? I have a changing bag for baby so I was considering just packing babys things in that so they are easy to get at?

What do you wear during labour? I have 3 nightdresses one 'nice one' for afterwards and it is a especially for nursing. Do the hospital give you gowns to wear or how does that work?


Thanks in advance

scarepanda

Hey!

I had three bags. One for delivery and then one for myself and one for baby for the ward. I found this the easiest way to have things organised and easy to tell himself where everything was.
I ended up having a section where they do give you a gown, but as far as I'm aware you wear your own nightdresses for normal delivery.

Best of luck!

comongethappy

Blndbby wrote: »

When did you ladies begin packing your hospital bag?
I am almost 31 weeks & have pretty much everything bought for it ( I think).

I have a few questions! FTM here!!

Do you pack a separate bag for baby or just place all the bits in your own suitcase? I have a changing bag for baby so I was considering just packing babys things in that so they are easy to get at?

What do you wear during labour? I have 3 nightdresses one 'nice one' for afterwards and it is a especially for nursing. Do the hospital give you gowns to wear or how does that work?


Thanks in advance

I would say it depends if you are public, private etc. You could have one delivery specific (gown and baby clothes and couple nappies) that afterwards your partner takes back and replaces with your 2 night bag and nappy bag with all baby bits.

My experience is that you need your own nightgown for delivery, choose something dark for that and hospital stay as there will be more blood than you think. Also make sure to pack some snacks for yourself as it's only breakfast / lunch / dinner, at least in the public ward

catrionanic

I had a bag for delivery ward which had a couple of nappies, a baby outfit and blanket, and stuff for myself - iPod, magazines and kindle, snacks, tens machine, ball and pump, etc. In the end my labour was so fast that I didn't use any of that.

I had a changing bag for baby and put his clothes in there. And then a separate bag for my own things on the ward. I also kept a bag of extra nappies, maternity pads, baby vests etc, and a going-home bag, in the car that my husband could fetch as needed.

I had two dark-coloured nighties - one for delivery and one for the ward - and 2 pairs of PJs. Don't underestimate how much blood loss there is... you'll need a lot of maternity pads and big black knickers (think granny pants and a couple of sizes bigger than your usual so there's room for the maternity pads - I had to wear two at a time for the first few days. And needed to change the knickers several times a day too). Also, id recommend flip flops over slippers because you lose so much blood so quickly that my slippers were ruined in my first trip to the loo!

catrionanic

Also make sure to pack a squeezy water bottle to give yourself a rinse when you go for a wee, and also some snacks if you plan to breastfeed as the early nights feel very long and you'll be ravenous!

hairyslug

A little tip that we picked up was to get sets ready (nappy, grow, vest etc) and pack them in sandwich bags, so everything is there for each change, you just take out a sandwich bag at a time and the dirty clothes go back in the bag to be washed.

jlm29

I packed mine yesterday! I have one small bag for the delivery ward. Nighties for me ( old ones that open down the front for skin to skin after baby is born. A couple of pairs of knickers, maternity pads. Then a baby gro, vest, cardigan, hat and scratch mitts for baby, as well as a nappy and blanket. I have the baby clothes and nappy in a sandwich bag so it's easy for the midwife to grab. I have a tens machine somewhere, I must add that in, and nearer the time I'll put my kindle and phone charger.
Both other times I've managed to get my stuff in one bag, but for some reason it won't all fit this time, so I have one for me, one for baby (an aldi bag, spot the third child!).
Dont forget towels, darker in colour so you won't wreck them. Plenty maternity pads and big knickers. Muslin squares.
If you plan on breastfeeding, breast pads, nipple cream, multi Mam compresses.
I packed a bag with spare stuff (extra vests, baby gros nappies, wipes, pads) and left it with my Mam, she loves really close to the hospital and would be able to bring stuff if I needed it. My oh still doesn't know the difference between a vest and a baby gro, so I don't fancy my chances with him!!

rainbow kirby

I had 3 bags when I went in to have my son - cabin suitcase for myself, changing bag for baby and a small man-bag (with socks, underwear and a couple of clean t-shirts) for my husband.

During labour I wore a Primark vest top and pyjama bottoms for most of it, they went in the bin after they basically ran with me in a wheelchair from maternity triage to the birth centre.

Blndbby

I figured I will probably have two bags. One for me and one for baby. I'll pack a tshirt for hubby too so he has a clean one. (I like that idea Rainbowkirby!) I don't think he will need much more as he wont be allowed stay overnight.

Im going to do the ziplock bags with the outfits in them and label them. So I'll need a vest, babygrow, hat, scratch mit & blanket for the delivery room?

Then a couple of vests and extra babygrows for the ward? And then an outfit for going home in?

jlm29

Blndbby wrote: »

I figured I will probably have two bags. One for me and one for baby. I'll pack a tshirt for hubby too so he has a clean one. (I like that idea Rainbowkirby!) I don't think he will need much more as he wont be allowed stay overnight.

Im going to do the ziplock bags with the outfits in them and label them. So I'll need a vest, babygrow, hat, scratch mit & blanket for the delivery room?

Then a couple of vests and extra babygrows for the ward? And then an outfit for going home in?

And maybe a little cardi for baby for the delivery room? I dunno, my last two were winter babies, and they did need them. Maybe not in summer! Who knows I'm Ireland though!!! Don't forget a nappy too!

Blndbby

jlm29 wrote: »

And maybe a little cardi for baby for the delivery room? I dunno, my last two were winter babies, and they did need them. Maybe not in summer! Who knows I'm Ireland though!!! Don't forget a nappy too!

A cardi! Good idea

annoyedgal

Dont go too many sizes up in pants or they'll be sagging round the butt and falling down! One size up in penny's high waisted grannies did the trick for me after I ditched all the huge sizes for falling down!
I'd go for a nightgown for labour your not fussed about keeping. Mine was cut off and binned! Brings lots of your own towels and pads if going to holles street. Lots of changes of pjs or tracksuits as I wasn't prepared for the post partum sweats!
Things I packed and never touched were witch hazel, magazines, breastpads, arnica. Was glad of earplugs as four nights on a public ward. Also lashinoh purple cream if your breastfeeding is a must have!
Plastic bags to send laundry home and few changes of clothes for baby. Nursing bras from penny's until your size settles! Cheap and cheerful!
Nice to have nice toiletries for shower, the minatures are handy. And chocolate, lots of it cause you've damned well earned it!

Neyite

Fill a laundry basket at home with extras - such as spare knickers, vest tops breast pads, maternity towels, extra pj's and so on.

That way if you do have to stay in longer for whatever reason, your partner can grab the right kind of items you need eg. knickers you can wear rather than rummaging through your drawer and bringing ones that are thongs /posh/ lacy etc. and won't bring in your 'good' towels.

I heard of one bloke who brought in his partner's lacy thongs. His logic was that they were her favourite since she always wore them. She had had an episiotomy.

jlm29

Neyite wrote: »

Fill a laundry basket at home with extras - such as spare knickers, vest tops breast pads, maternity towels, extra pj's and so on.

That way if you do have to stay in longer for whatever reason, your partner can grab the right kind of items you need eg. knickers you can wear rather than rummaging through your drawer and bringing ones that are thongs /posh/ lacy etc. and won't bring in your 'good' towels.

I heard of one bloke who brought in his partner's lacy thongs. His logic was that they were her favourite since she always wore them. She had had an episiotomy.

And that is exactly why I give my mother those jobs to do!!!

catrionanic

Also, if you're having baby in Holles street, it is super super warm so make sure your pjs are light! My baby arrived in January and he was grand in babygros - a cardi would've been way too warm.
And many babygros have sleeves that you can turn over so it covers their hands - so no need for scratch mitts (which fall off constantly anyway).

Neyite

jlm29 wrote: »

And that is exactly why I give my mother those jobs to do!!!

Not everyone has their mother around.

jlm29

Neyite wrote: »

Not everyone has their mother around.

Obviously I know this. I was referring to myself, not suggesting that everyone has to do it.

cbyrd

Just going to mention something would have been lost without, an extension lead.
The plugs are usually behind the bed up high, so plugging in a laptop/tablet/phone is a pain. With the extension lead, you can pop it on the rail of the bed. Specifically handy after a section! Lol

Blndbby

cbyrd wrote: »

Just going to mention something would have been lost without, an extension lead.
The plugs are usually behind the bed up high, so plugging in a laptop/tablet/phone is a pain. With the extension lead, you can pop it on the rail of the bed. Specifically handy after a section! Lol

Great idea!!:)

Blndbby

catrionanic wrote: »

Also, if you're having baby in Holles street, it is super super warm so make sure your pjs are light! My baby arrived in January and he was grand in babygros - a cardi would've been way too warm.
And many babygros have sleeves that you can turn over so it covers their hands - so no need for scratch mitts (which fall off constantly anyway).

I got a few of those babygrows with built in mitts from Next. They are brilliant!

Notsomindful

I have my labour bag and one small suitcase for me and baby. If I need anything extra, I will get it brought in....
There isn't a lot of room in the ward's in cumin.

I don't like bringing too much in tbh.

appledrop

I just had the one suitcase which I finished packing while in labour as went early as 37 weeks. So my first piece of advice is pack the bag earlier! I have to say it worked out grand. Personally I wouldn't bother bring in loads of stuff for the labour period. It will just take up loads of room + I had a very quick labour so all I had was some water. Bring more vests, baby gros than you think for baby as we had a reflux baby so puked a lot. Dunnes nightgown was great for delivery + then had a good few changes of nightclothes for afterwards as you can have leaks as the ladies have said. Nightgown is a must even if summer baby. I got a real light one in Dunnes. I just used normal pants + normal sanitary towels the extra long slim ones + there were grand. I didn't have a section though so didn't have to worry about stiches. Ladies you are hillarous with the change of clothes for the partners. Now I think after us going through all the labour they can survive with a day old top!

Gatica

We'd a baby bag, my "labour" bag with little extras like refreshing mists/scented oils and snacks, and a hospital stay bag for after.
If you have a car handy where your partner or someone can bring in stuff as you need it, it's easier to keep yourself organised and your ante-natal and post-natal cubicle clutter-free.
Pack early as you never know when you might go into labour and have it either in the car or by the door.
I packed the baby bag with zip-lock bags too (brilliant tip from someone) and showed the contents to hubby so he knew where to find baby things, especially for her first nappy, baby gro/vest/hat/mits and blanket.
I found 2 cellular blankets were plenty to have at hand, not 6 like the hospital advised.
And everything of mine for labour/post-labour was cheap throw-away stuff from Penney's - night-gown, bath-robe, slippers/flip-flops, granny pants... It actually didn't really get that dirty so I'll re-use if have another baby in future.