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Hospital bag!
Hello!
When are people planning on packing this/these? I say these because I think I had 3 last time (plus my two bed pillows.... :roll:
I wasn't thinking till 36 weeks or so - when I've finished for mat leave basically - but don't know if I should do it a bit earlier? I has DS at 39+4.
Also, second timers are you basing some of the contents of you bags on how your labour went last time? I.e. I was in hospital for just over 2 hours before my son was born so didn't use LOADS of the stuff I'd packed - books, laptop, cards....!! Will you be assuming that second time round will be quicker?!
Xx
When are people planning on packing this/these? I say these because I think I had 3 last time (plus my two bed pillows.... :roll:
I wasn't thinking till 36 weeks or so - when I've finished for mat leave basically - but don't know if I should do it a bit earlier? I has DS at 39+4.
Also, second timers are you basing some of the contents of you bags on how your labour went last time? I.e. I was in hospital for just over 2 hours before my son was born so didn't use LOADS of the stuff I'd packed - books, laptop, cards....!! Will you be assuming that second time round will be quicker?!
Xx
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Replies
i take:
2 sets of jammies (1 trouser and 1 nightie)
1 sleep bras (nursing ones)
big black nicks (pack of 5 from primark)
1 pack of maternity pads (hosp provide if u dont have any or run out)
1 dark towel (for showers or getting out a birthing pool, its very cold when you're close to being 10cm, u get the chills)
wet wipes/pack of wipes (for when you go to the toilet, toilet paper is rough on grazes or tears)
thin dressing gown and slippers
massage oil (i take a mini johnsons baby oil)
snacks and drinks (lucozade is a must for me)
hairbands
socks
spare pillow?
tens machine?
toiletries... you wont use them probs, i didnt, but i took femfresh shower gel just in case (again mini version)
small amount of breast pads (you dont need loads in the first few days, just in case really)
hairbrush (again mini version)
for baby:
car seat
going home outfit
3 vests, 3 sleepsuits (u dunno how long u may be)
nappies (not loads, hosp will provide if u run out)
hat, booties, scratch mitts
muslins for spillages
blankets, i took 3.
teddy for baby (have this in ur bed for a while running up to the birth so it smells of you)
for hubs:
spare boxers and top
food (something non perishable, like nuts)
camera
list of numbers and phone charger
book or magazine (incase its a long labour or you have a sleep and hubby isnt)
it seems like a lot but you do need most things at some point. i was only in hosp for 8 hrs so didnt use a lot of clothes, so i am packing light, if you have a section u may need an emergency bag at home so someone can bring it in for you as you'll be in longer, with more clothes etc.
heehee dont forget ur pregnancy notes :P
things i didnt take:
lip balm
water spray
music to listen to
toothbrush or paste (just wasnt in long enough)
anything to wear in birthing pool, i went in naked lol
8 hrs, water birth, 10 mins of pushing, no pain relief (forgot to hire a tens machine lol) i guess i feel confident and hope this birth is even quicker.
if not, i think the lists are good enough that we'd be ok. hosps provide most stuff, nappies etc.
i remember taking a tub of sudocrem with me and not even getting it out the bag!
This has moved onto a bit of a different topic!! But other second/third timers - what were your labours like if you don't mind sharing? Xx
I finished packing mine the day I went in to be induced last time (at 37+6 and it was a bit unexpected so I have a good excuse!!). That was also the day that we finished building the cot and bought the car seat (on the way to hospital), we were quite disorganised!!
Anyway, I was in for a total of three days last time so needed more than I'd already packed. And my dd ended up being quite small so all the clothes I'd packed for her were too big and I had to send people out to get properly fitting ones.
This time I'll pack:
FOR ME
Sufficient underwear for a three day stay
A couple of changes of clothes
Nightclothes
Slippers
Clothes to give birth in (I'm recycling the old nighty from last time)
Book / magazine
Snacks (for me and hubby - they weren't very good at giving him food last time)
Money for the car park
Camera
Batteries
Mobile phone
Maternity pads - lots of, I was using two at a time at first to make it more cushioned for my tear
Breast pads
Washbag and toiletries
Hairbands
Spare flannel for labour
TENS
FOR BABY
Packet of nappies (my hospital doesn't supply these)
Vests (tiny baby, newborn and 0-3)
Sleepsuits (in Tiny baby, Newborn and 0-3 so I've got all sizes covered, I have tiny baby already from dd and wouldn't buy them specially). I think the first one this baby will wear will be the first one my dd wore.
Cotton Hats
Cardigan / jacket for coming home
Cotton Wool balls
Muslins
Heirloom blanket knitted by my nan that me, my sisters and dd have all been wrapped in.
I'm sure I've forgotten some stuff!!
My labour was induced at 37+6. I had pre-eclampsia which had worsend at my DAU visit on that day. They wanted to keep my in to start off there and then but I was on my own so pursuaded them to let me home for a couple of hours so I could get my stuff and my husband (and so we could buy a car seat!!!). It was started off at 4pm with a pessery, almost needed an emergency c-sec that afternoon but things sorted themselves out a bit. Had second pessery and then left overnight. Next morning my waters were broken, started having contractions but they kept stopping and I was being sick and couldn't even keep water down. At 5pm they started the drip and finally gave me an anti-sickness jab (by which time I also needed IV fluids) and then things were pretty quick after that as dd was born naturally at 22.09. Did the whole thing on TENS, gas and air and painkilling tablets which apparently is pretty good going for an induced labour. After being stitched up I was admitted to a ward and then allowed to go home two days later.
Needless to say, I don't really want a labour like that this time!! A nice natural one would be preferred, but the main thing is that baby arrives safely.
I went in to be monitored as possible waters broke. They wanted to keep me in and induce. I managed to pursuade to let me go home and get (pack) bag and emergency trip to mothercare!
Can't remember what was in it but ended up being in a week so had to send hubby home for more clothes. This time I'll have a second bag packed at home in case stay in longer.
I was induced and only had 1 paracetamol and gas and air for last 20 mins. Hoping it's as easy this time!
Labour bag:
1 nighty - cheap one you won't mind throwing away
Slipper socks
Lucozade/snacks or lucozade tablets
Camera/spare batteries
Phone charger
Headband
Lip balm - g&a makes your lips really dry
If you think your birth partner won't be able to swap the bags over for a while it might also be worth having in this bag:
Knickers - post birth, just get a few packs of primark cheapies that can be chucked, paper knickers are a waste of money.
Another nighty - I swore i'd wear pj's post birth because I hate nighties but honestly they are so much easier to cope with when you're in the hospital.
Maternity bra/sports bra
Maternity pads - I wore 2 at a time for the first few days overlapping in the middle, it made sitting down a bit softer.
1 vest/babygrow/hat for baby
Baby bag:
2 vests
2 babygrows
1 hat
1 pair scratch mitts
3 muslin cloths/bibs
Going home outfit
Blanket
8-10 nappies/nappy sacks
Wipes - even if you don't use them at home, cotton wool is rubbish on meconium.
Post-natal bag:
Extra nighty
2 Maternity bras
More knickers
Maternity pads - about 3 packs just in case.
Breast pads
Going home clothes
Flip flops - the showers are horrible.
Dark coloured towel - again that you don't mind chucking afterwards.
Pillow - hospital ones are rubbish but make sure you can easily identify it as yours.
Toothbrush/toothpaste
Cidal soap - I used this instead of shower gel it's antibacterial so great on your lady parts or csec wound but it doesn't dry your skin out and it smells of lemon.
Shampoo/conditioner
Deodorant
Face wipes
Hairbrush
Lansinoh cream
Arnica tablets - if you take one at the same time as your painkillers it really helps speed up healing internal bruising.
Entertainment - wards are noisy so I didn't sleep very well and I actually got really bored waiting for DS to want feeding! I'm taking a book, my iphone (free internet!) which has music on it, my portable DVD player and a comedy series. I figure I probably won't get through a whole film.
And lastly a couple of plastic bags to put dirty clothes etc in.
Think thats about it. It does look like a lot but toiletries etc can be bought in travel size so they take up less room.
Last time I had my bags packed stupidly early but with a curious toddler around and nowhere to shove the packed bags i'll have to do it later. This list is based on my labour last time, a lot of stuff taken out that I didn't touch. I don't know that i'll bother taking shampoo etc (even though I put them on my list) because the ward was so hot I felt just as scuzzy after my shower as I did before. I think i'll just stick with dry shampoo - lifesaver!
I was planning on packing my bag at about 35 weeks. A friend of mine delivered a month premature and I'm stressing in case I won't have my bag ready in time!
Can I ask where everyone gets their maternity bras from? :? xx
Rachllsn3, I didn't get any maternity bras last time round & haven't yet this time - I just wore my normal ones, then got a couple of primark cheapies for sleeping in and lazing round the house. I found this fine for me, though I'm not very big on top (36B) so maybe if you are bigger you might need more support? I read something about not wearing underwired bras because they can affect milk duct development, but I never found this a problem and fed my son until 15 months. I bought my nursing bras from M&S, got measured for them at about 38 weeks I think!
debenhams have tons on offer most of the time and u can get padded ones like normal bras as mine seem very thin and nipple shows if i get cold lol sexy times
It's nice hearing about everyone's births, I wasn't aware of how many water births go on - my midwife has talked to me at all about the birth yet! I was expecting to get most of my knowledge from NCT antenatal classes but we can't afford them now (v.expensive) so were lumbered with the dreaded NHS ones (I've never heard a good word about them)
I'm sure if the worst comes to the worse, my best friend lives over the road from the women's hospital so she can borrow me some bits!