Essentials for Hospital bag?

[Jmww01]

Starting to pack my hospital bag for first pregnancy, all these 'essential lists' list different things.. what will i actually need? I want to focus on the genuine essentials to begin with and then add bits and bobs as the weeks goes on. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[Major2116]

I have just written my list for my hospital bag.

Main bits I have for baby is:

Nappies, wipes, muslin clothes, 3 vests, 3 sleepsuits, blanket, going home outfit, hat and scratch mits and car seat.

Main bits for me is:

2x nursing or loose nightwear, dressing gown, slippers, 4x pairs of black knickers, 2x packs of maternity/big thick sanitary pads, toiletries and towel including lip balm (Not vaseline), breast pads, clothes to go home in and pregnancy notes/folder.

I have other bits as extras but they're not essential xx

[Hidden in reply to Major2116]

That all sounds great and will help me to pack mine.

The only thing my midwife said was to avoid is baby wipes as babies skin is very sensitive so to use cotton wool and water to clean instead. Just until their skin can handle wipes as even the sensitive ones can be quite harsh.

[Major2116 in reply to Hidden]

I've been told wipes are just as good. I'll pop some cotton wool in just in case xx

[Kempton in reply to Major2116]

I'm in the process of doing mine. How many breast pads do you think are required? I have disposable ones and don't want to take the whole box.

[Major2116 in reply to Kempton]

I just bought a pack from Tesco with 40 in n put the box in xx

[Georgina_D in reply to Kempton]

I took the whole box but didn't leak at all! Most women don't produce alot of milk in the first few days.

[ChrisWest1983 in reply to Georgina_D]

Same - took allbox and did not needed them...

[Munyze]

Hello! Congratulations on your little one. When I went to the hospital I took for the baby

6 short sleeved vests

1 long sleeved vest

2 sleep suits

1 muslin

1 cellular blanket

1 outfit for first pic and one for leaving the hospital

Nappies and cotton disc wool

Mitts and hat for when leaving and car seat

For me

6 pairs of undies, a box of breastpads, pack of sanitary pads (this will be needed until 3 to 7 days after labour), towel for shower, night gown with easy boob access for feeding, travel toiletries, comfy clothes to get around

Then I took also food for strength during labour and snacks for while waiting and energy drinks

[roxannacar]

Maybe pack two different bags... one if you can leave straight away, second if you stay longer that you can leave at home to pick up later (unless you trust your partner to bring you the right stuff lol)

I found the paper underwear good uncomfortable yes but for the first few days flow can be very heavy and accidents are not unheard of!

[ChrisWest1983 in reply to roxannacar]

It sounds like I have written it! I packed 2 bags - one was for short stay and other was for few days stay - at home I washed and prepared piles of tiny baby - newborn - 0-3 piles / just in case we stay in the hospital long time then my partner would know which pile to bring .

Those disposable knickers were great - I bled so much that even the hospital bed was a mess 🙈 Would not want to bring anything home as I think the stains would not come out.

[Lyndsaytw79]

I took the ready made up and sterile formula bottles just in case I was unable to breastfeed for any reason.

Take toiletries for yourself of course, shower gel shampoo toothpaste.

I used those new water wipes, they are literally 99% water and 1% fruit extract, they are expensive but worth it for those first few weeks.

Good luck x

[roxannacar in reply to Lyndsaytw79]

I would check with the hospital but a lot offer the small ready made formula bottles on the ward

[Lyndsaytw79 in reply to roxannacar]

Yeah they used to but not all do now x

[Rohank]

baby essential-

Newborn baby clothes, I prefer onesies as they're easy to put on (see envelope style online) at least 4 with about 5 vests.

about 20 nappies.

one plus one spare blanket.

cotton wool

car seat... make sure you know how to put a baby in it and practice before hand.

mommy -

Lots of fluids, Gatorade.

lots of ready to eat food such as sandwiches.

Electric breast pump as one may not be available in the hospital when required.

maternity pads.

lots of knickers.

Hospital clothes.

nipple cream and nipple shield since almost every lady, no matter what stays say, has problems feeding their baby first time.

TENS machine.

Rest all I will consider as non essential. Be happy, smile and swear....

Good luck from a 2 month old father.

[Kerimarie]

I would recommend a 2nd bag just in case with extras that your partner can bring in! We had to stay in for 5 days in the end and baby got through all 3 of his outfits within about 12 hours! A hat for baby is essential when first born I had 2 different sizes luckily because he had a large head 😂

We used water wipes for the first week or so and plenty of Muslins they are so useful!

I found lip balm and lucozade sport to be godsends! And snacks I had him at 10pm and I didn’t get tea and toast until 4am I was so so hungry as I hadn’t been able to eat in labour!

[ChrisWest1983 in reply to Kerimarie]

Similar situation - through out the pregnancy they said baby will be on the smaller side but month before birth measured 90 percentile - I took all three sizes clothes for baby (tiny/newborn/0-3) the first hat he wore was a dolls hat and tiny baby .

[FiArg]

Hey there, I agree with most comments here, I packed a holdall bag + changing bag which had:

Baby: perhaps have 3 x sized sleep suits and vests, my baby was born at 40 weeks, 7 lbs 8 ounces but didn't fit into her newborn sleep suits and vests so I had to ask granny and hubby to but some tiny baby clothes for her, 4-6 x muslins, 2x hats, 2 x cellular blankets, don't bother with scratch mitts and socks as the sleep suits have this covered. Water wipes are fine (Bounty newborn pack have a voucher for 3 x Huggies and I found Boots own are fine) and have some cotton wool balls as back up, small sudocrem. Plenty of nappies, size 1, I had LIDL ones packed but again they didn't fit my newborn (too big) so ended up asking for the hubby to bring in Pampers which are a smaller fit. Baby nail files and nail scissors.

You: essential travel sized toiletries, toothbrush, toothpaste, I found face wipes are easier than cleanser and cotton pads, moisturiser for face and body, lipbalm, hairbrush, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, deodorant, hairbands and clips. I had dry shampoo, concealer, pocket mirror and small mascara which I didn't really use until last day for photos on leaving. 2 - 3 nursing friendly nighties, dressing gown, 2-3 maternity pads, 2 x loose and comfy clothes, towel, disposable pants but buy in way bigger than your normal size as I found they didn't fit me at all 1-2 sizes up and I preferred the hospital material/netting ones with a small cut at hips/thighs to fit my big thighs and hips! Big cotton knickers, comfy slippers and slip on shoes (I got some trainer style ones from Primark as couldn't do my laces). Phone and charger. Sleep mask was handy as lights came on in ward a lot which is the worst when you do finally get a sleep!

During labour: you may want some easy to eat high energy snacks, cereal bars, soft gummy sweets, banana, lucozade/similar, water bottle with straw is essential,

Medication: they should give you pain relief and for after birth ask for Lactolase as you may not pass a no. 2 easily but it's ok, it does happen but can help. You may also want to pack postnatal vitamins, eg. Pregnacare as they didn't give me any and I felt a bit drained so Vits may have helped.

For breastfeeding: silver cup nipple covers (these were only purchased by me after I got home but they saved my nipples), lanolin nipple cream, 2 x sleep bras, 2 x nursing bras, check your nipples if you can for sizing: turns out apparently mine are small and flat so I needed small sized nipple shields. Nursing pillow came in handy for both me and baby. You don't need it for your bag but I recommend to get familiar with different types of formula, sterilisers, breast pumps in case you need to top up (I did after difficult labour), and that way you are prepared for this in case you have to. I didn't use my breast pads as I found it took at least 3 days before my milk came in so no leakage.

For your birth partner: a change of underwear and top, toothbrush and toothpaste and if you don't share your toiletries with them (I did so saved packing) then some essentials for them, e.g. deodorant. My labour was v long so we did use this kit. My hubby preferred to wear button down shirts rather than T shirts as he could do skin to skin after birth when I couldn't immediately without taking his whole top off.

Sorry for a long list but I honestly did use all this stuff, maybe due to long labour, ended with forceps and 3 day hospital stay but it was all handy!

Best of luck as it's magical and all worth it for the moment when your holding your little one for the first time. ❤👶🤞

[Jmww01 in reply to FiArg]

this was a lovely read, and i thank you for your effort and contribution but this is an old post and i now have a very happy and loving 17 month old ☺️!

our birth was a very relaxed, quick and beautiful experience and i'm very greatful for how everything turned out. It truly was a miracle that everything went as smoothly as it did x

[FiArg in reply to Jmww01]

Oops sorry I'm a bit behind the times! Must be baby brain (I'll probably still be using this excuse when my little one is 17 months too!). I'm new to the forums so will try to look at the post date first next time!! X