why i wont be packing a lot for my hospitl bag...

[PregnantKitty]

Just thought I'd share my thoughts on this...

With both of my previous pregnancies i packed entirely too much to bring to the hospital and i dont know why. The hospitals around here give you pretty much everything you and baby need the first few days such as bottles, formula, blankets, wipes, diapers, and even burp cloths and onsies.

So this time around i plan on just bringing the following:

Camera
1 newborn bottle/nipple
My own breast pump and breast pads
LOs take-home outfit (including a hat and blanket because it's winter)
1 package of binkies
A comfortable robe and change of clothes for myself
Toiletries
A nice pillow (hospital ones arent always that comfy)
And maybe a stuffed animal because i like to cuddle something when i sleep.

And that's it for my stugf though i do plan on packing along a bag for DH. Mostly a few things to entertain himself, a phone charger, extra cash/change, a few snacks, and a list of phone numbers in case our cells die or something.

Now, i know a lot of ladies see no harm in overpacking buuuuut then you get stuck having to try to figure out how to pack it all into the car after carrying it all, the diaper bag, the stuff you get at the hospital, and your LO through the hospital to the car, and any gifts people give you while you're there.. and then when you get home it all has to be carried inside while you're probably just exhausted and dont want to do much and you OH is just as drained and your hands are both already full.

So in short, save yourselves the trouble and pack light.
Keep it simple and the easier the better.
Keep in mind that there are women out there who deliver so early they have nothing packed and they still make due and are fine.

 

[mummytobe_93]

I think it definitely depends on the hospital. For example my hospiral in the uk they will only provide you with sanitary after birth towels and formula if you bottle feed. You have to provide everything else. They also may let you borrow breaat pump if there's one available. So definitley check with hospiral first x

 

[bounceyboo]

^ I agree in my hospital they only provide the babys formula in ready made bottles an that's it I have to provide everything else but having said that I get mine and babys health care for free from confirming pregnancy until baby is 6 weeks old

 

[RaspberryK]

When I had ds it was an unexpected last minute thing, we had a set of clothes for him and nothing else really.
It was fine, they gave me a disposal wash kit with a sachet of soap, shampoo, toothbrush and paste and provide towels. They also gave me huge maternity pads and disposable pants even though I had my own they said I'd probably leak through them quickly and they were right.
I pretty much went home a couple of hours later wearing the same stuff I came in - no big deal.
I suppose had we had a long stay I'd have wanted more stuff but being 10/15 mins from the hospital and shops open 24 hours then it wouldn't have been any trouble to get anything else required.
Some of the stuff on the list I never use at home and the hospitals are so hot I really wouldn't want slippers and dressing gown etc.
I have a birth box/emergency transfer box with a couple of cereal bars and a drink, 2 baby outfits, cardi, hat, blanket, few nappies, one outfit for me, sanitary items and that's it.
I'm happy to wear and ruin a hospital gown rather than buy and ruin pj's/nightie etc.
Xx

 

[Perplexed]

I didn't pack anything for dd last time...and the hospital didn't give us anything for her! Didn't even pack enough for myself lol!

 

[Monzter79]

I have a carry-on bag, a bag for our toiletries, and I used our diaper bag for the baby things. DH has a small duffle bag and a bag for electronics. We will probably end up with a cooler bag for my broth and snacks too.

I don't think it's too much. I packed according to the list that the hospital gave me. I probably have a few more clothes than I need (layering options), but feel like we are packed just as we would be for any other long weekend trip.

We go backpacking and can live off of a very light load for a long time. But, if DH is just schlepping some stuff from house to car- I'm pretty sure he can manage. No pity from me! ;-)

 

[RaspberryK]

Long weekend trip ... lol! Can't think of a worse place to go on holiday

Xx

 

[Monzter79]

Long weekend trip ... lol! Can't think of a worse place to go on holiday

Xx

Oh c'mon!! There're WAY worse places to be! LESS stuff won't necessarily make things more tolerable. (Depending on the stuff, of course.)

The comfort measures I pack may only end up being used as projectiles... But I'm okay with that. LOL!!

 

[Cattia]

I always over pack - I think it's a control thing! With both my children I took two bags to hospital, one for me and one for the baby. With my son he was sick over everything so we ran out of sleep suits even though I had loads. The main thing is food. I was up most of the night breastfeeding and generally not sleeping and I was starving. My food list will consist of 4 bottles of lucozade and a bag of jellybeans (used these for the birth last time), a large tube of pringes, two large bars of chocolate and a pack of cup-a-soups. I got through pretty much all of that in the day and night I was in last time!

 

[RaspberryK]

Long weekend trip ... lol! Can't think of a worse place to go on holiday

Xx

Oh c'mon!! There're WAY worse places to be! LESS stuff won't necessarily make things more tolerable. (Depending on the stuff, of course.)

The comfort measures I pack may only end up being used as projectiles... But I'm okay with that. LOL!!

I'm hoping to not have to go in at all hence the extremely lightly packed box.

Xx

 

[Hopefulk]

I packed thinking I'd have baby and be in hospital for one/two nights. Turned out I was admitted and was in for three days before having baby so went in with one nice bag and left with that, gifts, flowers, balloons, a baby and about four carrier bags of additional stuff (can't trust my hubby to find a nice bag - it's always a bag for life!)

My additional stuff included:
Shampoo & hair dryer (thought I'd shower/bathe in early stages of labour before leaving the house)
A bottle of squash (hospital water just has a taste to it, no?!)
My own mug and jar of decaf coffee (they had tiny cups and horrific and caffeinated coffee)
Extra clothes
Pregnancy pillow
A fan (November but a million degrees in my room)
Towels

It was not what I had planned! This time, I'll pack a hospital bag and another bag I'll leave at home with all the other bits in, in case I'm I n for a longer time than planned again (could not bear to see my dh turning up with another waitrose bag when I have perfectly lovely luggage at home!)

And at our hospital, I was told off for asking for more cotton wool balls (you can have one bag (about 12 balls) but you really need to bring your own - you should ask your husband to buy some"). Although this time, I'll be taking wet wipes anyway!

 

[aknqtpie]

I will probably end up overpacking.. but will have a bag for "things I may need in labor/right after birth" .. and a bag for everything else that can be left in the car until after baby gets here.

Am I the only one that gets overwhelmed by all of this stuff?

 

[londonangel]

My hospital doesn't provide anything at all. If you want to formula feed you have to bring everything yourself and who knows how one is meant to make it on a ward without a kettle! I'm hoping to breastfeed again but that was a nightmare last time so who knows what will happen!

 

[mel28nicole]

I wish I over packed because I ended up being in the hospital for 6 days (3 days of induction, 3 days recovery from c-section). Baby stuff I was good on since hospital provided the essentials, but DH spent majority of the time in the same clothes we came in (he thought he wouldn't need anything, boy was he wrong), spent money on tooth brush and other little toiletries that he forgot (next time I'll do it all myself I guess) and we spent nearly $100 on food because the hospital only provided for me ($8 meals for DH) and that was only AFTER I delivered. The hospital we were at was 45 minutes to an hour away (depending on traffic) so he didnt leave at all (plus parking was expensive and we weren't paying out the ass for parking each time) so we had to rely on family members to bring the things we forgot.

 

[CamoQueen]

One thing I'm making sure to bring again is a book. I read nearly an entire book when I was in the hospital with my last one. It was nice!

I'm trying to pack light this time, too. I never need as much as I end up packing, kind of like when I go on vacation.