Your "must have" for hospital bag?

[jzgrace]

My absolute must have is conditioner. Shampoo by itself wont get delivery tangles out of my hair. I didnt have it with dd1 and asked for it...they came back with shampoo plus conditioner.....didnt help. Then dd2 I forgot it and asked for it again I got shampoo plus conditioner. This time it will be one of the first things in my bag. That and my pillows one for dh. A thick warm blanket for baby, and something really cozy to wear during my stay that is easy to nurse in. Those are all most important to me for sure!

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

We never did with out previous labour but after DD was born I really wanted to thank her, midwives really do, do an amazing job so we popped Into the hospital shop and got her a card and a box of chocolates. She really did appreciate it too.

So this time I think I will take a little thank you card and a box of chocolates again

Hmm I have homemade blackberry jelly that I made last season, maybe I could decorate the jar all cute with holiday fabric and ribbon with some crackers. Would it be weird to hold off until *after* the birth? I'm so nervous about getting the midwife I don't like because she's a harsh women and has had no patience for me this entire pregnancy, but I love the other two... lol!

 

[kksy9b]

You could always stop back in after the birth or mail something with a picture of your LO

 

[lillylollypop]

I ended up having to ditch my homebirth and go to the hospital on short notice....So I packed my bag in less than 10 minutes. All I brought with me were:

2 pairs of underwear
comfy pants
2 shirts
2 pairs of socks
pads (the hospital gives you some too)

And then an outfit for baby with blanket.

It was more than I needed, I stayed less than 24 hours and left 3 hours after having her. I was admitted around 4pm and left by 7:30 the next morning. I wish I had brought deodorant and my tooth brush. But I forgot those in my haste to get to get ready. We even had to open assemble the car seat as it was still in the box with stroller!

 

[Mrs Dragonfly]

I love the simplicity of what you took! I would really like to keep our bag just as simple so DH doesn't have to feel like he's carrying luggage...

When are you ladies installing your car seats? DH is ready to strap it into my car now but we have 7 more weeks to go so I'm thinking maybe installing it at 37 weeks just in case? Right now it's sitting in the nursery out of the box because I like to fiddle and look at it

 

[Mummy to be x]

Car seats! We haven't bought ours yet, we plan to get it in a couple of weeks. We wanted one to match the pram so we will collect it in a couple of week.

I think we will pop it In the car around week 37-38

 

[Selaphyna]

I love the simplicity of what you took! I would really like to keep our bag just as simple so DH doesn't have to feel like he's carrying luggage...

When are you ladies installing your car seats? DH is ready to strap it into my car now but we have 7 more weeks to go so I'm thinking maybe installing it at 37 weeks just in case? Right now it's sitting in the nursery out of the box because I like to fiddle and look at it

We have ours bought (I bought it back at the beginning of this month) but it has been sitting in OH's trunk this whole time. And I finally bought a second base this past weekend, which I plan to pick up on Wednesday for my car, so that way we don't have to switch between both. But yeah it's not set up yet. I keep trying to get him to do it, but it's like pulling teeth. I plan to make him do it this weekend if I don't go into labor before then.

 

[Buckles]

A packet of micro baby nappies, my daughter didn't fit into newborn nappies for quite a while! Xx

 

[MrsVenn]

For baby, a towel as EVERYONE has told me to not change him on my bed incase he wees..

For me, it's sweets. A bag of Haribo got me through to 7cm last time. And dettol wipes.

 

[Carlyp1990]

Magazines and snacks for after when everyone goes home and baby is sleeping. I got so bored sat in bed on my own last time when my oh went home for some sleep xx

 

[Carlyp1990]

As for the car seat ill probably get oh to fit the base when I'm in labour or he'll do it when I'm in hospital like he did last time.

 

[Mummy to be x]

Magazines and snacks for after when everyone goes home and baby is sleeping. I got so bored sat in bed on my own last time when my oh went home for some sleep xx

Me too!!

 

[AK89]

My pregnancy pillow was invaluable during labour and afterwards! As it was throughout pregnancy and ever since for that matter.. It helped me get some rest when I had diamorphine after a long day of labour, it helped me get as comfortable as possible during the active stage, it helped me get comfy afterwards (had to stay in hospital for 24 hours after) and I've used it ever since to sit on on the sofa ('cause of stitches) and to sleep with in bed (it really helps with feeding!) My OH got it me off Ebay when I first got pregnant. Think it was about £10-20. Whatever it cost, it's worth its weight in gold!

Also I borrowed a TENS machine off a friend and it really helped me throughout my whole (veeeery lengthy) latent stage so I'd definitely recommend one of those if you can get hold of one.

Also I'd take a handheld fan (hospitals are SO hot), some energy drinks like Lucozade and some chocolate...

My sister recommended taking a face cloth to wring to take your focus off the pain of contractions! I took one but I didn't find it much help in the end for that - I much preferred leaning on the window sill with the window open, swinging my hips with my eyes closed breathing very deeply in and out imagining that I was riding a bike up a hill, until the contraction peaked, then that I was rolling down the other side as the pain subsided! This is what the midwife recommended and it really helped. But I did find a use for the face cloth later - having it damp on my forehead during the active stage.

 

[zilla]

Generally the same stuff as everyone else has mentioned but these came in SO handy last time:

spray face toner, for cooling down
brand new PJs, for a little luxury!
loads of baby wipes(they say to use cotton wool but I found baby wipes for holding "down there" when I wee'd after the birth to stop it stinging as much)

Although hoping for home birth this time round but still have bag packed just in case.

We've already installed the car seat in the car, as we're going away for the weekend next weekend at 36 weeks and need to have all baby stuff in the car "just in case".
Plus it was getting in the way and annoying me lol.

 

[x Helen x]

I really didn't need / use much last time. The only things that were useful were mini bottles of shower gel and shampoo for my bath after baby was born, spare PJs, slippers, maternity pad and of course all of baby's bits and bobs.

I wasn't even allowed to bring my hospital bag in from the car when in labour as they didn't want to admit me (wasn't in labour.... apparently!) So I didn't get to see any of my stuff until baby was born, by which time a lot of the stuff I had packed was useless. Saying that the magazines did come in handy for reading on the ward after.

NO citrus flavoured drinks as if you have a graze or a tear then you will be in agony when peeing!! I learnt this the hard way lol!