Registered User
I agree with all of the above- ditch most of the baby bag. Hospital will supply nappies, wipes, baby wash and mositeriser, baby clothes, towels, blankets, etc- pretty much everyhting you have in there. Bubs won't use the toy yet, and you'll probably get heaps while you're in there.
Anything you desperately need, you can buy or send someone home to grab it for you.
Registered User
Better to be over prepared then under prepared I say
Childonway I have about the same things as you on my list
My hospital is public so I know they do not provide us with baby stuff or anything and plus I would prefer to use my own stuff anyway.
Registered User
check with your hospital on the baby stuff - many DON'T supply baby stuff apart from nappies (and for some, they'll only supply cloth, not sposies) - mine is one of them. given what we were told to bring, i have a lot of baby stuff packed - i may or may not use it but it's packed anyway - so no, i don't think you've over packed at all!
i would ditch the wash stuff for baby though - you don't need that kind of stuff in hospital - it is generally suggested you use only warm water on a new born baby anyway...
BellyBelly Member
...i agree, at such a young age they seriously do not need more than warm water.....save it for when baby gets a bit older.it is generally suggested you use only warm water on a new born baby anyway...
Thongs ??? - ive always taken thongs and worn them in the shower. I shudder to think whats been down that shower drain ........
Personally - i would ditch the labour bag, but thats me....
Good luck !
Registered User
Baby bag - I agree too much
The baby only needs 2 things really, and if you need more just get your hubby to bring them on. It is really tiring and upsetting for bub in the first day or two to be changed into clothes a few times a day so unless you reaaalllly have to change them - dont.
I agree with all the baby wash stuff - you only need warm water and a pat dry until their skin gets used to being on the outside. Even then I wouldnt use babywashes unless natural cos of the soap that is in them in case it irritates their skin. Just back to basics.
The hospital should supply you with flannels you can use also for baby wipes so i wouldnt worry about cotton wool balls.
I took labour lollies first time around and my hubby ate them all LOL - nothing second time, this time nothing either mbear
Hair elastics for labour!!!
Registered User
Ok I have whipped out my Hospital Journal and this is what the Hospital I am going to says to pack!...
Labour Bag
-Extras to assist you during labour, e.g. Johnsons baby oil, sorbolene cream for gentle massage
- Relaxation tapes
- jelly beans/and or barley sugar to suck during labour
- Camera
- Mobile or coins to call people
- An up to date address book with telephone numbers of family and friends
Postnatal Bag
- Nightgowns that open at the front
- 2 breastfeeding bras
- nursing pads
- underpants for a week
- 2-3 packs maternity pads
- Slippers or comfortable slip on shoes
- your own toiletries
- Hairbrush and Shampoo
- Your antenatal record card
- your birth plan
- health insurance details
- comfortable clothes to go home in
- nappies
- baby toiletries
- baby blankets (about 6)
- baby jumpsuits (about 6)
- baby singlets (About 6)
- THIS BOOK
- anything else midwife or doctor may advise
That is the Checklist out of my Hospital Journal...
Obviously every Hospital is different though and we add our own little things to the list.
Registered User
my hospital provide a similar list, but they expressly say NOT to use barley sugar or any hard lolly - if you happen to get a contraction and inhale sharply, it becomes a choking hazard for you!
my hospital doens't give numbers for things like blankets and it was reiterated to us on Monday night to bring TOO MANY blankets - baby's pee, poop and puke and you don't want them in icky stuff! you can never truly have too many blankets to keep baby warm as they are only learning to keep track of their temperature
other things that were suggested - nighties instead of sleep suits - easy access for nappy changing! put socks with these and then wrap bubba - they should be plenty warm enough
snibs (waterproof covers for cloth nappies) - some hospitals don't supply them.
i am taking three smaller bags with me rather than one large one. baby's bag has her first nightie on top, socks easily accessible and snibs for over hospy nighty easy to get to. under that, is both muslin wraps (the stretchy ones) and flanelette and heavier bunny rugs - which ones i use will depend on how warm the room is that we're in. the muslin will be used as a wrap and the other as a blanket as advised by a midwife friend.
i have also put in mittens (baby's are really good at scratching themselve cos they're used to being able to touch their faces with amniotic fluid around them) and also bootees and a few beanies - given the time of year we're going into, warmth is important but i also think layers are a good idea seeing we just don't know how hot the hospital will be...
in the other two bags - one has all my general "stuff" for me - the other has clothes for both me and DH for during labour, pads, spare underwear etc - the stuff i'll need to put my hands on in a hurry. i'm not going overboard with having a seperate labour and post natal bag - just making sure that toiletries and essentials are easy to put my hands on!
BellyBelly Member
As the others have said it really depends on the hospital as to what they will supply. I was public and the only thing that was supplied was the very first nappy (cloth) and bunny rugs to wrap baby in. The rest I had to bring from home (including a bunny rug to wrap the baby in to take him home).
You may find you need more than one set of PJs too (not sure how many you have because your list doesn't say). I only took one set when I had my first baby and after sleeping in them for one night, had to send DH home to get more (you tend to leak a lot after you have a baby . . .sorry tmi).
I would also suggest socks for labour - your feet can get a bit cold. Someone recommended it to me before my first baby and I was so grateful to have socks with me.
I actually tried to pack all my bags in one with all the labour stuff at the top so that I didn't have to lug heaps of stuff with me from place to place (you get moved a bit in hospital from examination room to birth suite to maternity ward) and less bags is easier to keep track of. With my DS I took one great big suit case (the type you pull along on wheels) and put a separate nappy bag for DS inside the suitcase as well as my pillow and everything else. It meant that DH only had one bag to worry about and I didn't have to carry anything into the hospital with me.
Have fun packing your bag . . . I think it is an exciting time
Registered User
i think what you have is ok. Id actually add some socks to both labour bag and hospital bag for yourself.
my first i only had to bring stuff for me and going home outfit for baby. (rest hospital supplied)
my second (different hospital) i had to supply everything for baby.
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