Packing hospital bag...but have no idea!!!

I borrowed some of my DH's front buttoning shirts and bought 2 button up PJ's/nighties for breastfeeding and I got heaps of use out of them.

All the best!

T-shirts are good for every day wear, but if you've never tried to breastfeed before, it might be wise to make sure that they are loose ones that will be wasy to pull up. Or take specific nursing tees or singlets that have a "pocket" that you're boobie can poke through.

Just a note, my biggest baby was 10p14 and 000 we're big on her in hospital too, you wouldn't think so :rolleyes: She wore 000 at least for the first few months.
I'm taking in outfits for this little one, all ooo. at least 2 for each day including socks and singlets and a couple of jumpers and a hat for going home.

Me I'm taking casual clothes, tracky dacks, t shirts, and a jumper - pj's and dressing gown for night and bed socks and slippers :)

Take care now :)

kirst11 & lizzy - thanks for that, maybe i should get a couple of those button up PJ coz i'm not really a nightie person. i like n feel a lot better in pants. ;) although borrowing those shirt from hubby isnt such a bad idea either! :)

sajemsha : i mostly have 000 but i think a few 0000 wouldnt hurt coz i have no idea how big bub's gonna be! :) that said, i'm off to more shopping tomorrow.

Misty, I didn't plan to - but ended up wearing my stretchy maternity pants in hospital during the day. I didn't feel like I was "sick" so didn't want to walk around in pjs - much preferred to be dressed. At night the hospital was so warm, only needed summer nightwear in July in melbourne!

Meanwhile, I have no problem bumming around in my PJ (I do it most days now), Thank the big fella for Peter Alexander I say! :lol:

that's one way of looking at it anney!! lol i dont really have any maternity pants but lots of track dacks so that will be it for me. i dont really like being in nighties/dresses. bugs me.... ;)

kirst11 : o yea!! PJs are really comfy too....so yea, i might be in them too!! hehehe...i think it all boils down to what you feel most comfy in eh?

Oh Monnie it's exciting that it's THIS time!

* should I pre-wash all the new baby clothes? absolutely!
* how many baby clothes changes will I need to make per day? I would bargain on 2.
* how many baby wraps should I take? 2-3 for each day
* do babies wear singlets under all of their clothes? yes..
* are baby socks fine instead of booties? absolutely!
* what sizes should I pack? 0000 I would suggest...

Have you packed your bag yet???

should I pre-wash all the new baby clothes? I didn't bother. I did wash all the second hand ones though.
how many baby clothes changes will I need to make per day? My hospital (public) supplied clothes so I just brought one to take him home in. Always putting a big bib on bubs will reduce how many clothes changes you will need to do. Two pieces rather than the wondersuits will reduce this too, if there's a nappy leak you only need to change the bottom.
how many baby wraps should I take? Our hospital supplied these, I just brought a bunny rug for the trip home.
do babies wear singlets under all of their clothes? In winter, yes unless you have your heating on at home all the time. The ones that snap up under the crotch are better because they don't expose baby's tummy every time you pick them up.
are baby socks fine instead of booties? Better. I found the booties fell straight off. The socks stayed on fine until he learned how to pull them off :-)
what sizes should I pack? I had a 9 ounce baby. He never fitted into 0000 so we went straight to 000.

Regarding the tops, I found it easier to wear non-buttoning tops and just pull them up. I was way too tired to undo and redo all those buttons!

hi Monnie

You must be so excited....:) i have no idea what to pack, but I wanted to say good luck.

I can't wait till the day its time to pack my own hospital bag....HOW EXCITING....:)

Hey guys

Thanks so much for all of your advice and well wishes...

After procrastinating for days...I've finally finished packing...well...mostly!

Everything except for toiletries and day clothes for me (which I'm still needing to wear around the home)...

I was thinking...with the blood loss that you experience after birth...is it wise to have nice pj's? I don't want to take horrible ones...but I don't want to ruin my good ones either!

Yes...it is very exciting...I still have to pinch myself that this is really happening...

Thanks again guys!

If you have a good supply of Maternity pads, you shouldn't ruin any of your PJs. Just wear dodgy undies :D

I do recommend everyone to take 2 bags. One with your labour needs and one with your hospital needs (leave this one in the car until your back at the ward). Much more organised and easier to lug around with you. Send all your labour things home afterwards as they get very wet.
Good luck
K

Cool...I've saved all my dodgy undies...so I can chuck them if I need to!

Good idea Kaylene...I'll definitely do that!

kaylene : but there isnt really that much for the labour bag is it? pls correct me if i'm wrong....but it's mostly toiletries and a t-shirt for birthing in right plus DH's stuff if he's going to be in the bath with u massaging n all..... :dunno:

My friend suggested taking a hair dryer to dry yourself down there after the toilet as you will be so sore you wont want to use toilet paper. Anyone else done this?

Maybe pack some thongs to use in the shower if you are sharing a shower with others.

The hairdryer things sounds dangerous and painful to me!! You could always take in a few rolls of your own favourite soft toilet paper if you were worried. I don't know what it is like coz I had a caesar but I cringe at the thought of burning hot air near my bits!

I would definately wash new baby clothes, you never know how many grubby people have had their hands on them, if they have been bought and returned, and to get any excess dye or chemicals out that would irritate a brand new babies skin.

Take heaps of baby outfits and bunny rugs too, I had about ten outfits and still had to get dh to go and buy more, and take a load of washing home. Some days we went through 3-4 outfits, just depends how spewy they are, and if you are in for a few days once your milk comes in their poos go real sloppy and runny and soak through clothes really easy!

Oh the memories.
Bit OT but I remember in hospital with ds, it was about day 3 or 4, my milk had come in, I was getting a bit ****y thinking it was pretty easy to breastfeed so I was holding ds to the boob and having a glass of water myself at the sametime. All of a sudden he spewed absolutely everyone so I have jumped and my drink has gone all over us both too, so I buzz the poor midwives and they come in to find me and ds both covered in vomit and saturated. It was all over the bed too!! Funnny now, but oh so yucky at the time!

sorry, should of said a hair dryer with a cool button