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Couldn't find a thread on this, though I bet there is one somewhere!
My bub is due mid November, and I live in Brisbane. It's already pretty darn warm. But I know air con in hospitals tends not to match the outdoor temperature. So what should I pack for bub? Would a wondersuit be too hot for hospital? Should I just take singlets and wraps? I'm hoping to come home same or next day but must be prepared in case stay is longer!
i'd pack wondersuits, singlets, wraps, nappies.
I just used singlet/t-shirt type things while in hospital with my summer babes, and then wrapped. The wondersuit buttons can be a pain at the best of times ;) While sleep deprived and recovering from labor/c-section, I went for the minimalist approach! Depending on your hospital you might need nappies & wipes. If you're planning on bathing bub in hospital some cotton balls and cotton buds come in handy too.
I just packed everything mainly because I couldn't decide which one was cutest just as well because I packed some the next size up also which was good cause dd was bigger than I expected and skipped half the clothes I packed
DD was born during a February heatwave in Perth but the hospital wards were freezing! That plus the fact that newborns can't control their body temperature means they still need to be rugged up but in removable layers so they do not overheat. My hospital provided tiny tops and swaddles but you definitely need singlets, hats/beanies, socks, and a few all in ones (not all hospitals provide clothes). If you plan to use a zip up/modern swaddle like Ergo or Swaddle me up bring those in. We never mastered old fashioned swaddling and wished we had known about the modern swaddles from the get go.
Our hospy also provided disposables, baby wipes and johnsons bath products but bring your own wipes if you prefer, and newborns don't need soap or shampoo when bathing. Olive oil is goid for cradle cap and getting rid of the birth muck from their heads.
Ps how exciting! I loved packing for my hospy stay.
All the above advice sounds good. I'd also recommend packing a couple of different sizes. We only had the equivalent of 0000 clothes with us at the hospital and our baby never fit into them. Or you could just take 000 and maybe they'll be a little big but that should be fine.
Which hospital? If your going to Mater take warm stuff that place is like an ice box:
The beanies are a great idea as most heat is lost through the head. Hospitals are like ice boxes! Does the hospital tell you what they do/don't provide? When we had DS, they provided onesies, nappies, wipes (like thick paper towels that we had to wet ourselves), beanies and singlets - saved washing while we were in hossy. We just needed a going home outfit ;)
Check with the hospital, we didn't need to take anything because it was all provided, nappies, wipes, clothes, bath gear, wraps. But I did take a few outfits because the hospital ones were kind of drab.
Think about whether you want first few days (photos/visitors) in borrowed hospital clothes or in your own clothes for baby. Part of the fun bit for me was to have baby in clothes that i had picked for them. Also helps to see baby as yours, and not the hospitals.
I'm the total opposite Hotl - if the hospital provides baby clothes I'd take advantage of it so it means less laundry when you get home!
To answer the original question definitely take a couple of sizes. It's really personal preference whether you use wonder suits, singlets, etc. I avoided singlets at all cost with DD because she hated having things pulled over her head. Hospital aircon tends to be a bit chilly but you can always wrap bub in extra blankets/swaddles if needed. And you can always send someone home to get more stuff if you need.
I took some clothes for mine, ended up using hospital baby clothes (singlets, nighties) both times as DS was tiny and DD was a chucker. Newborns are usually all swaddled most of the time anyway so you can't really see what they have on. Take a nice Blanket or wrap instead. Keep the clothes for the trip home!
I took clothes for bub but she stayed in hospital clothes the whole time til be dressed to go home because she was too small for any outfits! She came home in a 00000 onesie that my mum ran out to buy :)
THe hospital might supply a list of things that they recommend too (such as whether nappies and wipes are required or not). I think most give you a starter pack at least, but you might need extras depending on how long your stay is.