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:doh: Hi Everyone!
Well it's time to pack the bag for the hospital! I've just done the nappy bag for bubs (it was so exciting! lol) but I'm not sure how to tackle the one for myself!
I've got the list from the hospital but most of the stuff is currently in use
eg: Maternity Bras
Jarmies/dressing gown
toiletries
I don't really want to go and buy a second item to pack in the bag (this could be a pricey exercise!) unless necessary - just after some ideas on how to get around this!
xoxox
Nat
Yeah, Nat. I have the same problem. I haven't gone out and bought seconds - except for the toothbrush and toothpaste. I have everything together in the bathroom so I can grab it and chuck it in the bag when it's time to go - or get someone else to do it, it necessary. I did, however, buy an extra nightie, slippers and undies as well.
The baby's bag is chocker block!!
Hey girls, I was a slacker and didn't pack my bag until I was in labour! (First baby - I was in labour for a while ;) )
I made the mistake of thinking I'd fit into my pre-pregnant jammies. Noooo, siree. Take bigger clothes cause you still have a jelly belly for a little while :)
Have you got lots of girly products? (ie, big fat surfboard sanitary pads?) Take LOTS, lol.
All the best for your labour and birth!
ETA: Oo, I forgot, you might need to take a cardie or slightly warmer clothes, even though it's summer - those hossies have air con that's sometimes a little chilly...
Oh yeah......... I forgot to mention taking ten million "elephantine" surf boards!! Thanks Snacks.
Im not much help as i went and bought 2nd items. Although i had millions of undies...i made sure i packed all my oldies....so if need be...could just be thrown out..but wasnt the case.
I found taking jammies and clothes i felt comfortable a bonus. Nothing better then just giving birth and then getting into nice clothes. Also i felt great being able to put lovely moisturiser on....so pack some things u love....
Also a magazine or book... laying in bed while bubs sleeping... not fun and can be boring...unless ur catching up on missed sleep urself!!
Good luck!!
From memory there is a link somewhere on BB about what to take? I've had my bags *mostly* packed for a few weeks "Just in case" and have a list of things that still need to go into what bags on the pinboard next to the phone so that if I get too excited andcan't remember, or have to rely on DH to finish the packing, we won't forget anything... well that's the plan ;)
I have two bags packed. One is my labour bag and has;
Heat/cool pack
spare undies for me
"surf boards"
jelly lollies (Snakes and frogs) to keep my energy up if I need/want them
Two bottles of powerade for me
a 6 pack of fruit juice for DH
Snacks for DH (incase it's a looooong process - I don't want him fainting because he hasn't eaten!)
Swimmers and towel for DH (My hospital likes Dad to be "decent" even if he's helping you in the shower during labour
Lip Balm (to be packed later)
An outfit for bub for me to use a "focus" point
Socks (incase I end up with cold feet which is apparently common
slippers (I have a fear of slipping over on hospital floors - done it plenty of times as a nurse!)
Camera (to be packed)
Notepad and pen (so I can record things if I feel the urge!)
A change of clothes for DH incase he gets mucky)
A list of names and numbers for DH to SMS/call when baby arrives (and also email addresses so he can email those we're not calling when he gets home)
Then I have my hospital bag which has all of bubs stuff as per the hospital "guidelines"
Three pairs of PJ's for me (so I don't have to rely on DH washing them all the time)
3 sets of day clothes (to be packed because I'm wearing them now) so I don't have to sit in PJ's all day - I'm not sick after all!
Dressing gown
More surf boards
Standard toiletries
A stick of sard wonder soap (so I can pre'treat and rinse any nasty undies before DH takes them home to wash)
LOTS of undies
A pair of shoes (for going home but will prob use the same ones I'll wear on my way)
Mobile ph charger and mobile (so I can reach DH)
Some spending money
Sunnies (I don't go anywhere without them)
HTH
MG
Sounds like a great idea having it all in the bathroom ready! I guess I sorta think that as soon as the contractions start it will be time to go to the hospital! Must get that thought out of my head! Good news is home is 10mins from the hospital so DH or mum can bring me anything I've forgotten!
I bought spare toothpaste and cheapy toothbrushes for my bag, but otherwise it's things I have anyway. Oh, aside from feeding bras and tops, those are new: I don't need them pre-birth though. Just remember, any toiletries you buy now are probably useable again at home, so it's not too much of an expense.
I can fit into pre-preg clothes now, so had no troubles packing clothes. Though most of my trousers are quite low-slung so that does help. I have a labour bag with food, DH clothes and my TENS machine in, and I have a small suitcase with 3 days' worth of clothes for me and Liebling, toiletries, nappies, maternity pads... that stuff takes up most of the space! Remember the disposable pants too, they make special ones for late pregnancy and post-pregnancy.
As you say, people can bring in things you have forgotten, and how long are you going to be in there anyway?
Don't forget your woolly socks for cold tootsies! I would recommend getting some nice new jarmies (top and bottom so you can BF without showing your undies) or otherwise some comfy trackkies that you can wear in bed/at day time that aren't too daggy when your visitors come.
Dont forget your toothbrush!! hehe
When I had DS I hadn't packed my bags and had to send DH home to do it, I DO NOT recommend this :-)
I went out and bought lots of cheap but sturdy undies and that way I can chuck them if they are too gross. Also pack plastic bags to put your soiled clothes in. As for how to get around using the items I have been putting my smaller maternity clothes in the bags, like the stuff I wore mid pg as for mat bra I have 5 so I have packed 2 or 3. But last time I would pack one and wear one then wash the one I was wearing, use the one in the bag and pack the newly washed one (does that make sense)
As for toiletries I have them in a bag that stays in the bathroom and I just take them out and use them then put them back and figure if I forget them at least DH can't get that too wrong :-)
Check the main site, there is a whole article on what to pack ;)
Personally there were 2 items I couldn't live without:
Nice smelling body wash for post baby... its pretty yuck after birth & its nice to feel fresh & clean.
Flip flops or thongs or whatever you call them. To shower in if its a more public bathroom or to just walk down the hall in.
I can't remember where I saw this, but someone, somewhere suggested purchasing a pack of el-cheapo mens' undies as these are great with the surfboards, they're cheaper than ladies' undies and come in 7-packs. I've got a couple of packs already (well, I had several, but DP nicked a pack *grrr*)
Surfboards! Ha! I forgot about that term.
I packed the toothpaste when the tube was nearly empty, and just put the new tube in the bathroom. I put a new toothbrush in my bag, so I will keep using my old one until I come home from the hosp, when I can just turf it in the bin, and finish off the last of the toothpaste. As for shampoo, conditioner and soap, I had a sample sachet of each that I picked up from somewhere, so have packed those (and a clothes peg in case I need to clip them together for the trip home if there's much left) in a soap container.
For a moisturiser, I have quite a few bottles floating around, so just picked a nice one and put that in, and am using another. I packed something that smells nice, but isn't too strong so that when people hug me they won't get that hospital smell - yuk.
I bought a heap of granny undies, as I always wear g strings (which probably aren't much good for surfboards!), and some pretty nighties and a thin cotton nightgown (I need to feel pretty) for my hosp stay (also handy when have to get up every 3 hours and go to another room to feed baby).
Will go looking for a book or magazine to take with me.
I will have to go through MG's list again, and add a few things to my bag I think. Like I forgot about the heat/cold pack. oops.
Even before I just thought about other things I need in my bag, I still haven't finished packing either mine nor baby's bags, and I'm due Saturday week!
But how much do you pack and generally not use? I don't want to have to have a whole entourage just to bring in my bags behind me as I enter the hospital.
Yep I'm worried I'll overpack! Some of the lists I've seen of things to pack are huge!
Stupid question - but what part of the body is the heat/cold pack for and is it for after bubs has arrived?
I'm also going to pack a tennis ball for DH to massage my back with!
The heat pack is for your lower back I think. Like using a hot water bottle when you have period pain. Not sure about the baby. The hospital I'm going to doesn't microwave the wheat bags anymore (someone managed to get one to explode), so I need to take one of the gel packs with me (you can put it in the freezer or warm/hot water). You may want to check this wherever you are going too. I don't use water bottles when I have bad period pain, but I have found that heat on the bottom of my back helps at the moment when its hurting.
As for over packing, I keep reading the lists, then rereading, thinking "am I really going to be needing all this stuff?" Surfboards, okay, but I'm only going away for 2 nights! Then the Man pointed out that it could be longer. I suppose, and I don't want to have to get him to go home after work to pick something up for me on his way to see me.
Nat, I was in hospital for 8 days and I never had enough! My recommendations.....
buy the cheap BLACK undies so you can turf them-I also had the mens ones and they were great. In regards to the best "surf boards" I found the Kotex maternity ones the best. They were very soft and didn't aggrevate down there if you have stiches. Slippers, PJ's or nighties (get ones with buttons up the top like nanna ones if you are going to breast feed) take in some trackies and a t-shirt it is nice to get out of your PJ's. Hair ties and clips, you don't have the luxery to do your hair nicely just wash it and pin it back. A hair dryer and then your toiletries. My first night I had a catheter in and couldn't get up and had to rely on the midwives to change my pad and because I slept like a baby I made a huge mess and my PJ pants were ruined and thrown out, so don't take in your fav PJ's! Go to Best and Less and get el cheapo PJs and they still are cute.
Hmm all u ladies r so organised & prepared for everything! It didn't occur to me to even have a labour bag. My hospital bag is pretty sad aswell compared to most of urs lol. I have packed the surfboards,lots of old undies, as i rememeber how many i went through last time & ruined. I might actually go out & buy sum nice pj's today, i do agree its nice to feel like u look nice after such a tough thing to go through. I lived in my pj's last time, so i think i will only pack some clothes to leave the hospital in & maybe just some some nice trackies & a top incase i want to have a wonder. I wear all my maternity bras atm so i will have to rememeber to pack them when it all starts. Thongs for the shower r a must! As is a hairbrush & moisturiser
Oh and lip gloss or moisturiser. The aircon can dry them out.
The heat/cool pack is also useful for afterwards. I went to the women's in Melbourne and they had these small frozen packs that they put inside your pad to help with the swelling. To me if felt like I had a giant golf ball down there and the cold packs helped relieve the pain. The heat pack is good also for afterwards when your muscles are hurting from pushing. You'll feel like you went to the gym for the first time in months!
I forgot one of the most important things, I know it will sound weird but take your pillow from home! My neck was put badly out of place because of the crappy pillows in the hospital and the smell will remind you of home-better yet take your hubby's so it smells like him and it feels like he is always there :-)
Always have lip balm with me, so can't forget that! I hadn't though about using the cold pack afterwards, but incase nobody at the hospital tells me, I will try to keep it in mind.
I'm also taking the Man's pillow with me. He will be so impressed (not). He can have mine to remind him of me!
The good thing is my mum is coming up from Tassie just to look after me! So I can send her home to get me stuff or to the shop to get some food! lol!
Briohny - good news on the Kotex being good - that's the only brand of maternity surfboards my supermarket has!
Sounds like a trip to Best and Less or Big W is on the cards! I've got a few pairs of black undies but I might get a few more just in case - I don't think I'm actually prepaired for how my body will react after the birth!
What about some hotel size shampoo & conditioner??? When I went on holiday I picked up some herbal essence mini shampoo & conditioner, which lasted a week. You can also get mini size toothpaste & body wash, which will work out cheaper than buying the full size if you needed to.
Oooh I pack my normal pillow and one of those big triangle ones!! I used it through the labour as well as afterwards...I love my pillows! hehehe.
Has anyone mentioned breast pads?? Worth packing just in case your milk comes in - mine did on day 2!
Definitely soft toilet paper...
Sounds like some great tips for avoiding doubling up! I've added them to my list as well!
OK. So, I've gone through this whole thread and taken notes. Lastnight I went and "repacked" my bag in to a large suitcase (I had a little back pack). I have lollies for me and DH, clothes for him, bathers for him, towels for showering (him and me), a change of clothes, ten million different kinds of tops (I've heard that they need to be easy to take off because if you end up with a drip in your arm, you can't change your top). I have ten million other items in there as well which I'll stop listing.
The crux of the situation is that my bag has quadrupled and I now look like I'm heading off to the Whitsundays for 2 weeks. But at least I'll have most stuff.
Yeah, my bag was massive as well! hehehe...
I found some mini shampoo and conditioner in the shop today! So that's 1 thing off the list! Looked through my tops and I will have to buy some I think - none are really suitable for hospital/breastfeeding