Bags 4 Hospital - Is It Too Much?

Hi All,

I was just wondering if anyone can tell me if what I have listed to take to hospital is too much?

Labour Bag:

Birth Plan
Massage Oil
outfit for me to wear after birth
shorts for Sam for shower
clothes for me to wear
clothes for Sam to wear after shower if necessary
Lipbalm
water (chilled)
snacks (lollies)
Camera / Video Camera
1 outfit 4 baby + nappy + baby wrap

Baby Bag:

Clothes for baby x6 (incl socks, booties, singlets, 1 piece suits)
Blankets / Baby Wraps
Nappies (Disposable for hospital)
Towel
face washers
baby wipes
shampoo, conditioner, baby wash, moisturiser, etc
stuff toy
cotton balls / swabs
going home oufit

Hospital Bag 4 Me:

Maternity Pads
Breast Pads
Undies - x10 pairs
pj's
clothes (tracksuit pants, t.shirts, tops)
phone charger
toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, soap, toothbrush, flushable wipes)
snacks (lollies, apricot & yoghurt bites)
nipple cream
maternity bras
slippers
robe - Is this necessary? I have heard hospitals are really hot!

Am I forgetting anything? Or is what I have too much for a couple of days stay?

Many Thanks in advance!

id ditch the robe and add soft toilet paper!!

Our hospital provided a lot of the things you've got like towels, nappies, blankets (not to be confused with wraps), baby wash, face washers, baby wipes.

Did they specifically ask you to bring that stuff?

Make sure you've got long sleeve long legged one pieces and plenty of warm wraps.

I'd ditch the robe too - and make sure your PJs are big and comfy and easy to BF in!

i would ditch nearly everythign u wrote for the baby. i dont knwo about ur hosp but all that i know of supply basically everything u have written.
they have the blankets/wraps. also they have clothes for bub. it is better using the hosp ones as urs might get lost and it is less washign for you to come home too. they have all the bathing stuff and they wont need toys all they do is sleep and eat lol.

yes hosp r hot but i liked having something to walk around in. i wa sso paranoid i would leak through onto my p's so a robe covered that if i was walkin the halls lol. but try to find one liek the thin silky kinda ones not big fluffy ones.

i took heaps of clothes but ended up in my pj's all the time as they were way more comfy. i even went home in my pj's (robe came in handy for that too lol) but i went home late at night when DH had finshed work.

Baby Bag: yeah the stuff for baby may be too much...does the hospital supply any of that stuff? our hospy supplied the clothes for bub as well as the wraps and one bag of nappies. it's awesome to use the hospy supplied stuff as they go through soooo many clothes and wraps etc. good to get them to do the washing instead of you LOL!

Your Bag: i'll go against the grain and say keep the robe! i like to have it when i had to do the night feeds while DD was in special care. (we didnt know she would end up in there). it was nice to just throw it on and have a bit more privacy as you traipsed up the halls. of course, you could always get your DH to bring it later on if needed.

Labour bag: i think this all sounds good! do you need to supply your own chilled water? usually they have a kitchenette where they have ice-cubes to suck on and water and juices etc. some ppl do bring in drinks like gatorade.

You'll probably find that you dont use all the things, but it is nice to have it all just in case. it's no biggie if it doesnt get used imo...

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.

Better to be over prepared then under prepared I say :lol:

Childonway I have about the same things as you on my list :lol:

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.

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...

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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it is generally suggested you use only warm water on a new born baby anyway...

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...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.

Thongs ??? - ive always taken thongs and worn them in the shower. I shudder to think whats been down that shower drain .......:D.

Personally - i would ditch the labour bag, but thats me....

Good luck !

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!!!

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.

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 . . . :redface: 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 :)

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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.

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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!

i underpacked when i had DD. i only took one pair of trakkies, and ended up with a bit of leakage and had to get dp to bring in my pther two pairs, as well as a pair of his!

i also took my dressing gown (which i live in at home!) but never wore it, and it just kept getting in the way!

as for bub, i never bothered taking shampoo, conditioner, baby wash etc, she only had one bath and they supplied the stuff. stuffed toy- you're likely to have one bought for you as a gift. cotton balls etc i woulndt worry.they also supplied blankets for her, but i was happy i bought in my own (nicer in the pics!)

umm.. other than that, i reckon your list is fine!

been thinking about it some more. i also pack plastic bags for dirty clothes. change for drink/chip machine or pay phone. a box of tissues. socks incase you get cold feet

I say keep the robe. I had DD2 8 weeks ago and even though i got dressed every morning in trackies and singlets i still kept my robe on during the day and only took it off at night when they cranked the heat up.

Definatly bring soft toilet paper. I had DD2 in one hospital that had soft toilet paper and baby wipes but got transfered later that day to another hospital (my hospital doesnt do births, so they do patient tranfer for post natal) and the second hospital didnt have baby wipes only these horrible things that felt like paper towels. DD2 hated them and would scream.

Both hospitals were public and supplied everything for bub but i prefer to dress bub in body suits instead of those horrible gowns that tie up and the back. I just cant see how bubs are comfy laying on bows.

Bring something for entertainment to. I had 3 days of no tv when the visitors all left and was bored out of my nut. I had DF bring me mags everyday just so i would stop staring out the window.

ooooh yeah! that's right! you're feet can get soooo cold!!! bbrrrr. i had really truly daggy, but oh so warm socks on the entire time....

Chargers for your phone and camera!!! Nothing worse than needing something and being able to ring DP, and you want LOTS of photos of your NB. If you have a laptop get DP to bring it in at least once for you to download the photos onto so you have room in your memory card for more if you have a longer hospital stay.

I would suggest you ring your hospital to find out exactly what they supply for bubba as each hospital is different. Our hospital does not supply anything for bubba but do have some blankets available if needed. I would trim down a little bit for your initial pack. Bubba doesn't need a stuffed toy, shampoo etc, towels or facewashers. Use the hospital supply. I would also only pack 3 of each outfit and have another 3 sets at home for DP to bring in when he visits and takes home the dirty things. I would do the same with your clothes too. Have two changes of clothes and pj's and have 2 changes at home for DP to bring in. You don't have a lot of room in the hospital so the less you bring the better - especially when DP will be coming in everyday to visit and can bring clean stuff with him and take the dirty stuff home. Don't forget your slippers. Think comfy for your feet too.
Your labour bag is good. I'd also think about some music too. A great alternative too barley sugar etc is chupa chups. You can take them out of your mouth with contractions and you/your partner have to hold them by. I probably wouldn't pack my own water unless told too by your hospital. I would be surprised if they didn't provide water.
Have your spares packed in the green shopping bags on the table (or somewhere else really obvious for DP) so he can also use them to bring home the dirty stuff. Plastic bags would be good too.
Think about your own pillow too. Leave as much in the car as you can. DH can bring it in after bubba is born.

if thats what you feel comfy with, then go for it, sometimes u want ur own things that make u feel that bit less uncomfy while there. i gotta re think my bag

I would pack water as my hossy only has TAP WATER ....YUCK! Central Coast water is disgusting and often brown with floaties if they are flushing the mains.

Check what your hospital supplies. Mine supplied nappies, facewashers, wraps, cotton wool (instead of wipes) & when he went into special care they also provided his clothes too... if he'd stayed in the ward they wouldn't have.

I mostly wandered around the hospital in PJ's or light tracky dacks & a light weight top. I don't remember using the robe much at all, or my slippers. I walked around either bear foot or with bed socks that have the grip things on the bottom so you don't slip over.

The only thing I used from my well packed labour bag during the labour was the lip balm.

Make sure you have a charger for your mobile & cash for a tv in the ward (unless it's included in your hossy stay).

We only took the labour bag into the hossy with us & left the hossy bag in the car but the middy told us it was OK to bring everything in so my then partner went out & bought my big bag into the labour room. Their reasoning behind that was that your partner did not have to leave you soon after having the bub to go back to the car to get your other stuff. You may want to check on that beforehand.

If you do cut back on clothing make sure you have a second bag packed in case you stay longer. That's one thing I do regret. I only expected to have a 2 or 3 night stay & ended up with a 5 night one. It's not exactly easy to explain what clothing you want bought in, nor is it easy to remember where it was when you left home (hanging in the wardrobe, in a drawer, on the line, in that pile of washing you didn't get to fold when you went into labour).

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Think about your own pillow too. Leave as much in the car as you can. DH can bring it in after bubba is born.

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oh yes!!!! I bought my own pillow too :)

My hossy provides nothing for the baby at all. So, if you're in that boat I'd keep your original plan.

I underpacked for DS and my bag will probably look very similar to yours - without the robe.

I love the soft toilet paper idea. My hossy uses the most sandpapery stuff they can find I reckon. When you jaxy's not feeling the best - sandpaper isn't what you'll be looking for.

I would love to go to a hospital where they provide everything for the baby. That would be magic. But, in the country, the choices are just not there.

I'm also thinking of taking my own Panadol. Last time it was like pulling teeth to get Panadol when my uterus was shrinking when BF. They just kept forgetting I'd asked for it. I doubt you'd need to do that though.

I agree with the soft toilet paper, definitely need that! And the flushable wipes are a great idea too.

I didn't use my robe, spent most of the time in pj's. I'd say overpack underwear and pants, I also had to ask DH to bring me spare pants.

Evie - thanks for the panadol reminder. thats what my bag is missing. i too had issues getting it when i needed it at like 3am.

That's why I'm here Crazy!!

Labour Bag:

I think your labour bag sounds good, did you need to add massagers/tennis balls, heat packs etc or does your hossy suppy these. Also pack maybe 2 nappies for bub (unless hossy supplies) incase it gets messed before you get to your room - we were in the labour ward for nearly 2 hrs before I walked myself to a room :rolleyes:

I agree what most have said on the baby bag - check what your hospital supplies, they will def supply towels so don't worry about that.

For your bag,

Lots of pj's and maternity bras
little zip lock bags/plastic bags for stained things and plasitic bag for dirty clothes
squeezy sauce bottle for washing your tender tushie after using the toilet unless they have a bidet like mine (oh yes I was spoilt)

Squeezy sauce bottle? That idea totally rocks.

my hospital with my first suggested the sauce bottle but i never bothered with it.

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Chargers for your phone and camera!!! Nothing worse than needing something and being able to ring DP, and you want LOTS of photos of your NB. If you have a laptop get DP to bring it in at least once for you to download the photos onto so you have room in your memory card for more if you have a longer hospital stay.

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I'd just buy a couple more memory cards! You can pick up 2G's for about 9 bucks from Harvey Norman!

I would also say ditch nearly all of the baby stuff, I thought hospital provides most of that... but as Evie76 says her hosp doesn't provide anything, it's best to check. If they do provide stuff it might be better just to pack the nappy bag for going home.

I don't think you can really over pack for yourself, especially clean underwear & stuff! I'm one who would rather have too much & not need it, than not enough.
I agree though that you shouldn't need the water (& it will be a PITA to lug around).

One thing in my labour bag is TWO pairs of socks... in case my waters break on one pair :lol:
And our camera uses batteries, not a charger, so I am buying batteries to keep in the bag ready to go.. nothing worse than getting there with flat batteries & I don't think DH will be inclined to stop on the way lol.

Panadol & flushable wipes are a great idea & will both be added to my list! :)