I am in the process of laying out and packing up my Labour bags.
Last time I packed SOOOOOOOO much stuff and I am trying to minimise what I take in twith me but there still seems to be so much stuff to pack. I am also going to put together an EXTRA bag of stuff just to have in the car JIC something happens on the way to hossy or if we are out (you know in case of roadside delivery )
I will divide the one bag into 4 sections so we are not rumaging through stuff to find what we need and so far this is what it looks like:
Bag 1 - Babies bag. (clothing and wraps will be given to staff to put in warmer)
Bodysuit, Onesie, Beanie, cotton and flannel wraps, cotton blanket and woolen blanket (hossy rooms are freezing)
Bag 2 - Post birth stuff
Knickers, pads, shoes, socks, pants and top and Pj's, cardi, toothbrush kit, hair brush and fragrance free deodorant, toilet paper. Pressie bag (chockies for Middies and DD big sister present)
Bag 3 - Hubbies bag
Change of clothes, his phone (camera on phone)
Bag 4 - Labour stuff
Hydrolite, barley sugar, musli bars, small jar of coffee for hubby, harmony essential oil blend and burner (maybe)
Part of me feels like I am forgetting something but when I look at the stuff I see HEAPS of things.
For the car or my emergency pack -:
Blankets, towels, sterile scissors, bullnose clips, torch, bucket and water. These will be kept in the boot.
What else ??
I cannot help but feel like I don't have everything ready and that I am missing stuff. DH can bring in extra clothes for me and bub later on so I won't bother packing up that stuff.
your list looks awesome, but can I just comment on the sterile scissors for the car? I appreciate you are concerned about an "on the road" birth, but if that happens you really don't have to worry about cutting the cord. Just leave the baby attached and wait for the ambos if that happens Fab idea having blankets, towels and a torch ready in the car though!
For your oil burner it will have to be an electric one, but many hospitals don't let you use untested electrical equipment so it could be worth checking if they have their own that you can use.
We'll be waiting for the cord to stop pulsating anyway (regardless of where I birth) however as ambulances out here could take between 30-60 mins to get to us, depending on where the closes available is dispatched from, my Middie has said it would be best to have them on hand as once the cord stops pulsating it should be clamped and cut. It may not be necessary to have them at all but depending on what happens its better to have stuff on hand than to not Oil burner is electric and Middies have already said its ok to BYO but not sure if I will still take it .. it will only be having the smell of the oils and I can sniff from a bottle if need be, the rooms are huge and I could well and truely be on the maternity ward by the time my little burner heats up enough
if you don't take the oil burner then you could try an old fashioned linen handkerchief and put the oils on that. Easier to get a waft of the oils without risking spilling them all over yourself that way.
Only thing I would be adding is a pen and pad of paper, if you're a bit of a note taker like me Otherwise it looks like you've thought of everything. Not long now!
For the post birth bag, I took the moist toilet wipes, they were brilliant especially if you have stitches. Small amount of money for a good coffee from the cafe if the hospital have one
I got DH to go to Cotton on for me and get a couple of their singlets, they were great under tops (as you say, it is usually cold in the hospital) and really quite stretchy for day time BF.
Your list looks ace hun, I just wanted to add that both times I loved having a pashmina/scarf with me. I used it in labour with DD to cover up when I felt cool and was strutting my nudeness around and Drs and students came in for a geezer. I also used it to keep warm during the day and to cover while feeding sometimes depending who was visiting. I also used it as a sort of blanket and I also packed my own pillow!
This might sound odd, but my hospital suggested bringing a tennis ball, or rolling pin for back contractions. Feels great when something firm is rolled across your lower back. I also had gel-filled breast pads with me but they weren't needed till I was home anyway since it took 7 days for my milk to come in due to all the disruption to the bonding and BFing process.
I like the old fashioned handkerchief idea too. If I think of anything else I took which was weird and wonderful, I'll let you know,lol. Oh and Ican't reccomend having your own pillow enough. Hell, take 2! I was hiding pillows in my room because the MWs said I could only have 1, but I was in so much pain, I needed more to keep me comfortably propped up. In the end I had 4!
Few other things I found handy to have:
- lip balm
- camera
- chargers - camera, phone etc
- heat/cool pack (for engorgement, but I also found the heat pack great post birth as my uterus was shrinking back)
Hair bands to get your hair up if it is driving you mad and a water spray bottle for cooling face spritzes (sp?). Im another who took waaaaaay to much with me
I took in a book - I knew I'd most likely be exhausted and wanting to sleep whenever I could, but there were a few times in the middle of the night baby was sleeping but I was wide awake and trying to force myself to sleep just made it worse, so the distraction was great.
Kimbles - nursing pads will definately becoming in with my "hospital stay" things, my milk never comes in until day 4 though and last time I ended up just shoving a flat nappy down my top A book packed in with the hossy stay stuff is a good idea too!!
Lily - LOL my hair is a shocker its forever flopping in my face. I sleep with at least 2 around my wrist and often have one in and one on my wrist .... might pack one of those cloth headbands though if I decide to get under the shower again it might help control the frizz (you saw the piccie of me with DDtotal fuzzball head )
Miss E - forgot about lipbalm - thanks I know I will definately need that post birth!! Dh will only bring his phone as the camera on that is better than our "take everywhere" camera, will have to remind him to bring a battery charger!
Forshelby - PILLOW omg I cannot live without mine. Had a giggle at your 4 and trying to imagine you hiding them all from the middies
Tanstar - That reminds me - I have a breastfeeding cloak thing ... must find it and wash it to pack with my hossy bag stuff!!
Labour Bags
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Reply With QuoteFab idea having blankets, towels and a torch ready in the car though!
Oil burner is electric and Middies have already said its ok to BYO but not sure if I will still take it .. it will only be having the smell of the oils and I can sniff from a bottle if need be, the rooms are huge and I could well and truely be on the maternity ward by the time my little burner heats up enough 
Otherwise it looks like you've thought of everything. Not long now!
I now realise the importance of adequate pillowage post-birth. Let this be a lesson to us all. 
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