when should you start getting your hospital bag ready?
Just curious when you should start getting your hospital bag ready? I though I might start getting some things week by week and collecting them so I dont have to panic at the last minute. I mean babies can come early. A work mate of DH wife had her baby 7 weeks early!
I think i started to get mine in the really organised stage at 32 weeks. then at 37ish weeks i went out and got the last minute supplies (ie jellybeans and some parenting magazines and i think another tacky mag to keep me going). bubs was born a few days later so was happy that it was all together as in my panic and rush at her early arrival i just grabbed and ran (well, as much as a 38 week pregnant woman can run....more like waddled).
Have had mine packed since 27 weeks but just tonight had to have another look as it seems I might have to stay in hospital from Thursday due to complications.
Think I have everything I need but if I don't then DF can bring it in to me : )
I started getting stuff together at around about 30 weeks (buying pads, small toiletries etc) and had the essentials packed at around 32 weeks. I know someone who went into labour at 34 weeks so I had that in the back of my head when deciding when to pack.
However, I have been adding bits and pieces to it since then...but I had the essentials in case of emergency! I also agree that DH can be sent away to get anything I have forgotten!
The hossy told me to have it done by about 34 weeks. With DS1 I did it at 38 weeks, and to me it was a mental milestone - it was a sign that I was "ready" to have the baby. With DS2 I was going to do it as soon as my maternity leave started (36 weeks). But he arrived the day before my maternity leave started. And the labour was 3 hours so no time to do it before racing off to hossy either! So in fact it never got done! Luckily I had bought the maternity pads and breast pads already, so I grabbed those and a change of clothes and toothbrush while DH was putting DS1 in the car, and DH brought me the rest of what I needed the next day.
With DS i packed around the 35-36 wks and he was born a week later, this time i have been pretty much all packed by 26 wks! I just kinda figure the earlier you are prepared the better...just in case. All i have to do now is wait for bub to arrive
I think I will organise mine around 33 weeks (just after Christmas) but I will get a list together before then and leave it out so that if there is an emergency and DP needs to pack it then he will know what to pack. Cant trust him to make his own judgements!
PMSL well Shel started packing mine at 36 weeks (she was freaking out that it wasnt packed lol so i told her to do it!). There was still stuff missing when my waters broke...
I have lost my list of what i need to pack in my bag pg brain.... its somewhere....
I have bought breast pads, maternity pads, PJ's for hossy, few toiletries, singlets, and few other bits and pieces and I'm going to start packing my bag within the next 2 weeks.... hope to have it done by 32 weeks.
I am going to wait to pack mine until I have finished ante natal classes - that way the midwife will probably have reminded me of anything I've forgotten. For people who have already done the whole labour thing before - what kind of clothes did u take with you? Like pyjamas and stuff? I've been looking at buying some as I just wear old stuff at the moment but don't know what would be okay. Also how many maternity and breast pads would you recommend having with you? I get a bit freaked out thinking that I'm going to take all the wrong stuff! If only my mum was here I'd get her to do it!
I started packing my Hospital bag at around 30 weeks and have been adding stuff since then.
Brunette01-This is just a list of what I packed
2 pairs of comfy PJ pants
2 large comfy tops
2 open front nighties
Summer dressing gown
Slippers
Thongs (for shower I get paranoid about catching tinea and I have a shared bathroom at my hospital)
2 day out fits (they are both breast feeding tops)
lots of cheap soft black undies (about 15 )
2 maternity singlets.
Socks
Camera
Burnt Cd of my favorite songs
Back massager
A book (what to expect the first year lol) and some mags to read
Toiletries-
A pack of breast pads I think there is about 50 (my hospital only supplies a small pack)
Maternity pads- 2 packs (my Hospital also supplies 1 pack)
Toothpaste/toothbrush
Soap
Shampoo and conditioner
Hair brush
Hair bands
lip balm
Some make up for photo ops
Extra soft toilet paper (just incase the hospital toilet paper is like sand paper)
I may have gone over board but Im not a huge fan of hospitals and I wanted to feel as comfortable as possible.
i'd recommend loads of breast pads and maternity pads. also, i found that i preferred in the early days to have the big fat squishy pads over the libra thin ones that i bought as the extra cushioning can be a bit more forgiving on the tender post-birth regions IYKWIM
another tip i have is to get a bra that is one cup size bigger than what you are as sometimes when the milk comes in the engorged boobies can be rather large (i had to send DH off with MIL to get a 12e - i was a 12d at that stage). i used the bigger bra until they settled down...
hair brush and some lip gloss never goes astray in case of photography emergencies! LOL!
#1 - around 32 weeks - and then kept taking stuff out and putting it back - silly - like hair dryer etc
#2 - had bought the pads etc but packed nothing - then I got bad gastro at 35 weeks and they said if I threw up once more I would have to come in for saline etc so I ran around and packed a bag just in case arrived early cos I was so sick
#3 - again bought the pads and stuff around 30 wks - had a bag on the bedroom floor and kept a list on top of stuff that I needed to pack if in a hurry etc or last minute - like hair dryer!!! Lucky, cos my waters broke 10 days from EDD and my mind went to custard
My advice, put the bag out now, put in the necessities that you can and make a list of the last minute stuff - rescue remedy, lip balm, hair ties, clothes that you still wear to pack etc
I packed mine fully, and this time came home again in less than 24 hours anyway
I think I started to pack mine around 30 weeks as I was paranoid I'd go early. I didn't.
Brunette - I wore PJ's & nighties for the first 3 days then trackie pants & maternity tops for the other 2 days. I suggest you pack enough for 5 days in case you get a sick bub (like I did). Yes I know that your partner can get stuff for you but it's not always easy trying to explain exactly what you want nor where it might be found (for instance the purple mat top you love could be in the laundry basket, hanging on the line, or in your wardrobe).
I didn't use any breast pads at hospital or at home. I never got enough milk to need them.
Maternity pads - 3 packs. Hospitals sometimes do provide them but I saw what my hossy provided & there's noway I'd wear them. Aldi overnight ones give the best coverage - never had any leakage with them, but I did with the maternity ones that were a popular brand (can't remember which one).
One last thing I just remembered. A strong pain killer of some sort. If like me you get discharged to a bonding room you don't get given any drugs anymore. If you've had stitches you could have quite a bit of pain and you will appreciate what you've bought with you.
Last edited by satya; October 24th, 2008 at 03:00 PM.
: forgot something
This time I had most things packed by 30 weeks. As sataya said getting your partner to bring things in may not be a good idea. After DD I asked my partner to bring in my maternity jeans to wear home, he brought his jeans to the hospital instead of mine .
Sataya I would have been annoyed at them sending you to a bonding room with no pain relief. They could have given you discharge medication even if they can't administer it.
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when should you start getting your hospital bag ready?
Cant trust him to make his own judgements!
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