Hospital bag essentials

Hi ladies,
Any tips on hospital bag must haves?
I know the basics but I'm sure there are some good tips out there.
I am planning to stay at home for the first part of labour and then go in when I need to. I guess you have to be prepared to stay a few days depending on what happens.
Do you really need many changes of clothes/pjs etc? Also how much stuff for baby do you needs - do they provide nappies, wipes etc?

I packed way too much stuff first time round. I'm hoping to be a bit more realistic next time! It can be good to take a big bag, but with heaps of empty room so you don't have to make 10 trips to the car with all the presents!
First time, which was handy, I had a bit of paper on top of my bag, so once contractions started DH could get the paper and grab things that I couldn't have packed early (toothbrush, camera & charger, cell phones, ipod etc).
At the same time, if you do need something you forgot, DH or your mum/MIL can always go to your house and get it, or buy it from the shop on their way to visit you.

I ended up in hospital alot longer than i thought i would so wish id had a back up bag in the car. Relying on DP to get decent clothes that were comfy & good for bfing was a bit hard.

I loved my dressing gown. Trackies. Nice shampoo and conditioner and body wash.

We also didnt pack any snacks but they wouldve been handy because dp really could have used them. So many chuck in some chips & a choc bar. Something that will give him energy.

For baby i took in a few changes of clothes. Singlet, woolen clothes,hat, blanket. etc. Hosp will supply cloth nappies. i will most likely take my own nappies in again, i did with dd.

Edited by _SMS_

looks like you got lots of good advice already
I took
-nappies
-maternity pads
-comfy pyjamas (although hospital gowns are probably better for afterwards)
-camera/charger/phone etc
-onesie for baby (I had one where the bottom tied up
-vests for baby
-any comfort items you like
-singlets for you and nursing bras
-old granny undies lol (dont wanna ruin nice ones!)
and I second the nice shampoo and conditioner and body wash

For both births, my favourite things were:
a couple of good books - it can get a little boring doing all that feeding lol and you don't want to sleep ALL the time.
and clothes for myself - after my first shower I get out of my hospital gown and leave it off - it helps me to feel so much more normal. I just take comfy trackpants and a couple of singlets, and a little cardi or similar.
Also, you will need big granny undies!! make sure they are cotton :-)
oh, and remember - don't panic about making sure you have everything, as someone can ALWAYS bring in more stuff for you, or even take surplus stuff away. as long as you have your toothbrush, you're sweet. lol.

ETA: oh and I second taking lots of NB clothes! Don't worry that your baby will be too big, my firstborn was 9lb 6oz and she still fit them for a week or so. also, the first time i took lots of long sleeved, long legged things coz it was winter, but DUH the maternity wards are always really warm! oops.

ETA again!! : If you are birthing in a hospital, generally they supply nappies & mat pads, and you just use wet paper towels to wipe baby's bottom (the nurses all do this). your midwife should be able to confirm what will be supplied.

Edited by MuppetsMama

MuppetsMama wrote: If you are birthing in a hospital, generally they supply nappies & mat pads, and you just use wet paper towels to wipe baby's bottom (the nurses all do this). your midwife should be able to confirm what will be supplied.

If you are in Auckland and going to Birthcare, they too provide wipes, disposable change mats (very handy to stash a few away and very handy for sitting on if scared of leakage!) and pads. You will go through a tonne of pads in the first few days!

I took dark coloured PJ pants and trackies, singlets and a couple of light hoodies / cardis, slippers / jandals, nice toiletries make a huge difference, a water bottle, snacks, a couple of mags (it does get boring after a while!). This time around I will be taking my ipod and charger too!

Lots of things depend on how long you are staying. I agree with all of the above for short stay and have extras put aside for long stay.

Depending on what you drink - lots to drink. Down here it's water,tea or coffee only and if you don't do tea or coffee it can get BORING. I know water is good for you (etc etc) but just water drove me nuts (I was in for 6 days).

shower jandels

A planned person who can bring you extra things:
fruit
sandwiches
something you've been hanging out to eat (sushi, cream donut etc)
prunes (if you end up c-section you will def be wanting these)
gingernuts
someone who can take clothes away, wash dry and bring them back

CAR SEAT OR CAPSULE for baby to come home in

I ended up taking a couple of straws which were GREAT as BFing ended up being a 2 handed job, and DH could get me a drink (for some reason every time I fed, I got insaaanely thirsty!) so that was handy.

Also recommend having a bag with 2/3 changes of clothing for you, and 2/3 changes of clothes for bubs, and another 2 changes for each of you in a bag in the car.

I wore black yoga style pants from the warehouse (think they were like $18 a pair) for the first couple of days, super comfortable, but looked a bit nicer than pj pants while I had visitors! I also slept in them when I leaked through a pad (was SO not expecting to get 5hours solid sleep that first night) and went through my pjs.

I had a small lunch cooler bag with snack sized moro bars, and a few le snacks and few different snack sized food in it which was really handy!!

I didn't bother with pads, nappies or anything like that. We used the hospital cloth nappies (seriously a waste of time using your own nappies at that stage as they hardly wee anyways) and the hospital supplied pads for me.

PS - a few others have mentioned snacks -- I got really super-hungry in the two days afterwards. My SIL brought in a whole lunchbox of afghans -- one of the best presents I could have had.

I had to get my dh to bring in more pairs of undies Helped that I had to walk around the hospital after they broke my waters and the pads didn't contain it all so I'd already changed them a few times before I even gave birth!

Umm apart from that (and I haven't read anyone elses responses sorry) - what the hospital provides depends on which hospital it is. Ours (Hawkes Bay) provided pads for mum and just about everything for baby - nappies, wipes, clothes, wraps, blankets etc.

If you're a reader like me take something light to read while baby is asleep or if you have an epi and are lying there feeling nothing while in labour

And snacks, but sometimes fresh ones are nicer (my Dad cut up a melon and brought a container in for me, it was the best thing EVER).