Yes I do means bags, plural. When I was pregnant I read many forums and watched lots of videos on what to pack when I went to hospital as it had been 17 years since my last baby! I’ve recently had a baby and it didn’t exactly go to plan so I wanted to share what I actually used in my hospital bag and have created a full list including a printable tick sheet.
Labour bag
This is the bag that I took into the actually delivery suite with me and the plan was that my partner would then take it with him when he left. I wanted to take a separate labour bag so I would have the things in their purely for that moment as opposed to when I was on the ward. I used a rucksack and filled it with some essentials including; old t-shirt (didn’t use as I went in the water bath so just had a crop top on), dressing gown (not the thick warm type but a silky one my mum actually lent me, this was really handy as a cover up and it was way too hot to be wearing a chunky dressing gown), flip flops came in really handy and I wore these on the ward too instead of slippers (you don’t need both), hairbands were great, lipbalm was a proper essential as you get really dry lips from the gas and air, a straw (I seen this on others videos as people said then you can sip your drink, totally unnecessary as you can still drink although I did find a water bottle useful as they only give you tiny little cups in the hospital), whilst we’re on drinks lucozade orange sport was a life saver, I drank 3 of them! I also took some other snacks mainly for my daughter and partner (Jaffa cakes, mini cookies, raisins and a pot noodle). I packed a separate baby pack for when I was on the ward but I put a nappy, vest, sleepsuit and cotton hat in the labour bag too for when she was first born.
- Flip flops
- Socks
- T shirt
- Leggings
- Dressing gown
- Speaker
- Flannel
- Straw
- Bottle
- Face wipes
- Lip balm
- Hairbands
- Birthplan
- Medical notes
- Phone, charger, money
- Snacks – lucosade, potnoodle, jaffa cakes, mini cookies.
Hospital Bag
Firstly my labour didn’t go to plan as I ended up having an emergnecy c-section some of my clothes were a definte no go. In terms of clothing, you don’t actually need that much as maternity wards are really warm! I honestly spent most the time wearing a button up nightie and would just put on the lightweight dressing gown that I took in my labour bag. I had initially packed a towelling dressing gown which I would not have needed and takes up a lot of room. In addition to my nightie, something else I could not have done without was big pants. Yes, big full briefs (think granny style), I took a pack of 5 I bought from Asda and they were great for the massive maternity pads and were high enough that they didn’t put any pressure on my tummy or scar. Black are best (for obvious reasons) and just plain strecthy cotton, I just sized up, and honestly ended up wearing these for way too long because they were so comfortable. I did take some disposable briefs with me but they were a waste of time as they felt awful to wear. I had packed mainly leggings and a pair of maternity jeans which I couldn’t really wear apart from on the trip home and was a struggle to get on as I had medical stockings on….sexy! I had slippers in my bag too but didn’t wear them as wasn’t walking around much and when I did I just wore the flip flops. I took a nursing bra and breast pads with me which I did use when I wasn’t just in my nightie. Another essential in my labour bag, and beyond, is nipple cream. I use Lanison Lalinlon as it doesn’t need to be washed off prior to feeding so provides an additonal barrier. I used this both before and after feeding and it was a godsend in soothing sore and cracked nipples.
One area where I did splurge a little was the toiletries I took with me as I wanted to make myself feel better. I used to subscribe to birchbox so had lots of sample size products which were ideal to take with me; I took luxurious shower gels and body lotions as well as night serums and creams which i honestly think did help me feel a bit nicer. I know some people won’t get this but I also took make-up which I put on the next day purely for something to do as newborn babies sleep alot! Don’t forget your phone charger and a book too if you can be bothered. A book which I took with me and I thoroughly recommend is The Little Book of Self-Care for new mums which includes lots of helpful tips on caring for your bits etc (pads in the fridge are a great hack) as well as general advice for the first few days and weeks. I used a cabin size suitcase to put all ward things in as it was easy to wheel along and you can store in under the bed.
Baby Bag
I took everything I needed for baby in the changing bag. Again, you don’t actually need that much initially as you may only be there a day or two and your partner or family can always bring you more bits from home. When they are small it’s best to dress them in sleepsuits. I took 4 vests, 4 sleepsuits, a going home outfit, pramsuit/coat, muslins, bibs water wipes and a pack of nappies. You will also need a blanket (celular is best) and a car seat.
