It seems like everyone is freaking out that I am yet to pack my bag for hospital except me!
I've looked and found lists and narrowed it down to this:
Hospital Bag Check list
- Birth plan - Um, don't have one. Decided to take it one step at a time and see how it goes
- Hospital Notes + Pen and paper - Still need hosiptal papers for appointments, why would I pack them?
- Change for car park and snacks - That's what my husband is for!
- Nightie, dressing gown, socks, slippers - Well I still want to use them now! Although I did buy some nice new PJ's the other day... So ok they are in the bag...
- Glasses - Well I still wear them every day. They are kept in my handbag anyway.
- Magazines & iPod - Magazines will be outdated, so will buy more and ipod in the car connected to the car
- Watch with a second hand - On husbands wrist
- Hair tie, headband - I still use them now! Why would I pack them yet!
- Lip balm - Millions in my handbag
- Snacks for partner - Yeah ok, I will go shopping for him (next week)
- Hot water bottle - Don't own one. Wouldn't the hospital have them?
- Camera - In handbag. And I use it all the time anyway!
- Mobile Phone and charger - Well can't pack that yet!
- Toiletries - Still using them! Can't pack yet!
- Maxi sanitary pads - Yeah ok. Put a pack in the bag... Need to buy more.
- Nursing bras and breast pads - Waiting till on leave to go bra shopping again... Put some breast pads in the bag.
- Day clothes for mum - What if I still want to wear them for the next few weeks!
- Going home outfit for mum and baby - No idea! Still need to decide for Buggy. And as for me... Well I still want to wear my clothes!
So you see! There is no real reason for me to pack my bag just yet!
I have however got my priorities right and put this in the bag:
I've looked and found lists and narrowed it down to this:
Hospital Bag Check list
- Birth plan - Um, don't have one. Decided to take it one step at a time and see how it goes
- Hospital Notes + Pen and paper - Still need hosiptal papers for appointments, why would I pack them?
- Change for car park and snacks - That's what my husband is for!
- Nightie, dressing gown, socks, slippers - Well I still want to use them now! Although I did buy some nice new PJ's the other day... So ok they are in the bag...
- Glasses - Well I still wear them every day. They are kept in my handbag anyway.
- Magazines & iPod - Magazines will be outdated, so will buy more and ipod in the car connected to the car
- Watch with a second hand - On husbands wrist
- Hair tie, headband - I still use them now! Why would I pack them yet!
- Lip balm - Millions in my handbag
- Snacks for partner - Yeah ok, I will go shopping for him (next week)
- Hot water bottle - Don't own one. Wouldn't the hospital have them?
- Camera - In handbag. And I use it all the time anyway!
- Mobile Phone and charger - Well can't pack that yet!
- Toiletries - Still using them! Can't pack yet!
- Maxi sanitary pads - Yeah ok. Put a pack in the bag... Need to buy more.
- Nursing bras and breast pads - Waiting till on leave to go bra shopping again... Put some breast pads in the bag.
- Day clothes for mum - What if I still want to wear them for the next few weeks!
- Going home outfit for mum and baby - No idea! Still need to decide for Buggy. And as for me... Well I still want to wear my clothes!
So you see! There is no real reason for me to pack my bag just yet!
I have however got my priorities right and put this in the bag:
Ok. So in all seriousness... I will get sorted and pack a bag.
Next week when I am on leave and am bored to death with nothing to do...
Am I missing anything off the list?
Is there anything on the list I can remove?
I don't know whether you are having buggy publicly or privately - but as a student when I did obstetrics I definitely didn't see any hot water bottles in the public hospital I'm at!
ReplyDeletehaha- I think you are on the right track with the Moet!
ReplyDeleteI didn't start packing until my contractions had started! Because as you said, most of the things like chargers and phones you are still in use until the last minute.
I had two bags- a small one for labour and a seperate one for the hospital stay.
In my labour bag I had heatpacks, face mister, drink bottles, snacks, headband.. but I never even unzipped the bag! Snacks and face mister were the LAST thing on my mind.
In the hospital bag I only had one change of clothes and a few sanitary pads (as I hadn't planned on staying in hospital for longer than 24hrs!) So I just got my Mum to bring in some extra clothes, pads, nappies and clothes for baby- which I had totally forgotten about! Also phone and camera charger and some magazines.
Not too sure about hot water bottles- in my experience you are more likely to need ice packs!
The hospitals (public) that I had my 4 girls in did not allow hot water bottles (they can burst and injure if you are like me and fill them with near boiling water)....but if you ask they will provide heat packs. With clothes and stuff I would just pack one comfy thing to wear after you have given birth the hospital provides clothes for baby and generally a gown for you to wear while in labour. As you pointed out, you can bring in clothes for you to wear and for bug to wear home at some other point assuming you are going to be staying in hospital for a few days.
ReplyDeleteMy advice...if you hate hospitals and have support at home and everything went smoothly is to ask if they have an early leavers program where a midwife visits you every day at home til bub is 7 days old. Participated with my first two - home in around 36 hours after. Was harder with number two as I had a very demanding toddler wanting attention, but with miss diva - it was crusy. Keep in mind I hate hospitals with a passion and had already raised two brothers (my mum is not all there and needed alot of help) and both mr. mcawesome & me had child care degrees LOL.
The thing I would do is make a playlist of songs that relax you so you don't have to fiddle with your ipod when you are otherwise occupied.
Also first bub, likely you will have a few hours warning before you head off to the hospital...just don't be like me (false labour at 32 weeks) and have to iron dry underpants as the dryer wasn't working and my clothes weren't clean!
Most importantly...goodluck! I wish you the most beautiful wonderful birth...and even if it doesn't seem all that wonderful at the time, the payoff is more than worth it ;)
the hospital i went to didn't have any hot packs, or hot water bottles! I am so happy i took my own.
ReplyDeleteIt is good to have your bag ready just in case. I had 2 'almost ready' scares, and I didn't have my bag ready....After the second time, I quickly got my bag together that night, I was in hospital the next week! haha :)
Mae sure you take something for yourself to snack on! You can't eat anything, so lollies or something small is good. Oh and an energy drink/powerade, something that keeps the fluids up.
Bottle of Moet ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to be a crazy bag packing maniac I can just see it! So I'm going to take a page out of your book and relax - plus Hubby will have to let me pack a bottle of bubbles now!
Thanks for all the advice, tips and help!
ReplyDeleteI might look I to investing in one of those heat wheat pack thingys.
Public patient at RPA, so planning on going down the early discharge program if all goes to plan!
That's one special vintage bottle of 2000 Moet! We were going to open it the night we got married and it never happened, so decided to save it for baby! Really looking forward to it!!!
I would suggest some Lanisoh cream for your nipples when you start breastfeeding. They can get sore pretty quick and you want this on hand. Otherwise the list looks great.
ReplyDeleteAlso I cannot recommend highly enough staying at the hospital until you have the whole breastfeeding thing sorted. Having midwives on hand to help you latch the baby on and off properly is a life saver!
I second the Lanisoh!! Also make sure you pack 'granny' underwear as you may just will be throwing it out - sorry if that is TMI!
ReplyDeleteI bought a heap of baby clothes, maternity pads, blankets, wipes but in the end I didn't really use these things as my hospital provided all of these things so it's worth checking so you don't have to pack another bag.