What’s in my hospital bag // Mum edition

I posted my baby’s hospital bag last week and now it’s time to talk about my hospital bag!

Packing for the hospital is hard as a first-time mum as you don’t really know what to expect or how long you will be there. One thing is for sure, you’re probably going to be feeling uncomfortable and nervous, so thinking about comfort is key!

What’s in my hospital bag – Mum edition

He is a list of things in my hospital bag for labour – well most of it is for after labour!

• labour gown (hung on the door)
• a nightie with access to boobs
• a set of pyjamas with a black nursing top
• thin dressing gown
• old slippers
• maxi dress for coming home
• tena lady pants
• maternity pants – one packet of 20
• 6 pairs of big black knickers
• black socks
• thick/bed socks
• 2 maternity bras
• t-shirt and underwear for partner
• toothbrushes/toothpaste
• shower gel
• shampoo and conditioner
• moisturiser
• hairbrush and hair ties
• towel
• lip balm
• hand cream
• eye mask
• peri bottle
• phone charger
• earphones
• reusable nursing pads
• nipple cream
• paracetamol
• cooling blanket
• mini fan
• cooling spray
• Lucozade sports
• snacks – crisps, sweets, chocolate, cereal bars, flapjack and protein bars!

Labour clothing

So I decided to buy a labour gown to wear during the labour – it has pockets and also poppers down each side so it’s easy to put the baby to the skin. The labour ward is meant to be hot so I might end up not having this on near the end, who knows – but it’s nice to think that I’ll be able to have some dignity and cover-up while I still care about that type of stuff!

I have a similar labour gown nightie in grey for after birth. I figured it would be easier to shower and slip this on rather than mess around with PJ bottoms if I’m feeling sore. Again, it has easy access for the baby to breastfeed and I can put him on my chest for more skin to skin.

I do have a pair of PJs also – they are just normal ones. I have two pair of maternity PJs that I’ve been wearing and when do go into labour, depending on how long I’m at home for I’ll probably swap normal bottoms for a pair of the over the bump maternity ones if they are clean as they will be more comfortable. I just don’t want to pack them now and waste wear time. It felt a bit wasteful to buy a pair just for the hospital! I’ve got a black nursing teeshirt also to go with whatever bottoms I have.

I got a cheap thin cotton dressing gown from Primark – as the wards are generally quite warm (so they say) I thought it would be useful if I need to do some walking around and going back and forth to the bathroom/showers.

I treated myself to some lovely new slippers and put my old ones in my hospital bag – I won’t be bringing these home and will throw them away at the hospital. Once I’ve been walking around in them I don’t want to bring them home!

I’ve got a maxi dress for coming home in – it is just a navy blue maternity one. Again, I didn’t want to faff about with bottoms if I am feeling sore, so I will just chuck this over my head. I plan on wearing a chunky cardigan with it which is what I’ll be wearing when I go into hospital – so no need to pack!

I’ve also packed a t-shirt and some underwear for my partner. I have no idea how long he will be there because of covid but if he needs to have a change and freshen up, he can. Plus labour is messy so a change of t-shirt may be needed if he holds the baby and gets some lovely stuff from the inside of my uterus on him.

Sanitary products

So I’ve read so many mixed things about this and also spoken to some friends and here’s what I’ve decided to go with. I’ve got some tena lady pants in case I am bleeding heavy and I plan to wear the maternity pads inside them so I am a bit more secure if I am bleeding heavy. Then I can just change the pad when I go to the toilet – if I do have an accident, I can just get rid of the whole pants without having to deal with the cleanup. I also have some big black knickers in case I don’t need the tena lady pants.

I have lots more pads at home, but they are so big and take up a lot of space so my partner can bring me more if needed or if I am in longer.

I also have a peri bottle – it’s a bottle with a spout on the end that you fill with warm water and squirt it over yourself when you go to the toilet. The idea is that it dilutes the urine and stops it from stinging so bad when you are sore.

Toiletries

I’ve just got the usual here for having a shower and washing my hair after. I’ve also got some lip balm and hand cream as your hands and lips can dry out.

I’ve got a pack of toothbrushes for me and my partner.

I’ve got a new hairbrush because I needed one anyway, so packed that and will throw my old one when I get home. I’ve also got some extra hair ties. I’m not really bothered about makeup so just packed a sample moisturiser.

I packed a packet of paracetamol just in case I need it and nipple cream along with some washable breast pads.

Extra comforts

So extras I’ve put in are a phone charger and earphones. I’m not sure if I’m going to be listening to music or what but the option is there!

I don’t deal very well with heat so I’ve gone a bit overboard here. It triggers my vertigo so it’s important that I stay cool – which is why I’ve bought a can of cooling spray mist, a cooling blanket (just add water and it cools) and a mini fan. The fan has a clip and can attach to the pram so can use it to cool little one on hot days next summer.

I’ve also got lots of snacks – they are for me and my partner and also for after labour. I have got a lot so don’t expect I’ll eat them all! The most important things are the Lucozade sport for an energy boost and flapjack/protein for energy. The rest of the snacks I’ve got are basically junk food! I can always take them home if I don’t need them.

So that’s what I’ve got so far! I’ll probably tell my partner to grab a book or something to entertain himself with too, but currently, I won’t be in the hospital until I am in established labour and will be sent home until that time (unless I get induced – my hospital are currently allowing partners in for inductions if they are able to get us a private room, then we will think of ways to entertain ourselves and I might bring my laptop with some films on or something!).

Check out this post:

What I actually used out of my hospital bag.