Reading these blogposts whilst pregnant was my favourite thing to do - I couldn't even tell you how many I read! Now 8 months down the line, it's probably time to share what I packed in mine. I was in hospital for a week in the end due to some complications so I needed more of some things and then regretted taking others! I'm also a huge overpacker.. The bag I used for me was from Primark and about £6. I used my Babymel Changing Bag for all of baby's stuff, and my next post will be what I packed for him.
The most important thing is of course your maternity notes! I carried mine with me everywhere for the last 2 weeks or so, which proved futile as I was induced anyway. But it's definitely worth having them with you in case of emergency! Whenever I was at home I left them with my bags so that if I did suddenly need them, I knew exactly where they were. The number for the ward is on the front as well, so if my waters had broken and I needed to quickly ring them at least I knew exactly where to go to find the number.
I took four bottles of Raspberry Lucozade Sport in order to keep my energy up. My labour was really quick and intense but for before and afterwards these were excellent. I also imagine if my labour was long these would have been helpful! In hospital all they provide you with is orange juice in the morning or water, so I ended up asking my mum to bring in things like iced tea and squash to add some variety during the week. The best thing I took was definitely some straws! Everybody laughed at me for packing these, but it was brilliant as I could be lying down or on my side and could sip water if somebody else was holding the cup without having it tipped all over my face. I also took some cereal bars for a midnight snack - whilst the baby was having his midnight snack! I had chewing gum packed too, which made me feel like I was clean even when I wasn't...
I had a toiletry bag in my big bag so that I could just carry that through into the bathroom and have everything altogether. This bag contained: travel-size shampoo and conditioner, shower gel, dry shampoo (saviour!) and unscented deodorant. The deodorant being unscented isn't a necessity, but the baby is all fresh out of the womb and not used to smells so if you are planning on breastfeeding it'll be right near their nose and is much nicer for them, supposedly, if it's unscented. I also had face wipes, some hair bobbles, my hair brush and of course toothbrush and toothpaste. Taking Vaseline was an excellent decision as gas and air makes your lips really dry. Another tip - I had my hair in french plaits for labour which was AMAZING. My hair is very long and having it in plaits meant it was one of the few things that didn't annoy me. Also, when I couldn't get out of bed for a few days and it was greasy, you almost couldn't tell. I packed a flannel which, during labour, my mum (who was my birthing partner) often wet with cold water and put on my forehead. It made me feel happier even though it didn't make much of a difference to anything! I also took a TENS machine, but didn't use it because I kept insisting I wasn't in labour. Spoiler: I was. And then it was too late to use it.
Clothes-wise, I took a maternity top and leggings. I was also wearing a maternity top and leggings when I was admitted, but got changed into a nightie for the night and then stayed in that for the day after I was induced. I also took a nursing vest top, a baggy cardigan, 2 nursing bras and lots of big underwear! I lived in the nursing top, and got my mum to take it home in the evenings to wash it and bring it back the next morning. It was nice feeling dressed but also comfy, and easy to feed which is perfect whilst still getting to grips with breastfeeding. I also took swimwear and a dark towel for the birthing pool. Due to being diagnosed with pre-ecamplsia the night before being induced I wasn't allowed in the birthing pool so the swimwear wasn't used but I went in the bath during the early stages of labour and obviously showered afterwards so a dark towel was handy. In case you didn't know you bleed A LOT after labour, so don't take your favourite towel!! I also took two nighties with me, but if you can fit another one in your bag I would recommend doing so. I wore one during labour and then got changed as soon afterwards as I could into a fresh one, and then used one every night. I bought a button up one that I thought would be perfect for labour, but didn't change into it because as I've said, I didn't think I was in labour and then everything happened too quickly for me to change! But I wore it overnight and it was helpful for breastfeeding without flashing everything.
The most important thing is of course your maternity notes! I carried mine with me everywhere for the last 2 weeks or so, which proved futile as I was induced anyway. But it's definitely worth having them with you in case of emergency! Whenever I was at home I left them with my bags so that if I did suddenly need them, I knew exactly where they were. The number for the ward is on the front as well, so if my waters had broken and I needed to quickly ring them at least I knew exactly where to go to find the number.
I took four bottles of Raspberry Lucozade Sport in order to keep my energy up. My labour was really quick and intense but for before and afterwards these were excellent. I also imagine if my labour was long these would have been helpful! In hospital all they provide you with is orange juice in the morning or water, so I ended up asking my mum to bring in things like iced tea and squash to add some variety during the week. The best thing I took was definitely some straws! Everybody laughed at me for packing these, but it was brilliant as I could be lying down or on my side and could sip water if somebody else was holding the cup without having it tipped all over my face. I also took some cereal bars for a midnight snack - whilst the baby was having his midnight snack! I had chewing gum packed too, which made me feel like I was clean even when I wasn't...
I had a toiletry bag in my big bag so that I could just carry that through into the bathroom and have everything altogether. This bag contained: travel-size shampoo and conditioner, shower gel, dry shampoo (saviour!) and unscented deodorant. The deodorant being unscented isn't a necessity, but the baby is all fresh out of the womb and not used to smells so if you are planning on breastfeeding it'll be right near their nose and is much nicer for them, supposedly, if it's unscented. I also had face wipes, some hair bobbles, my hair brush and of course toothbrush and toothpaste. Taking Vaseline was an excellent decision as gas and air makes your lips really dry. Another tip - I had my hair in french plaits for labour which was AMAZING. My hair is very long and having it in plaits meant it was one of the few things that didn't annoy me. Also, when I couldn't get out of bed for a few days and it was greasy, you almost couldn't tell. I packed a flannel which, during labour, my mum (who was my birthing partner) often wet with cold water and put on my forehead. It made me feel happier even though it didn't make much of a difference to anything! I also took a TENS machine, but didn't use it because I kept insisting I wasn't in labour. Spoiler: I was. And then it was too late to use it.
Clothes-wise, I took a maternity top and leggings. I was also wearing a maternity top and leggings when I was admitted, but got changed into a nightie for the night and then stayed in that for the day after I was induced. I also took a nursing vest top, a baggy cardigan, 2 nursing bras and lots of big underwear! I lived in the nursing top, and got my mum to take it home in the evenings to wash it and bring it back the next morning. It was nice feeling dressed but also comfy, and easy to feed which is perfect whilst still getting to grips with breastfeeding. I also took swimwear and a dark towel for the birthing pool. Due to being diagnosed with pre-ecamplsia the night before being induced I wasn't allowed in the birthing pool so the swimwear wasn't used but I went in the bath during the early stages of labour and obviously showered afterwards so a dark towel was handy. In case you didn't know you bleed A LOT after labour, so don't take your favourite towel!! I also took two nighties with me, but if you can fit another one in your bag I would recommend doing so. I wore one during labour and then got changed as soon afterwards as I could into a fresh one, and then used one every night. I bought a button up one that I thought would be perfect for labour, but didn't change into it because as I've said, I didn't think I was in labour and then everything happened too quickly for me to change! But I wore it overnight and it was helpful for breastfeeding without flashing everything.
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| The vest top of dreams - after my first shower! |
My best friend for the entire hospital stay was my dressing gown! I wore it whilst walking around after I had been induced but before labour, and then everyday whilst I was sat in the chair next to my bed or going to the dayroom. I also got an infection (horror story central, sorry!) so had the chills quite a bit and this was good then too. My dressing gown is a solid part of my life so it was nice having that home comfort with me. I bought a pair of memory foam slippers from Primark for about £5 and loved having them on my feet. In fact I don't think I took them off almost the entire time I was in hospital! The floor gets cleaned all the time, I became friends with the cleaner after a few days, but I personally wouldn't walk around bare foot. I also wore fluffy socks, as apparently during labour your feet get cold.
Obviously I had my phone charger packed, and I also had a pair of headphones. I used these the night before I was induced to watch Netflix on my phone (and to block out the girls I was sharing a ward with). If I had been more relaxed during labour I possibly would have listened to music, so I;m glad I had them even if they weren't used a lot! I had a book aswell, which obviously wasn't read, but again I'm glad I had it just in case. I know some labours last for days! I took loads of breast pads, and had to get my mum to bring more in too. I bought Boots' own brand and they've worked well enough, I still use them 8 months in. The only thing I would advise is from about day 3 maybe use 2 per boob as there is a looot of leakage! Take as many as you think you need and then put 10 more in. You can never have too many breast pads! The same applies for maternity pads, I took an entire packet. The hospital does supply them and I swapped between using theirs and my own.
Obviously I had my phone charger packed, and I also had a pair of headphones. I used these the night before I was induced to watch Netflix on my phone (and to block out the girls I was sharing a ward with). If I had been more relaxed during labour I possibly would have listened to music, so I;m glad I had them even if they weren't used a lot! I had a book aswell, which obviously wasn't read, but again I'm glad I had it just in case. I know some labours last for days! I took loads of breast pads, and had to get my mum to bring more in too. I bought Boots' own brand and they've worked well enough, I still use them 8 months in. The only thing I would advise is from about day 3 maybe use 2 per boob as there is a looot of leakage! Take as many as you think you need and then put 10 more in. You can never have too many breast pads! The same applies for maternity pads, I took an entire packet. The hospital does supply them and I swapped between using theirs and my own.
I think that's everything I took for myself! Check back soon for my post on what I packed in my son's bag.
Let me know if I've not included anything that you thought was a necessity for your labour! Thanks for reading.
Sophie x
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