That list of stuff you should have ready (and packed) for new baby

[littleEDfamily]

I remember with our first getting a list from our NCT teacher of stuff you should have ready for a newborn baby (what to pack in your hospital bag etc).

I am trying to get organised yet my mind has gone blank about what I need. Does anyone have a link to a good list or a copy they could attach?

[womanofdulwich]

I am sure a tennis ball in a sock

bottle of evian water spray

packet of lucozade tablets and pair of long wooly socks were passed around unused by my friends and I between babies. A big pack of custard creams always comes in handy.

[apenn]

http://www.emmasdiary.co.uk/pregnancy/3rd_trimester/article/could_be_anytime

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Is the tennis ball in a sock to hit your partner with for getting you into this sorry mess?

[Knomester]

This is what I have on my list so far (gathered mostly based on advice from friends). I'm hoping for a home birth but packing a bag for hospital anyway so that it's all in one place and just in case I need to go in. It seems so much - not sure it'll be one bag....maybe two!

Would love to know if I've missed anything you think I'll need!

Water, juice, energy drinks

Sweets

Snacks, cereal bars, nuts, dried fruit, etc

TENS machine?

Straws

Front-opening night shirts (dark)

Dressing gown

Slippers

Flipflops

Tracksuit Bottoms (dark)

T-shirts

Feeding Bras

Night feeding bras

Clothes to travel home in

Breast pads

Maternity towels / Always night towels

Old knickers

Nipple cream

Tissues

Dettol / anti-bacterial wipes

Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion, deodorant, moisturiser, toothbrush, toothpaste, cotton wool pads, cotton buds)

Pillow

Flannels (dark)

Towel (dark)

Hair grips

Lip balm / vaseline

Hand cream

Antibacterial gel

Paracetamol

Toilet roll (super soft)

Cotton wool

Baby wipes

Baby toiletries

Muslins

Nappies (lots)

Nappy sacks

Babygrows / Nighties (newborn and 0-3 mths)

Vests (newborn and 0-3 mths)

Cellular blanket

Hat, mittens, etc (depending on weather)

mobile phone / blackberry + charger

Cameras + memory cards

Money

Notebook + pens

Books, magazines, etc

Car seat

[Fuschia]

Good list.

I would have one bag for labour and one for afterwards. It's a good idea to make sure nappies/clothes for the baby are in an obvious place so that whoever gets the clothes out doesn't have to empty the whole bag.

I recommend huggies pure wipes and LOTS of spare baby clothes to deal with the whole leaky meconium thing!

It makes sense to me, if breastfeeidng is important to you, to speak beforehand to local breastfeeding supporters and have their phone no to hand. A friend of mien actually called the NCT helpline from her hospital bed after her caesarian when she got poor support from the hospital (not Kings) and my experience of coming home on a Saturday morning after my twins birth was that the community midwife didn't come to see me until 5pm on the Monday (I believe they are supposed to come on the next working day)

Maybe not for the hospital bag, but a breastpump, storage bottles and a syringe saved the day for us when one of our twins wouldn't latch for well over a week.

[Fuschia]

Also a good idea to have a plan for if you end up staying in longer than expected - at the minimum, a list stuck to the fridge of what you'd need and where it is kept (more clotehs for you, more baby clothes etc etc)

[littleEDfamily]

Thanks so much for the lists - they do make less than glamourous reading don't they - 'old knickers', 'nipple cream'.

I think I am going to go back to thinking about cool changing bags......

[Polly D]

Don't forget disposable knickers...grim but so great.

[Knomester]

Thanks for the idea of splitting into separate bags Fuschia. I think that would be best for me seeing as I'm hoping we can stay at home - so one for me full of labour stuff and one with baby things and spare clothes for me for afterwards.

Goodness knows when I'm going to pack these bags... I'm very good a writing lists though!

[canadianlisa]

Stock up on way more maternity pads / night time pads than you can ever imagine needing. I bought 2 packs which was totally inadequate. Squirty drinks bottle for drinking from in labour and later using to rinse your sore bits. Again a bit grim... I didn't like the disposable knickers but really liked the cheap, stretchy fat pants from Primark. I think they are meant to be seamless or something like that. Good luck!

[Kaiserin]

You might want to put haemorrhoid cream on the list too.

[Fuschia]

Knomester Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Goodness knows when I'm going to pack these

> bags... I'm very good a writing lists though!

Write the list, put in the bag then gradually fill the bag and cross stuff off the list...

[EDmummy]

Wow, what an amazing list! Agree that perhaps you could split things up a bit. With my first one I was only in hospital for 12 hours after birth. Would have been a bit excessive to take all those things. Second time I was in for a week. Wasn't prepared but sent hubby on trips home and to Sainsburys when I ran out of things.

[Bishberro]

Another vote for the Primark pants - never used the disposable knickers as they were just too grim and scratchy. Also I'd use the proper thick maternity towels rather than the thinner Always ones. I got some Boots ones and after stitches, they acted as a kind of a cushion that made sitting down a lot easier! Take loads of food - muesli bars were good and boxes of juice that come with a little straw. Also what I will be doing this time is taking a breastfeeding cushion into Kings with me. I didn't get any decent help with feeding and really struggled while I was in hospital as found it really hard to feed in a hospital bed but as soon as I got home and used the cushion, we were fine. Couldn't move or get out of bed the night after my epidural so cleansing wipes were useful just to give my face and body a quick wipe down for the first time in 24 hours - yuck.

[BellendenBear]

Knomester's list covers most of it. I would just highlight pillow and flip flops. And a swaddling sheet/blanket for the baby. And agree that you need more maternity pads, muslins and nappies than you would have thought possible. And fruit / jellybabies.

[KatsuQueen]

Hi I don;t know if anyone has mentioned it; but get your partner (or whoever will be with you) to help pack your bag or at least watch while you pack it. YOu might not be in a position to get what you need, and your partner could be throwing things around shouting, "is it in the baby bag or is it in your bag or is it in your handbag??"

If going to kings, I would definitely recommend bringing in a couple of pillows. Handy for support, bresastfeeding etc For some reason they have a shortage, and I do remember a few women in the same ward looking enviously at my pillows!

[marscapone]

In addition to snacks you might want for labour, don't forget to pack food for directly afterwards as well as for any time spent in hospital - they forgot to feed me so I had to have old sandwiches and was glad of food I'd bought. Fruit, juice and things that help 'keep you regular' suited me the best

Other thing that I found really useful was socks. I got alternately hot and cold during the labour so put socks (and other clothes) on and off as needed. Ended up wearing partners socks after my waters broke on mine!

[littleEDfamily]

Marscapone - I know what you mean about hungry straight after! I was ravenous, and despite them having chucked my husband out (being night time), I persuaded him to go and sneak me McDonalds (which I normally won't eat) from the Old Kent Rd. It was one of the best meals I have ever had and could not shove it in fast enough!!!

I really hope we manage our homebirth. I am quite overwhelmed by all the planning to have a successful hospital stay!!!

[marscapone]

If you (or anyone else) wants them, I have the following left over from when my baby was born

Kamillosan cream (has been opened but about 90% left)

pack of disposable knickers

half a pack of maternity towels

I won't be needing them but I hate to throw things away

Collection from East Dulwich, near Sainsbury's

[Vickster]

Arnica tablets, really good for reducing swelling and brusing. NCT teacher recommended them and I really think they helped with recovery. I think you are supposed to start taking them when you go into labour but can't really remember.

[bumpy]

Yep to Arnica, though you'll need the 200c as the other stuff just won't hit the spot...! Available at Helios in Covent Garden or health Food Shop on Lordship Lane

[Fuschia]

Tea tree oil or lavender to drop into the bath after is nice.. and lavender also good if you hate the smell of hospital (for pilows)

[katgod]

Agree that proper maternity pads much better thqan always tytpe- your poor sore bits appreciate the extra padding too. And I'd stick with newborn size unless you are expecting a giant baby. My nearly 10 pounder was fine in newborn for a few days at least. I packed the baby clothes in a see through plastic zip up bag so it would be totally obvious what was for baby- remember seeing the poor husband of Joy in One Born every Minute struggling over baby clothes and tried to make as easy as poss for my husband! Discharged myself from labour wardand so never made it to post natal this time,but previously have not used half the stuff I have packed. Less is more especially as we are so close to Kings here.

[ryedalema]

Wow great lists. I was determined that my second would be a home birth and quick, like my first so I packed my bag without much bother and with complete nappy head. I had, among other things:

- make up (but not enough for a full face) as I was determined that my 'after baby' shots would this time be as glam as the ones I saw on the midwife's wall!

- energy bars

- a book! when was I likely to read??

- a mothercare 'all the parts in one set' of baby clothes in newborn size and tiny baby size (as you don't really know how big it'll be (if you keep the set in its bag and the receipt you can take any too small ones back)

- no clothes for me though (including shoes!)

I was rushed to hospital in the December snow, escorted over the ice with no shoes on by some burly (and quite dashing) ambulance men and my OH grabbed the bag and got into the front.

I was in soo much trouble (although how much trouble can you get in after giving birth) when he opened the bag to find I'd not even packed nappies! We cobbled it all together though and I got a taxi from outside Kings wearing two hospital gowns (one forward, one back so my tush wasn't on show), mu husband's coat and those plastic over shoe shower cap things on my feet.

So much for the glam shots!

But...you don't really care, you've a happy healthy baby sleeping in a car seat right beside you.

Good luck x