Most advice states that you should pack your hospital bag by around week 36/37 of your pregnancy, just in case your baby makes an early appearance. As a first time mum it can be difficult to decide what to pack. There are countless guides and lists out there with recommendations, but sometimes it is nice to listen to the advice of people who have been there and know what is essential and what you should just leave at home! I have been asked by C & G Baby Club to share with you what was in my bag, so here goes.
If you are expecting a baby I hope this video has helped you and now it’s your chance to win £100 of Mothercare vouchers, perfect for those last minute things.
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Comments 211
Mostly what you have mentioned – I know they looked awful but disposable knickers were fab!
a bottle of water!
New born essentials, E45 cream, camera and change for car park
I’m just packing mine (due in 47 days!!) and i found your post really helpful. I’ll make sure i’ve plenty of snacks and a photo of my other two babies (and my doggies) as i have group B Strep and will be kept in hospital. x
The one thing that saved me after my c section was a power bar style charger, I was stuck in bed for almost 3 days and would have been so bored without my phone!!!
I wrote a blog post after giving birth, which shows what I actually used from my packed hospital bag 🙂
Helen x
I’m just starting to think about mine as am currently 26 weeks but so far I am thinking breast pads and some pjs that will be easy to feed in but comfy after the birth! Plus all the baby stuff obviously!
Pair of tweezers to get your nails out of your birthing partners arm!
I packed pouches of still lucozade, in labour for 2 days it’s like running a marathon
Definitely water. Lots of water! Especially if it is a summer baby. Hospitals are notorious for being hot!
hand wipes a must for germs
Water for drinking and some baby wipes to refresh myself when I want x
baby clothes, wipes, water bottle and mostly what you have mentioned!
Flip flops for the shower!
Headphones and ipod, don’t want you getting bored ;o)
Big pants, towels, baby clothes and breast pads!
bottles of water
straws to drink water without having to get up
Lipbalm and socks!
I didn’t have one!
Change of nighties to wear x
Definitely lots of snacks and drinks
a camera for baby pics
Bottled water, water spray, lip balm and socks for cold feet!!
Deffo snacks, nursing bra & lots of DARK pjs!! xx
Hairbrush and a camera – because you got to try and look your best for those first piccies!
Apart from baby essentials, spare pants, breast pads, and hand sanitizer.
a load of 0-3mnth and tiny baby clothes. No newborn!! must’ve had serious baby brain when i packed it.
Wipes, a good multi purpose cream & a lippy for visiting time
Definately water and snacks
Camera, snacks and a phone charger.
Plenty of change for buying bits and bobs in the hospital shop.
Fiancee is 26 weeks pregnant with our first so we’re starting to think about this. Thanks for the advice.
My own pillow and slippers
Most of things you mentioned are essentials, the main thing for me would be baby wipes for feeling fresh
A pillow from home, the basics (nappies, baby clothes, toiletries) and ear plugs!
I’ve packed some warm socks this time, my toes got really cold last time
I had a home birth so packed a Birth bag! I chose a diptique candle when pregnant and saved it for early labour. It burned all through my labour and filled the house with this beautiful scent. Now any time i smell it in transported immediately back to that wonderful amazing time.
I also packed some battery operated tea lights in case I had to transfer to hospital so that I could make the environment there calm and relaxing 🙂
One final thing – a small bottle of champagne!! Because you deserve it 🙂
socks cos i get cold feet and also snacks for the other half to keep him going
wet wipes, bottle of water.
Some magazines xx
Baby clothes in a variety of sizes so you don’t get caught out with a miniature baby like I did!
Music, it’s the one thing we forgot! Luckily my husband had the Bonobo album on his phone and we played it on repeat, it was a lifesaver.
A pen and puzzle books, I needed something to keep me busy during my epic labours!
My camera was my essential item as I would’ve been lost without recording those first moments x
slippers and water
phone bottle water and wipes
New born essentials plus sanitary pads for me
Camera & nappies & baby milk if you are not breast feeding.
The obvious things like clothes, pads, etc. I also found that playing games really helped to distract me in the early stages of labour, so I would say a pack of playing cards/some mini board games are a good idea 🙂
My husband 😉 And a camera. Lucozade should have been in there – the midwife sent my husband to buy me some!
My hospital bag essential is a £100 Mothercare voucher, because I’ll be the gift bearing granddad visiting my new grandson in early August.
snacks and baby wipes
High energy snacks, disposable knickers and a camera. And dry shampoo!
Big knickers and maternity pads!
kids are expensive
i packed chocolate for energy
Snacks to keep your energy up
Some nice mints.
Plenty of nighties 🙂
Jelly babies, a great energy boost!
spare coins and cash for parking
Bid knickers, plenty of snacks, coins, books
baby wipes – I took cotton wool the first time – big mistake!
Lots of nighties
Spare change, chocolate, babygros…
I had to get Ian to pack my bags about half an hour before Jude was born, big oops! And out of the bags the only things I used – and thus my essentials – were: Jude’s coming home outfit, nappies, maternity pads and towel! 😀
Having just packed my hospital bag for my 3rd baby i love the tips so thank u all 🙂 x
This time i have clothes for me baby and hubby as in 7 days with preme 2nd baby
A sperate baby pack – vest grow hat mittens nappy and blanket for birth for easy access for mw and wont stress hubby looking for it
Toiletries , water bottle a flannel for keeping me cool a spray bottle to fill with water n do the same
Jelly babies for when i need a quick energy boost-really does work
Loose change for machines for hubby and a crossword book 4 him too
Camera phone and charger and batteries for camera.
Lol thing thats it x
Phone, baby wipes and clothes.
We had music playing so took the tablet with labour playlist ready prepared
wipes, dry shampoo, drinks, sweets and arnica
I took frozen bottles of water so they were really cold when I was boiling. Flap jacks for after baby was born. Lip balm for the dry lips.
TENS machine, change for the car park, drinks and snacks and my camera.
Water ,energy snacks and fully charged camera batteries
Chocolate to destress
mine was a good pair of period knickers and by this i mean granny type secure fitting knickers xx great list though x
smart phone, reading matter and sweets
ArtofGlamour.co
Well! I’m 37 weeks and have had my bag packed for a few weeks now! I’m banking on a long baby so clothes for 0-3 months, nappies, lip balm, little hats, nice shampoo and conditioner for Moi, big (huge huge) pants, maternity pads, nursing bras, water spray, tissues, cleanser, mascara, massage oil, pressure point spray, and a load of other stuff I probably won’t need!!
Food! Hospital food is not great and after giving birth you may have a real appetite for something other than a corned beef sandwich!
Phone charger and maternity pads.
Phone charger, nappies, wipes, more clothes than you think you will need for the baby, huge big cheap pants!
Drinks and snacks
I was starving in the middle of the night, so next time I’d take loads of snacks!
Tens machine and plenty of knickers! Xx
mine was my own slippers and some snacks
boiled sweets to suck on and lip balm – sounds silly, but really helped me 🙂
extra knickers, cute newborn babygro for pictures, lots of breastpads
Love your list! I’d say snacks and drinks, plenty of change, a change of clothes, baby wipes and books!
I need chocolate in my bag!!!!
cartons of juice, face spritz and foodie nibbles
Baby wipes, slippers and an extra pillow!
You have mentioned most things but could not live without a nice cold drink!
Water in a spritz bottle to cool you down during labour.
Plenty of maternity pads because you will bleed whether you have a vaginal birth of a C-Section!
Disposable knickers (although, they look horrible!)
Comfortable clothes to go home in. Preferably ones that don’t sit on the bikini line just incase you end up needing a C-Section.
Plenty of snacks to keep your energy levels up.
Change for the car park (alot of car parks takes cards now but you can never be sure!)
Camera for those very first photos. 🙂 I had a C-Section with my first and one of the nurses took photos of him being born. It was both beautiful and slightly weird seeing him being lifted from my tummy!
Also, phone charger or a portable charger for your phone. I went through my phone battery so quickly as everyone was Facebooking me wanting updates!
Wipes a must.
Some food so you don’t have to survive on the cardboard they serve
Id say extra PJ’S i only packed one set, but my little one wouldnt latch on, so we had to stay in a few days, and i was mad at myself for not being prepared, even though my bab had about 20 different outfits, i didnt actually plan for ME 🙂
Water, plenty of tasty nibbles, wipes, cooling spray (a real godsend), comfy clothes and flip flops and my phone charger.
Spray Mist is a must if having a summer baby
Spare clothes, camera, ipod, cooling spray, dry shampoo, snacks and TENS machine.
My essentials were and are again in November 🙂 baby wipes, nappies, joggers, fizzy drink cans, snacks and my phone
Lip balm, lucozade, disposible knickers and maternity pads, comfy outfit and PJs.
Plenty of underwear,flanels,bottled water and nighties.
Cool It Mama Spritz by the Natural Birthing Co was fab for when it got hot!
bottled water, lip balm, comfortable pjs
Charger, lip balm, moisturiser and dry shampoo and huge amounts of chocolate
Facial spritzer was my best idea
Tiny baby, newborn and 0-3 month sleepsuits! My predicted 7 pounder turned out to be a chunky 9lb 2oz and barely fit her newborn clothes!
I’ve just got my section date so going to pack my bag soon 🙂 love this post xxx
toothpaste and mouthwash – I found I had a weird taste in my mouth after each birth – maybe the gas?
I have packed four times over the years and each time I was more in tune with my needs while in labour and afterwards. My perfect labour bag would now contain Lucocade, chocolates, lemon barley water, replacement meal drink, magazines, pen & paper, book, mobile phone and charger, lots of small change, makeup, new clothes for me and baby, paracetamol, toiletries, camera and a diary! But then, I was in for a week with my first baby; it was cumpulsary!!
HUGE COMFY PANTS! Ha ha! I was only in hospital a day so I didn’t use a lot of what I packed but something comfy to go home in (June baby for me so a Maxi dress was perfect) and a bit of make up so I felt human.
During labour my best thing was granola bars! They kept me going however combined with gas and air made my mouth very dry so I had to dunk them in my mums tea – best taste ever when in labour! There was a funny moment when my mum dunked and I had a contraction. I remember her standing next to me going “But I’ve dunked! It’s going to fall in my tea!” Proper Peter Kay, comedy moment. Lol.
A phone charger, so i could speak to family and make sure phone was charged for taking photos
Definately water as its always hot in hospital.
Wet wipes, music, portable fan, water and food (yummy snacks!)!
Bottled water was my essential, i had a summer baby and it had to be one of the hottest of course.
i really need to pack mine haha but mine is change (money) just incase and lipbalm x
Wet wipes; either for yourself or baby 🙂
COLD WATER X
Moist toilet wipes
Water and sneaky snacks 🙂
Always spa slippers… shoes go missing around hospital beds….
camera and hairbrush (my hair ended up matted after 5 days in hospital.
Energy drinks and chocolate! Comfy nightshirt and slippers.x
phone charger, water bottle, cotton wool, far more newborn nappies than you’d possibly think a tiny baby could need
Most things have been said but i’ll still say wet wipes
As I knew I was being induced ( and it was going to be a while) I remembered to pack snacks and an ipad for my husband. Best thing I packed, honestly!
Wet Wipes, Snacks, Bibs!
I took a bunny comforter and slept with it tucked inside my bra for the first two days of my induction. I was worried he’d be taken to special care so I wanted him to have something that smelled of me. He’s slept with it every night since!
baby wipes, clothes for both, towel, snacks
love a puzzle book
Lots and lots I didn’t use. I gave birth 12 minutes after entering my delivery room. Had a shower, got dressed and went home 6 hours later. Only used the bits for baby.
iPad, hairbrush, makeup and lots of cute baby clothes!
IPhone charger, Minstrels, Lucozade
I had packed for me disposable kinkers, maternity towel, toiletries, clothes, comfy slippers, newborn clothes like bodysuit, sleepsuit, hat mittens, nappies and cotton balls, my phone, charger, some cereal bars
Snacks and drinks.
Lucozade (which was then thrown back up – isn’t labour glamorous!!) I think it was the only thing keeping me awake at times!
Apart from the usual nightie, knickers, baby stuff etc I always pack peppermint water for easing my stomach after my C-sections.
Phone charger, snacks 🙂
Trying trying trying to get the chance to pack a hospital… fingers crossed!
You’re giving me fab ideas though
Bottle of water (with straws for when in labour) and loads of snacks.
Bottled water and my mobile
If you’re have a section, big Bridget Jones stylee knickers are a must. You know, the ones that come up to your belly button. They’re perfect. Also, comfy pjs if you’re having to stay in hospital for a couple of days.
Pack more nappies, vests and sleepsuits that you think you will need. New baby poop goes EVERYWHERE!! comfy pjs/clothes and ‘old’ knickers for mum…not those papery things!
mobile phone or tablet (for those long lonely waits) some boiled sweets (a definite must whenever I’m in hospital) and a couple of small bottles of water
Jelly sweets they kept me going for 13 hours 🙂
i had a home birth so didnt need a hospital bag. i would say to pack a few home comforts and a birth ball is a must!
water bottle, phone & charger
dark pj’s, lip balm and change for parking
Pj’s, lightweight dressing gown, slippers, clothes and underwear, juice, snacks, toiletries phone and charger
Smartphone, charger and headphones.
Lipbalm, wipes, lucozade, nappies, baby clothes in various sizes! I took newborn and 0-3 but my baby was HUGE and my husband had to go home and get 3-6 months ones, which she only just fit in!
My phone to keep in touch
Change for car park
Mobile, charger and comfy clothes!
comfortable slippers are a must
Something decent to drink
shower gel and hair brush so you can feel human after. Squash so you can have a refreshing drink.
snacks, ipod, mobile.
WET WIPES AND WATER
phone charger and snacks
Ear plugs and eye mask (I’ve had 2 c-sections so was in for 5 days and needed help sleeping on a noisy maternity ward), face wipes, mints, nice drinks, fluffy socks, mobile charger and iPad with headphones, baby clothes in newborn and 0-3 months, water wipes as I cannot get to grips with cotton wool.
Most of what you already said….and a book! First time labour was 3 days….
tissues and water bottle
Most of what you’ve listed, along with some drinks and some hand sanitiser.
decent nightwear – entertainment (books/tablet) snacks
For me it was the ready made milk if you are choosing just to bottle feed. Our hospital no longer provide baby milk so we had to take our own in and there is no way I wanted to be making up bottles with the powder formula straight after giving birth.
Lipsalve, Ice pack, Hair ties, dressing gown
Looking back, my most essential items were my husband (to carry the bag) ;), nice shower gel, after I gave birth the first thing i needed to do was have a shower (after giving my baby boy a big smooch a cuddle and having to prize myself away from him!), My hubby brought a quiz book to take my mind off it, I also brought a new set of PJS to make myself feel nice after having my boy and so it was easy to breast feed him in it. I brought a cheap pack of big pants to so it was comfortable and not tight round my tummy. And finally I brought everything else you’ve already mentioned!
Comfy clothes for both
nice pjs and slippers
lots of nighties and baby gros. and hand cream!!!
Bottle of water, snacks, wipes, hair bobbles & energy tablets.
Definitely wipes and dry shampoo – make you feel more human!
I took some water proof platform clogs that I bought for the purpose as I couldn’t bear the idea of standing in the hospital showers without!
Also lipbalm and a big bottle of Pepsi Max as for some reason I found it a great distraction swigging it in between puffs of gas and air!
Snacks, Lipbalm and a mini fan – oh and plenty of bottled water!
Flip flops for the shared toilets and bathrooms. Its a must!! and anti bac wipes x
a fan and cool water!
dry shampoo, wetwipes and toothbrush and past, and underwear
Socks, I was freezing giving birth.
Nappies, snacks, isotonic drinks and comfy pjs
My slippers, my phone and charger
Dressing gown slip-on slippers Lip balm
lip balm the gas and air gives you dry lips!
a hair band and bobbles no body needs hair in your face!
warm fuzzy socks nothing more horrid than cold feet!
wipes/smellies/make up for freshening up if you have visitors
Lip balm, chocolate and lots of bottled water is a must for me, on number 3 pregnancy now and those things I wouldn’t do without
I had a ridiculously quick labour..i didnt make it onto the ward he arrived so rapidly..but then i ended up being in for 3 weeks after the birth. My essential is squash to put in the jugsa of water.
But be prepared that a lot of the things yyou have might be useless like in my case…and i had to send the oh home everyday to get fresh pyjamas etc!
Nice fluffy warm socks is a must! 🙂
Socks and slippers
Heavy pads, couple of changes of underwear & pyjamas, nappies & a couple of baby outfits!
Baby Wipes and hand cleanser are always good
water and wet wipes
A comfy robe is quite important. It was really cold in my hospital and I wanted to get up and walk around to try to speed things up.
A jug. It err..helps with stinging pee! Use the jug to pour on water while you go.
Socks and slippers
Sone ‘one-handed’ snacks for mum!
I would pack disposable knickers 🙂
the mrs had makeup as the most have item lol
lots of sanitary pads, water bottle, lip moisturiser,
Definitely got to be slippers
I would have hated to forget my camera!
Comfy underwear, babywipes and a secret stash of jaffa cakes but ssshhhh
favourite PJ AND slippers, wash bag, camera, baby items eg wipes baby grows,some pads, favourite shower gel, some dilute juice cause plaim water is boring
Snacks and Arnica.
My iPod to try and distract myself and give myself something to focus on
An ipad to try desperately to distract myself!
I took in a bottle of squash an it was a lifesaver. 🙂 x
My top tip is to take a bottle of anti-bacterial hand gel and a tub that you can use to wash your hands in. I had an unplanned emergency cesarean and was bed-bound for a few days afterwards. Unfortunately the hospital staff were so busy that they simply didn’t have the time or facilities for me to wash my hands regularly – not ideal when you’re juggling nappies, sanitary towels and a leaky wound in between feeding yourself and your newborn baby.
Earplugs, a sleep mask
Biscuits, hand gel and phone!
Biscuits, hand gel and phone