babyurbeautiful

 

It's been so long since I packed a hospital bag that I've been looking online for lists of what I need.  Babycentre has recommended lists, and forum posts suggest taking three bags.  Three bags, seriously?!

 

Last time round I went to hospital with no bag.  I called the labour ward with pains at 25 weeks and they told me to come in and bring a bag "just in case", but me being me, decided they'd send me home so off I went just myself and a book!  This resulted in Mr J having to race home from work, 70 miles away, quickly sort me a few essentials and then drive another 50 miles to the hospital I was transferred to.  3 days later, still stuck in a delivery room with no window and I was trying to shave my legs with his electric shaver.  That was of course before I lost all my dignity and Mr J was fishing out bits of carrots after emptying my sick bowl down the sink!

 

Bearing that in mind, I decided three bags including a tens machine and a handheld fan is a load of bollocks.  I've even read ladies packing a plastic jug for those first wee's after giving birth.  Whatever happened to just weeing mid-shower?!

Last time, Mr J was dispatched to the nearest supermarket for maternity pads, big pants and new pyjamas and so I realise it's really not the end of the world if I don't have a fancy pants going home outfit or a year's supply of nappies with me.

 

I've not yet fully packed, but I have a bag prepared with a few essentials ready...

 

 

 

 

Starting clockwise, here's what I have so far

 

1. Asda Little Angels newborn nappies - these have dreamskin technology to protect newborn botties. 

£4.50 for 26, or 3 packs for £12

 

2. Cotton wool pads- easier than faffing with cotton wool balls for nappy changes

 

3. Wash bag- packed with the obvious shampoo and conditioner, shower gel, toothbrushes for us both etc.

 

4. Superdrug My Little Star New Mum maternity pads

99p (currently buy one get one half price on selected products)

 

5. Pyjamas- dark PJ's are obviously recommened post baby, and I decided to treat myself to some nice ones. 

Ted Baker at Debenhams pyjamas £25.

 

6. Superdrug My Little Star New Mum nipple cream- 99p.

 

7. Black knickers- Why bother with grotty disposable ones when you can just ditch these?

Primark £2.50 for 5 pairs. 

 

8. Pampers new baby wipes- these were a freebie from my Emma's Diary pack. These are more for me, for makeup removal and general freshening up!

 

9. Newborn neutral baby sleepsuit.  £11.00 from Boots.  I obvs will pack a couple more and vests and a hat.

 

10. Lanisoh breast pads- again a pregnancy pack freebie.

 

11.  Soft blanket.  Neutral and a Primark cheapie.  Can you tell I'm not convinced the sonographer got it right?!

 

 

 

FJ

Don't you just hate this miserable weather - August my arse!

Anyway, people ask why I jet off all the time - THIS - the darn unpredictable weather is precisely is the reason!

I digress.

I stumbled across a multipurpose ointment designed to simplify a mothers regime and a jet setters must have - one simple product with 101 uses - I won't name them all but try but a few!

Here's 16 quickies....Dry skin, lips, chapped lips, nursing nipples, cuts, eczema, psoriasis, lip protection whilst flying, burns, sunburn, mix with your lipstick for a glossy finish, eyebrows after tattooing, highlighting (shine), dry cuticles, skin abrasions, eyebrows in place...phew!

This is also a great hospital bag must-have, all that puffing on air dries your lips out horrendously - so keep slathering on a pea-sized amount of this - and they'll stay supple and silky soft. They offer a 8-hour challenge too - pop it on before bed, and see if your lips are still supple 8 hours down the line - (if you get a solid 8 hours!)

Lanolips 101 Ointment - £10.99 is available at Boots, Waitress, Feelunique.com and also comes in a handy 9g travel sized tube for £7.99.

Well, imagine my absolute joy when I discovered they do SPF15 coloured versions!

As you can see from my picture they have a gorgeous really thick consistency - think nipple balm, the pigment is amazing so a tiny, tiny dab goes a LONG way.

Top to Bottom - 101 Ointment, Apple and Dusky Pink - my faves

With over 60 per cent Ultra pure medical grade lanolin, pure pigment and vitamin E, some lovely natural oils - unless you're allergic to lanolin - it's my favourite discovery of the summer!

Available in Rose - a 60's style dusty pink, Apples - a gorgeous juicy red, sunshine - vibrant for summer, dark honey, a deep nude, and rhubarb a pretty fruity pink.

These retail for £7.99 in all the above stockists

Lanolips Stockist

Lanolips in Apples

Lanolips in Dusky Pink

The first time my pink lining bag had it's outing was indeed, my labour. 

Having meticulously packed it for baby, I filled its nifty compartments with; loose nappies, nappy bags (Mothercare, they have a lovely baby powder scent), bepathen nappy cream (something I'm way too familiar with having had a couple of cheeky tattoos over the years).

I packed his first 'coming out' jojo Maman sleepsuit complete with blue elephants and dinky hat (bought with a voucher from our lovely CB). Plus a few vests, socks, mitts and fine knit blanket.

Also packed were muslin clothes (Muslim as I keep wrongly pronouncing), plus emergency dummies, wrist rattle elephant - there's even a attachment for you to clip your dummy to. 

The front roomy compartments are handy for mobiles, essentials etc. My bag has stars and bees and embroidered 'mama et bebe' in ever so cool Francais - Something I'm not that competent in. The front pockets are great for stuffing important notes/things to action and keys etc. Things that need to be separate from baby's paraphernalia.

Inside the actual bag on D-day I also packed anti-bac hand gels, jelly beans and jelly babies - for energy in labour, yes seriously! Also some imperative nipple cream and all important wipes; both Johnson's sensitive and Superdrug my little star, both which have proved great and he's had no nappy rash so far!

You should get a bounty pack (given in hospital) I received a mini sudocream which is now safely stored in one of the inside pockets too. I also packed some lovely nipple pads for breastfeeding leakages!

There are many lists on the web detailing items you might need when you go into labour, and you can even purchase ready packed bags. However, I am due to give birth to my second baby any day now and after the first I can tell you some of it is a waste of time, and some things that people always miss off theirs are essentials! So here we go this is my REAL hospital bag list!