when to pack hospital bag?

when should i start packing my hospital bag and what things will i def. need compared to what i shouldn't bring

 

I would pack it at least 2 months out. This way, later when you are bigger, you aren't having to waddle around and pack. Plus, there is a risk of twins coming early. If (God forbid) they do, you don't want to be running around trying to pack after your water has broken.

Also, something I wish someone had told me was that the type of birth you have matters when you are packing. Packing for a c-section is different than paking for a natural child birth. Everyone seems to forget that if you have a c-section, the seam of your maternity pants (where the belly band and the other fabric meet) often sits right on your incision. I didn't realize this and had to leave the hospital in my jammies! Not quite the glowing new mom look I was hoping for!

 

I definitely agree with packing 2 months out. I waited thinking I would have more time and in the end my hubs had to throw some things together while I was in the hospital.

Pack a couple pair of comfy pants just in case of c-section that will work for both. Also make sure you have all the toiletries that make you comfortable.

 

I went to an appt. and was told to go home and get my suitcase and head to the hospital...I wasnt packed yet!! :laughing:
Thankfully I was able to run home and grab the things I wanted to take.
It wasnt quite the emergency situation I always imagined.
I never packed in advanced because I used the stuff I wanted to take everyday.

I did have the babies stuff all ready to go-


Oh and I did pack the cutsie pj's but never wore them-I liked my yoga pants and big t-shrit much better!

 

I am coming up close on 28wks. I plan on pack in the next couple weeks. I have three other children and always packed small bottles of shampoo, toothbrush, and all the other little things so I wouldn't have to pack them last minute. I also like to make a list of all the last minute items I will need....wallet, cell phone, charger, laptop, notebook with all my phone numbers and pregnancy info like my LMD, EDD, and other important info.

 

I packed at 30 weeks. Thought I have had to break into it for maternity underwear (I broke the elastic of two pairs!) and the nursing bra (my maternity bra was still wet and I had to get going). And we have a list of things to pack up last minute (phone charger, journal). Of course we live half a mile from the hospital (right under the helicopter flight plan!) so my husband can hop on back.

I'm 36 weeks and only have one set of pants that will fit the belly,so at this point, its dresses all the way for me!

 

I packed my bags around the 34 weeks mark. I was told that I had a uterus of steel, so I didn't think that I needed to be overly prepared. I did however, have the babies bag packed for a while before myself (I used everything that I took to the hospital).

I ended up with a c-section and my recovery was terrible! I actually swelled up bigger than I did when I as pregnant...so I had to have someone go out and get me a bigger pair of pj bottoms. Someone said to me when I was wearing my normal pj bottoms "it looks like your *** is eating your pants". :blush: Plus, I ended up in the hospital for much longer than I anticipated so I had someone bring me my computer....that helped.