Expecting baby - hospital bag for husband

thriftylass

We're only allowed to bring one bag. Never thought of bringing stuff for OH. There are free water dispensers and he wasn't in 24/7 anyway so could nip out to get food etc. Last time he was also offered free tea and coffee. Plus we live around the corner from the hospital, so when I needed sth. he could just go and get it. There isn't much space to put stuff anyway.

ska_lover

clairehi wrote: »

Whatever you do, dont rely on a man to select a suitable going home outfit for you and bring it in (from experience!)

Very true :T:T:T:T:T:T

*LolaB*

I didn't pack a bag as such for my oh, but I did put stuff in mine specifically for him for labour (anticipating that I would likely be in labour for a while as 1st baby). I put puzzle books in (magazines for me) & his favourite coffee (kettles etc are in labour rooms in our hospital) plus some snack type things only he liked. All used/eaten/drunk & shared with our heavily pg midwife too!

Bangton

It's a shame when people are so ruddy cynical over what is supposed to be a nice gesture!!!

I went through labour 3 weeks ago - it was far from straightforward (I won't go into too much detail with a pregnant woman but it was far from the norm anyway and highly unlikely to occur very often!!) I had a long drawn out labour, a c section at the end under GA and had to have assisted breathing as I was numbed from the neck down instead of the waist and lost the ability to lift my chest up and down to breathe thus feeling like I was going to die (and my OH believing the same but of course he was rushed from theatre with no explanation whilst theatre staff saved me).

He spent a total of 30 hrs awake as I was extremely poorly post delivery developing a blood clot and an infection. For the majority of the time I was in hospital (10 days) he slept in cold, hard chairs nursing baby through the night because I couldn't or needed rest. It was awful for me but just as awful for him.

So yes, that's never going to happen to you but not all births are straightforward and that can be awful for the men who are very much abandoned whilst the person (or people including baby) they love the most go through the mill!

My advice is food, food, food. My OH got so hungry and as it was a locked ward couldn't always get in and out if the midwives were busy (and they were!!) I remember at 1 am him gingerly saying how starving he was and I'd have loved to be able to say to him 'go in that bag, there's cold pizza' but instead the midwives brought him a manky hospital sandwich with one slice of ham leftover from lunch (the thought counts!!) We took no food, only money for the vending machines but that involved leaving the ward which again was inconvenient due to it being a locked ward.

I also took a change of clothes for him and some toiletries but negated to take toothpaste and a toothbrush which he needed in the end. It's a tough one and we found this when packing our bag. You have no idea how long your in for because you have no idea what's going to happen. Most people are in and out but say you ended up needing a section or something (fingers crossed you won't) your in at least 2 days so perhaps work on the premise of taking 2 days worth of stuff just in case!

goonarmy

I had a bag (me n the missus packed together) and very little got used. Day n half labour followed by section was hellish, no time for my kindle or my ipod. The wash stuff was used, boiling hot n sweaty in there and the toothbrush was nessacary after gallons of hispital tea and coffee. And after three days awake i had the worst headache(didnt get much sympathy off the wife, unsurprisingly) so super strong super fast acting ibuprofen type stuff. Hospital wont give you any. And high energy food such as flapjacks.
Goodluck.

grey_lady

Gigglepig wrote: »

Yep am fully aware of that - this is one reason why we are taking a hospital bag. I am not planning the whole event, not doing a "birth plan" or anything, just packing a hospital bag in advance (that hopefully we'll have the time to bring with us... You never know!)

I am surprised some people think it is planning to the nth degree, i thought most couples packed the hospital bag in advance?

Most people pack a bag in advance for themselves and the baby yes, however you posted specifically asking advice on a bag for your other half? I'd assumed you'd got the main bag covered :-)

grey_lady

Bangton sounds like you went through a very traumatic time - sounds scary, agree about the need for food, hospital food can be rubbish or non-existent if your not in the right place at the right time. Hope LO is doing well.

embob74

After the last hospital labour I had I wished I had packed a baby bath and a clean bathroom as both of these things were absent!!
My last baby was a planned homebirth and I didn't pack any bags for anyone. Everything we needed was there and OH was free to get a drink or food whenever he wanted. I wish I had known how relaxed it would compared to a hospital birth.

embob74

Actually thinking about it I did pack food and drink for OH when we went to hospital as I felt a bit sorry for him as there wasn't a lot he could do for me and he was a bit of a spare part.
I do wish I had thought to pack a big note for OH saying I do not consent to internal examinations as they are unnecessary and not helpful in any way and I needed him to stand up for me when midwives were being pushy and assuming they had the right to do that to me.

mountainofdebt

I can vividly remember spending hours choosing and making a tape (remember them lol) of favourite music.........and I can honestly say that I forgot all about it until 2 days after Junior was born!