10 MORE Things To Pack..

If your child is admitted to hospital for a long stay, here is my personal recommendation of things to pack aside from the obvious clothes and toiletries..

1. Ready Meals.. particularly the chilled kind over the frozen ones, these cook faster (for when you don't want to leave your child unattended for long) and can be stored in the kitchen fridge as not all parent kitchen's have a freezer!

2. Caffeine!!.. hospitals can be tricky places to get a good night's sleep so make sure you take your caffeine fix, whether that be tea, coffee or Coca Cola. Most kitchen's have tea and coffee making facilities but you can almost guarantee they will run out at your moment of need!

3. Lunchtime Snacks.. bagels, crisps, cereal bars, fruit, chocolate!... anything that doesn't need to be refrigerated so you can keep it at the bedside and if you really don't want to leave your child's side you don't have to starve.

4. Chargers.. phone chargers, tablet chargers, batteries!!

5. Books or Magazines.. you may think you'll be too occupied with your child but trust me you will get bored! They'll be points where they are sleeping or just happy resting and don't need your full attention.

6. Potty.. if your child uses one at home then my advice is to take it with you!! Some hospital wards can have up to 20+ beds and only one children's toilet or one potty / plastic bedpan etc. and we all know how toddlers cannot hold it at times!!

7. Baby Wipes.. great for cleaning mucky faces and bums or generally washing if your child is bed bound. The wipes they provide often run out fast or are harsh on sensitive skin. Which brings me nicely to the next one..

8. Hand Cream.. the soap and hand gel used in hospitals is very harsh so take yourself some gorgeous hand cream to keep them smooth and crack free.

9. Flip Flops / Slippers.. you won't want your shoes on all the time, especially if your little one likes you to snuggle on their bed with them.. slippers and flip flops are quick to slip on and off! EXTRA TIP : shower room floors are often soaking wet through so flip flops are ideal to stop soggy socks!

10. Home Comforts.. yes the hospitals have toys and blankets etc. but children can feel very insecure in such a scary environment... my advice is to take 2/3 favourite toys and maybe a nice soft blanket (the fleecey character ones are fab for this) to make it feel more 'homely'. This goes for you parents as well, take yourself a blanket, pillow, photos from home.. anything to help you relax if possible as you will need to unwind at points no matter how hard it may seem.

xoxo