Elcs - how many clothes to take for baby?

[IsThisYourSanderling]

Hi, it's looking like I'll be having an elective c section in about three weeks time, and I'm wondering how much I'll need for baby, given the slightly longer recovery time? I'd like to avoid sending DH home for stuff as much as possible as there's a fair chance he'll come back with the wrong things - it's all so new to him and baby clothes can be confusing.

So, how many vests, sleepsuits, hats, socks? Say, for a five day stay?

Did you take in blankets and baby towels, or just use the hospital ones?

Hospital wards are notoriously hot, would you bother with warmer clothes?

Thanks all. I've never had a baby before

[LuchiMangsho]

A 5 day stay is quite long. The usual is 2-3. In your bag pack one set clearly labelled 'for after birth.' Take 3 outfits for the first day or so. And then keep a pile of the rest, folded and packed where DH can bring them.
You will be immobilised slightly after the C section so will not be able to do that much other than bark orders for the first few hours. Make things as simple as possible.
A vest and a sleep suit is fine. Sleep suits usually have covered feet so no need for socks. Hats are optional. DS never took kindly to them.
Blankets/swaddling stuff- plenty of them.
Nappies, wipes etc.
Mostly take stuff for yourself. Nice smelling soap and shampoo. Pads. If you are breastfeeding then stuff you can feed in easily. Slippers. Chargers.
And top tip: place a pad across the scar when you first get up. It will make movement/bending much easier. You won't feel like your insides are falling out.
And take ALL the painkillers they give you- it's safe and post surgery with no pain relief is not fun!

[LuchiMangsho]

I don't think they will give you too many blankets and baby towels. You may not need a towel btw. Unless you plan to bathe the baby in hospital which is unusual.

[mrsnec]

I had two cs. Dd was born in september and ds in february and I packed the same for both. 5 vests and 5 sleepsuits socks hats and blankets too. Seperate bags for me and the baby. I didn't pack a towel and I did have to bathe the baby both times. 5 day stay for me both times too but I'm not in the UK.both times I sent dh back with washing so Id be tempted to pack 7 if you are definately in for 5 days.

[IsThisYourSanderling]

Thanks for the advice all. I'm in Scotland so yes, perhaps five days is a generous estimate and it'll more likely be three, but I just want to be prepared - good call about having extra clothes packed up at home and ready for DH to grab if necessary.

I have three cellular blankets and a couple of Gro-snugs - I'm not sure it's worth taking the latter, I'll ask the midwife tomorrow. I'm thinking they might be too warm for hospital anyway. And I won't be very able to dress and undress him during the night for changes, so maybe I should just stick to whatever the midwives prefer (as I presume they'll help me?)

I don't expect to be bathing him but I suppose it depends how long we're in for. I suppose one baby towel wouldn't hurt.

Thanks for the tip about the pad over the wound - I'll bear that in mind. I've bought myself some big Bridget Jones pants from Primark, and a couple of pair of over-the-bump maternity pants too. I'm hoping that will suffice. I feel extremely clueless tbh.

36 weeks tomorrow so I should really be packing my hospital bag.

What do people sleep in after a section? I have one big button-down nightshirt, but I'm wondering if I'm understocked there. I don't really want to buy lots of new nightshirts that are just going to get bled on though. Gah.

[LuchiMangsho]

JoJo Maman Bebe sells a pack of mesh knickers which are great after a C section.
You will be asked to get up within a day. And you must. I had a shower within 24 hours. Only on the first night you might need help with changing. After that they might ask you to go and do it yourself. I was in a busy London hospital though. Don't be scared- with the painkillers you should be fine. And getting up and walking and showering is important, especially for your circulation.

[LuchiMangsho]

And yes a button down night dress is fine. I only bled really heavily on that first night. They clean out your insides. My lochia lasted a good 8 weeks but it was less than a teaspoon a day. So you might not bleed as much as you think.

[Blue4ever]

Different experience here, when I stood up for the first time after the surgery the blood/water gushed out to leave a puddle on the floor and I was terribly embarrassed. No pad would have held for that amount of liquid. So I would recommend having a very old towel that you hold up between your legs for the first time you sit up /stand up. I would have loads spare knickers and at least two nighties and a ligh weight dressing gown. it's cheap to buy and you don't want to be stuck. At my hospital you had to go and queue to get your food so a dressing gown was pretty necessary!

The hospital had blankets etc but I had my own baby sheet.

Also, as for the baby's clothes, I had left a spare bag of stuff all ready prepared at home for dh to bring to hospital in case I would need to stay in for longer. I also had ear plugs and eye pads so that I could sleep during the day when DH was there to look after the baby.

[Blue4ever]

Oh and yes to getting up and walking around a bit soon after surgery. That first shower was heaven.

[bluechameleon]

Bear in mind that you might want to pack more than one size of clothes - not all babies fit into newborn. Mine was huge so went straight into 0-3. I was in for 2.5 days after EMCS. The first night I was in a hospital gown, then I wore a button front maternity nightie. And make sure you keep asking for painkillers - I only got paracetamol two or three times a day.

[peaceloveandshitmoms]

Take far more pants than you think you need. DH brought me some clean ones and was meant to take my dirty ones away, but he accidentally took both I had to just bleed on the floor because my hospital didn't have disposables to give out.

Still not 100% forgiven him for that

[kiki22]

I had a CS last week ds2 was delivered at Tuesday at 11pm and I was home by Thursday at 10am I nagged them to get me up asap and I've recovered really well 8 days later I didn't take any pain killers at all today and didn't even realise until I remembered about my iron tablets.

Clothes wise I took 2 sets and made up 3 other outfits put each in a large food bag and left them on the kitchen counter for dp to lift and bring home the bags were also handy to put the dirty cloths in. Remember you need to carry this stuff around with you and then fight through it after so bringing lots can make things harder.

[Alwaysinahurrynow]

In Edinburgh, they are now offering enhanced section whereby you can go home after 24 hours, but it's optional. Consultant clocked my look of horror (I have two children under 4) when she suggested this and said of course I can stay until I feel ready to go home/are able to.

Best thing to do is pack bags of 5 of the different sizes of baby clothes/muslins etc with labels on, then put one bag of each in your hospital bag and leave the other bags laid out on a bed at home and then your DH can pick up whichever one you need (you can even photograph the labels so you can text him the right bags to bring). Same with spare clothes, maternity pads etc. If not, suggest he heads to the nearest large supermarket/boots, the staff are generally very good at finding partners the right things (I know the one local to the hospital here helped out my husband).

Primark do cheap button front nighties which are good if you have to keep the catheter in for longer than 24 hours.