Having C-section tomorrow - what shall i take in my hospital bag??!!!

[Lolabelle]

Leaving it so last minute and i'm so stressed/busy but surely it must be different from a natural birth hospital bag?? Help!!

[fryalot]

well you won't need all the stuff that is on the list for during the birth

other than that, I can't think of any difference

(had 2 natural births, btw and 1 cs)

[anita24]

yes take load of things cause you might need them

[anita24]

i know i did and it came handy when i had to stay for 5 days after giving birth

[NutterlyUts]

Take some carton drinks/bottle of squash and some snacky food incase the food on the ward is pants

[fryalot]

a book or something for when baby is fast asleep, because you WILL be staying in for a few days

[RedFraggle]

Big knickers
sanitary stuff
snacks for afterwards
magazines / easy to read book
lots of little bottles of water so you don't have to keep asking people to get you water!
birth announcement cards so you can write them while you are in (if you are having any)
music for the birth if you want it.
then just general stuff like toiletries, dark towel, dressing gown, slippers etc

I've been writing my own list for in preparation for my elective section! Very exciting. Good luck for tomorrow!

[Diplidophus]

Big knicks
Night dress not jimjams
Big V cushion
Radio/MP3
lots of nice things to drink (I drank abotu 2l of Orangina) you have a catheter in so don't even need to get up to pee!

Practise on the bed controls as soon as you arrive. It took me a couple fo days to find out I could get it higher than the cot which meant I took lift DS out by his blankets stork fashion rather than having to call the midwife.

slide on shoes - e.g. flip flops (you won't be able to bend down).

Lots of prunes etc. and food in general - I was starving.

Don't rush out of hospital. I left aftr three days and found it hard when I was at home. I wished I had stayed for the five on offer.

Take all pain relief on offer. Morphine is great!

Good luck!

[MrsWho]

Ooh Good luck!

[lulumama]

big pants !! cotton ones

and all the regular stuff you would want for a vaginal birth

arnica

[Olissa]

Peppermint tea or cordial - I had a lot of trapped wind! MW came to listen to my bowel sounds to see if I could have anything to eat, I was surprised she couldn't hear them from the MW station down the corridor

Good luck!

[Smurfs]

...ooooh how exciting, 2 electives under my belt so to speak....take lots of food...I was starving and lovely though the 2 pieces of toast were after the section...ok so I hadn't used any energy up but they were a snackette quite frankly. Small pants so that they didn't go near stiches worked best for me....not that I was small...I must have looked a treat expensive shower gels, shampoos etc - I needed all the help I could get to feel human and disposable camera for those 'I have just got to have a photo of that yawn' moments. Best of luck it is a very relaxing way to have a baby IMO

[PestoMonster]

Ribena to perk up the jug of water that you'll have by your bedside. A small foldaway changing mat, so you don't get your bed messed up when you start changing your new baby. A puzzle book in case you get bored. Get someone to bring you in some 'nice' fruit like strawberries or raspberries as a healthy pick-me-up afterwards. Take a razor as you'll be in a couple of days and won't want to get all stubbly. I also craved Opal Fruits or something similar.

[ProfYaffle]

Agree that you need to take lots of drinks. Dh left a 1l sports bottle of water tucked in the side of my bed when he left. i finished off that and the jug of water overnight and was still parched, the auxiliary on duty in the morning refused to get me any more water because she was too busy!

Snacks for overnight, I was ravenously hungry with all the bf going on and scoffed a pack of ginger creams (even though I don't like them) at 3am.

Take full advantage of visiting hours and have someone with you all the time (even better if they can bring nice food with them), the ward staff will be very busy, it makes life easier to be as independent as possible.

Make sure everything is arranged within arm's reach before your dh/dp leaves at the end of visiting.

Not really hospital bag stuff but ykwim.

[hippmummy]

May sound silly, but pack your bag bearing in mind someone else may have to look for things. So make it easy to explain where things are IYSWIM.
I had an emergency cs and remember the nurse needed to change DS2 because I couldn't move, and she kept saying 'where is the cotton wool?', 'where is his vest?' and I had to try and remember whilst up to my eyeballs in morphine!
Also another vote for arnica - amazing for healing.
Good luck x