Mumsnet Talk

OK this is a bit random but I had my 1st child in the States, and the 'goodies' they gave you over there were pretty good.
I got a huge supply of pads for me, nappies for the baby, Lansinoh cream and breast pads for nursing.

I'm having my 2nd at St Thomas (in London) in 3 weeks, I'm just packing my bag right now, and was wondering what I needed to take with me. Will they give me nappies and pads there, or am I expected to bring my own?
Anyone who's given birth there???

No idea about St Thomas but we get NOTHING - absolutely bog all not even a hospital towel to use post birth shower! You should be prepared to take everything from pads and nappies to towels and soap and everything inbetween!

They won't give you anything!

Take everything, even towels and an extra pillow.

Assume nothing!

I was told to take an empty ice cream tub or similar for topping and tailing!

Nothing! I am bottle feeding and they did supply milk for that.

Take everything - Nappies, maternity pads, pillows, cotton wool, towels - Basically anything you would use at home for you and baby.

At Kings last time, I was given naerly everything: Towels, pads, nappies, pillows.
This time, pads are on the list of things to bring.
I wonder what happens if you don't bring them ?

MRSA

I did manage to get a maternity pad out of a MW when DS & I were sent back to the PN ward when he was a week old. But basically I was wandering the corridors weeping and wailing and almost ended up with a psych consult too...

I would assume they supply nothing and then you can't be disappointed!

was at st thomas - on nhs postnatal it was pretty slim pickings - nappies, pads, breast pads etc they only gave a few to get started - you def need to take.

they did have towels and they were fine for me but took fluffy one in for ds.

pillows also ok - depends on how much other stff you're already carrying really?

lansdell postnatal didn't need to take any of that.

So if we need to take everything, will there be a place to keep a big bag with extra towels, extra pillow, dressing gown, nightshirts, change of clothes and all the stuff the baby might need?

Can this big bag just be shoved under the bed?

this is the problem i had - bag so big first time round and no cupboard space....

if possible, get dh to bring in stuff as you find you need it?

i was rummaging through my bag trying (and failing) to find what i needed, and that was without taking towels/pillows/dressing gown.

although i may have taken hair straighterners - very useful they were!!!!! not.

I would take a bag to cover the immediate few hours after the birth - half a dozen nappies, a pack of pads, vest and babygro.. amongst other things. Put more in another bag and get your dh to bring it in as you need it.
Assume you get nothing. I got one nappy for each of my children when I gave birth.

Some very uncomfortable paper knickers and...urm...that was about it!

Another random question- there is a (small) possibility that I might have to head to the hospital by myself, as hubby is taking DD to his sister's this weekend and I will be 37+4 by then.

What do I do with my handbag? I will obviously need it to carry money etc. what will happen to it next?

You'll keep all your bags with you in the birth room and then it will be sent down to the PN ward/room.

If your having a CS then it'll be all kept in a room for you.

you have to take everything.
they gave us cotton wool for babies bum but thats it!

Nothing. Actually, this time we did get some cotton wool. And breakfast.

You may get out early (certainly standard stay is shorter than in US, and I was home within a few hours for DC2) so I would skip the pillow to begin with and only pack one change of clothes for you and a few things for the baby. Your DH can bring in extra stuff later if you need it.

I'd stick your handbag in your big bag. It'll be secure while you're actually in the delivery suite, and by the time you're discharged from there (to home or postnatal ward) your DH will probably have arrived.

All we got was bedding for baby (but that consisted of mainly towels). Just bring everything, I am even bringing baby blankets just incase. I bought a towel bale from Argos for my towels as they are really thin (not terribly nice but save so much space)and a thin dressing gown and thin slippers - it's these that take up the most room. You can always keep another bag of supplies in the car ie. more clothes/towels etc.

I wouldn't take your handbag if you can help it, or as someone said put it in your bag (but you might find you have no room!). I have put money straight into my hospital bag etc., al I need to grab is my makeup from my hangbag

(I did know someone who was told to bring her own bedsheets ! That's not normal, though...)

I had babies in Edinburgh and got clean bedsheets. That's about it.

I took a bike lock to attach my bag to the bed because my stuff didn't all fit in the cupboard, and locked my bag with a luggage lock.

Hi, I had my DD at St Thomas' in 2004. I took everything in for baby and me apart from bedding/pillows. I think it is best to assume you need to take everything. At least then you won't get caught short!

Not sure about handbag/money if your DH isn't there. It is such a large unit with so many babies being born that it was constantly drummed into us that we should never ever leave our baby unattended. So I should imagine the same goes for your other valuables!

oh goodness... I can't imagine worrying about the whole process of giving birth... then also in the back of your mind having to worry about the safety of your handbag, if you have enough nappies for baby afterward and maternity pads for yourself! What happens if you don't have enough nappies or maternity pads? Of course dh can go get some I guess, but what about single mums? This sounds really awful. No wonder so many people want homebirths.

Expat's bicycle lock solution is very practical, but also very depressing. I don't want to be at my most vulnerable, alone with my newborn, in a ward where I need to lock everything down, bring flip flops for the shower, my own disinfectant, my own food... and how can we be expected to know how many towels we will need just after giving birth?

I am back to really wanting a homebirth, but the midwives in this area are very unsupportive of that, and claim that since first time Mums who insist on a home birth always end up needing to transfer to hospital and ambulances can take a very long time to arrive, I would be better off there.

They do have maternity pads and nappies in case of emergency, but they will tut at you and give you a Look should you need one (I needed to scrounge some extra nappies for DS when he was unexpectedly admitted with whooping cough at four weeks old and DH was away).

I was very happy with my give-birth-shower-then-go-home-immediately option this time round; it got round most of the issues. Also, I know several women who've had successful homebirths first time round.