Hospital bag - did you take a hairdryer

[kitkat321]

Sorry for the random question!

My hospital bag is pretty much packed - I'm only 35 weeks but in the middle of moving house so want to make sure all the essentials are in the bag.

I'm not planning on looking particularly glam post birth but just wondered, should I take my own hair dryer. I don't want to not take one and then have to wait ages for it to dry naturally but also not sure if I'd be allowed to plug in my own dryer?

[Heels99]

I did but I was in for four weeks. For one or two nights I wouldn't bother.

[Phineyj]

You probably won't be allowed to (electrical equipment has to be tested) and in any case, hospitals are invariably boiling hot so it'll probably dry quickly. If you get a decent shower I'd say you're doing well anyway!

[BikeRunSki]

No
Maternity wards are baking hot anyway.

[excitedforbaba]

I was actually thinking this last night! Redone my bags but both are full to bursting point so decided post birth shower I will plait my hair and let it dry into a nice wave!
At least people will think I have made an effort with my hair! Haha

[SirChenjin]

Check before you go in. Our NHS Board doesn't allow any electrical item which hasn't been PAT tested because of fire risk.

[catseyes10]

I took mine in, I look like I've been electrocuted when my hair dries naturally.

[kitkat321]

Thanks all! I have shortish hair so it should dry quickly but it's not long enough to put in a pony tail.

Luckily it doesn't get too frizzy anyway so I'll just leave it!

[Jodie1982]

I really didn't care about my hair afterwards, I didn't even get a decent shower! Too tired n busy with the newborn to worry about my hair, I just shoved it up in to a bun type thing, kept me cooler as the maternity unit is always bloody stifling!! But even nowadays I never get any time to style my hair :-( (no.5 on the way!)

Jo 24+6 x

[atticusclaw]

With both of mine I was out within a few hours of the birth. Most of my friends seem to have had this experience too. I only know one person who was in for any length of time (couple of nights).

[angelopal]

Was in 4 nights both times. The ward was really hot so didnt need one. I was tempted as I have thick hair but it dried quite quickly.

To be honest with all the other stuff in my bag I would not have had any room.

[Sorehead]

I was in for 6 nights. Didn't take a hair dryer but don't think anyone would have known/ cared- we were in a private room (standard in my local hospital) and nobody batted an eyelid about phone chargers being plugged in and they hasn't been PAT tested.

I just left my hair to dry naturally whenever I washed it though.

[HappyAsASandboy]

If you took your hair dryer in with you, where did you dry your hair?

Obviously not an issue if you had a private room, but on the ward? Wouldn't the be really noisy for all the other mums and babies?

[Mrsgrumble]

I did. It's a brush with a dryer within. So really small. I was glad I did. Was in for five nights and I just packed it again. Also 35 weeks.

Dh dried my hair for me. I was about eleven am each morning when I shower as dh got in to take over and as mid morning tea arrived, so noisy on the ward. No one minded.

[walde]

I took mine. We had a private room. I probably looked a nob with my massive bag but it was nice to get washed and do hair and put make up on in the morning. I couldn't cope with looking any worse than I needed to!

[ChocolateBiscuitCake]

My top tip (currently pregnant with dc4) is when you start contractions in early labour, have a nice shower at home and blow dry your hair then.

After birth, I hated showering in the hospital showers (but did anyway!) - SO grim and didn't like leaving the baby. We had no visitors in hospital after PIL doing my head in after dc1 so didn't really care about my hair!

[PrincessOfChina]

I did. And my straighteners.

I only ended up using my straighteners.

[Sazorchard31]

I did and my ghds too! Hair is a frizz ball if allowed to dry naturally and by drying and straightening my hair I felt better and more like me. I was only in 1 1/2 days post birth but still straightened it twice!

I was fortunate enough that I had my own en suite private room at our local nhs hospital so it didn't disturb anyone else. Don't think the midwives ever saw my essentials!!

[CorporeSarnie]

I was told not to plug anything in (last week I delivered DC2), and was only in one night, had a bath immediately after being stitched and a shower next morning, I was lucky enough to be given a private side room, but tbh the last thing on my mind was how my hair looked.

[CorporeSarnie]

I can usually punctuate as well! I am blaming the hormones .

[ThursdayOfTheLivingDead]

No!
But I was in no fit state to give a shit about my hair - I was in for 10 days and had two showers. I was grim, but honestly, I didn't care.

Hopefully you'll have an easy time and be home quickly. Save the room for maternity pads