Strangest things you’ve taken / seen taken in to birthing suite OR just advice on what to take...

[Winterwoollies]

Probably not an AIBU but it’s as old trafficked and I want entertaining and ideas.

I’m planning my baby’s birth and have been advised to take lots of things in to hospital make me feel comfortable.

I was thinking about taking a pillow and maybe a portable speaker so we can have some music and some sweets. That’s it!

Chatting to my midwife, she told me people often take all sorts in to personalise their birth. She’s witnessed a dad-to-be decking the room out in miles of fairy lights and multiple lava lamps, one mum insisted on putting pictures up on the walls of babies crowning, one family wanted to bring in a huge TV but that was blocked, and another family had really, really heavy death metal-type music throughout.

I had no idea even that could even be done! What happens when you’re moved to the ward?!

Anyway, I just wondered what people took in for their births and also if they’ve seen some mad shit brought in by other families.

Not ‘old trafficked’, that was supposed to say ‘it’s highly trafficked’.

One of my friends was a midwife and the most 😬 think she'd ever found when going through a bag (apparently you had to as it was a dodgy place) was a meat cleaver! Maybe they wanted to cut the umbilical cord in a novel way?

Hmm. I'd be very surprised if lots of things were encouraged. A speaker and a couple of pillows maybe. But not much else.

@Toddlerteaplease I just assumed they meant things like slippers, books, some treats and maybe a yoga ball, but some people seem to go to town and get away with it! I spoke to an antenatal teacher and she said they encourage people to ‘really personalise’ the room for their birth.

@Bloomburger bloody hell. A cleaver?! 🤭

How bizarre. Must have been a big bag to fit all clothes etc. And multiple lava lamps.

I never took anything for the room. I do recommend a hand held fan in case they don't have a plug in fan available, and some lip balm.

Not everyone goes to a ward. Both births I went home from the room I delivered in. One was a midwife led unit and the other was labour ward

Oh and yes take food and drinks. When I was in they kept supplying us with tea and toast, but you may want something a bit nicer. And they don't always supply for birth partners

I took a birthing ball and some snacks...

Turns out all I really needed was comfortable, loose nighties. Once I was in established labour I couldn't have given a stuff if the room was personalised/decorated or if they had decided to hold parliament in there that day. I was just focused on the labour and they move you to a ward pretty soon after anyway. Who would want the faff of taking down bunting/fairy lights etc.

BUT my labour was comparatively short - went in at 4:30am with contractions every 4 minutes and DS was born at 10.30am. So others may think differently if they went on longer.

I definitely wouldn't bother taking a lot in, I don't think it will be on your mind. I had music on during the birth but don't remember if we brought a speaker or not. The main things I packed were for the next couple of days in hospital -- comfy underwear, baggy clothes, toothbrush/facewash/shower gel, towel, sanpro, cereal/chocolate bars, fruit juice cartons, clothes and blanket for the baby, nappies.

Oh don’t bother. You won’t give two shits.

I brought some lavender essential oil and a handkerchief which actually was very nice to breathe in now and then to chill out. I liked having a short cotton robe and flip flops, and a hair tie. The rest didn’t matter one bit really. My husband went through a lot of the snacks we brought, I couldn’t eat but they did tell me at one point that I really had to, and I forced a granola bar down, was like chewing cardboard. I’d suggest taking something you know you can eat no matter how much you don’t feel like eating!

We did bring a massive box of coconut waters in the boot of the car because I read somewhere the electrolytes are good in labour... Drank tons, not sure if it helped but the midwives were impressed 😂

Take some snacks! When I had my second he was born at 6pm so I didn’t get a proper dinner, just a sandwich. I was absolutely starving (as was DH who wasn’t given anything!)

Oh I’m so for fairy lights and lava lamps 😂 due DC1 in November and this will be me. I’m all about creating a calming, ambient environment

With dc2 I took in fairy lights, room spray and speakers (for birthing suite only) and though it sounds a bit silly/OTT they actually really helped. I went in for an induction so was there for several days and creating a relaxing space I’m sure made a difference to my experience this time. But really it’s whatever suits you and I think that the most key item is maternity pads and plenty of floaty nighties!

DH brought his work computer to pass the time. He got loads done. I don't recommend it. (And his direct boss got a bit of a telling off about priorities... Apparently bothering junior officers while their wives are in labour is not how senior officers should behave.)

My mw was puzzled by my squirty water bottle with fan. Though she did concede it made sense.

I had lipbalm because EVERYONE on mn said to take it. Never used it.

I didn't take tons and I don't think I used some of the stuff I did take. E.g. I made a Spotify playlist but ended up basically forgetting about it due to the pain I was in so spent the first half of the labour half-listening to Smooth FM as it was already on the radio in the room on MLU. Literally never listen to Smooth FM hah. I remember my DH asked at one point if I wanted him to turn it off and I said no. Then there was no music on in delivery suite but I finally had pain relief then so I dozed on and off there for a few hours so appreciated the quiet.

I also took a bikini top as wanted to try the birthing pool but then I wasn't allowed in the end as when I got there they suddenly informed me I was high risk and needed continuous monitoring so couldn't go in the pool. (Even tho I was initially left for many hours in a room on MLU without the monitoring and no pain relief, but that's different story...)

The things I did use and were grateful for were nothing special:
PJ top which was a vest-top style, as it was boiling and eventually I got too uncomfortable in my t-shirt and bra. Changed into this on delivery suite.
Button-down nightie and PJ shorts for after I'd had a shower after the birth. It was so hot so this was comfortable clothing and the buttons were good for breastfeeding.
Shower gel, shampoo and lip balm, all used after the birth.
My hair towel turban thing to put my wet hair up in after the birth.
Magazine to read on the ward - I was there about 24hrs.
Snacks - although all I ended up eating was about half a small packet of sweet popcorn on MLU whilst in labour and then I ate a small amount of Cadbury's Oreo chocolate straight after the birth. I packed the chocolate thinking I would love that after birth and I wasn't wrong! So satisfying after my horribly scary, painful labour and birth to hold my baby and eat chocolate, felt like heaven haha. The extra snacks some of them did get eaten by DH though which was important too as he was awake even more than me throughout the labour and got hungry at various points.

I also took paracetamol and took some on the ward but the midwife told me off and said I should have just asked them for it as they prefer that as then they can keep a good record of what pain meds people have had.

Things I wished I had taken:
Expressed colostrum. We had a fair amount at home but didn't bring it to hospital as I thought I would be ok to breastfeed initially and if not that DH could go back and get it and I could give formula if needed. In the end the only time I needed it was in the middle of that first night and as we don't drive it wasn't practical so I had to have the midwife and DH help express colostrum and I always found hand expressing painful so that wasn't nice.
Lansinoh - I took a cheap own brand nipple cream but you couldn't put that on before feeds and my nipples started getting sore after about 2 feeds. The midwives gave me some and it did help and I went on to buy it later.

I brought a fan and a face mist with me. In the end they didn't even come out of the bag as I was in too much pain to give 2 fucks about anything other than getting the baby out NOW

Take painkillers and food for your partner.
My dh was hungry and had a headache (poor lamb)

We took a fair bit, and it did all really help! (apart from the bikini top as didn't get to use the pool)

-all the usual, nighties, nice wash bits & toiletries etc

• LED candles to make the room feel calm
• playlist and speaker
• lavender oil
• Lots of happy photos of me & DH / the dog / holidays etc- all stuff to get me feeling good
• cooling mist spray
• nice snacks and drinks

Labour was a long 24 hrs in that room, so it feeling nice in there really helped. Ended up with an emergency section and in for over a week with complications. Lucky enough to get a postnatal room after a couple of days, so we were able to make that feel nice too.

Ooh I love the fairy lights idea! I'd also take one of those essential oil things that make the room smell relaxing. Cold water spray bottle and fan. My own pillow. I'd love to have full control over our speaker for once! 😁

The most practical thing to take are a nice shower gel, big comfy knickers and lots of maternity pads for afterwards. I really wouldn’t bother with the other stuff as you’ll have to carry it in and out and finding the stuff will be a faff.

I already know I’m going to be in for a few days so I wonder if that’s why I’m being urged to take some stuff and ‘personalise’ my experience. I don’t think I’ll go in too laden though! Chocolate, good pjs, slippers and a pillow all sound great.

Lots of ideas!

I found out another weird one from my BIL that he witnessed on the ward afterwards. One couple brought an enormous fruit bowl, loaded with lots of lovely tropical fruits and carefully arranged it all. A real ‘still life’ job. They didn’t eat a thing out of it, didn’t even touch it, it just sat on the bed table. And they carried it home afterwards. How weird.

My midwife laughed at me when she found paracetamol and plasters in my hospital bag with my first dc.
I have no idea what I was thinking

I had a 4D scan picture of my baby to put on the wall in front of me which helped me a lot with the motivation!

I had Bob Marley on my playlist, lots of jelly tots, my pillow which I loved!! Clary sage and lavender essential oils, tens machine, positive affirmations oh and Gavin and Stacey on the iPad!

I would’t bother taking anything. The lights are fairly dimmed and you are wont notice anything anyway. Maybe snacks drinks for your partner.
All i had was my clothes, baby clothes, dont forget a towel for you for a shower and a baby naming book as we were undecided between names.
I can tell you after an extremely long labour the hospital toast and hot chocolate was one of the nicest most enjoyable most welcome meals i have ever tasted.

To be honest just take something to pass the time, if you get lucky like me you will be bored waiting to dilate (I didn't feel much pain despite having no pain relief) I took the newspaper (had just been delivered) and we did the crossword, we watched tv (was in the room already) and listened to h's iPod (long time ago)