due Dec 08-the one were we are so brain dead we can't think of a thread title.

[Veggiemummy]

hey there will this be the last one do you think

Ooo Jam I love your list. Flip flops a v good idea because you can wear them in the shower if it's a bit skanky. Would also take some flash wipes or something similar for the bathroom (I know environmental crime but bathrooms can be really horrible). Hmm I had a such a good experience of the antenatal ward last time!

Oh and drinks with straws for labour - apple juice or whatever. Much easier that trying to hold a cup and if you are in quite a long labour then sugary drinks helps.

Also think it's a very good idea to split out bag into labour and post-labour so it doesn't all get mixed up. And to go through the labour one with your OH so he knows what's in there and where to find it.

Would completely agree about raspberry leaf tea (am starting this week) and arnica pills. Godsend.

Veggie thanks for the chocolate tip...I ordered a load of green and blacks completely guilt free (as based on sound advice from fellow pregnant mnetter). Is arriving later. Yum.

Emotions a bit all over the place too. I heard a Shania Twain song on the radio the other day and cried. How bad is that?

I was going to take my own pillows and towels. I need them! But they wont go in the bag. I will ask mom to bring em if the hospital ones are unbearable.

OMG that is some list. Remember that you have to keep everything you take in in one tiny cupboard by your bed. As long as you don't have to be in before you go into labour then you won't need much - you will have other things on your mind. Also if you end up having a c-section or needing to stay in your DH can bring more (sadly DH did this and chose to pack it in a black bin liner. I was MORTIFIED).

With DD I took too much and it was embarrassing fitting it round my bed. Having learnt that lesson I am now taking:

For me:

• Wash bag (shampoo, conditioner, deoderant, nice body wash, razor, face wash, moisturiser, toothrbrush and paste, hairbrush).
• Make-up (foundation, powder and mascara only).
• Spare contacts and glasses.
• Two pairs of DARK PJs (please don't wear white, I promise it is a bad idea).

A vest to and light robe for labour (I was too hot for a heavy robe).

• Lots of dark knickers, two bras, lots of maternity pads.
• One outfit to go home in (i am not glam so am plumping for a nice comfy tracksuit).
• One book (you can buy magazines at the hospital)
• Camera + charger
• Nipple cream

For baby:

• 4 sleep suits
• snow suit and hat for coming home in
• nappies
• muslins (essential)

Sorry Jam, on re-reading i realise your post included two seperate lists, I thought it was all one list! That is why I was .

I'm going to pack my bag this week. I am ever so slightly worried I'll forget something important. But I suppose if I do it now I can then double check it a few times.

I heard lip balm is a must as well?

hello, all the bag packing sounds too hard, would it be wrong to assume i won't need to go. I will ensure DH does not use black bin liner, how embarrassing Arti. i Just told DH what your DH did he is still laughing.

We had a great morning although blummin cold watching the planes, but saw the concord so DS was v.happy. Also it snowed heavily around Stoke on the way back to DS was in heaven. He and DH are upstairs surveying his new room layout. DH can't believe all the moving about we have done since he has been gone. Got some nice pressies, inc. a lovely bracelet, and loads of chocolate, inc the M&M crispy that i wanted, and lots of Aussie chocolate, and also 1.8lts of eucalyptus oil hooray!!!!

Beans so sad about the Uggies, you poor thing.

will get a clear nail polish for my finger nails but can only wear blood red on my toes, so they will have some remover if they insist. Most operating theatres have nail polish remover anyway for emergencies.

Going down to London on thursday friday as DH has to work near ealing and as he just got home don't want to tear DS away from him for 2 more nights so will pop down with him. Might go to Kew Gardens if weather permits, or natural history museum. We will only be there for the full day on thurs so not much time to do stuff and most of my friends are in east end so no chance to catch up.

will def have lip balm was thinking of a nice tinted one for photos in case i'm looking a little pale on the lips.

Kayz i meant to say the other day i can't believe people hassle you for working in a supermarket. I often day dreaming of giving up nursing and working in a nice little cafe.

My sis had an operation when she broke her thumb years ago, and the nurses tried to remove her nail varnish before the op - but my sis was asleep and apparently she woke up screaming cause they were tickling her feet whilst removing the nail varnish. all round on that ward I think! I guess we won't be asleep though ...

how bizarre why did they do it while she was asleep? weird nurses, that would scare the crap out of me. Once though when i was working in adults in my 1st year out from Uni, i shaved a guys whole right leg because his theatre notes sad he was having a repair of his varicose veins on the right leg. I couldn't see any varicose veins but i was only fresh out of uni so figured their must be internal ones or something, anyway turned out he was having an inguinal hernia repair and didn't need to lose all his leg hair. luckily he saw the funny side.

that is funny! I'd be mortified if it was me though.

hi all, have been having another nesting day. Sorted out ds's toys & we made a marble cake together. Then cooked a moroccan chicken soup for tea. Am shattered now!

I think the lists people have made of hospital bags are pretty much what I took when having ds. Arti I'd have been so annoyed if dh brought my stuff in a bin bag!

veggie glad you've had a nice day plus snow! Its a shame that you won't have chance to meet up Thurs/Fri as I live about 10 mins from Ealing & Kew Gardens. We went to Kew yesterday & its lovely at the minute with all the leaves changing. Avoid Climbers & Creepers though, as its half term its packed full. Yesterday they weren't letting anyone else inside it was that busy!

hahahaha to the black binliner. That sounds just like something my DH would do. And if I complained he'd be really upset as he just wouldn't get why it would be embarrassing.

I did laugh about the black bin bag and told DH and he didn't get it...oh gawwwd...
One thing I really liked was having some squash to make the yucky plastic water jug water taste better.
I also second the black pj bottoms and also would suggest a dark towel. I just had beach type towels so that they didn't show up the gruesome blood streaks!
Also....I may have mentioned this before but on no account take original source MINT shower gel!!! It stings to f**k!!! And I don't usually swear...much!

I will crack on with the junk room tomorrow...I neeeed a baby room!!

Veggie That is so funny. I'm glad the guy found it funny too.

I have curtains in my front room!!!! My mum has made them and I love them so much. Its the first time that DH has seen the fabric that I had bought and he likes it too.

I'm tempted by putting the cot together tomorrow but DH has said I have to wait until he gets home.

Good evening ladies!

LadyT I am with you on the make-up bit. I will most definitely be taking my make-up bag with me for pictures. I'm so pale that I always tend to look sickly without it... especially in pics.

A friend gave me a hospital bag list and it is freaking LONG. They are saying to spilt the stuff into 4 different bags. Seriously... 4 bags!! veggie this list makes me rethink homebirthing just so I don't have to carry everything to the hospital! But here's what they are saying to bring

Overnight bag essentials:
Nightwear for 3 nights
granny pants
slippers
money and debit card
ear plugs
snacks for labour
notebook and pen for baby feed's notes
maternity pads
antibacterial wipes
going home outfit
carrier bags for sending things home

Overnight Essentials for Breast Feeders:
2-3 nursing bras
breast pads
book/info on breastfeeding
breastfeeding compatible nightwear
nipple cream
breast pads

Overnight Optionals:
lavender oil
arnica tablets
chocolate!
paper pants
photos
sports bottle
birth announcement cards
address book
squash/juice
favourite pillow
Eyemask

Baby Bag:
6 vests
6 sleep suits
3 cardigans
pack of nappies
scratch mitts
socks x2
soft bibs x3
hat
muslin squares
cotton wool
going home outfit
going home blanket
super cute teddy/soft toy

Labour Bag Esentials:
maternity notes
birth plan
energy snacks for you and partner
rounds of sandwiches
old t-shirt/nighty x2
flannel
lip balm
flipflops
glucose sweets
water/cooling spray
mini fan
batteries for mini fan
gaviscon
stop watch for contractions
essential medications for you and partner
mobile and charger
telephone list
hairbrush
hair band and bobbles
fully charged camera

Labour Bag Extras:
tens machine
socks - feet might get cold
plain massage oil
magazines/book for you and partner
ipod and charger
homeopathic labour kit
refreshing wet wipes
small hot water bottle for pain relief
small speakers for ipod
relaxation tapes
disposable camera (good back-up)
birthing ball
playing cards
aromatherapy labour kit
hypnobirthing kit
mirror if you want to see baby on its way

Wash Bag:
mini shower gel/soap
sponge/flannel
mini shampoo and conditioner
mini tin vaseline
moist toilet tissue
face creams/body lotion
tooth brush and paste
old dark fluffy towels
make-up essentials
hand sanitizer
mirror
aloe vera gel

Also... remember not to bring anything valuable with you. Wedding rings, necklaces etc. If you have to have a c-section they are going to remove it. Also keeps it from getting stolen.

Got to do a little shopping at Primark yesterday! They had night shirts for £3 so I snagged a few of those! Also found out I didn't have to wait in the que! They let me go to the front of the line for the dressing room and at the cashier! Which I was most thankful for since it was absolutely CRAZY in there!

Also finally got the nursery walls taped off for painting. Praying that the paint colors will look good once they are on the wall!

Okay.... that's it for this massive post! Hope all of you ladies are doing well and eating lots of chocolate!!

OMG what a list Kimberly Its huge!! I didn't take anywhere near that much stuff with me. I will be taking my make-up this time though.

I found that I didn't use things like Ipods, magazines and puzzle books. If you can do a puzzle book you should maybe go home and come back later.

Thanks for the tip re Primark nightwear. I've been despairing of finding anything suitable - though still not sure as I don't want anything to rub on the incision. Any other suggestions? I bought a set of pyjamas from Mothercare thinking they'd have a nice stretchy waistband but the bottoms are cotton sans lycra and not remotely elasticated, so they will have to go back.

I took make up when I had DD but the whole experience was so overwhelming and exhausting I didn't know what day it was let alone have the wherewithal to put slap on for photos! Luckily (?) the only photo of my head anywhere near DD has my hair all over my face and I'm looking away from the camera anyway - DH is on strict instructions to take more than three pics this time (the others are just of DD).

Best best thing (which several people have already mentioned) is dark - preferably black - towels. I still have mine from when I went in with DD and they are fab.

hi all its taken me 3 hours to read the whole thread and now i am too knackered to say anything onstructuve!

Big love to everyone and will endevour to catch up on a daily basis from now on!

one thing i will say is baby has had a major growing spurt and has gone from just below 10th centile to 50th centile on todays growth scan!!

That's GREAT news reban!

Morning(I think)

DS decided to get up when DH got up for work so I've been up since half 5. DS is full of beans and running round like a loon where as I'm struggling to get of the sofa.

Yay to Reban and growth spurt!!!

Baby is doing summersaults this morning, I kinda feel like my stomach is a washing machine. Maybe it doesn't like early mornings either.

Hope everyone is ok!!

reban: great news on the scan! Hooray for growth spurts!

Kimberley: I am loling at your massive list -did your freind take a Sherpa to lug it all around for her? Arti is right that you'll have a small cupboard to store stuff if you stay in, plus you will be moving at least once (from delivery to postnatal) and possibly more as they juggle their beds around, with no guarantees that your DH will be there to help shift luggage. There is no way you need 3 baby cardigans in hospital. Really. Your DH cn bring in more stuff if needed. I'm going with Jam's kist which sounds v sensible!

(goes backk to check that relaxation tapes and baby announcement cards are really on the list )

i didn't get as far as baby annoucement cards isn't that what the internet is for. Right i am going to start thinking even more positively about the homebirth, where most people can do those visualisation and self talk that helps them have the birth they want i am going to spend the labour saying to myself 'i will have this baby at home as i am not lugging 4 bags to hospital'.

we actually only live 5mins from the hospital so DH can easily pop home for stuff if necessary.

Lol, lol, lol at that list Kimberly. I took less for my gap year around the world!

In all honesty most hospitals will have some of the things listed as necessary for labour (my hospital had tens machines, hot water bottles, birthing ball and a mirror to see the baby coming out (yuk!)).

If you are in any state to play cards in labour most NHS hpospitals will send you home to wait until things advance. If you are in properly established labour then my experience is you will not have a moment to think about relaxation tapes, ipod speakers etc and if your partner dares pick up a book then you have my persmission to kill him . Also labour is pretty messy, I worse socks last time but once my waters went I regretted it. Its not like one gusha nd you are clear, they -drip and drip and I have horrible flashbacks to DH having to peel off my very yucky socks mid-contraction!

Is anyone else constantly short of breath? The baby is pressing on my lungs and diaphram and I can't take a deep breath. Sometimes it makes me quite faint. This afternoon I am on live TV (nothing exciting, and not on a channel that anyone will EVER watch) and I am paranoid I will be breathless everytime I talk. I am even more paranoid that I will faint. Arggghhhh.

Hello! Back from Munich

Havce a job interview later so shall not be doing a massive post this time, in fact I really should be drying my hair, putting washing on, trying to find something suitable to wear and preparing for whatever questions they might ask. Oh and food shopping since we got back last night and have nothing in the house. Oh well.

Am PMSL at the hospital bag lists though Announcement cards? Is that how one fills the gap between baby arriving and placenta being delivered then? Never wuite got round to packing one last time. Think the pile of stuff to be swept into a bag just in case consisted of the tesco carrier bag that contained pads and breast pads, a sleepsuit and a warm coat for the baby.