a ridiculous hospital-bag question...

[mameulah]

...so does anyone know of any good portable hair straighteners to purchase for the post labour/lots of visitors/photo moment?

You're mad! You wil
Realise this when you are actually there!

Why can't you take your normal straighteners you use every day?

I'm always a bit mystified by the plans for lots of visitors at the hospital, I had none until I got home (maybe in just a sad lonely cow )
But M&S used to do some pretty alright travel straighteners for about £15.

Olympicroc, I know I am mad, I agree. But I also like to be prepared.

scentednappyhag, I have in laws I would rather not see at all. At least if they visit in hospistal someone else will chuck them out.

mameulah Can't help you with hair straighteners but I think you're right to get first visits over with in the hospital. I really does help that the hours are strictly limited, and there's always someone matronly to chuck them out if you give "the signal"

Tesco own brand straightners are the best cheap ones I've found. All travel ones are rubbish in my experience.

I took mine with me to hospital. BUt I was only in for 24 hours and the only visitors I had were my Mum and Dad so never bothered using them.

I agree with sentednappyhag. I had a great time for two whole days with just me and my baby. Bliss!

Badgerina, what signal did you come up with? The idea of them holding my baby and being beside me in bed after giving birth fills me with more horror than I could ever describe.

Not really a signal as such, I just told the midwives on duty during visiting hours how I felt (before visitors arrived) and they were very understanding. They bustled my in-laws out after an hour. They'd have stayed the whole 3 hours otherwise.

Sounds like there's a bit of back story there, is DP/H around to be supportive? Or your own parents? I hate to think of you having to deal with people you have such strong feelings about on your own after giving birth

Scentednappyhag, you are very lovely to be concerned. Basically they have been rubbish parents to my dh and I really, really resent the idea of having to have anything to do with them. They haven't been bothered with him for the last 37 years and then they will be all over our baby expecting a starring role in the moment. My dh is totally on my side but I also know that it is only fair for both him and the baby that they are included in some way. But they are so selfish and it will be on their terms. Until I get my strength back and sort it out, but ofcourse I don't know when that will be because I haven't had a baby before and I cry at the drop of a hat at the best of times. They don't even know they are selfish they are so stupid and negative. I am more stressed about including them in our family than I am about any other aspect of this pregnancy and our future. Arg! Thanks for the rant!

MN is brilliant for a good in-law rant, use it whenever you need to
They might surprise you and not get as involved as they threaten. My knobber of a MIL was adamant that she'd be there for my labour, at the hospital afterwards etc etc, and she's been just as disinterested in DD as she is my DH unless she's showing off to make herself look good obviously again.
I hope it doesn't end up being to stressful for you OP, and that you get a chance to really indulge yourself in your brand new little family before any of this needs to rear its ugly head.
Just remember, you and DH are in control, the midwives will back you 100% when it comes to in-laws. Don't let them bully you.
Good luck!

scentednappyhag......I have a feeling I will be using MN often for in law rants. The whole situation is entirely dysfunctional. We don't at the moment really see anything of them. But I just know that will change when our baby comes alone. Honestly, it will all be about them being grandparents with no regard to what we need or want. I have learned to speak to them like they are five and don't speak English. You know, short and clear sentences that cannot be confused. And I give them specifics like 'NO I don't want you to bring any food to our wedding!' I guess the bottom line is that I really don't like, value or enjoy any aspect of our relationship with them. But I LOVE my dh and our baby so much and I know that I need to do the right thing by them, which I suppose is set it up so that they are at least a bit involved. The last time they were here it was for fifty minutes and it felt like FOREVER. I am soooooo not exaggerating!!!!!!

Here's a great tip - if you are expecting unwelcome visitors - try to schedule a visit from the hospital breast feeding specialist in the middle of visiting hours. They'll have to bugger off as it takes ages or can do

The kind of visitors that you need make up and hair straighteners for, are the kind that shouldn't be coming.

Ask midwives for help with this if you need to.

Going back to the first part of the OPs question, you probably aren't allowed hair straightners. In the hospital where I work we are not allowed to let anyone plug anything in that hasn't been safety tested. And seeing as straighteners are more of a fire risk than, say, shavers or phone chargers, I probably wouldn't let anyone use them. But maybe the maternity units are different.

I think I would just have a good hair cut and colour around my due date and wash and straighten my hair every couple of days until going into labour so it would look half decent with just a comb through in the hospital. I didn't wash my hair in hospital didn't get chance, round here you are chucked out after 6 hours

I wasn't allowed to plug anything in in the hospital (so no staighteners or hairdryer or phone charger). I am very vain, and don't leave the house without showering and doing my hair and makeup. But post birth, I could not have given less of a crap. I had a quick rinse in the shower, put on PJs and stayed like that for about the next 6 weeks.

In regard to the inlaws. Just don't tell them which hospital you are in. Or even that you are in hospital.

I am with easilybored here.

With ds1 I bathed, shaved, plucked, buffed, clipped, moisturised etc whilst in early labour.

Straightened hair. Lick of foundation and mascara.

Pah, I thought, I'm not looking completely rotten in hospital.

It was only when, in hospital, I handed my poor dh a soiled sanitary towel to dispose of did I realise that I just didn't give a shit anymore I am mortified now every time my dh mentions it.

I was prepared for ds2 labour!

If you're taking straighteners though, just take your usual. But check you're allowed them before taking. Good luck!