What was useful after birth.

[qazxc]

hoping for a vaginal birth. What tips/tricks/items did you find useful post birth for the dealing with stitches/bruising/soreness etc....
People tell you a lot of symptoms of labour and what to expect during birth but not really after. Please be frank, nothing is TMI.

I def agree with the big black pants (mine were 2 sizes bigger than my normal size and were perfect).
Also take a nightie for after the birth as the midwife thought I was nuts just taking pjs - she was right, I had to have a catheter due to blood loss and the tube just doesn't work with pj bottoms.

Maternity pads with wings, I wanted the biggest and softest padding I could find and I didn't even have stitches.
Really nice shower gel as the first shower after feels fantastic (also you're really sweaty)
It's really not as bad as it sounds......

I've given birth 6 times. Honestly with 4 of my dc I wasn't even uncomfortable after giving birth.

The tips are great on this thread. I'm sure you won't even need half of them.

Dark coloured towel.
Dark pants.
Ear plugs for hospital.
Plenty of those fruit packs and easy to cook/eat food.
Someone to put your washing on and make you a cup of tea.

A biiiig hug on tap.

oh and if you are planning on bf buy some bottles and pre made formula milk in, just in case. my milk didn't come through until 3 days after ds was born so had to use formula and he was very hungry

Huge black pants
Loads if maternity pads- bled for six weeks with both of my dc
Moist toilet tissue- particularly useful if you get piles from pushing!
Pile cream ( piles much worse than stitches)
I had a shallow salty bath after going for a poo so at least you know everything is clean
Try and spend some knicker free time if you have stitches to air them
Lots if breast pads - lasinoh ones the best, I found reusable cotton ones got soaked through immediatly. I never got sore nipples. Oh and stitches never stung. Would reccomend having some dried fruit in the house such as prunes to help keep you regular!
Good luck it's not as bad as it seems-!

I had 2nd degree tears both times and never had any pain from them at all really. Did get a bit constipated though so would recommend fybrogel or similar.
My milk didn't come in until day 3 too but both babies were fine on colostrum until then. I thought this was normal and no need to give formula in between?

Milk comes in on day 3 for everyone? The baby has the colostrum until then and barely needs any as their tummy is the size of a marble.
Worth having formula just in case you can't breast feed for any reason though.

If you need a canula ask to have it in your arm above your wrist, and not in the arm you use most. The back of the hand gets quite bruised by a canula and if you knock it on the cot it hurts.

Tarka that is what I recall too, and I was told no need for formula while the baby enjoys colostrum. Actually, I was told that giving formula would diminish the frequent sucking needed to stimulate milk production and delay the arrival of milk.

I always wore a bra and nursing pads in the early weeks as I used to leak on the side that wasn't being emptied by the baby.

I second/third/whatever the Lansinoh nipple cream. IMO their breast pads are also the best ones.

If you were to end up with a section the hair dryer is also a good option for drying the wound area after a shower or bath.

Squash or cordial is good advice (barley water is supposed to be good for milk supply).

Takeaway menus! The food will probably be crap (apart from maybe the fabled post-natal toast!) and loads of hospitals seem to have no mobile signal leading to inability to look them up online. Similarly, snacks - I found the early days of BF made me ravenous.

Just to reassure you OP I had stitches and a second degree tear and didn't know I needed stitches after I'd given birth to DS. I didn't have any pain from them, but I would say have an old cushion or pillow to sit on as it was more comfortable, the area felt swollen as opposed to painful.

I'd recommend taking fruit juice cartons in your hospital bag, I was really thirsty after having DS and the hospital was hot so it was refreshing to have fruit juice.

Try to eat as healthily as you can after you've had the baby and then your first poo will be fine. I think everyone is scared to go to the toilet after they've given birth, but it is fine believe it or not!

I had a 3rd degree and gave birth exactly three weeks ok. Absolutely honestly, I found the afterwards worse than the birth but if you have the hints you can manage it.
Kiwi and grapes will get your bowels going again, I was prescribed lactulose and fybogel but didn't actually need them! Diclofenic/voltarol for pain. Arnica tablets or gel for bruising.
I used mat pads for about a week, sprinkled distilled witch hazel on them, put them in the freezer for an hour or so and that did the trick!
Lukewarm salt baths with a tiny bit of tea tree oil or lavender oil.
I'm breastfeeding and have been absolutely starving so LOTS of snacks to keep next to bed/on sofa! I'd lost my baby weight by day 10 because DS was feeding so much so have had to really up the calories.
I rolled up a towel like a sausage then curled it into a circle to sit on and lie on your side. Make sure you still get up and walk around every few hours but do rest lots .

When your milk comes in you might want to cry - do!! It's fine to be emotional , I wish someone had said that to me so that's my top bit of advice I'm giving you :) good luck and keep us posted with how you are doing xxx

Nothing to add to all the good advice here, just wanted to say YY to raspberry lea tea afterwards, have seen it in one comment and I did the same! I did notice I got more cramps than friends during BF and after drinking the tea and certainly more than you are meant to have for a first birth but I'm sure it helped everything shrink back into place quicker! (It also gave me Braxton hicks before the birth so maybe I'm just sensitive to it!)

I don't think anyone's mentioned it yet...
Sorry to repeat if they have. After the birth of my second dc I felt like my stomach was sagging down to my knees - not a pleasant feeling! Wearing two pairs of knickers gave me a bit of extra support.... Mind you, it could have been the fact that my bump was so huge with the second!

Sorry if I'm repeating (haven't read the thread due to demanding newborn!).

My list would be:

Loads of pairs of big comfy cotton knicks
More maternity pads than you think you could ever possibly need!
A diclofenac suppository for stitches (I was surprised it was a suppository rather than a pessary but ho hum!)
A maternity pad soaked in water and then frozen is heaven
Lansinoh nipple cream is amazing
Keep snacks, the tv remote and a big bottle of water close by at all times for feeding.

Good luck op

Not read all posts so maybe someone has said this but ditch the maternity pads and go for the tena lady disposable incontinence pants! I know they sound horrific but they are all soft and very well padded so super comfy and you don't have to worry about them moving around like a big pad might.
It's also worth thinking about clothes now because post birth you won't care but then when proud grandparents, DP etc are showing round pics of your previous newborn and you you might wish you weren't wearing a skanky t'shirt that shows your bum... I wore a black maxi-dress, sounds ridiculous but fitted over everything (bump, post bump, scary paper pants and hideous hairy legs), could get my boobs out v easily and whip it off for the shower/pee!

Precious newborn!! Not previous! Stupid auto correct.
Op I know it sounds really gross and scary (and it some ways it is) but the baby makes it all worth it!

Glycerin suppositories! Makes the first post-birth poo SO much easier.

Lansinoh, then some more lansinoh.

A sports top water bottle (can be a disposable one, no need to spend a fortune). I had a spinal for stitches so couldn't get out of bed for the first 12 hours, having that next to me in the bed meant I didn't need to buzz for a mw every time I wanted a drink.

I found boots maternity pads so comfy. Extra padding. Then the slimline mat pads after a week or so.

Wet toilet wipes are brilliant, if even for cleaning up the blood.

Make sure you have some old towels at home. I had DS last july in the horrible heatwave. I didn't want clothes on most of the time it was so hot so just lay in bed on an old towel with a light sheet and baby.

And stock up the freezer with easy, and I mean easy, food.

Portable biddet from amazon to give my bits a wash a nice soak for my sore stitches.
BIDET - Hygienic Personal Care - For Home or Holidays - (Now with FREE 10 x Household Handling Cleaning Gloves) by GoMailOrder www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002DY883W/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_LOnItb10GPQKZ

Doh again:
PORTABLE BIDET - www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B002DY883W/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_LOnItb10GPQKZ

Eye mask - sleep is vital and the lights are always going on in the post-natal ward. Also useful for day time naps.

The portable biddet
Eye mask - Defo need for hospital

One of the mist helpful tips I had was to 'air' my stitches daily. I found lying on the bed, legs akimbo, with a towel underneath was really beneficial to the healing process. Good luck

I had a bottle with a long tube which I could hook on chair - hands free water while getting to grips with new born and breastfeeding.

Also stock up on stick on heat patches I had surprising back pain after labour right along the bra line.
Lavender oil for bath and relaxation.