Expectant Father after some advice please

[TheExpectantFather]

Hello All,

After the mums in the pregnancy message board gave me such good advice I back for more

We're getting close to the junior arriving and I'm after some advice about what to pack into my DW's bags for when she goes into labour.

What's really essential for her to have and what will make it easier for her?

When she's sending electric shocks into her back with her TENS machine or is pumping gas and air direct to her brain will she really care if she's listening to Paul McCartney or Yoko Ono?

Thanks for any help,
Ian
The Expectant Father

Anything that she really likes as a matter of habit - for e.g if she drinks herbal tea, pack a couple of teabags. (I made DP go home for our mini cafitiere and ground coffee!).
Pack stuff for you, too - you won't be thanked for disappearing to the canteen, and you'll be useless fainting with hunger!

If you do forget something you will have more important things on your mind

Pruners- even easier than a note pad!

If your dw has any dietary probs whatsoever (ie dairy, wheat intolerance,etc) take your own food.
Make sure your camera is fully charged!

Take her pillow from home. It's really lovely to have something comfy and smelling of home - and my hospital had run out of pillows during one of my labours!

pack a bag for yourself - change of clothes, toothbrush etc, you may be in with your dw a long time...

Definitely pillow from home, spritzed with a favourite cologne or lavender water
Also agree arnica, it is magical stuff.
Wet-wipes for toilet seat and LIQUID SOAP too as antibac wash does not kill clostridium difficile germs, only MRSA and e-coli...
Crocs or something easy to slide on for her feet
Double check your mobile credit (if you are PAYG)
Have some sports-cap bottles of water/squash pre-frozen the freezer and just sling them in as you leave. They will provide you with cold refreshing drinks for a good 12 hours

Thanks again everyone for your help with this.

I've posted your suggestions here:

expectant-father.7879designs.com/mums-net-hospital-ba gs/

I really do appreciate all you help.

Ian
The Expectant Father

Check with the hospital what you have to take - my poor little dd had to lie on a big paper sheet thing until dh brought one from home the next day - they didn't even supply cot bedding! How shite is that? Bottle fed babies get formula supplied, but babies have to sleep on scratchy paper - it just never occurred to me to ask!

Message withdrawn

Lactulose and loads of fruit in case she is in for a few days - contispation due to painkillers after labour is sooo not good!

I was told at my only antenatal class that if leaving by car - your own or a friend/relative's (we don't drive) you need a car seat. A valuable piece of advice, we have one as part of a travel system that can be clipped into a car, but the first time it wasn't something I, or my mum, had thought of.

don't forget to let us know how it all goes after.

I know! And I had to beg for a bloody towel! Not a bloody towel you understand, they weren't that bad . They did give me one, but very reluctantly. They were lovely midwives, very supportive and friendly, but the hospital obviously had 'rules'.