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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

What happens to my belongings during a c-section...

52 replies

Paraketamol · 18/01/2019 17:36

I’m having a c-section very, very soon and it’s just occurred to me - what happens to my belongings whilst I’m in theatre?
I know I am admitted to one ward - we’ll call it ward 1, walk down to theatre, then go to recovery, then on to post natal ward - ward 2... but that happens to my stuff in the mean time - my clothes, my phone, baby’s things?
Where will it be and how does it get from ward 1 to ward 2?

And the same question for whilst my birth partner is in scrubs - what happens to their stuff too!?

Yep, this minor thing is bothering me so any answers gratefully received!

OP posts:

EggysMom · 18/01/2019 20:28

We went from maternity triage down to a room next to the operating theatre, where DH changed into his scrubs. DH carried and wheeled my luggage down to that room. My jewellery went into my handbag - we were told the room was secure to the operating theatre.

Baby was whisked straight to NICU. I was taken to a recovery ward. DH was shown back to the same room to change out of scrubs, then led (he wheeled my luggage) to the recovery ward where he sat with me.

I was then taken to a room on the post-natal ward, DH walked alongside my pushed bed, again he wheeled my luggage.

I haven't a clue what you'd do without a partner to do all the carrying!

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 18/01/2019 20:34

Its different everywhere. In my local hospital you are admitted to the postnatal ward for preop assessment so you just leave your bags there and you go back to the same bed.

And they have disposable paper scrubs for over normal clothes so nothing to mind there.

BoudicasBoudoir · 18/01/2019 20:36

I was admitted three days before my c-section so that medication could be given. On the day of surgery, I had to pack up all my stuff and make sure it was labelled (labels provided by staff on the ward). After my section I was wheeled into another room and my stuff was all there waiting.
All except my electric fan which was confiscated and put in a cupboard and I never got it back... this was in the middle of the heatwave last summer. That made me cry, specially as I had to stay in for another six days.

mustdrinkwaternotwine · 18/01/2019 20:39

I didn't have a c-section but did deliver in theatre. Wherever I went, someone followed pushing an Asda shopping trolley with my stuff in it. I remember it being slightly surreal.
I had a bag of stuff I needed for labour, another bag of stuff I needed for post-labour and then more stuff in the car in case I was kept in longer and then other stuff strategically set out in the spare room at home so DH wouldn't have to search through drawers and bring in the wrong stuff.

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 18/01/2019 21:53

I never made my elective but I was told to bring a small separate bag with a sleep suit for baby, nappy, hat etc and something for me to do whilst I waited, they recommended book/magazine etc and to leave my suitcase in the car.

When I went into labour, I just took that small bag into the hospital and then later on after dd was born and I wanted to get cleaned up/out of the gown, dh went and fetched the suitcase.

FoxtrotSkarloey · 18/01/2019 22:08

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ.

FirstTimeBumps · 18/01/2019 22:34

@Babypug it's people like you that make Mumsnet a very unfriendly place at times!

For my EMCS we did have to leave our belongings in the side room just outside of theatre. I briefly remember questioning at the time what would happen with our stuff and I'm sure someone said something about lockers but we never saw lockers, were told to just leave stuff in the small waiting room by the theatre then the midwife sort of took it from there and our belongings followed us. I think they realise given the situation, you'll be worrying about other things so they make it one last thing to worry about. Maybe call up the ward to enquire but I wouldn't worry too much, I know some people are shockingly horrid, but I left all my things, jewellery included, in the side room and nothing went walk abouts x

Original poster

Paraketamol · 18/01/2019 23:27

I’m sorry if people feel this is a stupid post.

Maybe I should have said early on; I have anxiety and was recently diagnosed with ADHD; this has meant a lifetime of needing to know minor details that would be completely irrelevant to many people. Hence posts like this one.

For those saying about asking my midwife, she is fab and totally gets my need for minor details however she is only just back from sick leave and is currently covering a huge area here in the borders; as another midwife is off sick so I don’t want to waste her time with a phone call - this is combined with my pre-op being at one hospital and my c-section at another, so I just wanted to hear peoples experiences.

OP posts:

BoudicasBoudoir · 19/01/2019 07:06

Hey, I don’t think it’s a stupid question. I had bad anxiety too and it really helped to have a clear idea of what was going to happen. I think, though, the main thing to remember is that the hospital will have a system for managing your belongings and it’ll be fine.

Good luck OP. I was a gibbering wreck and if I could get through it, anyone can.

troubleswillbeoutofsight · 19/01/2019 07:40

When my daughter had an elective c section a few years ago this is what happened
Admitted the day before on to a ward and advised to bring minimal property. Her baby was going to be small and poorly. Packed up her bag the next morning and a midwife took her ( and me) to theatre. Her bag was left in her locker with no valuables. I held her phone and was able to take photos in theatre. Once the baby had been delivered she was taken back to a side room as baby was in scbu and unwell. The midwife had placed her bag in her new room

DustOffYourHighestHopes · 19/01/2019 07:43

Don’t worry OP, no one except BabyPugs thinks it’s a bad question.

It’s a simple question. It’s legitimate. It’s something you might want to know about in advance.

BabyPugs is either a troll or has some severe issues of his/her own.

NicoAndTheNiners · 19/01/2019 07:44

Not all hospitals have lockable drawers or lockers. Where I work there aren't any so if it was an elective section you'd leave your stuff out round the bed in a 3 bedded bay.

Potentially one of the other women or their visitors/patients could take it but in 15 years I've never known that happen.

megletthesecond · 19/01/2019 07:47

It is not stupid post . You can never be too prepared.
My cs's were years ago so I cant remember what I did.

DeadButDelicious · 19/01/2019 07:52

Not a stupid question at all.

In my hospital, I was admitted to the maternity ward in the morning, assigned a bed with a locker, my bag with my clothes, baby's clothes, nappies etc was stashed in there. I don't recall taking my purse/handbag with me too hospital, just my phone which my husband took into the theatre to take photos. He got changed into scrubs and we took a nappy, a vest, a sleep suit, a cardigan and a hat for DD to be dressed in but she ended up wrapped in blankets for skin to skin first feed etc and we got her dressed later.

Good luck!

Pigletthedog · 19/01/2019 07:58

Not a stupid post at all op . I had an emergency section and my stuff was left lying around the floor in the the labour bay and then brought to us in a mini co-op shopping trolley afterwards

H0709 · 19/01/2019 08:55

@Paraketamol not a stupid post, I clicked on it because I thought it was an interesting question! I hadn't thought about it and have been grateful for the people who have answered kindly

JumpOrBePushed · 19/01/2019 09:08

I had an emergency c-section with one birth and I honestly have no idea what they did with my stuff, under the circumstances my personal belongings were the last thing on my mind.

It all turned up safely in the postnatal ward afterwards though.

I suppose the best way to find out would be to ring the hospital as the way this is done might vary between hospitals.

smellsofelderberries · 19/01/2019 09:16

I think it's a great question! I'm having an ELCS for this baby and hadn't even thought of that to be honest. It's such a big event I am also finding is very helpful to know as much as possible about what will happen on the day, it's really helping with my anxiety. So thank you for asking this question!

GlitteryFluff · 19/01/2019 09:31

When I had an elective I went back to the same side room that I was in pre-op so our stuff just stayed there - except mobiles, car keys, money - we took these with us.

When dh had to get changed he was taken into a staff room to change and left his stuff hanging in there. So only staff could access. He did hide those few valuables in his shoe though. And brought a phone into theatre.

When I had a less planned section (not quite an emergency but not planned) we had to get everything packed and someone brought them to us on a trolley to the new place shortly after we arrived.

Good luck. Though my sections weren't perfect, they were still wonderful.

OnwardsAndUpwards10 · 19/01/2019 09:41

Leave valuables at home. I took off wedding ring, earrings etc. which was just as well as after birth my hands were swollen like pigs trotters!

Roomba · 19/01/2019 09:43

IIRC, I was told to leave my stuff in the single room I had on the antenatal ward and lock anything valuable in the bedside locker. I can't remember if they locked the room itself though, was too busy panicking at the time. My ex had his clothes/valuables put in a staff locker during the op itself. I do remember that when I was taken back to the ward, all my stuff (inc. locker) had been moved into a different room as they decided to move me nearer to the midwives' station. I had a suitcase with a lock on it anyway (knew we'd be in for a while so brought half my house with me).

abbeydo · 19/01/2019 11:05

@Babypug Why are you bothering to post?

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 19/01/2019 11:36

Just to clarify, when I said I left my stuff in a locker, I meant bedside locker. It wasn't actually locked!

Yakadee · 20/01/2019 15:44

I actually hadn't thought about this! I won't be packing anything valuable anyway however will have my phone but hubby can just keep a hold of that.

I'm glad you asked though as I wouldn't have thought (my section is 29/01 and my first section) as my first labour was natural so we stayed in the same room for the duration x

cantbeatfreshsheets · 20/01/2019 15:53

You're question isn't stupid. It's actually pretty useful. Best of luck

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