Nice bits for hospital bag

[estobi1]

I am off to M&S to by my big granny kickers for my hospital bag today and I just wondered if anyone has any ideas about nice bits to pack.

Looking at my feeding bras, various pads and feeding nighties it all feels very dowdy and clinical and I just wondered if anyone has any good ideas of bits to make you feel nice afterwards. Tiny baby clothes are very nice to look at though!

I think boots are doing an offer on Sanctuary stuff. If you spend £12, you get a nice weekender thing free. Lots of nice smellies for hospital and after.

a bar of your favourite chocolate.

lavender oil - use it in the bath afterwards (helpful if you have stiches)

I know this is a bit earth mother-ish but not too many smellies, it will disguise your natural smell, something your baby will bond with and may cause skin reactions in your babe if you are planning to bf.

Warm slippers, dried figs (helps get the guts moving post baby), a good book or mags for bf moments, and I had a hair cut, highlights, and pedicure all just before (helps when you know when you're going in, I had a ecs) so felt more glam even when surrounded by the dowdy stuff. Dont forget your makeup bag, either!

Lovely shower gel, yummy snacks [it may be hours away from a meal time, I have never enjoyed banana bread as much as after dd2 was born] maybe a nice sweet drink as you'll be tired and shaky

and my best tip ever is take your pillow [although you obviously don't need to get that from m&s

A fine water spray bottle, you can add a oil to it , to refresh you in the hot, dry wards . Nice shower gel and light body lotion. You may sweat a lot afterwards and need to freshen up but baths may be grubby, time consuming and uncomfortable initially. Whatever your favourite cold (non alcholic)drink is. Cotton loose fit clothes (like M and S daytime style pj's) to wear during the day - just "getting up" and "dressed" will make you feel better - and soft shoes/slippers with rubber soles.

I would get a really good book and or some magazines because depending how long your in, it can get a bit boring in between visiting times and when baby is awake.
(although you may find yourself just wanting to hold baby all day )

A word of warning - nice shower gel is a great idea but if it's too perfumed it will sting your, er, delicate parts.

I was grateful to have two packs of ginger nuts (hosp food terrible) and liked being able to look past the wreckage of my body to my neatly varnished toes (DP/H might have to do that for you).

I hope the birth goes really well.

Magicool spray - my unit had banned fans as 'they could blow the germs around'. Strange how my friend who is an infection control nurse there hadn't heard about this new policy.....

for my second, someone suggested wearing a sarong in hospital, with t shirts etc for the top. It was fab, esp as i had a section. They are comfy, a bit more glam than a big nightie and pj's can be a bit warm in hospital, and if you have a busy enough pattern they can hide anything. It reminded people of their holidays, too!
re baby stuff- a word of warning- I had a lovely shawl for ds1 from my mother. It went missing when a midwife took ds to they nursery for me to have a sleep, and once things go in the hospital laundry you can't get them back. save those things for going home.
Take some makeup etc. and nice things to eat.

Food! i was starving after my ds was born at 8.45pm and all i was given was two slices of toast.

Real pants (even if they're just really cheap ones that you can throw away) - paper ones are horrible.

hope it all goes well

I agree with choufleur, my DS was born at 8.30 pm and I wasn't given anything to eat, nor any breakfast the following morning. This time I'm packing loads of food!

Kendal Mint Cake - absolute bliss

What sort of food are people taking in with them out of interest. An M and S sandwich would be good but you would not have a chance to get to town beforehand. Are people just taking in biscuits and stuff? (am 31 weeks and have been thinking about this - priorities eh!)

lovely shower gel for sure

don't forget to pack food and a mag for your dp!

didn't have magicool spray but did have v cheap little atomiser bottle (bought empty from boots) that DH filled with water and sprayed liberally. i was so glad I brought it!

Lavendar face wipes

Food ideas anyone??

cereal bars
dried apricots
chocolate
crisps
cartons for fruit juice

flip-flops to wear in the shower and loo. there's a lot of bleeding going on and sometimes as clean as it looked i just used to think 'what the hell am i stepping into here?'

I took a loaf of banana bread from the local farmers market when I had dd2 and it was perfect - filling but also light enough to eat when you are feeling rather shaky and not quite there!

Otherwise sweet things are good for energy.

Also, after i had dd1 and was still in hospital dp was a real angel and brought in a half bottle of champagne and some gorgeous french cheeses and crackers. We were not up to the champagne but the cheese was bliss after a pregnancy of longing for forbidden cheese!

Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream - sample size if you can get it - lots of uses but great on lips and won't cover gorgeous newborn in lippy as you can't help youself kissing them.
Charles Wothington take away shampoo and conditioner, mascara - don't worry about perfume .
Take plenty of creal bars and cartons of juice, dried fruit - dates etc - yummy and full of fibre - for that first post natal poo may be a nippy one.
Some new cheap t- shirts.
Best of luck.

yes, like tassisssss said, cereal bars, biscuits, dried fruit anything that you can buy and will keep for a few weeks ready for you to need it and not go off.

Don't forget your camera! x