Tips for surviving a week on post natal ward

[Thefaceofboe]

I’m going in for a c section in 3 weeks, followed by a weeks stay for a pre-estimating medical condition. I’m not nervous about the section but the thought of a week without the support of my partner, family etc is really scaring me. Visiting is only 2 hours a day for 1 person

It’s my first baby and really worried about the long nights on my own and the unknown really.

Any advice?

Your own pillow, your own towel. Hospital ones are horrid. Your own pain killers

I had a two week stay on transitionary care (baby not sick enough for HDU, but too sick to go home).

I found having both my insulated cup and water bottle a god send. I could fill the water bottle up and it stayed cold and my hot drink stayed hot.

I got fed up of proper tea, so took a multi pack of individually wrapped twinnings fruit teas. I had my kindle and phone (and obviously chargers). I barely watched tv on the ward, but I think it’s free because of Covid in some hospitals. I had to use the hospital WiFi for the internet as the signal was rubbish, so sent my iPad (with Netflix and skygo home).

I took plenty of snacks, but the lunchtime dessert was a prepacked cake bar/ muffin/ flapjack so I’d save that for mid afternoon. Usually it’s breakfast at 7am, lunch at 12 noon and dinner at 5pm. If you’re used to eating later it’s a long stretch between dinner and breakfast. It was even worse for me because my toddler would visit and I’d end up sharing my dinner (pre-Covid of course). DH would visit in the evening alone after taking DC1 home and settling her and leaving her with a sitter and call at costa/ Maccie’s on his way. The nurses would put their orders in and he’d bring theirs too - they were sad to see us leave for this more than anything else I think if you can only have limited visitors you need to think ahead and maybe have a ready meal dropped off in a cool bag? There’s usually a parent room with a microwave.

It wasn’t as bad as most on here say, but the ward was half empty for most of our stay. I said I felt like Rick Grimes when he woke up in the hospital in the walking dead at one point it was so quiet!

Loads of bottles of water as well, in case there's no time as hospitals can be hot and they don't always get time to fill your jug!

I did a week in the postnatal ward with my youngest. Dh could only visit briefly once a day as he had the other dc to look after. Pack a bag with extra clothes, pj's, pads, nappies etc for your dh to bring in on day 4 and then another just in case bag for him to bring in if you run out of stuff. I wish I'd done that as I wasn't planning on being there for a week! Dh couldn't find the nappies and breastpads I asked him to bring in so he bought some from tesco but the wrong brand. It was day 4 and it felt like the end of the world, I was so hormonal. I found a dressing gown with big pockets really helpful as I was really scared of dropping something and having to bend over and pick it up. Lots of snacks. Really nice smelling shower gel/shampoo. Baby will need a bath on day 4 or 5 so you might want to bring bubble bath from home. Our hospital uses Johnson's and that always makes my eczema flare up.

Earplugs x 1000 and if no one has said already, a really long phone charger cable. Hope all goes well!

Priority or not you are expected to stay a week after a section with a new baby, ask for your own room ...politely..,,,you never know! Ask each day, even one night alone will get you some sleep! Take an eye mask for naps whenever you can! Take a cool bag with cold drinks and for food. Comfy sandal/flip flops for walking round ward. Something to hold toiletries in shower that hangs there may be no shelf and bending with section wound is crap! Ask someone for routine of ward so you know when midwifes are busy etc and when food is served. At change over of shifts it’s hard to get someone as midwifes are swapping over usually 7-8am/pm. You’ll want to know when food comes and consultants do rounds so you can slip off for showers when quiet. Not sure about earplugs as you’ll want to hear your own baby mind you even with earplugs I heard everyone else’s baby (in ward before birth!) if planning to bf then look into colostrum harvesting, get a supply and get it dropped in when baby born they will store it in fridge for you and if baby struggling to feed at first (possible after section) you’ll have something to give baby ....you’ll not need to worry about expressing yourself straight away then. It won’t be great but you’ll be in best place to get help establishing bf and getting all babies checks and tests etc done good luck!

I was in for a week. I would recommend ear plugs and eye mask for sure, and a portable fan - I had a really powerful handheld one which you could charge with USB, was only about £15. Nice. Snack food or other food that's easy to store and get for yourself. Ipad to watch stuff and good books. Maybe a nice lavender spray or one of those little roller tubes, and nice face/hand cream so you can have something that smells and feels great

Find the wifi password for the hospital or stock up on data. Get a Netflix account and earphones.

Many tena lady pants things for after labour try them on first to make sure they fit. Sleep bras with many boob pads. Snacks and drinks. Those pre made aptimil bottles even if you're planning of ebf (just incase). Nipple cream (lanisoh). Spatone apple iron sachets incase of blood loss and anaemia. Paracetamol. Wipes for you and baby. Water bottles. Straws. Flanels. Lots of comfy spare pants and pads. Cooling spray. Many muslins. Many nappies and water wipes (don't fuck about with cotton wool and water). Pillow. Phone charger.

@elliejjtiny

I did a week in the postnatal ward with my youngest. Dh could only visit briefly once a day as he had the other dc to look after. Pack a bag with extra clothes, pj's, pads, nappies etc for your dh to bring in on day 4 and then another just in case bag for him to bring in if you run out of stuff. I wish I'd done that as I wasn't planning on being there for a week! Dh couldn't find the nappies and breastpads I asked him to bring in so he bought some from tesco but the wrong brand. It was day 4 and it felt like the end of the world, I was so hormonal. I found a dressing gown with big pockets really helpful as I was really scared of dropping something and having to bend over and pick it up. Lots of snacks. Really nice smelling shower gel/shampoo. Baby will need a bath on day 4 or 5 so you might want to bring bubble bath from home. Our hospital uses Johnson's and that always makes my eczema flare up.

I think you're not supposed to use any soap/bubble baths on newborns for quite a long time. I still don't with my son as he has eczema so we just have emollient or Oats.

Is there an option for a private room? It's worth every penny!!

Thanks everyone, I have read all your comments but too many to reply to individual. I will ask for a private room definitely, and paying isn’t a problem if it means I will feel more comfortable.

I just hope I don’t struggle too much as I know I’ll be tempted to discharge myself, but I know for my own health I need to stay in to be monitored.

Also worried about food but will take advice to bring lots of snacks etc I’ll have to enquire about facilities such a microwave as I didn’t even think about that. So hard not knowing what to expect!

My husband brought me a TV pass.

If that's not an option see if you can download programmes to watch on Iplayer, prime. They don't need WiFi but they do expire within 2 days of started watching. Books and puzzles are good as you can just put them down and tend to baby as and when.

than you think you could possibly need

@mswales I thought that too. I was really surprised in nicu when the nurse poured in a generous dollop of baby bubble bath in my baby's first bath. We weren't allowed to use wet wipes but bubble bath was fine for some reason.

Be incredibly organised with your hospital packing.

I bought large ziplock freezer bags which I then packed and labelled with mine and baby’s belongings. All newborn clothing was in one bag with a separate one for the next size up. I then used another as a mini changing bag with wipes, nappies, nappy bags that my husband kept topping up for me when he visited.

For myself, I had a bag for undies/feeding bras/ one for nighties and another for toiletries.

The bags and labels were so helpful for both my DH and midwives if I needed anything retrieving while I was still bed bound. After that it helped me keep on top of how many outfits/undies I had left and what I needed DH to bring in with him.

Good luck!

I had to stay in a week post emergency c-section as my boy was five weeks early. However I had a private room the whole time. I was admitted two days prior to the birth for steroids.

I took snacks in with me, books, iPad, headphones. I had a traumatic birth and needed a general anaesthetic, at my hospital birth partners are allowed in 9am-9pm then a second named person 1-3pm.

They allowed me to have three different people visit, my birth partner stayed in the hospital overnight for first three days and also when they started the induction before changing to section. However she used to work there so that had a big impact and also due to fears the trauma of nearly losing the baby would have on my mental health.

Earplugs.
And fgs, if you’re going to be FaceTiming half the night , pleeeze bring headphones (I might be in the bed opposite)