I'm packing my hospital bag – what kind of knickers?

[esgill]

In my NHS antenatal class they said disposable knickers are good. Why? Is this because we're likely to bleed a lot post birth? I'll have the maternity pads anyway.

Can I get away with just bringing some knickers I don't care much about? I'd rather not have more waste than necessary.

I wore disposable Tena ones in hospital, mainly because I suffered from temporary incontinence (thanks to a lengthy pushing stage) they can be torn off and binned. I bled horribly and just felt hot and icky with the urine leaks. Tearing them off and getting in the shower was pretty therapeutic for me.
I did switch to big ole cotton M&S ones about a week later but by that point everything had started to recover (thankfully!!!)

Big, black and comfy. I couldn’t bear the thought of paper knickers. Just get ones you don’t mind binning if you bleed on them but be warned, once you embrace the granny pants you might never go back…

I just took granny pants - white ones. I didnt have any issues with leaking on them.

The disposables are awful - M&S big black cotton Lycra granny knickers are your friend you'll never go back

And Kotex maternity nighttime pads for the first few days - they soak up everything!

I must be the only person who loved the disposables! I had the Frida mom ones and I bought new packs twice again after I got home, I had to wean myself back onto normal pants owing to the expense! After a C section I just felt they held everything with the right amount of pressure and felt nice on my skin - no discomfort with the scar and great coverage. I am back in 'big' pants but they are more gentle/loose and I miss the stretchy disposables!

I just bought a multi pack of black pants, not bigger than normal but briefs, not the usual thong/Brazilian ones that I wore at the time. Like PP I still wear them 11 years later

Right, off to M&S today to buy a multipack of black knickers :) Thanks everyone!