What do I need for after the birth/what do the hospital give you?

[NewbieMummytobe]

I am now 33 weeks pregnant and starting to think about the things I'll need for postpartum recovery, pads etc. The problem is I don't know what the hospital provide vs what I should buy myself, all the info I can find online seems to be American so I thought I'd ask some actual people what their experience was!

I'm planning on giving birth in a birth centre attached to the hospital rather than a labour ward if that changes anything?

An NHS hospital gives you nothing, ex ept for pain relief if you are lucky and hospital food. You might need a meal because if you labour through the night, you may miss the breakfast/lunch order.

The hospital doesn’t give you anything, whether its a birthing suite or labour ward.

I gave birth to my daughter last year and the hospital didn’t give me a single thing?😂 other than pain relief/paracetamol/ibuprofen everything else I took myself

Take everything you’ll need yourself, they won’t provide anything. You also need to take nappies and clothes for baby.

Our hospital gave us a hat as the one I took for dd was too big. It was donated by people who knitted hats for the labour ward. I was also generously given a pad after my c section, but only the one mind. More generous was the oramorph they gave me on day 2. But other than that, bugger all.

I have everything prepped for baby it was just me I was unsure about! But it seems from all your replies I need to take everything, so with that being said do you guys have any recommendations?

My sister in law went in to have her baby - Never took any clothes with her other than her jammies.
Her man went home for a rest after the birth & was meant to bring her an outfit to wear home. He forgot and she had to go home in the blood covered jammies she'd been wearing for 2 days.

Take your own clothes - not your pre pregnancy clothes though.

Take everything! I think the nhs may have provided me with one brick sanitary pad thing but I might have mistaken that. I didn’t get offered tea or toast any of the 3 times I gave birth (although I would have refused them anyway 😂) but I didn’t stay in long with any of them. Overnight with my first but she had complications at birth and was allowed home the next day and just a few hours with the other 2. I’d advise against taking in too much though; some clean clothes, sanitary products, a few toiletries, power bank for any charging but honestly keep it limited to as less ‘stuff’ as possible.

I’m currently 35 weeks and this is what I have packed so far for myself:

• 2 pairs of dark button up pjs
• big oversized nightie for labour
• big underwear, disposable underwear, thick maternity pads
• nursing bras
• perineal bottle
• spritz for bits
• Nipple pads, nipple cream, breast pump (will depend on if you’re planning to breast or bottle feed
• toiletries - toothbrush/paste, shower stuff etc
• flip flops for shower
• loose comfy clothes
• dark towel
• snacks
• iPad and phone charger

obviously I may not be in for long or use it all, but I’m organised and would rather have it all to hand! With all of the baby items too, it’s actually a lot to take 😅

For my first born we had an emergency cesarean and stayed for an extended period. The hospital provided a lot - spare nappies, pads, disposable mat for me to lie on and one we used as a changing mat. Hat for baby too. Also formula and teats as we had planned to breastfeed but couldn't.

Second time we took all of the above just in case. I was still given maternity pads, first nappy and a hat.

I also visited the birth centre regularly for midwife checks and there were always free nappies to use, and secondhand baby clothes you could m make a donation for

I think it depends on the hospital or birth centre. But yes I would plan to bring it all with me.

Snack food and if you can stomach them those long life meals you can get like the tuna salads. Grim but when you’ve missed two meals in Labour and you won’t get fed til the next day essential. Also dried apricots/other fibrous things and chocolate buttons/jelly babies etc.
after the first time I took my own paracetamol and hamerroid stuff.

Bring a water bottle with a straw you can keep with you when the water jug and cup are out of reach. Fully charged phone charger brick. Electric handheld fan was essential. Clogs/slippers for the bathroom - and know where the porters put them before everyone leaves. Snacks for overnight. Clothes for baby.

These were my essentials. I otherwise over packed and didn't use 95% of the stuff I took.

I'm amazed that some hospitals don't feed you if you miss a mealtime! Ours had sandwiches, biscuits, and hot drinks available all the time. They even let birth partners eat the sandwiches. They also provided some pads, baby blankets, a selection of woolly hats, and I think some first nappies.

Oh my goodness. I'm 38 weeks tomorrow and haven't packed a thing. Baby three and far less organised than with the first two. Must do it today!!

But, agree with everyone else regarding the OP - the hospital aren't going to give you anything apart from the medications and staff to get you through the delivery!

Don't forget a tiny hat for the baby - I think some Trusts insist on you having one. Also, separate snacks for you and your partner/whoever is with you. Husband ate all my Percy Pigs with number one and I almost had to divorce him.

Take pass, clean clothes, stuff for the shower and also flip flops as the shower floor can be minging. Also phone charger and nappies, gros, car seat.
Good luck!

The hospital I gave birth in 4 weeks ago provided pads in all toilets, and specifically told me to use theirs so I could save the ones I'd bought for once I'd been discharged. The shower rooms had shower gel/shampoo in them, probably left behind by other women. They also provided towels for showers.
They provided formula and bottles if needed, and nappies on the neonatal ward too.
My babies have always been given a knitted hat by the midwives.

Have any of you used the Frida Mom stuff? It seems like they have everything for postpartum care but they just seem a little expensive. Are they worth it or should i find cheap alternatives?

I had a pretty straight forward delivery, here's what I used.

After the birth I had a few stitches then I went for a shower to get cleaned up so needed toiletries, pads (take a whole pack and the super thick absorbent ones) and a change of pjs.

Then up to the ward with DD, we needed to stay overnight as I'd had GD and they needed 3 sugar tests for DD.

Was starving and had missed all meals, so raided my snack bag. I'd also taken a bottle of squash to turn the lukewarm jug of water into something bearable,

Lots of being awake overnight. It was hard to sleep in a noisy well lit room and I just wanted to watch DD anyway. So I ate a lot of snacks at weird times. Needed charger for phone.

In the morning needed a change of clothes and toiletries for going home in.

If they offer you a pain killer suppository take it, hell ask for it, it's some kind of super ibuprofen anti-inflammatory and basically numbs your bits for 24 hrs. It's fabulous!

Be sensible with what you pack, there's very little space for stuff near your bed and I was basically just left to it, so had to manoeuvre baby and if you're trying to shift a baby from crib with bags everywhere, no space, no help and a sore tired body it gets complicated.

Breakfast was basically being pointed to a room at the end of the ward and told there's a toaster and stuff in the fridge, we all had to make our own while holding our newborns and waddling in pain.

And as in any hospital stay, a pack of antibacterial cleaning wipes. Other peoples bathroom habits are often gross!

With my first 2 I got given everything!

Milk and mini bottles with the ready prep milk, baby wipes, post birth pads, breastfeeding pads etc

They no longer do this. Emma's diary used to be full of freebies back in the day and you got given a big bag when born too.

I bought their pads but actually I preferred the simplest cotton supermarket maternity pads. They're huge. The hospital used very basic ones. I found them the most comfortable whereas the more expensive ones seemed more fussy and plasticky.

The hospital don’t provide you with anything (a bed, clean sheets, maybe some pain relief! A few maternity pads but bring mainly your own).

You will need to provide all your own stuff

Make sure you've got some snacks with you and in the house that you can eat easily with one hand.

I also organised clothes (babygro, sleepsuit, hat etc) into ziplock bags so each bag had a complete outfit and I could just point husband or midwife to the one labelled "day 0" or whatever.

For my firstborn we had an extended stay in hospital, so DH had to go home for fresh baby clothes to take baby home. He brought back 3-6m clothes! So we has the worst going home photos ever. 🤣 So second time I made the baby clothes DH-proof!

I hope I can help here as I recently gave birth and did not think about this at all, so you are much more organised than I was!

Replying only on on the point about post partum recovery related stuff. I actually wouldn't buy loads of stuff as you don't know what kind of labour you will have and therefore what your recovery will be. But I would be ready to order stuff online once you are home and have a clearer picture.

The hospital will provide you pads and towels so you don't need to bring your own.

Essential things from my pov:

• Loads of cotton wool pads for dabbing your bits instead of toilet paper
• Organic / cotton maternity pads (I have been using Natracare and have found them worth the money - I thought period pants would do the job but I needed extra soft padded ones)
• Breast pads if you are planning to breastfeed (I've found Lansinoh v good)
• a milk collection shell (if planning to breastfeed)
• peribottle
• lots of very comfy loose PJs
• disposable waterproof mats
• waterproof mattress protector
• a doughnut cushion
• big comfy knickers
• scar/stretch mark oil
• Dettol body wash when you can eventually shower/clean down there with more than water if you have tears and stitches to manage
• A pre made 'trolley' on an online supermarket site with lots of 'snack' appropriate food and super easy meals - soups etc to order for when you get home

I wouldn't buy cooling pads or any spritzes or creams, they are expensive and might not be appropriate or work. Wait and see what your labour is like. I wasted a lot of money on these.

The biggest thing of all you can do for yourself when the time comes is be patient. Rest is the biggest healer - so anything other than cuddling and feeding your baby, if you are able to, get others to do.

Wishing you all the best!