REAL essentials for birth and immediately afterwards - come and help me with my list

[FrannyandZooey]

Most of the lists on websites etc are making me laugh with all the things they consider 'essentials'

what do you really, really, need?
so far I have got

maternity pads
breastfeeding pads
few baby clothes
nappies
cotton wool
somewhere to put baby eg moses basket, made up with sheets

if in hospital:
clothes for me to come home in
nightie(s)
towel(s)
toiletries
maternity notes

what have I forgotten?

i think your first list sounds fine franny

disposable knickers
I wouldnt be without them for the first few days

all these suggestions v helpful indeed thank you
just went to mothercare and they had hardly any stuff I wanted - like NO maternity pads
was hacked off as is out of town place so major operation to get there
woman on checkout said "did you find everything you wanted today?" and looked stunned when I said "NO not at all"

I took tons in for my cs, hardly used any of it. didn't use any disposable pants as they put some on me in theatre and as soon as the catheter was out I used my own large pants.

Had tons of mat pads and I needed hardly any.

They gave me pillows and towels. TBH I was so baby shocked and blissed out on new motherhood I didn't notice anything, so the pillows could have been smeared with snot for all I knew. I didn't use any wipes on anything either. Didn't use handgel either as there was some on the end of my bed and on ds' cot.

I took loads of things like arnica and tea tree oil for bathing in to help heal my scar... didn't use either. Totally forgot the arnica and didn't really have time for a bath, just couldn't drag myself away from ds!

I did however take in some fresh fruit and get dh to bring in some nice food from home. He made me a lovely pasta salad one day and some soup in a thermos another day cos the food was horrendous.

Don't take too much, it's such a faff bringing it all home. Your original list sounds great.

Evian spray is the sort of thing you would laugh at on a list - but I was so grateful for that cooling blast every now and again! Sweated horribly in labour and it was brilliant.

if nobody has mentions it already

magicool spray - absolutely essential during a summer labour

lol - sorry -slinkie- should've read it all from beginning to end

Agree on arnica and good maternity pads (Used Natracare organic ones with DS2 which were good).
Voltarol is good for afterpains (which are indeed worse second (or third) time round, its fine to take when breastfeeding.
Nice soft cotton shawl/blanket for swaddling.
Soft and comfy clothes for you which look ok and are good for breastfeeding.

The Best Friends' Guide to Surviving the First Year of Motherhood) by Vicki Iovine. Best baby book you will ever read, and loads of really good advice for labour / immediately after birth.

Second BlueSkyThinker on Vicky Iovine - she's fab isn't she!

I haven't read the thread so apologies if I am repeating.
I bought a few of my favorite M&S sandwiches and put them in the freezer a few day before I went into labour.
By the time DS was born they had thawed and I had something reasonable to eat with me.
I thought of this after a 16 hour labour with DD and being told that I would have to wait for breakfast to have something to eat as I had just missed the evening meal.
(I had missed the last 5 meals before that - so I was a little peckish).

Cue DH sent off the nearest 24 hour tesco for anything edible when he would rather have gazed at his newborn a little longer.

I don't think I'm duplicating here but I heartily recommend earplugs. Post natal wards are busy places and you need at least some sleep (although they can't work miracles). I promise you will hear your own baby cry - earplugs don't obliterate sound they just soften it slightly!

Food is also key - my dh bought in yummy sandwiches and picnic food (plus a half bottle of red on my 5th night). Godsend. The hospital food was beyond awful.

Hello Franny
Is it that time already? How many weeks are you now?
Only thing I used were my Dextrose tablets! I was gutted.
I did eat my whole "snacks for DH" bag in one fell swoop at 2am though!

I think at this rate you will also need a small trailer to bring your stuff there and back in

Food for after the birth. Tea and toast didn't quite do it for me (had 2 days of not eating in labour) - was starving the next morning but couldn't actually move out of my bed to get down the corridor for breakfast. Plus noone told me I had to do that - couldn't have done anyway.

if I go to hospital next time - will also put a sling in.

ok here is my top tip

pack TWO bags

1 for things you will actually use

1 with things you'll need if you are in an extra day or two

this is franny's second baby remember, odds are good that she will be out of there with a 6 hour discharge IF she goes to hospital at all

(oh though if you are planning a hb-apparently mws like biscuits)

BISCUITS?
I am 34 weeks pg I think I know how to buy BISCUITS

Olivia! How the devil are you? Lovely to see you

I like the frozen sandwich suggestion
was exceptionally hungry during labour last time and they wouldn't give me anything
the anti-climax when ds was born and finally presented with a limp offering of plastic cheese on white bread

I might LIKE to stay in hosp this time
the nurses could chuck my mother out when I had had enough

I took loads of stuff the first time and didn't use most of it. Your essentials list looks good - I couldn't eat much but drank loads of PSP22 (electrolyte drink like Isostar) and it saved my bacon I reckon. I also found lavender essential oil really good for healing - put a few drops in the bath and you can put it directly on to your pad if you're sore/ torn. Good luck!

hand cream if in hospital the anti-bac handwash made hands v dry

V well thank you F&Z
DS is fabbo and keeping me v busy.

Olivia!!!!!!!!!!! You're back!

I took:
My own towel, as it actually fits round me.
Shower gel/shampoo.
maternity pads
nappies
baggy clothes
baby clothes
snacks
packed lunch for dh (diabetic)

I didnt use much else of the crap i took.