Advice pls from those that know.....

[WellyBelly]

Am starting to think about what to pack in my hosp bag and things I'll need for those first few days after (apologies if these hve been discussed already...)Grateful for advice....

• Dispoasble pants or just big cheapies? Seems to be opinion divide among friends...
• Arnica tablets...any particluar strength?
• Have heard witch hazel gel from the fridge is lovely and soothing but only one I can find has other stuff in it that I suspect may sting...can anyone recommend a brand?

-And have heard about tea tree benefits....does anyone know whether you're better off with oil/cream? In a bath, direct to sore bits...??? and doesnt that sting too???? Thanks v.muchly!

big cheepies from tesco (or similar) they're the same price as disposables and you can wear them again or throw them.

Not disposable pants..they make your bum sweat.

I bought bog standard arnica.

Were you thinking of witch hazel for 'down below' ? Ouch!! Same for tea tree! I sat in salty bath water, and used a hair dryer to get the old under carriage dry.

My friend gave me a blow up ring to sit on when I came home. Ahhh that was a relief!

Big cotton cheepies (Primark/Matalan/Asda) - disposables are uncomfortable and not rigid enough to keep the monster sized sanitary pad in place (get stacks of said pads - loads more than you think you'll need)

Think I had normal Arnica.

Lavender oil in bath instead of witch hazel or tea tree

Also got a femepad - lovely and soothing here

Arnica 30c from chemists or 200c from Helios or similar. I'm sure I've seen it mentioned that 30c would be ok.

Witch hazel liquid from Health food shop or Asda, I'm sure I've seen it there, can be used to soak a maternity pad, which you can put in your pants. Important to keep wounds clean and dry so don't sit on a wet pad for too long

You can use Tea Tree oil in the bath. Or you can add it to almond, grapeseed, olive oils etc to then massage your bits gently.... Lavender is great too, such an all rounder! But use sparingly, 3-5 drops are recommended in baths or 30ml of carrier oil, but I think that you might want to use less as baby's immature system might not cope with normal amounts which baby might get passed from you in bf. That would be the likely failsafe warning, I expect.

Probably Cheap pants would get my vote.

Thankyou so much!!!

big cotton cheapies

I didn't bother with any tablets/lotions/potions and I had an episiotomy the first time and a 2nd degree tear the second time.