What to pack in my bag for hospital stay after a c-section?

[BumptasticIn09]

Any essentials that anybody can reccomend?

If it all goes to 'plan' I will be in from a Wednesday until Saturday/Sunday according to my consultant.

It is hopefully a few weeks off yet but want to get prepared, looking for any tips, thanks!

Take short nighties that button down the front for breastfeeding - I was sat on a large pad so you kind of hike the nightie up and there is no way you want to try to bend down to put pjs on. Take a lightweight dressing gown that you can drape over yourself for privacy as you may not want the bedding on as it is too hot.

Primark is very good for cheap nighties/large pants that are cheaper than disposables.

Agree handwipes or baby wipes and loo seat wipes. My hospital made you wee in a jug to measure your wee so anything to wipe you is good as can be a little messy.

Agree on flip flops rather than slippers. Also take some fluffy socks as even if you are hot your feet might be a bit chilly.

You can also get an oregano spray that is a natural anti-bacterial that you can spray in the air and even on food.

Take your own food and drinks (juice cartons are great) and a water bottle. The hospital food was terrible and you have to get up and get it yourself unless your husband is around. They had a fridge with yoghurts/salad/sandwiches as an alternative to the hot meals which I didn't realise straight away.

I would say trashy mags are good to keep you occupied as I couldn't focus on a book as felt a bit druggy.

I asked to go home after two days and they let me so if you have a supportive family that can look after you that is a better idea as you can get sleep at night.

Also, before you go into theatre ask for a clip on cot as then you can look after the baby. Otherwise the nurses will leave the baby to cry in the hall at night unless you have them in bed.

Dont take any clothes but take lots of cleanser/moisturiser and lip balm as it is hot. Try to take small sizes in a tiny make up bag as you need as much stuff in reach as possible and the top of the locker is small.

For the zillionth time... big knickers!

Lots to read in case you get shoved to the bottom of the list to make way for emergencies...

If you get crocs - get the real ones not cheap imitations which may not be non slip.

They weren't around when I had DD but I came a massive cropper on a section of wet floor in Asda in a pair of cheapo ones so check out their non-slippiness before you use them.

And on a reassuring note, my DD was born on Monday morning and I didn't have catheter removed until Tuesday afternoon, so obviously I couldn't 'produce' anything other than a wee - but they still fed me and were very helpful for the first couple of nights when I could barely move!!!

chocolate chocolate chocolate

re. Big knickers - make sure you get ones without embriodery on them, as it drove me MAD! Also, I was glad of a hand held fan, as it was really hot in my ward. Drinking straws were useful, too, as I couldn't move easily to get my water for a while. I second the flip-flops. And Lasinoh for your boobs.

Also, if you are allergic to voltarol, aspririn and the like, make sure you chat to the anaestehetist before hand and work out a plan for pain relief, as I found myself being dropped from morphine to paracetamol and it didn't ease my recovery.

I've also heard very +ve things re. the section support belts you can get from the NCT with gel pads in them. They're meant to be good.

Also meant to say, make sure you have comfy clothes for your recovery at home - nice stretchy trousers (to go with the big pants!) I had a very long recovery for various reasons, and dfound it hard to put my son in a bouncer/change his nappy, so make sure you have organised a changing station where you don't have to bend down, and also lots of pillows/cushions to help you get comfy for BF.

Hope it all goes well - let us know if you have any extra tips, as if we have another one I'll be having a planned CS. I am already thrilled to know you can get clip on cots as I couldn't get to my DS at night :-)

Maybe not the correct thing to say but I would say paracetamol - was in agony after DS was born by CS and was bfeeding but nurses v. slow (like nearly 2 hours with pain relief). Had bfed DD without problems for 7 months, after 'normal' birth (10lb 5oz ventouse, 3rd degree tear and epesiotomy) but had really bad after-pains that could have easily put me off bfeeding forever. It didn't but felt was left high and dry - realise some people may have complications that would make this unwise but would have been preferable for me.Felt it was a rotten way to end up after being the only person on my ward breastfeeding - would have preferred freedom to manage my own after-pains literally bit knuckles til they bled and dreaded picking baby up. As this was DC2 realised that it wouldn't be forever but would have found it v. demoralising if had been first.

be careful with dried apricot - gives me awful trapped wind as it tends to be covered in castor oil - stick to lactulose etc

A MASSIVE bra- I didn't realise how big my boobs were going to get when the milk came in and my mum had to ring my MIL (who I hardly knew at the time, I know her much better now!) and ask her to bring the biggest softest bra she could buy!

Again, big knickers.

I preferred pjs, as I didn't have to worry about all the visitors seeing my hairy legs.

A magazine that is about stuff you are interested in yourself, whether it is the nme or practical photography, as I felt a bit like a baby machine and a bit out of control of my own body, something non-baby related would have been a godsend. My DP brought in scrabble, which, even though I was rubbish as I was so distracted, was something we did at the time quite a bit so I felt normal, or at least partly normal.

Don't be surprised when, after a day of feeling sorry for yourself (and REALLY itchy-I had to ring the bell and ask a HCA to wash my down belows and legs as they were driving me mad!) the midwife expects you to hop out of bed, shower yourself and take off your dressing! I was really alarmed, but nothing bad happened!

Speaking of itchyness, shave your legs a few days before so they get past the point of itchy regrowth but before the point of itchy long hair. I don't usually shave them at all (too busy and don't see the point) but I will be before my next cs as they stick horrible plastic blowy up leg things on you to stop you getting blood clots and you sweat and itch like mad but can't sit up to itch them.

I remember feeling like I was leaking from everywhere-I was sweating, milk was literally pouring out of me, I was bleeding and my nose and eyes were running for some reason.

Next time I will be taking a camera and demanding that someone take pictures as the baby is born as I felt like I missed out last time but am too sqeamish to watch the operation as it happens.

Accept all pain relief when it is offered afterwards-if you don't have it on drugs round time then you'll find it hard to get it inbetween times!

Oh, and take a watch or something, because you won't be able to see the ward clock when your curtains are closed, they come and do things to you and the baby in the night, then in the morning ask you at what time were the things last done (this goes for feeds and changes too) and I never had any idea! This may have been as my child was in an incubator and I was on a blood transfusion, but it was very confusing!

And try and get someone who can actually use the camera to take those all important first pictures-all mine are blurs as my sister took them and moved the camera!

Anyone said clock yet? I was on a ward with no clock and was driven mad by staff saying things like "You can't have any more pain relief until 3pm" and then not knowing if this was 45 minutes or 2 hours away!

Doh - oh yes, *LissyGlitter8 just said it about 2cms ago! sorry.

Nipple shields - if you're planning to breastfeed. I had to use them to help DD latch one, but they didn't have any at the hospital so had to get MIL to get me some (thanks Lissy - your bra post reminded me of that one!)

In fact bf-ing paraphenalia in general (including pump if you're getting one) as few and far between in some maternity units.

I know pump sounds like a weird thing - but my DD really did not get the hang of latching on easily and I had to express colostrum (by hand) then pump to keep my milk coming while she was trying to get to grips with it.

Hopefully you won't have that hassle but forewarned is forearmed and all that

Hi, I didn't have a CS last time, but can tell you I went in with my trolley dolly (my things) & small ruck sac (baby things). Due to lack of space within the ward, the midwives asked my husband to take the trolley dolly away with him. I had had morphine, 2 epidurals and a 32 hour labour so he couldn't wake me to ask what I wanted to keep. This was really embarrassing the following day when I had blood stained clothes and nothing to change into! I was in for 5 nights so had to write lists for him and he inevitably brought the wrong things!!

Now 6 months pregnant, I am planning ahead and going to pack small daily bags which when the time comes I'm going to put in the boot of the car.

Another good tip from my Mum who has just come back from a holiday abroad - you can get tooth cleaning wipes which don't require water or a toothbrush.

Hope that helps x