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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Any tips for hospital bag for a C Section?

44 replies

Nat777 · 05/08/2005 19:55

I have just had my C Section moved forward to this Monday, this is my first pregnancy and suddenly I am crapping it!

Anyway, apart from the usual, does anyone have any tips as to what to pack for either myself or baby? I will be in for about 5 days

Thanks

OP posts:

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jane313 · 05/08/2005 19:57

Big pants!

You don't want anything that rests on the scar area.

tiffini · 05/08/2005 19:58

Big wooly socks, my feet were always freezing.

Also the disposable pants are handy, but the sizings are'nt very good, go for bigger than what you think you need.

WigWamBam · 05/08/2005 20:00

Yes, big pants! And make sure that they are ones that stay up around your middle and don't roll down over your scar - all my big pants were so stretched by the pregnancy that the elastic had gone and they kept rolling down and bunching up in just the wrong place.

BABYD · 05/08/2005 20:03

I had c-section in march to deliver my 10lb 4oz baby boy, the others are correct the most important things are huge pant so as not to rub wound. also still need lots of huge maternity pads and warm socks. not a fan of disposable knickers, i found cotton ones more comfy!
Post op an essential is CHOCOLATE!

Hope all goes well.

fruitful · 05/08/2005 20:07

A pint glass for water, and a decent-sized mug for your tea. So you don't have to keep hobbling to the drinks area and back! And fruit, because there is never enough in hospital.

A really good book to read while you're waiting for the op. Any emergency sections will get done before you so you might have to wait, and you need something to take your mind off it.

A cd for them to play in the operating theatre.

A disposable camera so your dh can take photos of the baby after its born. Find out if you're allowed the camera in theatre, and what they do with the baby. They may pass him/her straight to you, but they may take him to the side of the theatre to get him dry/warm and check him out. I would have loved some photos of that, as I feel like I missed my babies' first moments.

fruitful · 05/08/2005 20:10

Oh, and I always wanted the phone number of the NCT breastfeeding helpline, too...

Magscat · 05/08/2005 20:18

Definately the big knickers. I also wanted my owm pillow cos the hospital ones had plastic covers under the cotton and were yuk to sleep on.

I took calendula oil & lavendar oil to put in the bath to help the healing.

Music if you want it is usually ok

If your partner will be with you & is sqeamish tell him to keep focussed on you and not look around. My dp says the 2nd c-section I had was fine cos he knew to keep looking at my face but the 1st time he looke dup & caught site of stuff over the top of the screen that he wishes he hadn't!

Magscat · 05/08/2005 20:20

PS - Good luck. Let us know how it goes

CaptainCavemansMummy · 05/08/2005 20:20

Ooooh Nat777 how exciting (and nerve-wracking!)
I also took big pants, huge pads and some v. comfy jogging bottoms.
I wear glasses and they wouldn't let me wear them whilst lying on the operating table in case they dug into my head...? what? As I was bobbing it at the time I didn't argue (most unlike me!!).
Consequently my first look at ds was a grey blur whizzing through the air as they took him to be checked over!
Altogether a lovely relaxed experience with very friendly midwives, theatre staff and surgeons. Could almost do it again......

Good luck for Monday, hope you have a lovely experience too

anchovies · 05/08/2005 20:30

I would take some massive night time pads rather than the maternity ones. As I was lying down I found that the maternity ones weren't long enough. A digital camera is good so you can edit the pics, make them black and white etc. I bought posh pjs, the kind with a vest top and a cardi, I was often quite hot but the cardi was good for walking about. Don't worry about loads of baby stuff cos you can bring it in later. A dark coloured towel would be useful as well.

Oh and you probably wont need your hairdryer or straightners! (I was so niave!)

nooka · 05/08/2005 20:45

Food! Things to read that aren't too taxing - I found being in hospital very boring and quite lonely! First time round because dh was busy shopping (ds two weeks early, and we had expected a home birth!), and second time because he was looking after ds.

Agree on the pillow front - I had one of those "L" shaped ones, which was good. Something nice (but very loose) to wear on the way home. Something comfy to wear in hospital - needs to be easy to put on.

JoPG · 05/08/2005 20:50

How exciting. Monday will be a thrilling day for you. Do you know the gender of your wee babe, or will it be a surprise?
Anyway, I found that lucozade sports drink and ribena were great. It seemed v hot in hospital all the time so cold drink are lovely. Also, if you are intending to breastfeed then you will be thirsty all the time.
Also, another vote here for lavender oil.
Finally, flip flops for the loo and shower area (not always fabulously clean). A friend of mine also took in flash bathroom wipes cos she wasn't convinced that the cleaners were up to the job. Not sure that I would fancy cleaning a bath having just had a c-section tho, but you could get DP to do it for you!

DissLocated · 05/08/2005 20:50

When I was pregnant I had one of those 'bump belts' in the car, you know the kind that digs the lap belt into your thighs instead of your tummy? I found this really helpful after the CS as it stopped the lap belt digging into my scar.

Not traditional hospital bag stuff I know, but I was quite uncomfortable on the journey home from hospital without it.

anchovies · 05/08/2005 20:52

Oh yes flip flops! For those horrid hairy floors! I got dh cleaning the shower with my antibacterial wipes before I'd get in!

pookstermum · 05/08/2005 21:06

Oh yes big knickers, mum had to go out and get me some (emergency c section), food, if the food is as bad as the hospital I was in! Arnica (spelling?) tablets, I think they helped me recover, and comfy clothes for sitting around in on the ward. Good luck, makes be very wistful (sigh)

Christie · 05/08/2005 22:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

louli · 05/08/2005 22:32

drinking straws for the first 24 hours. Can be quite painful trying to lean forward to drink. Arnica 200c from tomorrow would be good. Agree with the big pants and also baggy nightwear so that nothing pulls on your tummy.

Ladymuck · 05/08/2005 22:39

Arnica
Something peppermint - tea or cordial, for wind
pen and paper - you have to fill in menus, wirte down lists for dh etc.
If you have a baby care book or book on breastfeeding, useful to have at hand (mws are always busy!)
Large carrier bag for dirty washing.
Have a couple of vases lined up - you get tons of flowers and wards often don't have enough vases for some reason.

Don't bring in everything at the start - often there isn't much room, and dh will be visiting every day anyway.

Good luck on Monday. Bear in mind that emergencies will take priority, so be prepared for a wait (ds2 was "booked in" for 9am - he was dleiver at 7:15pm).

LeahE · 05/08/2005 22:48

I agree on huge cotton knickers and baggy nightwear. And Lucozade Sport DH got confused and brought me regular fizzy Lucozade which I would not recommend (although DS now loves to play with one of the empty bottles, so not a complete loss). Dried fruit or something like that to nibble (everyone brought chocolate and I was sick of the sight of it). Small easy-to-operate camera (ideally digital). Extra pillow(s) would also be handy even if not in hospital, in the car on the way home to have under the seatbelt.

Original poster

Nat777 · 05/08/2005 23:34

Thanks so much there are some great tips there! I am off to the shops tomorrow, particularly to get big knickers. I had bought regular knickers but in a bigger size, but hadnt considered the scar, so will definetly get some more.

I know I am having a girl, well that is what I have been told!

I cant wait for Monday but am I am nervous! Thanks again.

OP posts:

Ladymuck · 05/08/2005 23:51

I was told ds1 was going to be a girl.... Try to make the most of the next couple of nights sleep - it will be your last for a while.

Skribble · 05/08/2005 23:55

Agree on big pants, but when we say big we mean BIG. Go for granny style belly warmer ones. Some of the cheapy shops or market stalls do them. buy loads as you will wear them for a while and they will get stained.

I was very windy and sucked mints all the time.

Diluting juice to "liven up" water.

Small cartons of fresh orange or sunny delight (ugh) in case of constipation, which is alos commen.

Lots of magazines instead of a book. Its hard to concentrate on anything to seriuos when its so busy.

A cushion or rolled up blanket for seat belt on way home.

Stand for baby bath and cot top changing mat. A bath support for baby that goes into baby bath can make it easier too. I positioned baby bath on stand over loo and filled with shower head. When finished you pull plug and it drains straight into loo. Take it from me you will not be able to lift full bath even with out section and DH wasn't always around.

nightowl · 06/08/2005 00:27

everything everyone else has said. re painkillers:...even if you feel fine take them if they are offered..i didnt and once i got home (with no painkillers) i really regretted that. dont fall into the trap of thinking you feel brilliant and doing too much because you will hurt yourself!

eidsvold · 06/08/2005 03:28

big pants - I just bought cheap cotton ones I could chuck out later....

tea tree oil - put a few drops in warm water to bath the scar - helps with healing

arnica tablets - helped with healing also

chocolate and barely water or just water to help with post op fluhsing out of system.....

took thick nitghtime pads as well as maternity pads

camera for pics after babe is born

something to read

ear plugs - 1st time round I had my own room as dd1 was very ill in ICU, 2nd time I had to chare a ward and the woman next to me could winthe world snoring competition - very hard to get any quality rest.

comfy clothes to wear during the day - made me feel much better being dressed during the day rather than just being in pjs for the whole 5 days.

Hazellnut · 06/08/2005 09:41

Agree with all here - esp. Arnica, big pants, comfy trousers, chocolate and I was also told by one doctor to take vit c with zinc to help recovery which I did and may have helped (mind you, same doc said I wouldn't be able to drive for 3 months !!!!!!!!!!!!! That wasn't true !)Make sure dh/dp has lots of cash on him too if the food is as bad as it was where I was as I kept sending dh to the cafe to get take outs. Also definitely a pen and pad for writing down things you have forgotten so dh doesn't forget them (and also useful if flowers and/or pressies start arriving so you can write down who gave you what).

Good luck !!

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