If you are might be in the postnatal ward for a while.....

[ZombiePlanB]

what might you pack?

I might being having a cs and might end up on the postnatal ward.

I assume earplugs to stop noise from other mothers on the phone.
Flip flops
babywipes
I guess also you are surrounded by various DHs so need decent nightie etc.

Any other ideas?

Showofhands discharged 12 hours post section?! I had to beg to be discharged on third day.

I took little cartons of juice, DH laughed when I packed them but we were both grateful that I had them, for some reason hospital water is rank.

I discharged myself after CS2 on day 2.

Surely, they can't MAKE you stay?

well I am glad I am feel positive - expats' story is enough to scare anyone!

meglet how did you persuade them to give you a private room, just kept saying 'please'?

here is my list for ease:
flipflops
toiletries with shampoo etc in
Vaseline
wipes
Ear plugs
eye mask
books
slippers
Spatone and senokot
when does shift change? find out
reuqest codeine instead of diclofenic
lipsalve
big pants
notebook and pen
ebook reader
baby bag - nappies, babygros, swaddles, gloves, clippers,
Arnica tablets and cream
nightie / shorts/ PJ bottoms and t-shirts - comfier than nighties etc and the postnatal wards are roasting!
Peppermint tea
pregnancy pillow
cartons of juice
chocolate
water
dried fruit
squash

You can pay for a private room here.£40 ish a night I am likely to kill people if I have to share a room.

You can pay for a private room here.£40 ish a night I am likely to kill people if I have to share a room.

Yup, 12hrs. Day 1 is the day the baby is born and the minimum recommended stay is 2 days. DD was born at 10pm ish and I was discharged 12hrs later at 10am, technically day 2. They needed the bed. DD hadn't latched on once and my cathether was still in situ. Had to drag the bloody thing to the nurses' station and beg them to remove it (was full to bursting). I bled on the floor and was told to clean it up before leaving.

We don't have private rooms here, your midwife will know if they're available where you are.

And in terms of pain relief, yes do ask but you may be pleasantly surprised. I had a very rough delivery and em cs but needed no pain relief at all afterwards. It's not always as bad as you might thing. Best to have the drugs there but don't fear the worst.

Take lots of pics, I regret that I was in such a fuzz that there are no pictures of dd until she was 3 days old. Although, I am probably glad there are no pictures of me post em cs.

SHowOfhands - that is awful. I agree about the pain relief - I never needed any with my (2) CSs once I was home. Good advice though - prepare for the work, hope for the best!!

I actually left on Day 3... Counted the day she was born as DAY 0 haha!!

mind you, I was in The Portland, so its more of a checking out procedure than a discharging one!!

Make sure you have your camera and spare battery, and nighties that make feeding easy if you want to breastfeed. Huge sized ones are good so you can fit the baby inside them for skin-to-skin cuddles.

I think it depends a lot on the hospital but I had a really good experience - stayed in 2 nights to try and get the feeding cracked and it did me lots of good! You really need to put your feet up after the birth and once I was home I kept having to move around for things!

The support from the midwives was fantastic and if i'd come home straight away i'm sure I'd have given up on the breastfeeding almost immediately. If you have to stay in, make the most of all the available help!

Managed to get a reasonable amount of sleep without the need for earplugs or a mask - somehow other people's babies didn't wake me!

Food was not huge portions but perfectly fine and they were very efficient at bringing around cups of tea and paracetamol.

Didn't touch book/ipod etc the entire time - spent all the time cuddling my new baby/feeding her/admiring her!

If you end up having a section pack a nighty, trousers/shorts sit roughly along the scar site.Also BIG knickers - the bigger the better, think Simon Cowell waist height,

I had
wet wipes
deodorant wipes (Asda)
Squash
Books
BIG BIG pants
notebook (kept times of feeds and length)
snack stuff as the food was dire
knitting (no idea why but it seemed like a good idea at the time)
Gaviscon
bed jacket courtesy of my gran
HUge shawl type fleecy thing - was fab in the night as the ward went from tropical to siberian,
peppermint cordial for the pain after a section - no one told me the first time you get pain in the shoulder, second time I packed peppermint cordial

I bought a nightie today and BIG pants. I am putting together my hospital bag slowly. The ECV is booked for tomorrow so things are moving on!

Good call on the Gaviscon...hadn't thought of that.

Lots of Big pants, they will need to go above your c/s incision.