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Top tips for overnight hospital stay wanted please

7 replies

wonderstuff · 13/01/2013 09:43

DD going in for surgery tomorrow morning, v.likely to be in monday night.
Any helpful advice for people who've been there. We will be on Salisbury Hospital Childrens ward

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 13/01/2013 09:48

Nice snacks as the food will be dire.
I imagine you won't be fed - unless you are bf'ing. So food for you, or ask visitors to bring things or puck stuff up for you from the canteen.
Ear plugs for the night.
Book, iPad, kindle etc for you and for your dd.

Good luck, I hope it all goes smoothly for your dd.

wonderstuff · 13/01/2013 10:01

No she's 5 so not bf'ing! Was thinking of using the canteen?
Hadn't thought of ear plugs.. Going to take my book and my knitting. I'm assuming they won't have wi-fi..

Also on list - pjs for her and change of clothes, colouring books and story books. Change of clothes for me and toiletries for us both. Wondered about a pillow? Dont' want to take too much stuff..

OP posts:
Sirzy · 13/01/2013 11:46

using the canteen is ok but do you have someone to sit with her or will she be happy alone? Perhaps find out if they have a parents room with microwave or things?

Things like books and knitting are only ok until the lights get switched out at night!

I would take a pillow, the hospital ones are never thick enough for me.

Lots of drinks, hand cream.

SalIvatingDave · 13/01/2013 13:11

Having just spent 3 weeks in hospital with ds (but bf'ing, so I could eat with him), I would say take food with you in case canteen hours short / you can't leave dd at that specific time. The parents' room normally has a small fridge and microwave, so a ready meal or soup to be heated up might be easiest (and tastiest). Double check though. Or, if you just need something quick, a couple of cup-a-soup sachets. Agree with ear plugs and light snacks and sweeties.

Do you have an IPad or Kindle to use if lights off and you can't sleep?

Lastly, our hospital was really hot, so baby wipes when getting a bit sweaty came in handy.

Good luck, hope all goes well.

dikkertjedap · 13/01/2013 13:19

I would take a laptop with some dvds so your dd can watch dvds unless you are sure there are dvd players in the hospital (we had many many hospital stays, but either dvd players had been stolen, or they were broken or they were all lent out).

Also some audio CDs, check they work on your laptop, they probably do, and ear phones for your dd for the laptop.

We also loaded some drawing programmes and simple games for dd on laptop. So with one laptop we could get lots of use out of it even without wi-fi.

The hospital usually supplies colouring stuff, but maybe take a favourite toy, some puzzles, books, children's magazine.

Some of her favourite snacks (crisps, chocolate, drinks, fruit, crackers).

I don't know if you have them, but for example those little plastic princess toys you can dress and make stories up or something similar, don't take up much space and she will be able to play with it on and off.

I would take some extra clothes for her in case she throws up.

Also a toilet bag for you. Including hand cream as you have to wash hands frequently/use alcohol gel which really dries out your hands. Also if you have any medication then take that, otherwise some paracetamol/ibuprofen just in case you need it.

Bottle of water for your dd (kids bottle as for school, so less risk of spilling water all over the bed) and one for you as you get very thirsty.

As others have already mentioned, also snacks/food for you, because she may not want to leave you once awake.

Good luck tomorrow.

wonderstuff · 13/01/2013 15:53

Thank-you so much people! I will make sure I have a ready-meal for me - dh is going to be about - but isn't going to stay overnight. Hadn't thought about using dvd's on laptop - will take it and a supply - not sure we have headphones - and it's getting late now - though I suppose I or dh may be able to pic some up tomorrow morning while she is in surgery.
I was planning on wearing comfy clothes rather than taking pj's as I will be in a chair on the ward I assume. Don't imagine I'll get any sleep. I have a book light and a kindle app on my phone, so I will be fine in the evening. I'm assuming she will be fine for pain relief, but I will take some headache tabs for me.

OP posts:
hazeyjane · 13/01/2013 15:55

They often have headphones at the nurse's desk to use with the radio/tv.

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