July mothers to be!

[VioletV]

Who's sorted their hospital bags yet? What are putting in yours?

Here is my checklist so far... (Please let me know if I'm missing anything)

Towels body and face
Maternity towels x2
Nappies x36
Camera (charged lol)
Lucozade sweets x4
slippers
nightdress x2
Babys first outfit x1
few vests x3
comfy clothes for me x2
black knickers x5
snacks to eat.

Drinks with straws
magazines for me and my birth partner (incase she gets bored)
box of chocs to say thanks to the nurses.
Baby car seat.

Am I missing anything?

Have just noticed the awful grammar and spelling mistakes above and I have got to the point of not caring.....don't mind me I'm not an imbecile...I'm just pregnant

Jimmy I was having a go at Sky on the phone on Saturday, sounding really coherent and together, puting my argument across very well. Until I forgot what I was saying. And ended up sounding like I was several butties short of the full picnic

Baby brain is a wonderful thing

Oh god - not due till very end of July but thought I'd take a quick peek in here and have been reminded of the pee pain!! Had totally forgotten about that but will have my plastic jug at the ready! I preferred really cold water...

And no, it's not the worse pain ever just another irritation you don't know about until it's too late - I had 1 stitch for a slight graze and that was enough though. Better to be prepared (although I think my hospital had something next to the loo for us to use) and also means no leaving it till the last minute as you need to fill said container up first!

Seems that this time's unknown is the afterpains which I'd not heard of before. So thanks for illuminating me on that one! The worst pain last time was the milk coming in - never known anything like that and my mum came in later and said "Oh I'd forgotten about that - sorry I should have mentioned it". Someone, anyone, should have mentioned it, full stop! I seriously believed they were going to explode in front of my very eyes! So breast pads are definitely needed!!!

Will be referring back on this thread in the coming weeks as I stop work and start thinking seriously about the birth, so thanks for starting it and for all the tips!

My one - don't take a decent towel in - or anything decent really - blood, meconium and other fluids difficult to get out so better to be able to chuck things if need be.

Buttonmoon. What painkillers have you packed? I am on DC4 and quite worried they will not give me any soon enough.

Sorry Pesha, I meant you.
I have my arnica tablets ready too.
Also when do we start on the Rasberry leaf tablets/tea?

Packed? Packed? I think you must be talking in a foreign language. I don't know of such a word

I think I'll take paracetamol and cocodamol with me. TBH, am half hoping for a section so pain relief should be more than forthcoming

Well at the moment I just have paracetamol and ibuprofen but can't really remember what you can and can't take when bfing. I will probably buy some paramol although I do have some codeine I had prescribed for tooth pain and would like to take that but not sure if I should!

Not much help really am I!!

OMG 5 weeks tomorrow and I still haven't actually managed to pack anything, even though I started this thread, (Bad Violet) Saw the MW earlier who told me head is down nicely and bubba is engaged. But she reckons I still have a few weeks left

Pesha, at my NCT class it was recommended to take a mixture of codeine and paracetemol during labour (apparently the codeine is ok). Ibruprofen is ok after the birth I believe but not during labour.

I ordered a heap of stuff online for my hospital bag from Boots this week - it arrived today! So I have officially started the process :)

I am going to moan, which I don't ususally but I have to just let it out.

Between heartburn hell and literally not being able to breathe - I feel miserable. I woke up at 5 am gasping for air - which kind of freaked me out. And somehow this lack of air is making me nauseous.

Oh I desperately want to stretch - I am mean really stretch.

All the while I am having such fun, the little one's head is pushing nicely 'down there' and he varies between having hiccups and wiggling his fingers in an area that its just not comfortable.

We wont even talk about when he kicks me. My belly button is almost totally pushed out ... there is not space for such madness.

Oh that felt better. I think i will go take a bath and see if it helps. How am I supposed to go six more weeks like this?

Were you lying on your back when you woke up gasping Darling? It happens to me all the time. We've actually moved our bed so it is against the wall so that I can lean against the wall and not risk rolling onto my back. I can also sympathise with the 'finger wiggling'. OUCH!!!

Sorry, just realised that sounded really self centered, what I meant was... 'maybe arranging bed/pillows so you can't roll onto your back will help you sleep/breathe better'

I am loving this thread! I saw the headline and thought, "ooh great, that'll jog my memory on what I should bring" and then there is so much more to it now! I'm due 9th August, but with twins, so sure to be some time in July.

I had my DD 3 and a half years ago and although I agree that there is the stinging when you pee element and tepid water does help, when you're in the moment, after just giving birth, you have all sorts of mummy-hormones flying around and you don't really care about a bit of stinging, or sore bits, or being starkers, or (as in my case) sitting on the loo at home, having the MW pulling on your umbilical cord like a bell cord (but gently) and telling you to push to get the placenta out!! Anything goes and all the discomfort is made up for by the fact that you have this brand new, precious baby and that's all you care about!! So first time mums, don't even sweat it.

Oh and I did actually put tea tree on my sanitary towel, I can understand what people say about not having it in direct contact with skin when undiluted, but it was recommended to me and really helped.

Good luck all xx

Wiggling fingers...is that what it is...most annoying as feels like is coming thru hips into legs!!!

Darlingdamsel I could've written your post! 6 weeks to go, or it might be 5, I can't remember right now, and I am feeling like I have the biggest baby in the world in my belly.

Tea tree oil and lavender oil for after the birth soothing bath and to wash over self while doing painful pees! There. that's my contribution. And I remember my mum putting maternity pads soaked in something (witch hazel I think) in the fridge, very soothing for that 'been kicked by a horse' feeling.

Is anyone else starting to feel rather scared for life with the fact they're going to give birth very soon?!

Yes I am violetv! I'm 37 wks & have been convinced all way through I'd be early. Seeing consultant next Friday to see if they are going to induce/c sect or leave me.

Violetv....yep...very scared. 1st baby and whilst I've got my classes looming and done my research I still wonder how I will do it! I know how I want to but how it ACTUALLY goes is a scary thought.

I just hope baby is ok and I keep having this fear that something will happen to me too.

Sigh ... I was on my right side ... I don't know what happened.

But it just the beginning of a day I would love to forget. I have now spent 2 hours throwing up and am exhuasted. May be its the flu, but I am miserable. I am enthusiastic to go to bed least the heartburn is worse with all that is coming up and of course, I wake up gasping for air.

Classic.

I am so tired.

Jimmy, I haven't been to a class and I've no idea what I've to do lol 35w today..

I find out if my bp is too high next week so I am in the same boat as you Icelolly.

Lets hope it's all over soon.

My labour class is the week before I am due???

Damsel are you drinking milk? Try and have a glass to calm the heartburn. How much longer have you got?

I'm struggling at the moment too - I was never a teeny person, normally a 10-12, but I've just expanded like a blow-up doll. Partner can't even hug me properly, and he's a good 8 inches taller than me with the armspan of an albatross! 34+4, and just been woken up by the baby trying to choke me to death. Oh the wonders of pregnancy! I sympathise with VioletV as well... I haven't been able to find a class that I can easily get to! I'm delivering in a centre 16 miles away from where I live because it's the closest place with a birthing pool, but the nearest hospital is still 14 and a half miles out of the way! Too far for a weekly class, especially since with traffic and speed limits it takes a good 45 minutes to travel. Can barely manage to make it to my bloomin' Midwife for the appointments!

Can't wait until I've got Carwyn in my arsm, at least then if he annoys me I can give him my boobie or pass him to Dad! Can't really do much when h's breakdancing in my hipsockets...

VioletV- yes I am petrified and this is my second! 5 weeks to go and I'm starting to fret when I'm not lining up the shots of Gaviscon!
Mine is head down and on left side, ready to go. Just waiting now. I think I could be early but then worry I'll be late, induced and have a c section.
Is anyone else feeling a bit of a worrying wreck?