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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

What's the best thing you took in your labour bag?

69 replies

teacups · 20/02/2006 18:55

Two of my girlfriends are due to have their first babies in March and have asked me what was the best (and worst) thing I took in my bag when I had dd.

Worst - disposable knickers. Huge, scratchy, lasted less than a few hours as I made DH go to M and S on the way home after being up for 2 nights to buy me some bigs to go over my caesarian scar.

Best - food! Took a big stash of prunes and apricots as was worried about first poo afterwards but ended up eating them on first day before DH came back as food provided was totally inedible.

What were your best and worst things?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Gingerbear · 20/02/2006 23:59

Vodka

Hattie05 · 21/02/2006 00:03

Gingerbear, wheres your class? couldn't you have had babycham?

expatinscotland · 21/02/2006 00:05

A book of NY Times crossword puzzles and sudoko. Oh, and my pocket thesaurus and dictionary.

also my journal and pen.

Gingerbear · 21/02/2006 00:07

Hattie, pressurised containers weren't allowed on the ward.
Had to have a screw top - corkscrew for the bottle of cabernet I really wanted wasn't allowed either.

If voddy is good enough for Charlotte Church........

Hattie05 · 21/02/2006 00:11

Ok fair enough. I just took a couple of lagers we had decanted into flasks.

Gingerbear · 21/02/2006 00:12

Special Brew Hattie?

Hattie05 · 21/02/2006 00:13

Home brew

JenJam · 21/02/2006 01:19

don't know how this happened or how i got hold of them becuase i don't remember packing them

but after the birth i recall wearing a navy pair of my partners' stretch jersey boxer shorts and a maternity vest top in bed. This held the humungous hospital sanitary pad perfectly in place and i just felt less yucky and exposed than just being in my size 16 maternity briefs ..and it was more practical than my white or pink pyjama bottoms doh
and it was so HOT in there.
dark coloured shorts might be good if you are in for a while (i was in for 4 days )

as someone mentioned earlier i also bought not one but two cannister things Evian and Magicool (which was indeed magical) but I didn't use either of these. what a waste

aate everything that was in my hospital bag in the days before i went to hospital. cadbury hazlenut bars. mmm

JenJam · 21/02/2006 01:23

i've got a pack of paper pants if anyone wants them. size 10 though, so you'd need to be a size 6 to wear them with a regulation sanitary towel.

softjo · 21/02/2006 05:17

I took about 12 pairs of massive knickers, they were so comfy. DH called them passionkillers, but as I knew I was going in for a section. They covered the bump nicely.

UCM · 21/02/2006 05:45

Best

Mini champagne, disinfectant wipes and fibregel(to make me poo). Windeze tablets. Lipstick.

Worst
Paper nickers, book (couldn't read)

lapsedrunner · 21/02/2006 07:04

Disinfectant wipes!

inkyminky · 21/02/2006 07:17

Best - anither vote for the "V" shaped pillow, really helped with b.feeding

Worst - was kicking myself for not packing baby nail clippers, I couldnt believe how long they are already by the time they are born.

Spagblog · 21/02/2006 07:19

best - flannels, soaked in water then placed over my poor swollen and hot feet - only way I could get any sleep...And vaseline

worst - my mobile phone, couldn't use it of course!

Filyjonk · 21/02/2006 07:57

Food:

A BIG bar of chocolate. (actually ahem...3 bars...)

And a BIG bottle of water.

And some carbs-crackers and cheese.

Essential oils were lovely for bath afterwards, but then dd was born in a midwifery led unit-they not only ran me a bath, but added appropriate oils and brought me tea and much toast. Very lovely. (and offered to look after the baby while I had the bath-but dp was there)

eve2005 · 21/02/2006 12:22

mmmmm, the tea and toast is the best after the birth!

i swear by the homeopathic stuff i took during and after labour, Arnica to reduce swelling and bruising (lifesaver!), Pulsatilla if your panicing a bit during the labour... theres a whole list of them, definitely a help if your're trying to go drug free, and fiddling with the little pots of pills distracts you a bit when the contractions are getting closer together!

eve2005 · 21/02/2006 12:29

oh, i almost forgot, lanolin nipple cream if your breastfeeding, didn't have it and poor partner had to go to boots and ask for it after one day i was in so much agony. poor man got some very odd looks from the shop assistants for that one!

lucykate · 21/02/2006 12:54

best was socks, i had a broken toe and got cramp in my foot just after they broke my waters. dh was desperatley trying to get my socks on and rub my foot to make the cramp go.

moyasmum · 21/02/2006 13:16

Radio
Had radio 4 on the whole 17 hours. It really kept me company

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