Things to stock up on in summer for a winter late pregnancy/labour/newborn?

[monkeymoma]

so far I have thought of a few useful for labour things that are easy to buy now, but will be harder for me to find in the dead of winter when I am due, so I'm planning on stocking up on a few essentials before winter:

flip flops for hospital showers
LIGHT summery dressing gown for hot hospital wards

anyone thought of anything else that'll be useful which is available in summer but not winter? I already have water bottles which have a bit that goes in the freezer to keep the water cold

thanks x

Do you know what, I hadn't even thought of that! Well done will now be buying flip flops and lightweight gown over the next couple of weeks. It hadn't even occurred to me I wouldn't be able to get these in November lol

Me either! thanks for the reminder :)
I'd probably say that stocking up on the little bits that you can still get in winter might be a good idea too. The last thing I want to be doing when I'm the size of a hippo is going to the shops to buy disposable knickers and maternity pads

Oooh good ideas!

I can't remember what it's called but there's a spray you can buy from Boots etc that keeps you cool in summer- might be handy

Christmas presents

Hand-held fan.

Lightweight pjs/nighties, in case you end up in hospital on the post-natal ward for a couple of nights. The temperature is always tropical and the mattresses encased in plastic covers, so I sweated buckets and would have hated to have winter weight bedclothes.

Yeah id thought about writing Xmas cards early. Even now lol! Hadn't thought about how hot it is on a maternity ward though thanks for heads up

I forked out on the lightweight dressing gown (8 quid from Asda for a black one) and I didn't end up wearing it in the end. I wore my pjs on the postnatal ward and it was too hot to put a dressing gown on top of that. It was like a tropical sauna.
Don't buy disposable knickers, they are uncomfortable, they come up too small and they are not all that cheap. Just go to primark and get a couple of packs of black granny pants. I think they are only about £4 for a multipack so probably only slightly more expensive than disposables and you can wash them (except any that you'd rather chuck straight out) and wear them again as period pants.

If you don't have Primark then Asda multipack granny pants were fine too. Just that white was not such a practical colour!

"I can't remember what it's called but there's a spray you can buy from Boots etc that keeps you cool in summer- might be handy"

GOOD ONE I'ld forgotten about them, had one when I had DS it was BLISS!

I found disposable knickers very useful BTW, first pair had to be cut off me anyway so would have been disposable whether they were officially or not

after that the bleeding and clots were so bad that it was nice to dump them rather than store em and take em home. didn't get into the granny pants till I got home

"Christmas presents"
- oh I plan to make the most of my "excuse" this year! I aint travelling anywhere and everyone is getting a box thorntons (am usually thoughtful gift buyer!)

I dumped a couple of pairs of pants that I didn't want to take home and wash! It was just that it was more comfy to have nice cotton ones on than the disposables and at the price they were, I didn't mind disposing of them.

I have started planning Xmas presents I plan to make most things and store them, then send DH out to buy the last little bits. I certainly hadn't thought to buy labour stuff, that's just petrifying, iv only just started to swell!

Maybe think ahead to next summer and see if you can pick up any nursing tops (if you intend to bf) in the sales, as they tend to be expensive. By buying ahead you might get a couple of bargains and will be prepared if there is early hot weather.

I'ld rather get things as needed where possible, I found with DS1 that you can't second guess what'll work best for you so best not to buy lots too far ahead

am just looking to buy the things I WONT be able to get when I need them, it'll be all horribly thick toweling dressing gowns by the time I need a thin one (really coulda done with one last time)

Can I ask a question - what do you need to take with you? Do you need all this stuff even if you're hoping to be out in six hours or whatever?

Sorry if it hijacks :)

www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/hospital-bag

I hoped to be out in 6 hours, was in for 5 days

(not including 24 hours of labour)

Hahaha yes, best laid plans right?!

I hope but I suppose it's best to pack for longer. But - would you still pack a dressing gown, flip flops etc if you were only in for 6 hours, just for knocking about it during that time?

clueless

Thanks for the link!

Maternity swimming costume. Apparently no one wants to go swimming after August.

I am super-organised (only in this particular area of my life!) and buy DS's clothes for the next year in the sales. I am also stocking up on summer clothes for the baby to wear next year.

the flip flops are for hospital showers - you do not wanna go in the mat showers barefoot!, I am assuming you'ld still wanna clean up even if leaving after 6 hours? (dunno?)

dressing gown woulda been handy for me getting out of the birth pool, wasn't physically able to dress but coulda been wrapped up in a dressing gown

I wouldn't have thought of mat swim wear, I would have assumed that was always available - thanks!

betty, pack a 6 hr bag and take that (nothing wrong with positive thinking) but pack another longer stay bag and leave that at home for someone to pick up for you if you need it - poor DS was sent off with complicated lists of things to find which took up time he could have been spending in hospital with us!

not DS, DH obv

Nah, you and your DH had had an exhausting time and needed your rest. Much better to send the newborn.