Is this a stupid question?

[Rowanhart]

But would I be able o use tampons instead of sanitary towels after Labour?

And as for using sanitary towells after labour?? don't even entertain it - listen to the other girls as its big knickers and maternity pads all the way!

Lots of maternity towels, I doubled up for the first few days and got the hang of changing them just before bf to aim to get the flood. Forget tampons, you will be so pleased you bothered with maternity pads and comfy pants.

The bleeding afterward is not talked about enough, certainly not in my case. I was no where near enough prepared for the sheer volume of blood (lochia) afterward. I remember having a bath in the hospital and the water literally turned bright red within seconds! You need to be able to monitor if you are passing any clots which may be pieces of retained placenta & this is easy to do on a pad cause you can see it. Sorry if these replies have freaked you put but forewarned is forearmed. . Be prepared for a lot of bleeding!!

Definitely maternity pads NOT sanitary towels, you don't think there is a difference but there is.
And buy a bottle of witch hazel to have in fridge, I got that desperate I poured it directly onto maternity pad.....ahhh relief, although just ask chemist for wee muslin type bandages and have them soaked in witch hazel in fridge and put over maternity pad soothes all bruising

Thanks everyone.

I agree with the poster that there needs to be more open discussion about the after effects of labor and pregnancy on the body. I feel really unprepared and probably need to do some research.

But then my appointment for antenatal classes arrived in Friday and i was for three Saturdsys before! When I called midwife team to explain the reason I hadn't turned up was because I didn't get a letter until that morning they said they couldn't fit me in until the Saturday before my due date. [hmmm]

There's not been a lot of support or information all the way along tbh. It's a case of two minutes with the midwife to listen to babies heart beat and out. Apart from the pink T shirted breast feeding women who are lurking around every corner with their leaflets.

So Fanjo checklist;

Maternity pads
Big black knickers
Witch hazel
Muslim bandages

Anything else anyone recommends?

Those bed mats/pads, about 50+cm square? (more like for incontinence I suppose) to put under your nether regions on your bed will protect your mattress from the worst of any leakage/flooding in the early days. You can also use them for nappy-free time for baby, and later when you're toilet training dd/ds you can use them on their cot/bed too for any nighttime accidents! is it obvious I bought them in bulk?

Thanks lady. I wonder if I can get this stuff in bulk at Costco.

I'm feeling ridiculously pissed off that no one has ever mentioned I may bleed for six weeks. Mother?!?!

Don't get wings. I found they just ruched up and aggravated things.

You might bleed for six weeks, but you might not. I bleeds for 10 days with one baby and about 2 weeks with the other.

Thick thick maternity pads - buy 2 packs to take in with you!

They might do the pampers ones at Costco, but it's worth looking at websites that do the ones for incontinence (sorry!) because I think you'll get them cheaper. Let no-one tell you labour and the early days are glamorous!

And however many maternity pads you think you will need for your hospital bag - triple it.

Agree Badgerina - no one really mentioned the bleeding to me - it was a bit of a shock!

Lavender oil and salt for baths afterwards. A nice salty bath with a bit of lavender oil in is great for healing and preventing infection.

And yes to big maternity pads. They are also very useful if your waters break first. My hospital had extra extra large ones and I wish I'd pilfered some more.

Please don't use tampons, as others have said you will put yourself at risk of infection. Also why would you want to put something up where something has just come out. Give your sore bits a rest

You've got a good list now. Maybe some arnica tablets for the bruising and some lavender oil for baths after the birth?

Don't drink anything acidic after the birth.

Totally agree that it could be more openly discussed, I was shocked and scared at how much I bled in the first few data after dd.

my mum bought me some disposable tena pants not glamorous or Eco friendly but so comfy and easy to chuck! Also we 'borrowed' some of those absorbent mats they put under you in the hospital which were great for protecting our bed. I think that pampers do disposable changing mats, they're the same thing, found those very handy!

Apart from that, lovely comfy maternity pads, big pants and don't worry, it doesn't last for very long!

Yes, you might bleed for 6 weeks but then again it might be just a little longer than a normal period.

I bled for 9 weeks with DD1 and then got my period back the week after I stopped (not to mention that the stupid dr wouldn't let me go back onto my regular pill, put me on one that didn't agree with me and I bed for a further 4 weeks until I was able to change back. Even more )

I bled for 5 with DD2 which was a big improvement!

*Bled.

Make sure that you take dark trousers/pyjama bottoms into hospital with you too because you might leak through.

I made a point of buying black pyjama bottoms for the hospital but then stupidly put grey jogging bottoms on to travel home. Yup, I leaked through while I was waiting for DH to come and get me. It was quite embarrassing trying to hide it while walking to the paediatrician to get DD2 checked.

Maternity pads are fine but after DC3 I used Kotex night pads and found them even better.

I had also never used pads prior to childbirth but would echo everyone else in that the thought now of tampons straight afterwards makes me feel v queasy!!

Another fanjo/bum related tip: after the labour eat plenty of fruit. Constipation combined with general fear of going to the loo and busting stitches will make you very, very unhappy! In reality you're fairly unlikely to break your stitches and you need to keep as regular as possible. Hold a pad against yourself while you poo if it makes you feel more comfortable. Also, if it hurts to wee, pour water over yourself while you're doing it, or wee in the bath.

When I first stood up after I'd had DS there was a flood of blood. It was like someone threw a jug on the floor as I stood. I left a trail to the shower. . I covered the wheelchair and the hospital bed. This was completely normal not a hope in hell a tampon could have coped with the first few days... Also, the lovely thick maternity pads made me look like I had a cock, which in a state of mild hysteria post birth I found bloody hilarious - this last may of course not happen to you.

Yes I used Kotex nighttime pads too. They are so padded they really help.

I guess I was never shocked about the bleeding because Im used to having really heavy periods anyway and my lochia wasnt as heavy as them.

But I agree that it really does need to be discussed more.

OOh, this has moved on! Tenna lady incontinence pants! Amazing things! Also a bottle with a sports top, drink out of during labour, thrn rinse out and use to spray water at fanjo while weeing after you've had baby. I occasionally weed with a flannel pressed to me - helped to stop pain and also my suspicion that I might fall apart and I only had grazes, am a big wuss - and then a thorough hand wash after. If it REALLY hurts, just wee in the bath, with a few inches of tepid water in.

I was grateful for my maternity pads as they were very thick and so acted as a cushion for my sensitive lady bits!