so what do I need for my labour bag and what do you never need but everyone says you do?

[jayjaybaby]

hi please help me do you really need books snacks mp3 players masssage oil candles phone cards small change a small elephant and a magic elf

Definately flip flops for the shower. Snack food as hospital food is terrible, things like cereal bars that you can munch on while feeding.

yes flip flops, not slippers!

Dunno if anyone has already suggested this but all-in-one-shampoo & conditioner, for the shower after giving birth, you get clean but you're not faffing longer than you'll feel like.

I took my mp3 and dp had put some films on it which was a god-send sitting up during the night feeding ds.

And finally (!) loose (sp?) shoes, my feet balloned up the next day (and still bloody are 7mths on), could only fit my slippers on.

Good luck, it's worth it .

You don't need books for you ime - could concentrate on anything.

'Take loads of maternity pads, i didn't take enough and the midwives were v. stingy about giving me more.'

Maybe a tangent here, but WTF? Stingy about maternity pads for a woman who has just given birth. This is outrageous. And cruel.

***

I couldn't have read anything or even focused on a film afterwards (for weeks). The only thing I would bring and be sure not to forget would be a pair of tube socks for labour -- I found them indispensable, kept my feet warm. And granny knickers for going home in. Fruit, lots and lots of fruit. A little squirty bottle (about a litre) so you can give yourself a bidet rinse without a bidet after using the loo (called a 'peribottle'). An icepack and cloth to wrap it in for your swollen perineum/ stitches.

food! hosp food was unbearable so DH bougt me tuna mayo sandwiched every day which were amazing. b'fast was ok... alpen/toast, but the rest was not edible.

Am amazed at how many people are saying the rooms/bathrooms are dirty. How horrible!

bathcloud totally agree, extra towels needed and a black bin liner. I only took i bath towel so when mine got blood stained I had to wait for hubby to bring in a fresh one and take old one away!!

Also with hindsight wish I got myself massive knickers/ I didn't plan on c -section but had an emergency one and the knickers I had rubbed right across where they cut me open..........OUCH!!!!!!

I loved the hospital food -- how sad is that...

The only thing I used from my labour bag (apart from the overnight type stuff that you obviously need) were straws. Please take straws because you will want water, you will not want/be able to hold a glass, and you definitely won't want your shaking partner tipping half a glass of water down your front. Good luck

Waaaaay more maternity pads than you think you need and have a huge stash at home so your covered.....or cushioned?....ha ha! For at least first two weeks till u want leave sanctuary of home with gorgeous precious bundle! Also......food food food and lucozade and flapjacks and flip flops if summer or slippers if winter....actually just flip flops then u can wear in shower......hand sanitiser, antic wet wipes for surfaces, loo, hands whatever etc.....not for baby of course.....cotton wool balls and plenty size one nappies and sudocream for baby bot, stops the first icky poos sticking so much, don't buy too many size ones as if you have chunky babes like me then their delicious chunky thighs bust out them and need size twos after 10 days anyway!....comfy....but new so It feels like a treat or you have made more effort on self outfit to come home in, I did a sweep round prim ark, loads gorge jambes just got biggest sizes for comfort, flip flops, funky joggers and scarf or warm boots to go home in etc etc....boots for maternity pads, breast pads etc, second time round I nearly forgot I was bringing home a baby and shoved the babygros in last minute...I took three and used one. Not too excessive I think! Crikey mammoth post, sorry! Just such a special time....soooooo exciting and mine still fresh in mind....take a camera.....brill to hav picks of newborn and my dp is good at takin odd snaps on ward, some cute ones of me putting dd2 in go home babygros and me looking huge still and sweaty, it was July.....I'm still fat arsed but less sweaty. Have a fab time. X

What a brilliant thread- I now have a massive list! DH is laughing at me now with a list almost six months in advance ;)

My hospital was pretty good with bedding and towels but they did frown on me for not packing cotton wool and a little bowl to put water in for washing DD's bottom. I can understand the cotton wool, but I forgot, but a bowl? Seriously?

That was the second time in labour as I'd already been in labour at 32 weeks which they managed to stop. At 32 weeks I didn't have a labour bag packed at all which they were really good about - but DH did have to make several trips home to collect things I'd forgotten as I was in for 3 days.

I used one of the huuuuge cardboard things they have you wee in as evidence you are weeing after giving birth to put water in for nappy changes! Also I used a few sploshes of water from the jug they filled on bedside cabinet thingy so I didn't even have to step out if bed! Just kneel up to reach baby from plastic cot and pop onto bed to change her, cosy and warmer then changing table. Oooo yes I found badedas 3 In 1 swr gel hair shampoo and conditioner in sainsburys, reasonable size, nicely clean smelling, one bottle to take with you plus a cheap sponge you can just bin when you leave.....my paper pants didn't fit very well, should've got laaaarge, worth shoving a pad in a few pairs and packing them like that so you just take the pants to loo with pad already in, paper pants for in hops was good for me for first few hours....then by time left next day still gross but pads coping and large cheapy prim ark pants super comfy.....after three weeks binned these and wore slightly nicer pants......5 months later.....normal pants.

plenty of snacks , the food in my hospital was awful and in tiny portions. my best friend brought me some thorntons and i will love her forever . Magazines are good easy to read small articles when the long hours are ticking by and whilst waiting to be discharged. I took in massive granny pants from primark two pound for six pairs i think, paper pants must be designed by someone who hates new mums they are so uncomfortable.I found boots maternity pads to be quite good not as bulky as some others. take some cartons of juice too as the hospital coffees can be a bit stingy. I also took some tinted moisturiser lip balm and mascara it hepled me feel a bit beter when facing visitors (i know it might sound vain) and a lovely cardigan or hoodie the ward i was on was quite cold and it was comforting to have something comfy and snuggly on after giving birth.

maybe some cooled bottled water for the first time you have a wee (it stings) run it over yourself whilst weeing and it should help, i wish someone had told me that when i gave birth .

About 5 babygros/vests (depending on the season). Newborns can make a LOT of mess. Something to read. What they don't tell you is that not only can second stage be actually a bit boing, but if you have to tay on in hospital for a day or so then you will want something to read.
Snacks of the sort that don't go off. WHen I had DS the hospital managed to forget to feed me from post-birth toast (9pm) until kind midwife gave me more toast at 4pm the next day. I would actually have been a bit unwell without the muesli bars and stray apples in my hospital bag.

The bottle of water squirted over your numb and swollen perineal area will make you really empty your bladder too -- this doesn't always happen and can lead to accidents. You mightn't be able to feel whether you've really emptied yourself out when you go, but the water squirted over yourself will help.

Need
All the obvious stuff for the baby
Canoe type sanitary towels - AKA. Shin pads
Massive Pants (especially if you have a C-sec)
A husband that will go to Tesco every day and get you a mahoosive pasta salad pot and chocolate(the food was, err, interesting).

Don't need
Straightening irons

This is SUCH good advice. Much better than what I took first time around. ridiculous didn't use any of it. Maybe more useful if you're going for a totally natural birth but I was pretty open minded on the epidural.

One tip I learned from my NCT teacher was to take bendy straws - absolutely brilliant so you can keep drinking loads of water without having to sit up all the time.
and dried fruit for snacks.
and yes DEFINITELY paper pants and maternity pads. the extra padding helped massively with stitches for me anyway.

THanks for all the other tips and to JJ baby for asking this question.

Tea tree oil and lavender oil is great for a post birth bath especially if you have stitches.

If you feel that way inclined, arnica tablets are brilliant as well. I took them after an episitomy and I swear by them.

Granny pants were a god send to pull up over my section scar. I took ds and loads of magazines but didnt read a thing as just slept when i could and i was in a week. Id money for the tv if your hospital does it as it passed a few hours and the oh watched the snooker when i feel asleep on him during visiting hours lol. A bottle of squash is good cause i got bored of plain water after a bit too but then that is something someone can bring in for you.

food and drink!. The people who don't say this have not had their baby in the early hours after a long labour with nothing to eat and almost nothing to drink, only to find yourself starving and thirsty with the whole hospital and it's neighbours closed.

Other than that,

• An nightie with front opening so you can brestfeed (maybe take a spare to change into after the birth)
• Baby clothes (2 sets, ask someone to get more if you need to stay in for a while,

• Nappies

Maternity pads (though I hardly bled at all after birth so even these aren't always needed but you do have to bring them in case)

I also bought a v type pillow which I used to feed ds a lt but we did stay in 5 days so if you are in and out quickly you probably won't need that either.

I also brought a tens machine and I did use it a lot and found it useful but many people don't

That is it I think for what I needed. What I actually bought in filled two bags mmost of it useless

What is this with lip balm? I had no need for such a thing in labour or after. Are my lips unaturally plump and moist or something?

I did forget the "toiletries" and towel in my list bit sort of assumed that as a given for any hospital stay

I had no need for any knickers other than my normal ones but as I say I didn't really bleed afterwards

I forgot about everything I had with me, DH was the one who shoved things at me now and again, it made him feel useful..

I did have the homeopathy kit, it was actually much more useful afterwards and during pregnancy. Forgot it at the time.

Water with rescue remedy in it, glucose tablets, 3 or 4 long tshirts (very long - amazing how they ride up), slippers (for afterwards). Hot water bottle fabulous in the early stages of labour. In fact, two - one for the front, one for the small of yr back. Felt sooo good!

Don't waste yr money on the paper knickers, get big granny pants, pref in a dark colour. They're cheaper long term, and black doesn't show anything. You'll only need to use them for a few weeks til you stop bleeding, then chuck 'em. Also come up v high, so good if you have an unplanned CS.

Love the recommendation about the Flash wipes (though also find it depressing). Sounds like a must to me, have heard horror stories about catching infections from dirty hospital baths.

If you're labouring at home, stay there as long as you can, then you can have all things to hand anyway.

Neal's Yard seaweed and arnica foam bath is the perfect present to yourself for a bath afterwards.