Best tips ever!!! Add yours...

[notsolilKel]

Hello ladies,

As a second timer I felt it would be helpful if I started a list of absolute best tips for mums-to-be. I just wish someone had told me a few things before I appeared at hospital to give birth...

For example: take very dark bath towels, black if possible (though admittedly a tad unstylish). You will bleed more than you think possible, and these will save you when emerging from bathrooms...

Also, take something to drink. I could not get enough Citrus Lemon Lucozade, for example. Water is freely available but it can get a bit dull after you've had 20 litres or so!

Looking forward to reading everyone else's best advice !

I would also advise on switching off all or silencing all your phones if you're taking a nap. I would forget and people would always call me when I dozed off for an afternoon nap as it was their lunch break.

If you've had stitches, throw a handful of salt and a few drops of laveder oil into a shallow bath and sit in it for a few minutes daily. Really helps the healing process.

Definitely have knickers you can throw away. I bought a couple of packs of black ones from Matalan.

Have a sleeveless/short sleeve night dress that you don't mind throwing away for labour too. Another purchase from Matalan for me.

Take some food with you for after labour. I was given curry as that was the only thing the hospital had. I was nearly sick at the smell (Normally love the stuff but just wanted something plain)

Stock up your freezer so neither you or dh/dp have to cook in the first week or so.

i expect someone else has already said it - but don't panic if you feel absolutely awful phyiscally for the first few weeks and everything is overwhelming - i had a lot of stitches and found walking really hard for a couple of weeks which made me feel like i was never going to be able to cope with anything or ever go out of the house again! But here i am 3 months later, loving being a mum, going out lots (in the day time!) and even swimming sometimes... just give yourself a break for at least the first month - "normal" life does NOT have to resume quickly, in fact it probably never will!

If you suffered from indigestion while pregnant (apparently, there are people who actually don't) then I'd recommend packing some Gaviscon or whatever works for you in your hospital bag. I had indigestion throughout the labour and on top of everything else it was really annoying! It never occurred to me to bring it - but, should there be a next time, I definitely will!

I'd also recommend getting spares / miniature versions of toiletries to take with you - you don't want to be running around trying to find moisturiser or toothpaste as you're leaving for the hospital. Superdrug do a wide range of miniature travel size in lots of known brands - always useful afterwards as well, either if you go away or when you run out!

Think about a home birth...

OK, it sounds a bit hippy (and I'm really not!), but you don't need to worry about forgetting anything since it's all around you!

I've done 1 hospital and 1 home birth, and the home birth was SO much nicer (if you can say that about birth?!). It'll still hurt like I don't know what - and I am a total wimp with an incredibly low pain threshold - but it's doable, and so much nicer in your own home with your own things. And you avoid the car journey while in labour, which for me was the worst bit of the whole thing 1st time around - DP still remembers me shouting at him to make smoother gear changes

And you avoid the hot hospital ward and total lack of privacy afterwards.

I really would recommend it!

Do ante-natal yoga to prepare you for the birth. The breathing helped sooooo much. And all the tips I got were better than my NCT antenatal classes!!

Not my tip but heard from my cousin who had her DS in January that taking one of those watersprays (you know the ones that do a really fine mist) was a god-send. She was very hot durnig pregnancy and her DH sprayed her almost constantly and she said it was bliss (and beats the pants - paper or otherwise! - off posh Evian sprays in those tiny bottles as you can refill again and again)!

Can I bump this as I love these threads? Have a desperate need to feel prepared and in control in these last few weeks! Give us your pearls of wisdom!

Leave an extra bag at home with bits and pieces in like another change of clothes for you and bub, spare nappies, more snacks, another nightie, whatever, just in case you have to stay in longer than expected and DP doesn't have the added pressure of trying to work out which pink top/back trousers/red babygrow you mean

OO and take shampoo, having clean hair is sooooooooo important. i felt like utter crap until mw took me physically to the bathroom and washed my hair for me, gawd bless her

Great thread. I'm allergic to Lanolin... anyone got any other recommendations for a lanolin-free nipple cream??

Great thread haven't had time to read it all so hope I don't repeat any.

Tena heavy duty pants are great, you can just pop them on after a shower and you don't have to worry about pants at all! (don't know how comfy they would be after as cs though)

text messaging is great, encourage everyone you can to use this rather than the phone, very annoying when you just got to sleep and the phone rings constantly, you can always unplug it though.

Anyone who had a baby more than about 10 years ago suffers from severe amnesia, and will try and convince you that there lo was sleeping through from 4 days old, crawling at 2 weeks and potty trained by 3 months. They don't remember any bad stuff at all - bless 'em.

Just go with the fow,buy lots of nice cosy big pjs and enjoy wearing them, who cares if you don't get dressed all day!

DEfinately take make-up into hospital, I piled of the slap and was still told I looked pale!

babylovesmuffins -Green Baby do a lanolin free nipple cream mail order. Haven't used it but its one I have been told about....

IF you have stitches and are in a private room make sure people help you to your bed before they leave. I was sitting in a chair when visitors were there, and I wanted to lie down. So there I was holding my ds unable to get myself up out of the chair. Needless to say I sat in the chair for about 3 hours before a nurse came in to see me.

These are things we did first time round and will definitely do again:
Decide in advance who you're going to send birth announcements to, address the envelopes, count them and buy enough stamps. It's surprising how long this can take and it's easy to forget someone! Do a standard letter on the computer along the lines of "XXX and XXX are delighted to announce the arrival of XXX XXX, born on XX/XX/XX at XX:XX weighing X lbs X oz, a brother/sister for XXX" and fill in the details later. Or send as many as possible by email with photos attached - it's much quicker and cheaper.
Buy pre-printed thank you cards as you will get loads of gifts and buy at least 20 extra stamps for these. Keep a running tally of who has sent what, on what date, as you are sure to forget and try to send the thank you notes out within a month.
Stock up on non-perishable groceries and household supplies (e.g. washing up liquid, soap powder, bin liners) enough to last you at least a month! Then you don't have to worry about running out. Buy extra tea, coffee and biscuits for visitors.
Fill up the freezer with homemade dishes especially if you're breastfeeding, they are so much more nutritious but you won't feel like cooking for a couple of weeks. But the occasional take away won't hurt!
Take extra snacks to the hospital for night time as you probably won't get fed between 6pm and 8 am and breastfeeding is hungry work!
Get ahead of any spring cleaning jobs before you get too heavily pregnant so you can spend the last few weeks getting as much rest as possible.
If you have a toddler get them to pick things up off the floor for you!
Hope this helps.

• Definitely agree with using luke warm water when weeing if you've had stitches.

• Pack an extra bag of stuff and leave it at home in case you have to send DP home for more - that way he won't get all flustered trying to figure out which stripey top!

• Don't be afraid to use a dummy after the first few weeks. DS gave his to father christmas aged 2 1/2 with no qualms whereas DD still sucks her thumb at aged 8 and has had problems with her teeth (you can't chop off a thumb!)

• Have some infacol tucked away in case you need it in the first few weeks for windy babies.

• I'm planning on preparing my lady garden and being hair-free from a few weeks before my due date just so I feel a bit more comfortable. (Yes, I know, my dignity went out the window when I had my DC's but I'm hoping to hang on to some of it this time!)

Excellent thread!!!

Start taking arnica tablets (the strong ones that you have to ask for over the counter) 2 or 3 days before due date/planned c-section and for a week or so afterwards. Helps enormously with healing sore bits.

As said before - a few drops each of tea tree oil & lavender oil in the bath help to soothe & heal.

Enjoy packing your hospital bag with your favourite shampoo/conditioner/body lotion (not too pongy obv.)so that you can feel papmered afterwards. I still associate the smell of MOP pear shampoo & body lotion with Ds's birth.

Take extra pillows. They were like gold dust in my hospital.

Flannels for soothing sore boobs. No one ever told me about the milk coming in thing. Lemons to melons overnight aint comfortable.

Touche eclat.

Buy some stylish/comfy lounging clothes a size big for those first days at home.

And squeeze, 2,3,4. DO do your pelvic floor exercises. I didn't but that's another story

bump

For those who have a sore perineum, whatever the degree of tesr or not.

A full rectum causes pressure on that oh so tender area.

Pressure causes/increases pain.

Take a couple of painkillers about an hour before going to the toilet, take a warm drink with you and a magazine/book.

Leave instructions that you are not to be disturbed.

You will 'not' tear your stitches and the relief after is heavenly.

Any tips on how many of things to take? I have a 48 pack of maternity towels, for example, and don't know if I should just take the lot or whether a dozen or so would do.

take a flannel.

get some ice cubes and wrap in the flannel.

tis marvellous to chomp down on during a contraction or when pushing, plus it keeps you cool.

Diary for the hospital - I did have the time and energy to record early thoughts etc. while they were still fresh, so glad I did. Also helped with letting out the down emotions around day 3.

Easy to apply make up for hospital - I did use it after delivery and it made me feel heaps better.

Once home; as hard as it may feel - do get in the shower every morning and get out of your jim jams. Has made the world of difference to how I feel.
And unplug/ turn off phones when you take naps. I am still amazed at the amount of people who think it is ok to call after 10 even once a newborn is in the house!

Take a large travel pack of tissues with you, and keep them accessible in hospital - there's nothing worse than a runny nose when you can't reach a hanky/tissue to blow it!

Also when you're home and bfing keep a box of tissues by the side of you, together with a jug of water, glass and your laptop / good book for when you're tethered to the chair!

This is a great thread. Do wish I'd known all this before ds... Here's my two pennyworth:

Take a taxi to and from the hospital. DP doesn't drive and this was the only option for us, but it was great - really stress-free.

At hospital: Get DP to stock up on sandwiches from the shop. You'll both need them. And copies of Hello etc.

After the birth: Get some good, engrossing-but-not-too-taxing novels for all those hours spent on your b*m breastfeeding. I recommend Ruth Rendell.

I do agree with getting in the shower/ out of pyjamas even when it's a real effort. It does make a difference.

Make the midwife come every day at the beginning if you are reassured by her presence. I found that even a 15 minute visit every day was good - I always seemed to have stacks of questions I wanted to ask.

Burn all baby care books, or take them to the charity shop. On no account read any of them if you are a first-time mum - they just make you anxious and paranoid. Even the good ones (like Libby Purves' "How not to be a perfect mother") can be too much to take when they go on about how to deal with toddler tantrums and you feel like you're barely coping with a newborn... or was that just me?

Re. stretchmarks - a friend bought me a bottle of Clarins 'Huile Tonique' tonic oil. Horribly expensive but I don't have a single stretch mark. (Could be genetic of course but...) If you put it on while you're still wet from the shower/ bath a little goes a long way. And it smells Gorgeous, and makes you feel like you are pampering yourself even if life is basically normal with added tiredness/ sickness/ fatness/ anxiety/ excitement...

Good luck to all mums-to-be... X

This is a fantastic thread

But now I'm thinking WHAT HAVE I DONE! - and my due date isn't until next March.

huge cheap knickers- think supermarket multipack. Can just bin them later.

maternity sanitary towels are a rip off- get super heavy flow night time ones instead.

for toiletries for hospital bag, go to Superdrug and get travel size versions of shampoo / shower gel/ moisturiser etc. Takes less room, but last a few days.

stock up of yogurts / cereal bars / milk and juice for the first few days on your own, especially if breastfeeding. can keep up your energy easily then.