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 !

anusol plus. it works!!!

Energy sweets for the last pushes and dark PJ bottoms for hiding all that blood!
Oh and don't invite grandparents in straight after breastfeeding as thats when you do the most bleeding (cringes at the memory emoticon)

Lots of wonderful tips here, one previous poster said about drinking lots of water to dilute your wee as its painful as hell going after giving birth. I was given a very very helpful tip from my friend, take a jug of water with you and pour it 'down there' while going for a wee! this helped me sooo much as I was avoiding peeing (although i had o whether i liked it or not...incontinence...need i say more lol)

Also get doing the pelvic floor exercises!

my mums had nine children and used olive oil all over her body for the entire gestation and does not have any, I repeat, any stretch marks despite going up to size 26 at her biggest!

I did the same with DD1 and despite having strecth marks before from puberty did not get any from pregnancy. I will be telling my dd to use olive oil through puberty i reckon

BUMP

this is such a great thread .... am expecting 2nd baby and all of the above is really helpful (just wish i'd known before birth!)

My tips would be:

Infacol for the baby - if baby is windy or colicky it's a godsend

Don't expect too much from yourself in the first few days/weeks

Rejoice in help offered!

If you have a C-section don't do too much too soon - i did and suffered an infection which lasted ages.

Warm flannels and then ice cold cabbage leaves for sore and swollen boobs

Almond Oil to prevent tears - apparently !

Am totally finding out about an amenity room. I will pay anything not to spend my first 2 days with my new son listening to other peoples conversations/mobile phones/and picking up germs.

What a great thread.

We've packed a bottle of champagne because from memory what I really wanted after labour was a bloody stiff drink!!

Ha ha love that comment about champers! great idea!! i'm gonna do that too, and i am with you on the amenity room ... i am going to enquire asap too!!

Sorry if repeating, but I would say, water, water and more water from conception to birth and then all through your time breast feeding.

Get out of hospital (if you're not having a home birth) as soon as you can, home is nicer, safer, comfier and a lot less stressful.

Get DH to bring in food as hospital food really does stand up to its stereotype.

If BFing take it one night at a time. I found the nights hard, especially when so called experts say it won't hurt and if it does you're doing it wrong. After 3 weeks DD had put on 1.5pounds and I went on to successfully BF until she was 9 months, so I can't have been that wrong. It just took my body 2 - 3 weeks to get used to this new function which seems fair enough to me.

Best recommendation for post birth dinner (leading to post birth poo) Slow Roast Veg and cous cous.

Finally, allow yourself to follow your instincts.

Get someone to buy a newspaper on the day your baby is born, and give it to them when they are grown up!

Use a birthing stool if you are having an active labour - they open up your pelvis perfectly and the use of gravity is incredibly helpful. They've been in use since the dawn of time and they really work.My obstetrician recommended the stool in my second labour and I used it in my third. I went from one cm dilated to delivered in 20 mins. No stitches.

This is a really great thread! Thanks at least I'll know what to put in my hospital bag when the time comes!

I keep reading about setting certain times etc for visitors after the birth but my family will be visiting and staying in hotel/in-laws house 30 seconds away so I feel bad not to let them hang around here. Obviously want everyone to see baby but how can you drop the hints so they'll understand I'll be knackered!? Would love a good tips for this!

first baby about to be induced, but have made a sign for the front door saying new mum and baby sleeping and will just disconnect the door bell and phone. I have warned those that are likely to turn up unexpectedly that I will be doing this and sorry if I don't answer, but I need the rest.

KY-Jelly to smear on sanitary pads - especially after episiotomy. Helps stop 'nicks' or catching on stiches.
Organic formula, or a formula you feel good about. My first baby was severely jaundiced and hospital insisted she needed formula top-up whilst in a light-box for 5 days. I'd planned to breast-feed (and did ultimately) so hadn't brought any.
Loose pyjamas
I also sacrificed an old silk dressing gown, ruined, but felt lovely (under my trusty fleecy one). Nice to wrap over baby during skin-to-skin.

The best thing I received from by Bounty Pack was a Persil Dirty Washing Bag. Similar to a kids Swim bag. I would hang it from the end of the bed and add to it through out the day and night. My DH would empty it each night.

I was in Hospital for a week. You can imagine the sheer volume of laundry me and my DD managed to produce.

Next time I will give clear written instructions on how to use the Washing machine. My Mum would come and collect it from him, and bring it back the next day, all washed and ironed. Bliss

Bump

Beeper....that's the funniest one so far. Here, here!

take an handsize spray action bottle with cold water for refreshing yourself found it a good distracton when had waves of nausea after c/s.

witch hazel for stitches and bruises workes wonders for me soo soothing, get infacol for baby colic is horrible and gripe water is not suitable for newborns, portable changing mat, when you think youve put enough nappies in double it then double it again x