Just reading the list my midwife has given me, Items to bring into Hospital

[ScarlettInSpace]

Please bring your personal requisites including: night attire (front opening especially for breast feeding), slippers, dressing gown, soap and flannels, thick maternity sanitary towels, paper pants, toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush and comb, knitting, reading, coins for telephone, and a change of clothes

Umm does anyone know where I can buy knitting needles & wool these days

I haven't knitted since I was about 10

This information is so out of date! It sounds like something from the 50s. It gave me a good giggle though, knitting and coins?

Looks like that list hasn't been touched since 1978 when you still got 2 weeks in hospital to recover...

Great tip fatfinger i just ordered some. Thanks!

Was the list a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy of a list typed on a typewriter? A lot of the info I was given looked like it had been photocopied multiple times.

OP, has nobody told you that you need to knit your own placenta storage bag immediately after the birth? The NHS can't just provide these things free for everyone you know, not since the budget cuts. And if you need stitches down below, well. The knitting equipment will come in very handy indeed then.

it IS an odd thing to put on a list like this because quite obviously not all women knit!

You do realise the knitting is for the man. Don't you?

The knitting is such an odd one... of course you COULD bring some knitting but equally you could bring a yoyo or some origami paper to pass the time with!

It's very quaint

I got really upset by the prospect of paper knickers when I was pregnant with DS1. It was a surprise pregnancy and I was fairly unprepared. I actually cried down the phone to my cousin, who told me it was fine and I could just buy some cheap bloomers from Asda

An elderly male relative was telling me today that he is officially allowed to 'read, write letters, knit and do light dusting' now he is 2 weeks post heart attack and angioplasty. Hilarious.

And I second the cheap big pants from Asda or similar for post birth.

I can't wait to tell OH he has to knit me a placenta bag

the paper pants are really uncomfortable band fall apart, just take a load of your own big black pants (or buy some from m and s if you wear thongs)

you need way more maternity pads than seems reasonable.....

Could catch on!

Paper pants are essential in first few days I found

Paper pants were on my list but I didn't get them when I discovered I could get real ones cheaper!

I'm imagining turning up to the hospital, getting my crochet stuff out to then be met with steely glares and exasperated sighs

Now I'm wondering if I should bring my knitting...I will say that I went in to get monitored a few weeks ago and did get a good number of rows in on the blanket I'm knitting!

The paper pants were amazing. I had a bit of a nightmare with DS1, and distinctly remember staggering to the loo as soon as I could feel my legs again, and nearly passing our when I saw the amount of blood.

No way could I reach down to get a pair of knickers over my feet without completely covering myself in it. Then it dawned on me, they just rip off. Amazing.

I watched far too much OBEM where they seemed to be sitting around chatting and therefore bought tonnes to do (Sudoku book, new novel, games on tablet) and strangely between showing up at the hospital 4cm dilated and giving birth 5 hours later I didn't really have the time or the inclination for any of the above. It also took us a week to get through all the snacks we brought

I remember being told about disposable pants and a friend who had her DD shortly before DS was born advised me strongly to buy Asda Basics pants about three sizes too big instead. So I dutifully did, and then ended up in hospital without any of my stuff. Luckily the midwives gave us a couple of nappies, XP found wipes in the hospital shop but when my Dad came to visit, bless him, unasked from miles away with flowers, chocolate and a teddy, and asked if there was anything I needed all I could think was "I NEED SOME MASSIVE PANTS". So I whispered to him discreetly about the disposable pants, knowing that my stepmum had had babies fairly recently so just hoping madly he might know what I was on about, XP definitely wouldn't have had a clue.

Apparently hospital gift shops don't sell disposable maternity pants though so he came back up apologetically with the mahoosivest granny panties covered in flowers with a waistband about an inch wide. :o :o My god they were the comfiest things in existence. You only see them on market stalls, god knows where the hospital got hold of them, but they were amazing! Once lochia was done with they were so gross I binned them, but they did the job. Thanks Dad

Paper pants are crap. I was wearing size 10 maternity clothes, bought size 14-16 disposable paper pants and couldn't get them on! Was so glad I'd also bought some cheap big black pants.

I brought my knitting in with DS1 as I was induced and endured four days of bugger all labour before my c section so I was glad I did.
I also brought my crocheting in with me to do while I waited for my ELCS with Ds2.

So it's not a bad idea OP, get yourself down to Hobbycraft!

Bertie, your dad
I teared up reading that.

You could've set up a crochet pants stall, nice tie sides. Maybe n extra gusset or two?

To be fair, taking coins for the hospital car park rather than the phone would be a good idea.