Must haves for hospital bag - planned c section

[emily199027]

Are there any must haves I need to take with me for a planned section? Or any recommendations?
TIA! x

I had an elcs 2 weeks ago. I found a breatsfeeding pillow and a portable phone charger invaluble.
I bought some Fybogel but didn't start taking it until 3 days after. I REALLY wish i had started on the Fybogel beforehand.....

Other than those things i just had the normal hospital bag stuff, most of which i didn't use as i was home within 24 hours.

BIG KNICKERS

Def a breastfeeding cushion, lactulose and giant knickers. Also think about what to wear home, a maxi dress type outfit is good, no seams near your scar. Good luck!

Definitely need to think about what to wear afterwards - nighties rather than pjs then maternity leggings for once you're up to avoid anything on your wound.

Food! I was starving and had a selection of easy to eat snacks packed.

I preferred maternity pyjamas for afterwards as it was easier to breastfeed. I did have a nightie for the straight afterwards though

Snacks are good to pack, you don't know when you'll be able to eat after the section.

Comfy clothes, loose joggers are good, high waisted, leggings too, loose tops.

I used the always maxi pads which are thicker than usual ones and BIG PANTS!

Dont be afraid to call the midwives and health care assistants to help you in the night if partner can't stay. Dh couldnt stay all night when I had DC by section and so I had to buzz for help with the baby and they were all so lovely and helpful.

First time you stand up you might feel like your insides are going to fall out but they won't!! The midwife helped me to the toilet and stayed with me while I did a wee because I was nervous!

Oh and I took big towels from home... The hospital ones are always tiny!

Good luck!!!

Black pyjamas and clothes to wear home, they don't show any leaks!

Big knickers that come up above your scar.

Cheap flip flops for the shower and a dark towel. My hospital gave me one tiny grey (used to be white) towel. I was so glad I had a big bath sheet from home.

Maternity pads, the thicker the better.

Pyjamas that button up if you want to bf.

Some snacks and a water bottle. Drink as much as you can stand, it'll make your first pop easier if you're hydrated!

The best thing to take is the expectation that you will get zero sleep on the ward. It's too noisy, lights on and off all night.

Massive, giant size knickers...that can never ever slip into the wound 😖

Your pillow from your own bed.

Dressing gown and slippers.

The food was rank and I had to stay in due to complications. I really struggled to eat anything so pack plenty of tasty treats!

Ear plugs - ds2 slept a lot the first night - the other babies on the ward didn’t. I could have done with the rest while it was up for grabs! Big,cheap knickers - market stall cheap! - they won’t irritate the scar and you won’t feel bad if you need to bin them.

If I may put this up. It's general advice that my friend sent me. I pass it on to EVERYONE

The best one was fybogel and o.j. start asap after and take the drugs.
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Here's what I learned:

*a pillow is essential for all coughs, sneezes, wheezes & general repositioning of your body for approx 2 weeks.

*when you get out of bed, sans drains, start moving as soon as you stop feeling like you're gonna vom & stand up straight. Do not slouch it only prolongs the agony. Standing up straight will feel like you've been ripped in two, but you'll only feel that level of pain once or twice. It gets easier each time. So keep moving. Shuffle like a penguin.

*about 3-4 days in you'll likely get contraction cramps & wind pain. It will feel horrendous but it's normal. (If you get bunged up because of the drugs they give you, fybogel mixed in OJ helps 😉)

*if you don't have a walk in shower at home, get a step ladder by the side of the bath. It'll help you get in & out for the first week or so without feeling like you're split in two. (I mocked this when I was told about it - but I now know I was a twat! Lol)

*a hair drier is an awesome aid for drying the incision site.

*a maternity pad across the incision site will make clothes a lot more comfortable to start.

*get hubby to modify your home for stomach surgery so that you can still do things during the day with the bubbas without help. Baby stuff tends to all be low level, which is fine if you have a vaginal delivery, but a complete frustration If you've had your insides rearranged & can't bend. So make a make shift changing station on the dining table, put the Moses baskets up high, build a nest on the sofa with cushions (or books under the cushions) to help you get up and down independently. It'll do your sanity the world of good to be able to do basic things unaided & take the edge off of being reliant on others for other bits.

*get the hospital to show you the best way for getting in & out of bed, and if you've room, put a chair or something by your bed for something to hold on to when you're getting in & out. Beds at home tend to be lower, this is a gift & a curse.

*let people help you. If they don't offer, ask them (or send them home! Lol)

*take the drugs like clockwork!!!! And ask for the good shit!

*do not do heavy lifting, hoovering etc. even when you feel tempted when you feel bit better, it's just not worth it. (Plus this will be the only 6 weeks of domestic reprieve you're gonna get! Hahahaha)

• it's ok to feel tired & shit. Disney & the media (and peoples Facebook timelines) lie when they say that everything about motherhood is oooo's and aaaahs and wonderful. It's great - but it's flipping hard work & it's ok & normal to just feel how you feel at the time. Especially when you've been sliced open & got 2 little people adoring you 😀

• above all else, be kind to yourself!!!!! You've had one heck of a ride so far, and the fun is just getting started.

Sorry. There were paragraphs in that before I posted

I took a pillow from home too

Lactulose and peppermint capsules. You do not want constipation or trapped wind.

Yy snacks.

Giant pads and huge pants. Place a giant pad on the outside of your pants over the wound so you can apply gentle pressure when you cough/sneeze/walk.

A good battery pack and noise cancelling earphones.

The cool patches you can buy aimed at migraine relief. Maternity wards tend to be hotter than hell.

Huge high rise pants,
Very soft waist band pj’s
I found eating prunes and dried apricots very helpful as that combined with lactulose meant I didn’t have to worry about straining,
Bottled water with a straw/spout. - you may not be able to sit up.

Good luck

Thank you for all your replies, I’ve enjoyed reading them and they are very useful!

This is my 2nd baby but First was a very traumatic birth so I’m opting for a section this time.

I’ve got my big knickers...they are so big I think they’ll sit under my boobs 😂 from primark if anyone is wondering! 3 pairs for £2! So I got 2 packs and may go back for more. I’ve got my maternity pads too, stocked up when they were on offer!

I’ve got some pyjamas that are a few sizes bigger than I am, and also a nightie.

I’m not breast feeding but would you recommend a breast feeding pillow anyway? Will it be easier for me?

For coming home I’ve got some of those elasticated baggy trousers, so hoping they will be okay.

Planning on going shopping for my snacks & drinks next week, nice tasty ones I’ll definitely add to my list! After all, I think I’ll deserve a treat! I’ll also go to Costco and buy some of their packs of water & drinks cartons.

I’m planning on doing not very much for 2-3 weeks after...and I’m putting a ban on visitors for the first 2 weeks (apart from our parents) mostly so that our little boy can adjust without being overwhelmed with visitors and also because last time I was bombarded by one particular ‘friend’ to come and visit. This time I’m putting my phone on flight mode and not looking at any messages!

At the hospital I’ll be at, you can book private rooms. Obviously have to pay but I’m going to try and book myself one of those if they have any available. And the last I heard, they were letting partners stay over. So I’m hoping DH will be able to stay with me.

Phone charger, maybe a magazine or book- I couldn't sleep a wink in hospital but baby and DH slept for most of the night both times!
Big knickers, I found the cheap Sainsburys stomach holding in pants really good, they are high up enough to go over the dressing and the holding in bit made me feel like everything was held in when standing up. Get the cheapest version though, you want to be held, not sucked in! One or 2 sizes bigger than pre pregnancy were fine for me.
Chewing gum is now recommended in place of peppermint capsules (but still get some if you're worried!). Apparently helps with the wind and getting the bowel moving.
If you are determined to be out in 24h like I was get up asap, move about as much as possible. Drink lots of water to get your bladder going. With my first section I had the catheter removed after 5 hours once I was up and walking to the toilet, with my last one very recently the midwife said the guidelines had changed and they wanted to leave it in for at least 12h. It was horrible, I felt like I had a uti when peeing for about 2 weeks after, it only lasted a day or two with my first so if I did it again I'd insist they removed it once I knew I was ok.
If you are ffing the first starter packs are a waste of money in most hospitals, they want you to use their bottles. Which is better because you can store the formula in the fridge once it's opened- ignore this if you intend to bf but if not I can post more details on what to check with your midwife before you buy.
Snacks, although apparently it's perfectly common to completely lose your appetite after, I thought I was mad first time round but lots of people have said the same and it was in my leaving pack to eat anyway! Mine came back a week or so later, perhaps it would have been sooner if I'd bf.
Good luck! Meeting your newborn is the best ever.

Get the pillow anyway, and get a fuck load of the little pre mixed bottles of formula so you don't need to trek to the hospital kitchen to make up every feed.

Definitely straws as well. So useful when you first come out of theatre as it can be hard to drink out of a cup. I took nice smellies and a bit of make up etc with my second c-section. I found that by pretending to feel normal made me feel better iyswim.

@FreshNewUserName we have to take pre made bottles of formula to Royal Derby, the ones that are a proper bottle. They don't allow any other kind! £8 for 6 😩

@lorisparkle
I'll get straws on my list! I'm planning on taking a little bit of make up too, just so I can make myself look a bit better if I feel up to it 😂

I found my first c-section quite difficult and wish I had found mumsnet before it. My second and third were so much better. Being prepared mentally and practically made a huge difference. You sound like you have the first few weeks sorted. I pushed myself too hard with ds3 so definitely take things slow and steady!

Oh, they want you to take the starter packs? Get at least 3 then, the baby takes so little at first and they only last 2h once opened so get enough for a few days' stay! Do bear in mind though that if you don't have enough or you are running low the hospital will not let your baby starve, they want you to not rely on them but will have backups. If you have too many it's no problem, you can use them when out and about (much handier than bringing milk+ bottle everywhere in the first few weeks) and for night feeds once home so you don't have to get up for the first/ second feed overnight, you can just put the teat on and go.

I had a v shaped pillow - the only way I could get reasonably comfy! Huge knickers and lots of them, loads of pads, snacks (I had a c-section late evening and in the morning had to walk down the corridor to get breakfast, took me so long my cereal was a soggy mess by the time I got back to my room so my mum brought me pots of cereal & all I had to go get was a cup of milk 😀) oh and slip on shoes!

Also Mothercare do a fab c-section belt, has a soft cushion, warming pad, cooling pad and a shield so baby doesn't knock wound whilst feeding x

Plenty of extra thick pads. If you need to keep a catheter in for longer than usual things can get quite messy down below so I wore two at once.
Something to read and some music to keep yourself entertained during the noisy nights.
I always took a hairdryer and some makeup so I could feel more like myself.
Plenty if water or juice, nothing fizzy as you'll be very windy for a few days afterwards!
Don't worry though if you can't pass a bowel movement, as long as you can fart you'll feel a lot better 😀

Fybogel fybogel. And fybogel. After my first section I was so bunged up the pain felt like the surgeon had left his car keys in there. I didn’t make that mistake the second time.