Hospital bag

[Cr17]

Hi all,
I have 9 weeks to go and want to start organising my hosptial bag, can anyone recommend breast pads and disposable knickers to choose.
I see them in different shops with mixed reviews and don't know which is best to choose??
I'm also stuck on what to wear during labour... im thinking about a water birth (if everything goes ok) what would be the best for both types of labours?
Please help x 😁

I bought cheap pants rather than disposable. At least a size bigger than normal and big comfy high waisted pants to come over c-section wound if I had one.

For labour I brought a tshirt style nightdress.

I just had disposable breast pads from Asda or Tesco and didn’t bother with disposable underwear. I just brought underwear I didn’t care about ruining.

During labour with DD1, I wore a nightshirt. With DD2, I just had the sheet over me because I was so far gone by the time I got to the hospital that changing clothes was the last thing on my mind and it was boiling in my room.

Primark undies and Asda reusable breast pads although I didn't need the breast pads as it takes three days for your milk to come through and I was in and out in 12 hours.

I had a water birth and just wore a crop top

Hi!

I've literally just finished packing my hospital bag this morning as I only have 3 weeks to go! I got my breast pads from
Sainsbury's as I got told they were the best ones, I think I got a box of 50 for like £2.50. I used them with my first too and found they were deffo the best ones and absorbed the leaks the most!!!

Also Instead of disposable underwear go for cheap pants as mentioned above! I got a pack of 5 from primark yesterday for £3 so brought a few packs of them!!

Cheap black knickers from the supermarket and any breast pads they sell in the supermarket, they don’t need to be anything special. I bought disposable knickers and wore 1 pair and realised how uncomfortable they were, fat pad and black knickers are far better in my opinion. Water birth I’d just wear a bikini top. I didn’t have a water birth, I can’t actually remember what I bought to give birth in but I didn’t get changed into it either time, I gave birth in the vest top I’d been wearing and naked waist down, I just couldn’t be bothered to change. I spent so long trying to find an outfit, when we got to the hospital my husband asked if I wanted to change into it, I barked back no 🤣 having dragged him around 100s of shops trying to find a long button down top/nighty. You really don’t give a shit when it comes to it.

Primark pants not disposable- I took a bikini for the pool and never wore it- all goes out the window. Bra and nothing else for me.Breast pads I just bought Sainsbury’s own brand- perfectly fine.

To add to my comment, just having the sheet meant DD2 was born and put straight on me for skin to skin. That was a really lovely thing for us both. DD1 was put on me but my nightshirt was in the way. I didn’t know about skin to skin then though.

I packed a lot of stuff in bag including a few nighties to give birth in that had access for feeding and a few robes.

I ended up using absolutely nothing from my bag and gave birth in a hospital gown instead

Gave birth butt naked (in a bath) your bottom half is needed for birthing and your top half for skin to skin/feeding. I put a huge t shirt on after and then changed into a button down later I think.

Can't remember how many breast pads I to but it can't have been many and I didn't need them

I did pants and maternity pads and swapped to heavy period pads when I was home because it was more
Comfortable

I love BaBybliss Organic Bamboo Nursing Pads! I used them for my first born and have rebought them for baby number 2.

I bought a cheap pack of oversized underwear ( one size up ) for postpartum. With my first I wore them for a month after and even sent my husband out to buy a second pack ! I’m using them again this time around . I love them 😆! I got mine at John Lewis !

I wore an oversized nightgown for labour, wore a bikini for the birthing pool and then was transferred to the labour ward in the end where my room was so hot 🥵 I decided to give birth naked .

I was so worried I would get my labour outfit wrong I brought a few options 🙈 but turns out I didn’t even care or pay attention to my outfit. And apparently was totally comfortable being naked in the end 🤷‍♀️

In my current hospital bag I plan on labouring again in an oversized nightgown , didn’t even both to pack a bikini ( I’ll go just in the bath naked) and button down pjs for postpartum . And of course my lovely oversized comfy underwear !

I hardly used anything from bag. Wore hospital gown in the end.

Did like little apple juice cartons for afterwards as handy to sip though straw whilst feeding baby, and I think the sugar helped the first 24hrs.

Also recommend comfy spacious shoes for going home. I wore comfy Tom’s trainers in but they fitted perfectly. After birth my feet somehow were swollen with fluid for a few days so they were super tight to squeeze into to go home on day 2. So something with a bit of space. ( feet were normal after a week don’t panic!)

Asda reusable breast pads!! I tried so many different types with my first and still leaked so much. They are £1.50 for three sets. I am currently pregnant now and have bought some more for this baby :)

Numerous friends have recommended Tena Lady pants over maternity pads so I've bought those and I also have some high rise granny pants from Asda for when I get home to use as I am likely having a c-section. I only bought one size up and have tried them, they are a little tight so hoping they wil be ok once my belly deflates a little. I'll cut sslits in the elastic otherwise if I have to I guess. Wish I had gone 2 sizes up.

Lansinoh breast pads are the best and the softest, and boots disposable maternity knickers in size 18/20 are brilliant. I'm a size 10 and these were perfect. Disposables are the best especially in hospital you can just chuck the lot in the bin and don't have to worry about taking them home to wash. I wore them for a couple of weeks after birth and have loads more ready for this time around. I also loved boots thick maternity pads.

I found Lansinoh breast pads much better than other brands- the reason why escapes me though! Big black supermarket pants with maternity pads are the way to go. I got some high wasted size 14s (am usually a 10) when were great when I ended up with an emergency c section.

I just took lots of normal pants. I have very very heavy periods so I know blood washes out.

I took boots disposables breast pads but found that I didn't need them untill my milk came in on day 4. I also found them wrinkly and uncomfortable and found Little Lambs reusable bamboo ones more comfortable and super absorbent.

For disposable breast pads, Lanisoh are worth the extra expense. Soft and super absorbent. I tried some cheaper ones and OMG, they were rough as cheese graters on very sensitive nipples! Plus turns into soggy lumps very quickly.

Another vote against disposable pants - you may be sore and the last thing you want is horrible scratchy paper against your bits. I bought a 5 pack of huge granny pants from Marks’ in 2 sizes up from my usual. They were perfect and I ended up with a section which you might do too so you want pants that come up really high over any scar.

I also found disposable breast pads very uncomfy and they showed through my tops so I vote for washable ones.

I ended up having an emcs and found disposable pants to be a god send, 5 ish sizes bigger than my normal as I found that the fabric on pants irritated my c-section wound just by being on top of it, where as disposables were nowhere near. Plus, you can double up on the pads in them.

If you want disposable pants then the biggest Tena lady pants you can buy are a good bet. What I will say is that you’ll change them so often you’ll go through them in no time. Lots of pads and some massive black pants a couple of sizes too big is my preferred system. M&S full briefs in modal cotton are bloody lovely.

I probably wouldn’t bother with breast pads either as you won’t be leaking lots initially. Washable ones are great though.

Thanks everyone for your help!
Its definitely helped in deciding what I need!! 😊

My advice is don’t buy too many packets of breast pads until you know you are a leaker - I have 3 packs and probably used 2 pads in total! But other people go through them. You can always buy more.

And the same as other people really - giant pants (not disposable) which you can wear above scar if you end up with a c-section and a button down night shirt in a much bigger size (I think mine is from
Primark and size 22), it’s soft and comfy and allows easy access for skin to skin.

I like the boots reusable breast pads. There's a fairly strong chance u may not care what you're wearing in labour so try not to overthink it and just pack something comfortable. I agonised over bikini / crop tops etc for my water birth but when it came to it I just got straight in in my bra and was too in the zone to even think about what I was wearing! I only realised what I had given birth in when I looked back on a photo of myself in labour! Good luck with everything

My advice is don’t buy too many packets of breast pads until you know you are a leaker - I have 3 packs and probably used 2 pads in total! But other people go through them. You can always buy more.

This is very true. To begin with, I was going through about 6-10 pairs of breast pads a day and now I only need three pairs a day. I have issues with over-supply though and leaked because I was so full. I still leak now but not as much because my supply has settled.