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[Benjy]

Hi

I'm pregnant with my first baby due in July. I've been reading through old topics to get an idea of what I need to buy for hospital bag/baby and have a few questions I hope someone might be able to clear up for me.

• I've come across many posts recommending cheap cotton knickers instead of disposable ones from places like Tesco. Because these aren't maternity sized I'm not sure what size to buy. I was thinking of one size bigger than my pre-pregnancy size. Do you think thats right? How many pairs will I need?

• Likewise with nightdress/pjs. A lot of people have recommended getting cheap ones from Primark, etc, rather than maternity ones but not sure what size to buy - one size bigger than pre-pregnancy?

• I will get some disposable breast pads for the hospital/first few days but then plan to use washable ones. How many of each do I need?

• I've bought two packs of Tesco maternity pads (10 per pack) so far. How many do you think I'll need? I plan to use Tesco maternity pads for the first few days and then Always ultra nighttime pads from then on. I know the shops don't shut once you've had a baby (!) but I live a 30 minute bus journey from my nearest Tesco/large supermarket so would like to get all I'm likely to need before baby arrives.

• I live in a very warm flat so warm we never need to use the heating in the winter and it is sometimes unbearably hot in the summer. I'm concerned about how to keep my baby cool enough particularly during the night. I've bought mainly short-sleeved, legless babygros at the moment. It seems silly to worry about this so far in advance but how will I know she is at the right temperature and how do I stop her overheating?

Some of these questions must seem trivial but they are the kind of things that would be really useful to know and the pregnancy books don't tell you! Despite being 36, I'm the first in my group of friends to have a baby so any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

It's difficult to know what you'll need after baby is born and my advice for most of the things is to wait and see.
Life will not come to a grinding halt on the day baby is born and the shops will be open and you can ask people to get things if you need them.

Your ordinary boring pants (presumably i'm not the only one with these)will do the job unless you have a c-section. Then you send someone to M&S for some BIIIIG pants that wont sit on the wound. Size? i'm guessing one size up but it depends how much weight you've gained in pregnancy. A pack of 5 will do.

PJ's & nightdresses. Button up ones are good for breastfeeding. But if you're flat is warm you might be better with just a nursing bra.

Two packs of maternity pads will be fine. You can get more later if you need them.

Get a room thermometer to put your mind at rest. You get cheap ones on a cardboard picture that you stick on the wall. You can also check baby's temperature my putting your hand down the back of their neck. Don't worry. You've survived to be 36, you do know what is hot and what is not.

You'll be fine.

all of dragons advice is great. I agree that you will find your instincts wont let you down. Remember natural materials are cooler than polyester so look for those types of babygros. And keep posting here! Congratulations on the baby!

breastpads.
i bought about 10 pairs of breastpads but i leaked lots.
some people don't like the washable ones.
i say go with the disposables until you've established breastfeeding. then decide.

I would get a few more packs of maternity pads. You do bleed a lot! I like the tesco ones - have started stocking up on those too (am also due in july). Would just continue in the pants you are wearing whilst pregnant. In my case just a couple of sizes larger than normal. Black is best though!

PJ bottoms and tshirts will be fine. Though I did get a couple of nice pairs of PJs for hospital with my DC1, and for the 1st day at home when we had visitors.

I am sure that you will be fine with the temperature/baby clothes thing. I used to be paranoid that my DC1 would overheat too, and would get annoyed when visitors (usually older women) would suggest putting socks on him when he was in footless babygros. Wouldn't buy too much clothes wise before he/she is born though. You will prob get loads as gifts and can always buy a few more bits afterwards when you know what the weather is going to be like when you have a newborn (no point buying loads of babygros if we have a sweltering july/august)

Good luck!

In hospital, button up PJs (or nightie if you have a c-section) are essential if you are breastfeeding, as you'll want easy and frequent access. Size - definitely a few sizes bigger than usual, your breasts will be larger than they are right now and for bottoms, well you could prob stay in pregnancy bottoms for a while if thats easier. Its going to take weeks for your tummy to go back to normal, so a lot of people still use their pregnancy wardrobe during this time.

A nursing bra and breastpads are essential, or if you're worried about being hot you can get nursing vests that you can stick breastpads in (www.bravadodesigns.com) for example). Get pads that stick in so they stay in place - johnsons are decent. You will probably get through quite a lot of nursing pads once your milk comes in but I wouldn't buy loads of washables in advance as they dont work for everyone, so get a few and see how you get on. Re size of nursing bra, I'd get a couple of cheap, slightly too large ones for early nursing (so you've got room both for very full breasts and nursing pads) and then (assuming you plan to bf for a while) invest in some nice ones after a couple of months when your supply has settled down and you can get properly fitted.

Pants - ditto Dragonbutter's advice. I found a pack of boring M&S maxis did the trick for me. But don't do what I did and buy the wrong size and only realise when in hospital (I'm a 12, I somehow picked up a pack of size 20s!)

Re baby clothes - have you looked at Grobags? Baby sleeping bags, come with a room themometer and instructions as to what the baby should wear under the bag at what temp. more here

Quick note re breastfeeding - some people have a very easy time establishing breastfeeding, others don't. I strongly suggest you prepare by doing some research beforehand (I didn't first time and regret that now!), and make sure you have some support line numbers with you as not all hospitals have BF counsellors, and most midwives are not trained in BF support and can actually be unhelpful in this area.

All the advice you have got so far is brilliant.

My flat is very very hot in summer and bloody freezing in winter. The HV said that if I felt DS was too hot he would be ok in just a nappy. He spent quite a few nights last summer(did we have one?) just in a nappy. Grobags are also really good.

Good luck for the rest of your pregnancy.