Post natal Mummy essentials - where from and how much to buy....

[AliBean]

Following my other thread about quantities of baby clothes and other baby stuff, I would now like to your brains about the postnatal essentials for me...

Where is the best place to get all the disposable nix, pads, nipple pads, nightwear etc and what sort of quantities would you recommend stocking up on?

I live in rural Cornwall and the nearest shop for these things is an extremely overpriced branch of Morrisons. Our nearest Mothercare is 50 mins drive so I want to be sure I have what I need at home for the first 2 weeks or so...

Also if anyone can recommend any of their personal essentials that son't appear on the standard lists that you found to be helpful/comforting/etc then please spill the beans!

Thanks in advance!

Sorry for the spelling mistakes - and I would like to pick your brains not just have your brains as the first line implies!

Dont bother with 'disposable' knickers, buy huge cheapy ones from Matalan (or similar) you know the £5 for 5 packs then just bin them after. I would say buy 10 ish pairs as you probably wont want to do a lot of washing cycles then.

If you are anything like me just be prepared to still be wearing your maternity clothes for a little while after, plus if you have a DH/P just steal his trackies to mooch around in.

BIG box of nipple pads, enough to change a couple of times a day until the supply/demand thing syncs, so maybe a box of 50 to start?

Am I selling the glamour to you yet?

You must live near me!!

We took the opportunity to stock up at the big Boots the last time we were in Hayle - I used their own maternity pads and breast pads and found them reasonably priced and comfortable too.

I have no idea for nightwear - luckily I have 2 old nightles I can get away with and an old pair of PJ's for visitors!

I was reccomended Bravissimo bra's (I think?) which you can get sized for in any store that does fittings and buy online.

I went for really cheap black pants rather than disposables as they are far more comfortable and can be thrown away if they are too bad.

HTH!

I have got a 2 nighties from peakcocok they are a=only 4 quid and have buttons for breast feeding

I have also done a massive shop in boots for nice shampoo etc cause I know it's going to be the last thing on m mind when the baby comes

Thanks ladies.

Beccabump - I am further North than you - Bude is nearest Morrisons. But its a PITA isn't when you don't have these useful stores nearby!

I have bought all my maternity bras as nursing bras IYSWIM - I bought the ones with the drop down cup already as norks have grown, but I have now read that I need bras in "a much bigger size than you think" !! WTF - how do I deal with that as there is nowhere nearby that I can nip out to and get a bigger size. How do you guesstimate how big they will be?

bratnav - how huge do you mean? Like if I am currently a 14 in nix buy 18 or even bigger than that?

My DP doesn't have trackie bottoms, he wears a sarong or lungi round the house! He is an ol' hippy!

I meant big as in 'old lady style', but actually, one/two size up wouldn't hurt.

Ok thanks very much!

Agree don't bother with disposable nix - so uncomfortable and even the large size didn't fit me & I was only a 12-14! They are the most pointless buy ever, and if you change maternity pad frequently enough you won't get much leakage anyway.

The Tommy Tippee breast pads were most comfortable by far, as they had nipple indentations.

Maternity bras - get properly fitted 2-3 weeks after the birth. I went to Bravissimo after failing to find any that were comfortable from Mothercare or M&S before the birth - the fitters there just kept going up a back size and I had every size from 36D to 38EE (during preg I was 36C) - about 8 bras worth £100s. So uncomfortable and no support and squashed my nipples. Then I went to Bravissimo and they gave me 34F - a miracle, it was so supportive it looked like an underwired, and I literally felt a weight off my back. Went back recently with DS 9 months and they gave me 32FF and same thing again - comfort, bliss. Sorry - am obsessed with bras! Remember your rib cage will get smaller after birth and your cup size will go crazy-big.

My number one shopping priority after the birth was a breast pump to relieve pain of engorgement - sent sister out one day for a manual one but was useless so husband out the next day for electric one.

Also essential is lanolin for nipples or soothing nipple lotion pads of some kind.