Hospital Bag - what to pack

[ktwiltshire]

Ok so i have packed all the things i can think of for me and baby, clothes, nappies, PJs, maternity/sanitary towels, pants, towel, bathroom stuff, etc etc. but im pretty sure that knowing me I will get there and realise that I have forgotten something or that i really want something.

Is there anything you guys can think of that is usually forgotten, or really nice to have?

can i ask how difficult was it for you to get them to give you the max dose of codeine?
ive had the spd since 6 weeks this time rround, im on 30/500, have tried asking them for 60/500 but theyre not happy about prescribing it at all. the thing is, the 30mg doesnt cut it, it only works if i take 4, but that means im having 2000mg paracetomol which isnt great. am 32+4

^ you should hop on over to the SPD sofa thread, theres quite a few of us there!!

i started out on the 8/500, taking 2 four times a day, then we added in 15mg codeine on top (just on their own type pills), i was prescribed 1-2 four times a day on top of the 8/500, so that added up to a dose of 1g paracetamol and 31-46mg codeine at each dose. the maximum prescribed dose for anyone (let alone a pregnant person!) is 60mg four times a day. a week and a half ago (when i was 34 weeks) the drs finally let me go up to a total of 60mg a dose four times a day (with paracetamol on the side, ive now got the 30mg pills so im not taking so many individual pills). going up to 60mg a dose involved me making a few middle of the night calls followed up by a call to the duty GP at my surgery (my GP is on holiday).

ive spoken to the GP, midwives and the registrar when i went for my hospital appt (my consultant was too busy) and they have refused to give me anything stronger, as the next thing up is Oramorph.

i too find that even 60mg a dose doesnt cut it, the very unhelpful registrar didnt think it would be ok for me to go up to anything further despite being in floods of tears in the appt because the pain is too unbearable! ive been slowly getting worse since about 18/19 weeks, completely bed bound and have crutches to get to the toilet and back and a wheelchair for the rest, which is only helpful when DH is around, my house/local area isnt good for someone trying to push the chair themself, too uneven pavements, i would spend all my time trying not to glide into traffic because on uneven pavements!

If you're going into Salisbury, ear defenders. The ward they put you in afterwards has call buttons connected to a really loud bell on the wall at the end.

When I was there, the "lady" (any insult is inadequate) across the ward rang the bell every fifteen minutes through the night to ask the midwife to check her stitches, fetch her some water, help her change her soundly sleeping newborn, fetch some indigestion tablets....Aaaaaaarh.

The MWs themselves were brilliant though.

im not in wiltshire, thats my surname, im sort of close though, im in dorset!

After having just spent half a week in the maternity hospital in this hot weather i would suggest:

Magicool spray (or a mini fan you can attach a water bottle thing to)
Moisturiser for hands and face (very drying with fans on continually
More clothes than you would think (loose t-shirts, short pyjamas)
Lip balm
Flip flops/mules
Ear plugs - didn't realise how noisy it was until i got home.

hi hun, I gave birth 12 weeks ago and am just having a nosey at threads on here because I like to help people.
My best advice to give you is take something to eat, only small things like cereal bars, fruit!
They do feed you, but if you have just missed a meal you will be sooo hungry.
I didnt have a chance to eat while I was in labour, as it was very stong and I felt sick!...but after I had just missed dinner so didnt eat untill next morning. I went into labour at 5am and managed to eat 2 bites of toast!! so I was starving, I had 2 cereal bars and a banana, but for all the work you do, I suggest taking a bit more, maybe even a sandwhich x