Opinions on best products....

[Spod]

I'm starting to get my hospital bag ready and wondered what you all thought the best products were for breast pads, maternity pads, disposable knickers and nappies for newborns. Thanks.

I have to say that I bought disposables for my last pregnancy (third dd) and they were rubbish, so bloomin uncomfortable. I would suggest buying some cheap larger size knickers to wear something that you wont mind chucking away if they do get ruined...at the end of the day who will see them!

The J&J breast pads were my favourite too and I used them in each pregnancy.

Nappies, well thats usually Pampers when they are first born, I never had a leak with those.

Good luck and let us know how it all goes. x

I took a pillow with a lovely bright flannelette cover - everyone commented on it, it was confortable and now I use it to kneel on when playing with dd - will always remind me of her.

my sister suggested taking in takeaway menus (actually she suggested curry - makes that first trip to the toilet easier IYSWIM!

I took a pillow with a lovely bright flannelette cover - everyone commented on it, it was confortable and now I use it to kneel on when playing with dd - will always remind me of her.

my sister suggested taking in takeaway menus (actually she suggested curry - makes that first trip to the toilet easier IYSWIM!

ooops - always wondered how people did that!

thanks for all the tips... this is all new to me! when i go on holiday i take one rucksack and dump everything in and thats that! I've never put so much thought into packing a bag before!! as for baby clothes!!! theres all these different sizes and some with arms, some with legs, some with half sleeves, some with feet bits!! inherited loads from sister thank god!! So what do newborns wear? a vest (bodysuit?) and a babygro? getting more confused by the day!

Make it simple for the hospital bag you can dress him/her in lovely complex clothing all you like when you get out. Take 3 bodysuits, 3 sleepsuits in newborn size and the same amount for 0-3 months size. Take a thick cardigan and an all-in-one suit for when you leave. It may be too cold for just the cardigan or too hot for the snow-suit. Also take two hats, newborn and 0-3 and some scratch mittens. Wash all baby clothes in non-bio powder before they are worn.

Don't take babywipes with you as they are frowned upon, take a bag of cotton wool and baby lotion. I think pampers newborn are the best for the early days but if you have a larger baby huggies are much better for the next size up. You probably won't really need breast pads for the hospital but I've brought Maws breastpads as they are individually wrapped and are quite large, just pop 4 into your bag.

Oh and don't do what I did - remember to bring some clothes to go home in, I shuffled out in my slippers and pyjamas.

thanks bekki thats the most straightforward advice i've had so far! family and friends are telling me to pack all sorts of clothes for baby... socks, slipper things etc... couldnt see how a newborn needed so much!! Why do you say I won't need breastpads while in there? have been leaking since 16 weeks and my sister said she flooded throughh pads when she started feeding...

spod

Most go for a body suit then a babygro on top, usually with feet as most babies kick socks off however cute they look. If it warmer then you can go footless or short arms/legs on babygro. If cooler then add cardigan/jacket and hat to go out. ds found hospital warm but I got told off for leaving him in just a body suit - bad mummy, slap wristie . Little outfits are very cute but don't go too overboard as they don't get much wear out of them.

No one explains this too you and so I'll try and be more exact about what baby will need to be wearing. I don't remember when you are due but if its an October baby then he/she will need a bodysuit, sleepsuit and a shawl for the hospital, but it is incredibly hot in hospitals. When you leave he/she can wear the same clothes with an all-in-one suit and a hat. The way to check a babies temperature is by feeling their bellys, don't judge it by their hands or feet. This is unfortunatley something that does not come naturally , it took me months to figure out what was too hot or too cold for my ds. The general rule is one more layer than you need.

yes - october birth . ok great... got it: body suit plus babygro with feet and maybe a cardie for inside and then all those things plus a hat and an all in one for outside. whats an all-in-one? I thought thats what a babygro was! thanks for the tummy tip too!

A body suit is like a vest but with poppers to do up under the nappy and they're usually short-sleeved. A babygro is the one with long sleeves, long legs and usually feet - same thing as an all-in-one and also called a sleepsuit. I know, I also got confused with all the terminology and lists of which baby clothes to take into hospital with me. One item of clothing seems to have several different names.

Re. products you'd probably be safest to buy both maternity pads (and I think all makes are similar when it comes to these) plus some Always Ultra - if you bleed anything like I did then nothing but the horrible bulky maternity pads will do but you won't have wasted the Ultra pads as you can switch into those later when things have died down a bit. Also liked either the Maws or J&J breast pads (can't remember which they were) but had bought box loads of mothercare breast pads before the birth which I felt I had to use up and they were useless in comparison, as they didn't stay in one place, were more bulky and not as absorbent (though lots cheaper). Probably washable ones are best in the end but you don't want to have to bother initially.

Actually, just re-read last few postings and the all-in-one suit Bekki is referring to is an outdoor 'coat'. Also called a snowsuit - these are coats that include arms and legs and cover up feet, sometimes hands too (or else gloves are included) plus a hood! There you go lots of different terms again for the same thing!

right - so for indoors: bodysuit+babygro+maybe a cardie. outdoors: all of previous with an all in one coat thing making sure has a hat. and bung a blanket over in the pram.... I'm gonna get 2 teddy bears and dress one up as an indoor one and one as an outdoor one just to refer to! thanks for your help

Spod - after my c-section I found the most comfortable things to wear were "string-vest" knickers which I got from the NCT catalogue - most peculiar looking things but no pressure anywhere. Don't know if they still do them but they were great. I wore them for quite a while afterwards. If you are concerned about your wound, you can always put a sanitary pad over it for extra protection.

I also really liked my Imse Vimse washable breast pads in really soft unbleached cotton.

If you are taking in pillows, make sure that you put them in brightly coloured pillowcases so they don't get mistaken for hospital property.

message withdrawn

Hi Spod - ditto Bekki's advice about scratch mittens, I had to send my Mother out to get some after I had ds by c/section - poor little mite looked like the cat had got him!
Agree about the short sleeved vests, but next time around I think I will try and get my hands on some vests that tie up at the sides rather than those that have to go over a newborn's head - maybe it was just me being an awkward first time Mum but it always seemed tricky trying to get a vest over a screaming little dot with arms and legs thrashing all over the place, and save the vests with poppers for when he/she is 3 or 4 months or so.

good luck Spod, I used J and J breast pads- all my friends agree too they are great. Take lots of maternity pads, I ran out and my dh was sent out to get them, he came back with about 5 packs so I had enough for the whole ward I think!
My dd was 7lb 1oz and really needed much smaller clothes so I got some newborn ones as well, the 0-3 months drowned her.
Pack a baby outfit and nappy in the delivery room bag and lots of water and snacks.Then have all the rest in your other bigger bag.
I found two bags combersome but useful, and anyway you won't be carrying them.
Boots disposable knickers were good and you can just rip them off which is handy if you can't move about very well. The most important thing is a camera, I treasure the photos taken in the delivery room and you will too. All the best.

If you are in for a few days with a c-section, remember you can send dh home with washing/unsuitable clothes so not so much to go home with. I dressed ds in a baby vest or bodysuit (like a leotard with poppers under the crutch and then a cotton babygro, which is the same but with long sleeves and legs with feet. He didn't need more in hospital. He was born 17 Sept. It was hot the day I took him home but wrapped him in a blanket anyway. Don't bother with toys for the baby - they won't notice. I had lots of going home outfits as had been in hospital for weeks, but yes, you'll need one. You don't need that much. A few baby bodysuits, a couple of babygrows for day and night, two nighties for you max and a going home outfit. Plus breastpads, sanitary towels, biscuits, fruit, babywipes a few tiny nappies, you usual overnight stuff inc big soft knickers & maternity/sleep bra, toothbrush, paste, something to read, radio & headphones, one amusing outfit for baby to cheer you up and nothing else is important. Your partner will surely take care of the camera!
Good luck. My section was fantastic. Be prepared for the fact that your milk will probably take a day or two longer to come in. You baby will do fine on colostrum, let him/her suck a lot and this will help your supply. Get the advice of a breastfeeding counsellor in the hospital if you feel stressed about it. Good luck!

Don't bother buying scratch mittens - they come off. Use baby socks one or two sizes larger than your baby's age.

i took a new blankie in for my dd2. after the rather scratchy blankets the other hospital provided for dd1, i wanted dd2 to have something soft and snuggly. she stills loves it now one year on.
try and take 2sizes of clothes for baby in, my 1st dd i took in clothes for newborn months as was a good size bump, dd was 6lb 15oz and they swamped her, so had to borrow some smaller clothes from mieow. with dd2 i took in newborn clothes again had a very small bump, she weighed 9lb so didnt fit in those either. one day i'll get it right lol.

I take a photo of the famiy, a tape of favourite songs, paper and pen, diary with phone numbers, snacks and drinks, 2 sets baby clothes plus baby toiletries which I use too. Wax earplugs are handy, as are eyemasks, a handheld fan, and little things for if you're in longer than you think and are bored - tweezers, face masks, nail varnish, books and mags. A can of Beamish/Guinness can also be very handy to help you go for a no.2 after a caesrarean!

I take a photo of the famiy, a tape of favourite songs, paper and pen, diary with phone numbers, snacks and drinks, 2 sets baby clothes plus baby toiletries which I use too. Wax earplugs are handy, as are eyemasks, a handheld fan, and little things for if you're in longer than you think and are bored - tweezers, face masks, nail varnish, books and mags. A can of Beamish/Guinness can also be very handy to help you go for a no.2 after a caesrarean!

I take a photo of the famiy, a tape of favourite songs, paper and pen, diary with phone numbers, snacks and drinks, 2 sets baby clothes plus baby toiletries which I use too. Wax earplugs are handy, as are eyemasks, a handheld fan, and little things for if you're in longer than you think and are bored - tweezers, face masks, nail varnish, books and mags. A can of Beamish/Guinness can also be very handy to help you go for a no.2 after a caesrarean!

bottle of vodka!!

When I had dd I remember an incident when the woman in the bed opposite was changing her baby and she did a wee on the bed (no changing mats were provided) the orderly who came to change the bed was so scary I thought she was going to be arrested poor thing - anyway when I had ds I remembered to take in a couple of pampers care mats (they dont take up much room) and are ideal for changing babies on your bed! I now recommend anyone I know to take a couple in their bags!