maternity hydration system....

[amidaiwish]

what do you think of this hydration system for labour/new mums

gadget or useful?

Hi, I had a c-section and did use The Hydrant while in hospital, and can honestly say that unlike many of those who've posted comments - negative ones at that too - I did find The Hydrant to be very useful during my 5-day stay.

Although many people are saying that you could just as easily use a cup or sports bottle if you wanted a drink of water, the main point that I think a lot of people are missing is that The Hydrant is designed a) so that you don't need to reach anywhere to get it as the tube-like part that you drink out of has a little clip attached to it so that you can simply clip it somewhere. Having hooked the bottle on to say the side of your hospital bed, you don't stretch anywhere to have a drink of water. Yes, of course you can keep a sports bottle or bottle of water on your bed but how much water do both of these hold; b) to hold a large volume of water, so that you don't need to keep on asking anyone to pass or get you some water.

I doubt that some of the people on this post have had c-sections and therefore probably don't know what's like when one is in pain and to even get off the bed to pour yourself a glass of water that yes, as been put in the corner of your "room" towards the back, is a task in itself.

Some of the comments on here are totally unnecessary ie. if you don't like the product (which some of those who've posted a message hasn't even seen), why don't you just say that, rather than spending their time using words that are really not nice and beneficial to anyone, apart from making themselves feel as if they've been heard.

My verdict: thumbs up to The Hydrant, and however well it does, well done to the inventor of it for coming up with the idea to help post-birth mums, and others too.

CM

"The Hydrant"

Again, colliem, and all you no doubt lovely people at The Hydrant HQ. What you don't seem to realise is that is it very easy to search your post history. 3 new posters on one thread about an obscure product singing it's praises?
Nice try. Not.
Now, if you really want your stealth marketing to work, you need to develop a realistic profile. A poster who has history.
I am easily contactable via CAT and will accept most bribes

No experience of hydration systems during labour/after birth (apart from those strange things called cups) but whilst pregnant I spent 6 weeks flat on my back on traction with weights attached to my skull. Even from this almost comnpletely horizontal position I was perfectly able to sort out drinking cold drinks and coffee/tea from lidded cups with straws.

oh just pay for an advert !!

I had a c section, I don't remember at any point being on the verge of dehydration, the first few hours, i was out of it, then the Mws, auxilliaries, DH or visitors helped me to a drink.. for the most part you are not bed bound, indeed, being immboile in bed for too long is actively discouraged due to possible post op complications

even when in pain, i had to get up for the loo or to see to the baby, pouring some water or sipping a carton of juice htat was brought in was no hardship

i think infantilising woman to the point they need a special £12 drinks bottle for birth is daft.

at the birth of my second child, water was held to my mouth by my Dh and birth partners.. surely oyu'd need somene to psas you the mouthpiece for this product when in labour ..

surely everyone still has a jug and glass by the bed in labour /ante / post natal... they certainly did when i was last on the wards..

Hello everyone, and thanks for all the comments - good and not so good. I'd just like to clear a couple of things up if that;s ok.
1 - All I actually tried to do here was defend a product that came about through personal, and very miserable experience, of having a serious operation and being unable to get a drink
2 - I gave no thought at all to 'advertising' and merely asked a few of our happy customers to have a look at the comments and maybe post some of their own, for which |I am grateful
3 - There are quite a few negative comments and I do fully understand why people would be so cynical. As it happens this is being run from a tiny office in my house and I'm the only person working on it - and have been for 3 years trying to get it off the ground as a product to help people when they really are in need. And if you;ve not been in the position of need then you can;t be expected to fully understand the issue. Dehydration is a massive problem in healthcare, and this is a simple, very low cost solution.
4 - Finally, the only reason we have come into the maternity market is that my sister in law had a baby last (she has not commented on here so far) and took one in to the hospital with her and loved it. I think it is perfectly reasonable to defend a product that really does help people without being on the receiving end of some pretty aggressive and unnecessary comments.

Apologies if people are thinking this is stealth marketing but I would not have a clue where to start with that sort of stuff.

A cup with a lid and straw, a camelbak, lots of helpers, all have the same end result. This is just another option. That's it, that's all. Simple.

Regards, Mark

'I gave no thought at all to 'advertising' and merely asked a few of our happy customers to have a look at the comments and maybe post some of their own, for which I am grateful'

Isn't that marketing then? Trust me, I understand my own job and by the looks of things am a damn sight better at it than you are. Sorry mark

Well, I think it is great you want to tackle this serious issue.. dehydration is serious. However, most women are capable after birth of getting out of bed, or reaching for a jug. If they are too unwell to do so, then maybe it would be a good thing to have this.

I am sure some people will see it as a godsend and that's great..just as others won't

However, asking people to come and post reviews taht are positive is marketing, it is promotion and there is a fee for it on MN

I am sure if you contact MNHQ they could move this thread to the advertisement section and you can promote it through the proper channels

I would buy it.

For £4.

No more than that.

i think the hydrant is a very useful product especially in difficult births and post-operative recovery

have not used the bottle myself but have seen lots of other positive experiences on other sites

of course there are substitutes and of course there are cheaper solutions, but this bottle makes life easier and it's a price well worth paying.

in most cases we can't know what type of labor/delivery we'll have so perhaps best if hospitals offer it to mums that really need it

i've been thinking about this over the past few days, it IS a good product and very useful for avoiding dehydration in hospital I am sure.

the problem i believe some of us mums on here have had with it, is it's positioning as "the maternity hydrant", as another "essential" all mums should have, when it isn't.

sure, if you are stuck in hospital post birth or there are problems and you are bedridden, then yes it is great. however for 95% of births it isn't going to be needed - and to suggest otherwise isn't on and has resulted in the reactions gained on this mums forum.

there are so many unneccessary products aimed at mums-to-be, it is a minefield. Buying for baby is like buying a car without ever having learned to drive. It isn't surprising we (over?) react when sold things that we don't actually need.

I know wipe warmers are held up as the ultimate in pointless gadgetry, but when my todder has a nappy full o' shite in the middle of the night and I'm trying to change her without waking her up, I can sort of see why they might be useful...

Still haven't brought myself to fork out for one though.

It may well be a good product (I can imagine for many people who are unable to get up easily and don't have sufficient support it is) but TWELVE POUNDS! Come on! That's why it seems like a gimmick - because it's a small innovation over a normal, cheap product that frankly isn't worth that much extra.