Labour bag

[cinnamonbear]

hey with the days counting down..:smiliedance:

has anyone got any tips of what to pack in my labour bag?

i know i might not use anythign in it...but what did you all find very useful?:thumbsup:

[shinebrite]

UMmmmm dont pack clothes FOR labour maybe just one of DHS nice old shirts, maybe one you have attched to in the past?? I planned on wearing a crop top and a few different things but i was TOO hot so I just wore nothing... I wore the top at the begining of the labour thats all. oh and goto Best and less and buy yourself 2 or 3 sizes TOO big than you are now of 99c undies the big old nana ones, make sure theyre black so u can chuck em out after birth i brought about 10 pairs and i ended up saving them for next time they were SO good at the hospital coz i just changed them every time I went to the toilet instead of having to wear dirty undies, I also brought about 3 packs of kotex maternity pads they r great! use up the ones they give you first...

um yeah Im sure ill think of other things... dont pack too much though after birth i think I was just REALLY lazy and didnt wear anything but undies and a singlet it gets pretty hot in the post natal ward coz of having to keep babies warm...

[Isaac's Mummy]

I agree with Leah - lots of cheap undies!! And lots and lots of pads. You can never have enough.

One thing I didn't take to hospital with me and wished I had was Lansinoh - for if you're breastfeeding. I made DH run down to the chemist and get some for me the first day I got home and I'm so glad I did!! It was like heaven!

Um, something to read, a pen and some paper to make a note of who gives you what so you can write thank you cards.

I packed a whole lot of stuff I didn't bother unpacking, so don't go too overboard. Some comfy pants and tops, some socks.

OOOHHH and take your own pillow!!!! I hated sleeping on the hospy ones!!

That's it for now:D

[HoopDeeDoo]

Change of clothes, PJs, warm socks, a couple of out fits for bubba, a special out fit for bringing home. Toiletries, like shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo and conditioner, Breastpads, maternity pads. Snacks, um, I can't think of anything else.

Some people play music, or have massage oil and stuff. I didn't really have time for any of that, but you might :D

Good luck with it all! It's very exciting :smiliedance:

[Roxy]

I didn't use a thing out of my labour bag, except the change of fresh clothes and toiletries for after birth. With DD, I laboured and birth in the nightie that DH dressed me in after I got out of the shower at home...for DS I wore the polo shirt that DH was wearing! (he was wearing a normal t-shirt on under the polo as we were out when I went into labour). Don't stress too much about what you are going to wear - you might end up wearing nothing because that's all you can stand!

As for your bag for the hospital stay, take summer pj's and a robe with you - the hospital is hot!

I also bought a snappy nappy - the pins at the hospitals are always blunt.

Pack a hot water bottle too - helps ease the pain in your tummy from afterbirth pains and sore muscles that are trying to do a No 2...

TV is pretty poor, especially in the middle of the night, so pack a few puzzle mags. Skip the novels - they are too hard to concentrate on.

Pack some non perishable snacks in your actual hospital-stay bag too - it's a really long time between the 6.30pm dinner and 7am brekkie (and if you going private, the fridge always seemed to empty when you really needed it the most!). Stuff like dried fruit, muesli bars etc are good.

Don't forget your mobile phone charger or the charger for your camera.

Toiletries that I always had to think hard to remember were things like a shower cap...

[cinnamonbear]

Thanks for the suggestions, being my first time.. i guess i just want to be prepared even if i am over prepared lol :laughing:

Isaac's Mummy what is Lansinoh,:confused: i do intend to breastfeed.

has anyone tryed the libra maternity pads.. with alovera?? they seem pretty thin compared to the others, but maybe somethign big a bulky might be more comfortable.. i dont know, its been so long since i wore a pad, and i hated them, they make me feel unclean and like i was walkign around with a pillow in my undies...but what has to be done has to be done

[lovingmotheract]

Lansinoh is nipple cream you get it at any pharmacies it's comes in a very small tube.

and i had libra pads it was good as i tore really really bad and it helped with that but i have tio say the big fat ones where the best as well i felt like it was not coming out every where.

[Isaac's Mummy]

What Rach said!

Lansinoh is nipple cream - and comes in a purple tube from the chemist. I think I have a 50gram tube - cost about $9, so not cheap, but so worth it. And I still have some left over, as after those first couple of weeks your nipples get nice and tough:laughing: :D I absolutely advise investing in some now!! Just don't forget to pack it. Some ladies don't have any problems with cracked, bleeding, sore nipples, so maybe you won't need it, but it can't hurt to have some just in case.

I used the Libra pads too, but not until after I came home, and not until about a week after I'd had bubs. They're fine for once your flow has slowed down a little. I hate big, bulky pads too, but the Kotex ones I used were so nice, and so comfy, and I felt so much better using them in hospy and not having to worry about bleeding everywhere.:o

[shinebrite]

Yeah I didnt use libra until it all died down. Kotex are really thick and bulky and I wouldnt take chances with all that. You will probly feel really yucky and unclean but I just use to have a shower everytime I went to the toilet and I probly went once or twice an hour, they suggest you do this as its really the only way to actually keep it clean. Oh and I forgot to add goto best and less and buy about 10 or so of the face washers as soon as you get out of the shower stick one of those "there" and it just saves the mess... hope that helps... oh and make sure you write a list of people you need to call... I got in trouble for forgetting a couple...

[perrywinkle]

Don't forget some lip balm and some socks. I used the little ankle socks because my feet were cold. The rest of my body was fine just my feet were freezing.

Don't forget the mobile phone to call everyone and your camera!!!

Also if you decide to jump in the bath or shower during labour pack some bordies for your partner so they can come in and help you.

I think that's all I can remember right now will come back if I think of anything else!

[pixietrix]

I really agree with the whole "bring your own pillow". Especially one of those Ushaped ones so you and bub can get used to feeding on that. YES the lansinoh- but my hospital provided it.

Black granny undies as already said- the bigger the better, it is not about your size, just put no normal undie sized pressure on a uterus that is already cramping x 1000.

The only other things I would suggest is- prunes (good pitted ones like angus park), it can be hard enough to do a wee but the nurses want to know about every bowel movement and if you have stitches this could be scary. Hospital food will not help, so take prunes along with the chocky bars (you will need them for sanity).

The other is a dummy if you are that way inclined. My 1st child refused a dummy when I tried to introduce it at 8 weeks. I wont elaborate unless to say as a result I just wish I had given it at birth but then again I never needed to wean him off one.

I took a dummy into hospital with my 2nd to make sure he took it- I had many more restful nights as a result but it took more of an effort to keep up the breastfeeding. This time- we had a dummy from birth and are still breastfeeding at nearly 7 months- so whatever suits you....

Good luck with the bubba to be- how exciting

[Mamalicious]

water
jellybeans
change of clothes for you and support people [if you plan on using water as pain relief]
rescue remedy
massage oils
music if you want it

thats all i can think of atm, a tip for your hospy bag...PACK TROUSERS!!

i forgot to take some pants, i had 1 pair of jammie pants and [TMI ] my pad leaked and i had to go all night and half the next day until someone came and brang me some pants!

*oops..this is the ACT thread...creeps out slowly*

[lovingmotheract]

and don't forget a bubhubers mobile number as well so we know when you had bub and at what time.

but no you will be fine you have every thing you need now it seem good luck with the birth.

[cinnamonbear]

Thanks heaps everyone,

Some great suggestions really appreciate them.:hugs:

Oh time is sneaking up on me soo fast i cant wait!:smiliedance: