How many towels??

[LadyM812]

I bought 5. Is that enough? If not, how many more do I need? the checklist my midwife gave me never had a suggested number on it.

 

[fides]

I would ask her. TBH, I don't know how many they used for me b/c they did the laundry before I saw how many they were using.

 

[Mervs Mum]

IMO if you're planning on using a pool in labour, you can't have too many towels ESPECIALLY if you don't have a tumble drier! It's great to have plenty so you can get in and out and not use cold damp towels twice, use them to put on the side of the pool to lean on, dry doula's, birth partners and midwives hands that are in and out of the pool maintaining temperature, doing checks etc, wrap up babies after and cover them in the pool....you can (but not always) use lots! 5 BIG ones and every other size you can lay your mits on! Keep a couple aside that are particularly soft and fluffy for babe

 

[ace28]

question- where is everyone getting their towels? you're not using the ones you already have at home as birth would probably ruin them, right? Second hand? goodwill? Just trying to figure it out!

 

[Cjackord]

@ace-- i had several old ones that i'm not fond of anyway. i've been planning on buying some new ones so this seems like the perfect time to really gunk them up. also, i figured that if i didn't have enough, the new ones that i buy will be a dark color. two boys, it's not like the white towels will stay that color any more anyway! have you thought about asking family/friends if they have any old ones they're getting rid of? seems like a good place to start!

 

[starlightexp]

I bought mine at Argos. The largest ones I could fine- they weren't cheap though, at least £6 or £7 each.

 

[anita665]

Last time we used maybe four or five towels (did make a huge mess though) and actually put them all in the wash and still have them all. There was one in particular which was under my bum when I gave birth and every time I see it I think 'oh, DS landed on that'.

It was very yucky and would have been better to have just thrown it but my sister did my washing and didn't know what to do. It still came up well.

Typical that my washing machine broke just the day before the birth!!

 

[Bournefree]

I have a theory; midwifes will always use all the towels you have out!.

first birth: we used 3, one for baby, one for me, one spare were laid out specifically. and a toweling dressing gown, and blanket for baby.

second: MW asked where our towels where, and we didn't go out and by anything seperate, so said all the towel were stacked up in our bedroom... (this was ALL of of towels we own, about 15 in total) they were ALL used by the end of it!!!! I was sat in the sofa nursing, and was covered in towels! and we only used 2 to have a shower much later and it's not as though we got in and out of the pool.

So I guess I'd say about 5 to hand, to give all options..... but I wouldn't go and buy new ones (new towels are cr*p at absorbing water) ,and they all washed up lovely on a hot wash. Oh and I shopudl say they were all cream coloured and we are still using them.
xxx