What To Pack In Your Hospital Bag - Suggestions

[Monkeh]

Monke I know if your waters go in B&Q you get £250, how much does Asda give you?

lol, I have no idea. My cousin works there though and reckons I'd get something. There's an M&S right next to asda though so I might hang around in there instead. My nearest B&Q is a bit far away

 

[Arlandria]

lol - thats fab about breaking waters in stores - i too will become a perminate window shopper for the next couple of weeks

Oh and an idea for the 'hospital bag' list, might have already been mentioned but with the weather getting better i have a hand held fan and dont forget your sun shades for car )

xx

 

[poppielia]

dunno if its been mentioned before as i cant be bothered to go through all these pages but heres a few things i found i needed last tme and have already packed in my bag ready for the big day this time.
1) lipsil or lipbalm as your lips get so dry and sore in hospital as the wards are soooo hot.
2) facial moisturiser for the same reason above plus its horroble having dry, flaky itchy skin to contend with when you feel crappy anyway.
3) thin dressing gown pref in dark colour, Again because the wards are sooo hot, you will be uncomfortable in a thick towelling dressing gown, plus the dark colour is better cause if you do leak any blood (it happens sometimes) at least it wont be as noticable...i didnt buy a maternity dressing gown, just got a cheap thin black robe from peacocks for £8 in a bigger size...its nice, not tacky and it was a hell of a lot cheaper than buying a maternity dressing gown.
4) big knickers....sorry girls but these are a bit of a must especialy if you already know you are gonna have an elective c section cause bikini briefs will sit on your section wound and will rub it. i made this mistake last time and the midwiives told me off and said big knickers are better as they will cover the wound/stomach and not sit on it. so big knickers it is i am afraid girls....you can chuck them away after, just buy cheapo ones. i got cheap ones in a a couple of bigger sizes from primark.
I think thats it for now....oh and dont forget spare change, batteries for the camera and your nursing bras if you are gonna breastfeed. (and deffo your own pillow or support pillow for sleeping/feeding. The mat wards are proper mean with the pillows now and for most people one pillow is nowhere near enough.
hope that helps xx

 

[Donna35]

Sara I'm in Shields and there's not a lot of choice here these days and I dont want to travel on the Metro and get squished.
We have Ethel Austin but there's are all too short. Then there's Asda and that's about it unless you want to start paying bigger money.
Matalan might be possible at Washington, will ask my dad if he'll take us up (good thinking!)
Plus all these t shirt nighties arent button front so not really ideal for breastfeeding.

hehe I am sure come the time this will all probably be the last thing on my mind !!!

Primark in Northumberland St in the town has long nightshirts for just 3pound hun - try get someone to collect them if they're in the toon if you can't get around yourself xxx

 

[golcarlilly]

Is anyone taking a hairdryer? - sorry not being vain really but I HATE my hair curly and if I wash and leave it that is how it dries!!

 

[Monkeh]

I'm grabbing my hairdryer and straighteners and makeup when I leave the house. No idea whether I'll use them or not but I'd like to have the option there!!

 

[Rah]

There is a hair dryer at my hosp but no straighteners they have said that we cant plug anything in as it has to be tested by medical engineering but i think i am going to sneak my GHDs i cant control my fringe the rest i can live with being wavy/curly i also have a headband just incase i get caught that way its pulled back and i cant see the mess it is lol

 

[Monkeh]

I haven't asked if I'm allowed to plug things in. I'm just going to be sneaky and plead ignorance if they give me into trouble

 

[trish1200]

I'm hopping that my hospital will have a hairdryer. I don't know if I should ask my midwife on the next appointment

 

[Donna35]

Take a smallish preferably waterproof pouch like a makeup bag - keep all your valuables in this : jewellery, money, phone, ipod etc and take it with you when you go to have a shower or the loo - just in case!

Also take an extra top-up slip for your phone if you have pay as you go mobile

 

[Vici]

I'm taking my gas straightners that I brought for car shows

 

[Suze]

Yeah I just checked out with my mw today about taking electrical items in and she said no, they have to be electrically tested first and my baby would be at nursery before that happened.
So that's my ipod dock, phone charger, hairdryer and camera charger out of my bag then

 

[Donna35]

i'd still bring them in anyway - there must be spare sockets in the wards etc and they prob just tell us that so that they don't get everyone going in running our own electrical stuff. Might not get away with using hairdryer but can't see any reason why we couldn't use straightener, charge phone and ipod as it'll be done discreetly and who needs to know...

 

[mrsholmes]

omg!! how are u suppose to dry your hair!?! im planning on being in for a few days for bf support and my hair is VERY greasy!

 

[Donna35]

Maybe might be a good idea to buy some of the dry shampoo stuff - not sure what it's called Bumble and bumble?? but it's a dry powder that you use in your hair in between washes.

Never used it though

 

[Suze]

Good idea, I think I will just take them in!
When I asked my midwife about the hairdryer she asked if I needed to wash it every day...I said no but after just giving birth I'm sure it will be a bit on the manky side She did however phone the maternity ward up and told them to find a hairdryer by the 23rd of June for me!!

 

[mrsholmes]

ive tried the dry shampoo, it doesnt work, I have to wash my hair every day as it gets seriously greasy- wet look type of thing!

im going to be looking extra atractive!!!! for visitors and pics!! and my camera or video camera dont take normal batteries!

Im just going to have to sneak them! il play innocent if they say anything- im going to a birth centre if that makes a diff I wonder?

 

[Suze]

Yeah just plead ignorance I say! It's a midwife led unit I'm going to, and the rooms there are individual so if I get half my hair dried before being caught I'll be happy

 

[golcarlilly]

LOL I think i am going to risk mine too - it's either that or I will have to use the hand driers!!

 

[Monkeh]

Yeah just plead ignorance I say! It's a midwife led unit I'm going to, and the rooms there are individual so if I get half my hair dried before being caught I'll be happy

Me too, and I figure they're not going to be in my room ALL the time. As long as I can straighten my hair I'll be fine. If I leave it to dry naturally it'll be curly, but if I can be sneaky with the straighteners, I'll be happy