What to pack in Labour Bag?

callansdad

rosielx wrote:

How long can I expect to be in hospital for if i don't need a c-section birth?

Usually for first time mums they want you to stay one night. Where i am they won't let you discharge yourself after 6 hours unless its at least your 2nd baby.

black-saturn

With my first I was in for 2 nights but only because I was having breastfeeding problems and the midwives wanted to make sure I was feeding properly before I left.

With the 2nd one I was in for 10 days :eek: But this was because I had pre eclampsia and uterine disfunction and they also put an epidural in the wrong way so that I was numb from the waist up instead of the waist down. This is turn gave me a blinding headache and I ended up having to have a lumber puncture to get rid of it.

Lillibet_2

black-saturn wrote:

With the 2nd one I was in for 10 days :eek: But this was because I had pre eclampsia and uterine disfunction and they also put an epidural in the wrong way so that I was numb from the waist up instead of the waist down. This is turn gave me a blinding headache and I ended up having to have a lumber puncture to get rid of it.

Well,that should have scared the living hell out of any soon-to-be Mums out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

I was in for 28 hours after I had my son, and that was a ventouse delivery & major blood loss. I was cleared for discharge after 17 hours but after a furthter 11 hours waiting they still hadn't sorted the paper work out & I just told them I was leaving & walked out in a thoroughly bad temper with them. ( I did go back the next morning & complete the discharge paperwork & at least they put the epidural in the right way round:D )

black-saturn

Lillibet wrote:

Well,that should have scared the living hell out of any soon-to-be Mums out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

I dont want to lull anyone into a false sense of security :rotfl:

Never been one for mincing my words.

Becles

With my first, he was born at 11am on the Wednesday morning, and they let me go on the Friday morning - so about 48 hours.

With my second, he was born at 9.45pm. I was woken up at 6am the following day and asked if I could go home ASAP as they needed my bed/cot :eek:

ALI1973

I like proper pants, I just bought a job lot of cheap BIG pants and threw them away after they were used. Food and drink is essential. Tea tree oil great to aid healing and keep infection at bay. Nappies and baby vest and baby gro, cotton wool. Old nightie, flannel, vaseline (for your lips), socks (your feet may get cold in labour), Clean nightie, bra, maternity pads, pants and breast pads, slippers and dressing gown. Going home clothes (best pack them yourself, DH brought some awful stuff in for me lol, maternity clothes are your best bet). Cds and magazines to flick thru.

I also packed some dummies for baby (these were a godsend). Some deodorant and perfume and some basic makeup (made me feel human again). You may want to pack earplugs and an eyemask if you are a light sleeper (there is always a light on).

Dont forget that your Birth Partner will benefit from their own bag too. DH took a clean T shirt (hospitals are HOT) deodorant, slippers and magazines.

Good luck with your birth.

Love Ali

rosielx

:eek: EEEEEEKKKKKK :eek: After reading some of the horror stories above is it too late to change my mind and hire a surrogate mother :rolleyes:. I keep thinking that the birth will never happen (like an osterich with its head burried in the sand!)

katskorner

I had a normal pretty quick delivery with number one and had to stay in 7 days because he was very small took a while to breastfeed properly and didn't have the sucking reflex at first even though he was a full term baby.

They had planned I should be in for between 6 hours and 3 days (2 nights) before I went into labour. So that goes to show you can never tell.

I am due to have number two in 7 weeks time so hopefully I will be out faster this time as otherwise my 2 year old will wonder what has happened to me!!

ladypeanut

my god . . you don't need all these things.... I have not long had my first baby, took a whole bag full of things that I did not need.. Was only in for one night and had to take it all home again. people are coming and going and bring you even more thing. . . Pack Light !!

rosielx

Never been one who's able to pack lightly and judging by the amount of baby clothing we've bought I think the baby will be the same. Had everything under control and had bought neutral clothing only as the NHS scans did not identify the sex of the baby. Was given a 3D scan as an xmas present.... and the whole house turned pink when bump was found to be a girlie . Bad timing finding out the sex of the baby in time for the january sales.... :T