After a relatively straightforward birth with Elle, I ended up back in hospital because she was jaundiced and had to have light treatment therapy. Totally unprepared and naively thinking we’d be sent back home, I pretty much had nothing with me. So here’s the list of things I really wish I’d had – just in case anyone fancies being a little more organised than me.
Comfy Layers – leggings, PJs, loose shirts, baggy t-shirts, a cosy cardigan and a nice pair of socks. Don’t forget that you will still be feeling pretty fragile post birth and hospital wards can really vary in temperature. Plus if you’re breastfeeding you’ll need access to your boobs pretty much constantly.
Magazines & Books – there’s usually no wifi or TV in hospitals, so make sure you have something to keep you entertained. I asked Matt to bring Elle’s baby book in so I could start writing that which was nice.
Food – this may vary from hospital to hospital, but at ours free meals were only available to breastfeeding mums. (Unless you are the patient of course, rather than your baby). So make sure you’ve got lots of snacks or someone to fetch snacks for you as you won’t want to leave your little one while you go to the cafe.
Flip Flops – for the shower. TMI alert – I was in a lot of pain from breastfeeding, so I wish I’d had a bikini top to stop the water running over my nipples too.
Toiletries – nice ones, because you’ll really need something to make you feel better, even if it is just for 2 minutes while you shower.
Pain Relief – like paracetamol or arnica to help bring down any bruising. My midwife actually advised me to take paracetamol, because I was being a trooper and not taking any – I definitely felt better once I started.
Maternity and Breast Pads – I literally mean hundreds – you really don’t want to run out and I honestly cannot stress how many of these you will go through. If you’re still on the maternity ward then they usually have some you can have if required, but if you’re on the children’s ward, chances are they won’t.
Eye Mask for Sleeping – let’s face it, you’ve got a newborn baby and you’re on a hospital ward, so you probably won’t be doing much sleeping, but at least having a eye mask will mean you can get some rest, even during the day.
Did any of you lovely lot have to go back into hospital? Do you have anything that really helped you to get through that time? Any gorgeous products that made you feel human again post baby? Any top tips for visiting new Mums in hospital that you wish people would adhere too?
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts! x
Before I gave birth I didn’t have much of a birth plan only to spend as short amount of time in hospital as possible. Unfortunately a less than straight forward birth, my son needing to go to neo natal and me picking up an infection that needed IV antibiotics, we ended up in hospital for 5 days. So I didn’t have to go back but certainly spent more time in than I thought I would. However, I first have to say we had the most wonderful care and support whilst there. We were in Brighton hospital that has just been in the press as CQC has marked it inadequate but my personal experience was anything but. Anyway, I digress…. certainly lovely toiletries are a must, I felt a lot better just my cleaning my face so cleansing wipes were great, ear plugs if you’re on a busy ward, baby wipes or moist toilet tissue for you if you’re still healing, a hairbrush – I forgot mine! Definitely food too, also some for your partner if they are with you. I got some fruit brought in which maybe a cliché but it tasted so good!
I should add, I had a catheter in for a couple days so clothes that are easy to both breast fed in and get on/off over that would have been good. I had one button through nightie that was perfect but had to throw away after the first night so was pretty much just in a top most of the time after that but had to put my dressing gown on to go and feed my baby on neo natal.
Such a good post, I’m gong to send this to my expectant sister! I was in hospital for a week after baby no 1 as he was four weeks early. I would say flip flops were a must as I didn’t have a pair but just slippers which I threw away the day we were discharged as they were so grimy! Also would suggest downloading a few pod casts, I was to wired to read or sleep but listening to something quietly helped me unwind a bit… Hard to explain!x
Pod casts is a great idea Ella and I completely get what you mean about unwinding – think it’s the fact that you’re transported somewhere totally different and it’s pretty soothing being read to! x
I ended up staying in for 3 days whilst Molly was in Neo natal and even just the one night with Alice was hard enough. I hadn’t really thought much about stuff for me in honesty. Luckily with Molly I had had the foresight to leave a pile of things at home in a second bag just in case. It meant I didn’t have to take a giant bag to hospital but also that Edd could find things easily for me. I didn’t do this with Alice as was hoping to come home and you should have seen the stuff Edd bought in for me!! I got through lots of PJs, leggings etc. You get through at least one pair/outfit a day just as you feel so yuk. Second the snacks. I got Edd to bring me fruit and smoothies as I just craved something healthy. Lip balm was my other life saver. Oh and my toothbrush and toothpaste to make me feel better! xx
My lifesaver was the eye ask, the Floresscent lights were horrendous and it was the only way I was able to get some sleep.
The other thing I’m so glad I took was my iPod. It drive me mad being surrounded by others making small talk all day so it was nice to shut myself off for a little while while G was sleeping that first day.
Definitely having a pair flip flops for the shower on maternity wards!
Finally the phone charger, I gothot this one time I went in for monitoring and it suddenly became a lot more lonely when I did run out of phone battery.
x
Good point Debs – it DOES feel v lonely with a newborn, even more so with a newborn in hospital, so your phone charger is an essential x
We ended up back in hospital when my baby girl was a week old. As it was an emergency admission I didn’t have anything with me.
Our hospital didn’t provide food for parents at all and didn’t provide nappies or wipes so I had to send the hubby out to replenish even if it meant calling him at midnight. They did have a microwave and fridge for parents to use so got ready meals for dinner and porridge for breakfast.
Natural instinct is that your child is your priority but don’t forget if you are post partum you will have needs too. I lost all sight of this as my daughter was on a feeding tube I was expressing every 3 hours but eventually as I hadn’t been eating well and the stress of the situation my milk dried up. There wasn’t a lot of support on the children’s unit for this.
Looking back I wish I had made the hubby come for longer shifts at the hospital. I had a toddler at home that I hadn’t seen in a week (we didnt know if we were contagious so wasn’t allowed home). It was definitely cabin fever at the hospital and felt so good to get some fresh air!
Sounds like you were pretty tough to me Cherish, well done on getting through it. I agree that if you’re on the children’s ward rather than the baby ward they are less equipped to support you – that’s certainly how I felt anyway x
I ended up in hospital for 9 days as both my little one & I contracted blood poisoning and needed IV antibiotics. When I packed my bag I felt like j was taking too much, but due to my long stay I used it all and more so will definitely be going prepared this time around too – unfortunately you just never know with these things!
I so rate the M&S maternity nightdress, buttons all the way down which is perfect for breast feeding, and is super comfy thanks to the lovely quality. I have two for this time round. I had to be cut out of 2 nightdresses last time due to the many drips I’d been hooked up to, so definitely take a couple & have back ups at home!
Slippers a size or two bigger that you can slide your feet into. My feet were so swollen from the drips and I couldn’t lean over to put shoes on anyway!
Nipple cream! Enough said.
I was incredibly thirsty last time so this time I’ve taken in a couple of those powerful squash drops that come in tiny packages. They weigh nothing and make 20 drinks, water got so boring last time I craved some flavour so they should be perfect.
Good snacks a must! Forget being healthy, I wanted treats to cheer me up so I’ll be popping in some Percy pigs and the like!
And yes, lovely toiletries will make you feel on top of the world! I’ve just discovered M&S do luxury travel size products such as Ren, Rituals etc so I’ve bought from there. I’ve also packed lavender oil as I hate the smell of hospitals and think a drop or two of this on my pillow will help to calm me and smell good!
I bought primark underwear last time as I was told a few cheap packs of knickers were a must. I agree they are and forget about disposable as they are awful and uncomfortable, but this time I’ve bought a few packs that are better quality than primark as comfort and fit is a must and I found primark undies to be a bit saggy and ill fitting. I’ve actually gone for realllly full high waisted briefs this time as I got so fed up pulling my last ones back up constantly. And allll the maternity pads! I think I tried every brand going last time and by far thought asda little angels were the best, weirdly they’re sold out at all my local asda stores at the mo but I have my fingers crossed they’ll be restocked soon.
But the best tip I can give by far though is having a cupboard/box at home filled with extra things you & baby might need – this made it so easy for my parents and husband to bring me in the extra bits I ran out of and if you don’t end up being delayed in hospital then it’ll save you having to go shopping in those earlier days. It really is surprising how many breast and maternity pads you’ll go through!
I assumed I’d be staying in with my second baby after needing a blood transfusion with my first so I was well prepared!
I took naked bars, Cadbury eclairs and Trackers for snacks. Lucozade to drink. I had a little toilet bag with my basic skincare, toothbrush and toothpaste and beauty flash balm in it. A couple of changes of nightwear and underwear. A brand new, huge, dark coloured towel! That post birth shower is quite messy. I also took ear plugs but didn’t need them.
My little one ended up back in hospital for a week when he was 4 weeks old as he had an infection and needed antibiotics and a few tests done – we were lucky enough to have our own room on the children’s ward with a private bathroom (including a bath which was sooo good to relieve my still sore bits!). I didn’t get to leave the room much as he wasn’t feeding very well, but wanting to latch on constantly and every 6 hours he had to be hooked up to the antibiotics drip. The room was unbelievably hot – so my suggestions are to have comfy clothes; layers so that you can add/remove as needed, some nice toiletries so you can try and make yourself feel a bit more human when the other half arrives and relieves you of your duties for 10 minutes in the morning! I took my ipod and some speakers which was great, and even the nurses enjoyed coming into our room to listen. The other thing which for me was a lifesaver, was my own pillow from home – I had to sleep on a camp bed, with pretty rubbish sheets and pillows, my husband brought it in for me on the second day and when I did manage to get a little shut eye it made it so much more comfy! x
A pillow from home is a great idea!
I felt like we were in hospital for ages but reading everyone’s experiences makes me realise it wasn’t so bad. 3 days for induction and birth, 1 to recover, 2 for jaundice and a day trip to fix the hole the epidural made in my spinal cord…
Yes to toiletries including bubble bath- RD and E hospital in Exeter has lovely baths so took advantage during induction. Lavender oil for after birth. Flip flops a must too. I liked the Boots maternity pads, thin and subtle but super absorbent. I found breast pads just irritated my sore nipples so just leaked. Nobody is looking in hospital and I just swapped vests often but then I didn’t have much free flow.
Exeter hospital also has internet and pay for tv which was a life saver. Even if you don’t want to pay for tv I think most hospitals have free radio you can tune in to. Will never forget listening to the shipping forecast in the middle of the night and gazing at new born Silvia.
Also re: hospital food, I found it heavy and binding. Not what you need when you are already terrified of your first post episiotomy poo. Hubby brought me in a massive tarka dahl which I swear saved my bacon….
Hmmmm maybe next time round I’ll zip up the A30 and have my baby in Exeter rather than Truro 😉
And major LOL at the tarka dahl comment but a very valid point! xxx