what to pack???

No, we get them in New Zealand too, so I'd be surprised if they didn't in
Australia. Mind you, they're big uncomfortable ones about the size & shape
of a loaf of bread, so I guess some people bring their own ;-)

"Donna" wrote in message
...

"libbymom04" wrote in message
lkaboutparenting.com...
The hospital should provide you with pads. They did me.

Me too, but the OP is posting from Down Under, I think. From what I've
learned here, USAian hospitals provide a lot of supplies that are not the
norm elsewhere.

Donna

On Thu, 3 Jun 2004 22:33:21 +1000, "Alissa"
wrote:

Ok here is my list....since I'm having a c/s I don't need stuff for the
labour room...
clothes for daytime
nightwear, underwear etc etc..
pads (How many??)
breast pads? Didn't use a single one last time, never leaked in 5 whole mths
clothes and blanket for baby to come home in
breast pump/ milton bucket
pen/paper/ announcement cards to fill in,
toiletries/ hair dryer?
prezzie for DD from new baby
chocolates for staff for thank you gift....
car seat in and ready for baby
camera and spare batteries, mobile phone and address book

anything else?????I better get organised 4 days to go....

FOOD! They have really weird hours feeding patients so unless there
is a kitchen where you can make toast etc take something like muesli
bars to keep in your room.
Two packs of maternity pads and one of regular pads should be enough,
one box of breast pads (if you have them left over from last time even
better).

How exciting, only 4 days to go!
--
Cheryl
Mum to Shrimp (11 Mar 99), Thud (4 Oct 00)
and Mischief (30 Jul 02)

"Alissa" wrote in message
...
OOOHH a pilllow good idea..... the hairdryer is for keeping my wound nice
and dry....

My wound was bandaged for the time I was in the hospital, IIRC. I really
wouldn't bother with the hairdryer.

Donna

"libbymom04" wrote in message
lkaboutparenting.com...
The hospital should provide you with pads. They did me. In my experience I
didn't need clothes for daytime, you aren't going to feel like changing
clothes often, much less standing up period. I would just bring a couple
pair of lose fitting pj's or nightgown's with a housecoat.


here they encourage you to get up and dressed after the first day so you
don't feel "sick", last time I actually felt really great ( it was such a
surprise)I went to a bathing demo 1/2 an hour after my drips came out the
following morning, mind you after walking there, about 100mtrs I had to sit
as I felt a bit woozy...... no free pads here either. I am going to be so
disappointed if this time is more painful...
Alissa

"Jill" wrote in message
m...
I took a journal and pen, baby clothes, clothes for me to change into to
wear home or on my second day (for a c, comfy clothes that won't bother
your
stomach!), socks......I took a bag of pads but just used the hospital
ones....extra underwear....car seat, camera batteries, and I am SO glad I
took a couple fleece baby blankets and a few onesies of our own to dress
the
baby in during her stay.

The hospital used Pampers Swaddlers for newborns but if you have a
preference for wipes and diapers may want to carry some of those or
anything
else to make the baby comfy. I didn't like the hospital's baby wipes.

Maybe slip yourself some snacks for after delivery and you get the ok to
eat....change for vending machines....cell phone and charger.

And maybe a book or magazine? A baby book? I had the hospital take my
journal of Rachel's birth story I was working on, and put her footprints
inside the front cover. I'm glad I did that!

Here is a cauction- I took doses of my prescription meds, and the hosptial
took them away from me and made me get new doses dispensed from their
pharmacy. If you are taking any prescription you may just want to NOT tell
them. It was pointless but they wanted all meds to be dispensed by them,
when I had been on Paxil for some time and had no reason not to just take
my
usual dose..the hospital pharmacy did not have my dose in stock and I had
to take 3 smaller pills to add up to the dose instead of taking one of
mine
and it was aggravating. Paxil was fine to take, so they didn't need to
intervene, and Paxil isn;t something you can just stop cold so they
couldn't
tell me not to take it. etc. Just a thought. (I am now off Paxil and
feeling
fine!)

Jill
"Alissa" wrote in message
...
Ok here is my list....since I'm having a c/s I don't need stuff for the
labour room...
clothes for daytime
nightwear, underwear etc etc..
pads (How many??)
breast pads? Didn't use a single one last time, never leaked in 5 whole
mths
clothes and blanket for baby to come home in
breast pump/ milton bucket
pen/paper/ announcement cards to fill in,
toiletries/ hair dryer?
prezzie for DD from new baby
chocolates for staff for thank you gift....
car seat in and ready for baby
camera and spare batteries, mobile phone and address book

anything else?????I better get organised 4 days to go....
Alissa



I like the idea of using my own clothes too, I don't mins about having to
wash them...they look nicer ..I'd forgotten an extra blanket though for the
bassinette...
Alissa

"Tracey" wrote in message
.. .

"Alissa" wrote in message
...
pads (How many??)
Doesn't the hospital provide these?

breast pads? Didn't use a single one last time, never leaked in 5 whole
mths
I barely ever used any. Honestly, I'd only bring a couple pairs of
disposable ones, they don't take up any room anyway, so if you don't use
them no big deal

breast pump/ milton bucket
I wouldn't bother bringing a breastpump to the hospital, baby should be at
the breast as much as possible. If you get into a medical situation where
you really NEED a breastpump, then you can send DH home for it.
I don't know what a 'milton bucket' is, so I can't comment about that.

toiletries/ hair dryer?
I would only bring the most basic and bare necessity things: toothbrush,
toothpaste, deodorant, comb or brush. I wouldn't bother with hair dryer.

chocolates for staff for thank you gift....
I never did that, but it is a thoughtful gesture

car seat in and ready for baby
this is the most important thing on the list :-)

camera and spare batteries, mobile phone and address book
In all the hospitals here in the US, mobile phone use is not allowed: it
interferes with a lot of the machinery and equipment. You might want to
double check to see if it is allowed there.


anything else?????I better get organised 4 days to go....
I brought my own pillow and quilt, and the boppy pillow to help with
nursing.

Tracey

DH is an hour away and will be busy working and minding DD so I won't see
him again til friday night, it's too far and too late to drag DD after he
finishes work each day...He is working so he can have the following week at
home with us...
I sure am hoping I won't need the breast pump, but just incase it's like
last time I'm prepared....milton bucket is to keep it sterilised in my own
room...
As for the mobiles, I find it amusing in the hospital where I work the Drs
all wear one switched on...and I work in Intensive care! go figure hey...I
know they do interfere with the CTG's, I wouldn't keep mine on, I'd go
outside if I wanted to use it.
PILLOW...yep essential how did I forget that one!
thanks for suggestions
Alissa

"Jill" wrote in message
m...

"Tracey" wrote chocolates for staff for thank
you
gift....
I never did that, but it is a thoughtful gesture


I was going to send a gift to the midwives, but they ended up not
delivering
my baby or the aftercare (the OB did since I was stitched) etc....I would
STILL have given them a gift for the things they DID do and the
appointments
before delivery, but...........the way they went on about "my anxiety"
when
I was down and out in labor and especially the way they did over pain
management telling me I wasn't hurting that bad it was my "anxiety because
I
am on Paxil so must have it bad" etc, and then afterwards when I had bad
after[ains where my muscles had torn/been cut, they did the same way over
pain telling me they weren't convinced I needed pain medication that it
largely must be my "anxiety"...they're not getting sh*t from me now! My
husband and my dad both would kick me if they found out I gave them a gift
of appreciation, because seeing me in so much pain was hard on them both
and
they couldn't MAKE the midwives do differently while I was in
labor...anyway, I digress, this is in the past.....I think it is VERY nice
to give a gift to those who care for you and deliver your child, and I
always had planned to do it. It was practically in my birth plan along
with
having the picture of the doctor holding my baby ....neither happened for
me, I never got any picture of midwife OR the ob holding my baby ! They
didn't pose for one. well......pffft.

The good thing is about taking chocolates as a gift, if I don't want to
give them....I'll eat them myself! Yeah I wouldn't give them if I wasn't
happy, or if I only liked a few I'd make a point of mentioning their names
only in the thank you card.
Alissa

On Thu, 3 Jun 2004 22:33:21 +1000, "Alissa"
wrote:

Ok here is my list....since I'm having a c/s I don't need stuff for the
labour room...
clothes for daytime
nightwear, underwear etc etc..

I took old panties that I didn't mind getting messy and tossed them
out when I'd shower. The mesh panties the hospital provides are
uncomfortable.

pads (How many??)

If the hospital doesn't supply them, I'd pack a whole pkg. of them.
I used the Kotex overnights, with 14 in a pack.

breast pads? Didn't use a single one last time, never leaked in 5 whole mths

I took enough to change pads twice a day, so 8 was sufficient. I
didn't need them though.

clothes and blanket for baby to come home in
breast pump/ milton bucket
pen/paper/ announcement cards to fill in,
toiletries/ hair dryer?
prezzie for DD from new baby
chocolates for staff for thank you gift....
car seat in and ready for baby
camera and spare batteries, mobile phone and address book

anything else?????I better get organised 4 days to go....
Alissa

Snacks for your dh?

Nan

"Donna" wrote in message
...

"Alissa" wrote in message
...
OOOHH a pilllow good idea..... the hairdryer is for keeping my wound
nice
and dry....

My wound was bandaged for the time I was in the hospital, IIRC. I really
wouldn't bother with the hairdryer.

Donna

Really? mine had the sticker type bandage removed the next morning and I
was told I had to keep it dry ( my would was under a roll of fat) so I would
dry it after my shower and that way I didn't have to touch it or pat it
dry....I might ring as see what the policy is at this hospital as it as not
the same one I went to last time.
Alissa

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 3 Jun 2004 22:33:21 +1000, "Alissa"
wrote:

Ok here is my list....since I'm having a c/s I don't need stuff for the
labour room...
clothes for daytime
nightwear, underwear etc etc..
pads (How many??)
breast pads? Didn't use a single one last time, never leaked in 5 whole
mths
clothes and blanket for baby to come home in
breast pump/ milton bucket
pen/paper/ announcement cards to fill in,
toiletries/ hair dryer?
prezzie for DD from new baby
chocolates for staff for thank you gift....
car seat in and ready for baby
camera and spare batteries, mobile phone and address book

anything else?????I better get organised 4 days to go....

FOOD! They have really weird hours feeding patients so unless there
is a kitchen where you can make toast etc take something like muesli
bars to keep in your room.
Two packs of maternity pads and one of regular pads should be enough,
one box of breast pads (if you have them left over from last time even
better).

How exciting, only 4 days to go!
--
Cheryl
Mum to Shrimp (11 Mar 99), Thud (4 Oct 00)
and Mischief (30 Jul 02)

yeah everyone keeps mentioning food....last time I went to NSP and had a
fridge in my room, I used to order up big at all meals, hot and cold stuff
and bung the cold stuff in my fridge for later. I ended up giving it to DH
or anyone who visited. The kitchen must of thought I was such a pig! The
food in that place too was fabulous ( I mean who has poached eggs, bacon and
grilled tomatoes on toast the morning after a c/s!)....I am sure it will be
very different this time, I'm going to a private hospital but it's not in
the same league as NSP. Dh will only be there the day of the delivery, then
since we live so far away and he won't get home from work til 530 it seems
unfair to drag DD out late each night so he plans to stay home with DD and
try keeping things semi normal until the Friday night when he takes my mum
home.(My mum has a multitude of health problems and it would be too much to
have her mind DD more than the 8 hrs he is at work) I also worry about him
driving all that way when he is tired. He will come sat and Sunday I am
hoping to go home, then he has a week off. I wonder though if he'll be able
to keep away those 2 nights! I am dreading being away from dd for 5 nights,
I think that's partly why I am not feeling excited yet.
Alissa