Let's help Jan and other expectant first Moms...(g33)

g33

Vicodin if they offer you a script - I needed this the first two days postpartum to take the edge off the pain.  I still had pain, but didn't have "pain shakes" after I took this.  I didn't need it after day 3 and the extra high does of Advil/Motrin worked well enough for the first week.

I'd just say be careful with this, Moms. Vicodin makes me and many other women I spoke to nauseous, spacey, shaky, sweaty, and just generally miserable and the pain relief isn't all that. I had MUCH more do able results with 800mg IB's. There is also no risk of dependancy which there always is with Vicodin because you DO need more for the same result as it goes along. My recent teeth troubles taught me that.

Bring some board games...esp travel size ones to play with your S/O. Helps keep that bond going.

If they offer you the "cooling" pads TAKE EM AND ASK FOR MORE!

 

Yep some people get sick from the Vicodin.  I was wondering how I would react to it - thankfully I was OK with it.  I was in such horrible pain the morning after birth...in tears...the 800mg's of IB didn't make a dent.  I was afraid to try it because of it getting into breast milk...but my doctor assured me the amount would be negligible.  It saved my sanity to be able to take that.  Just assess yourself each morning and see if you really need the Vicodin...try the IB first.  Like I said, by day 3, I got the same relief from the IB than the Vicodin and kissed it fondly goodbye. 

Yeah, be careful with Vicodin, and make sure you do NOT take it on an empty stomach, particularly the first time! 

Some things are repeats...

My experience was a little bit different than most first time moms.  I wasn't in labor long and everything up until the moment of delivery went so fast I didn't have time to do anything but enjoy the epideral.  I also didn't have much pain after delivery "down there".  Most of the pain was from breast feeding.  Riley was so good at it, my milk came in the day after she was delivered, but man did it hurt!!!

Soothies - they are breast pads that have silicone on them and feel AMAZING.  I was so sore BF Riley and these were a god send!  You can get them at Walgreens, etc.  I know Gina (g33) mentioned these, but they are definitely worth mentioning again.  These saved me!!

PJ's - wear theirs as long as possible because you don't want to get your own messy, but it did feel good to put on my own PJ's after awhile.

Bottled Water - I was ALWAYS thirsty.  To have the nurses get some was nice, but I would down it and then have nothing.  This is particularly important if you are having a vaginal birth.  DH was sneaking me some sips while I was in labor, which is a big no no, but I was dying!

Cell Phone - and list of numbers to call afterward.  We could use our cell phones in my hospital on the maternity floor.

Shampoo, hair stuff, and shower gel - it was so nice to use my stuff afterward. 

Book to read - I admit it, I was bored.  When Riley was sleeping and everyone was gone, I was bored out of my mind and would have loved a book.

Clothes to wear home (including big underwear).  I don't know about anyone else, but I couldn't fit into my regular clothes when I left the hospital.  I brought my most comfortable maternity pants and top.  Remember, your breasts are going to get HUGE when your milk comes in so bring something that fits loose on top.  I was spilling out of my tank top that I had worn a few days before.  It was like the stripper fairy came in the middle of the night and dropped off a pair at the wrong house.

Thanks everyone! This is a good (and funny) thread!

*begins making list #87 of the day* 

I wish this thread existed when I had Nolan. I brought SO MUCH stuff I didn't need.

Do bring a breast feeding pillow. It will ease some of the stress of trying to get the hang of it if you aren't having to concentrate so much on HOLDING baby while you are working on latch. As far as all the breast feeding supplies, my hospital was VERY supportive of my breast feeding and gave me a "breast feeding bag." It had a full size tube of the Lansinoh cream, almost 30 sets of the Lansinoh pads (which are cheaper than the Medela and it's what I currently use, but I got a sample of the Medela pads with my pump and I prefer them.)

I did bring extra sanitary pads but I found that I didn't need them. My bleeding wasn't very heavy and I wore the pads the hospital gave me. I was more comfortable in them and I wore the mesh underwear they give you too because they don't hug you too tightly. I was down to a panty liner a week and a half after coming home, thank goodness. I have friends that bled a lot longer than that. I'm actually going to go against the grain on the ice packs. They were more uncomfortable to me than anything and when I was still too numb from the epi. to move around very well I actually called the nurses to remove it. However, I didn't have to have an episiotomy (I did tear enough to need a stitch or two though) so maybe I just didn't need the ice packs.

I don't know what the soothie pads are that have been mentioned but I believe they are similar to what the hospital sent me home with. They gave me Hydragel rounds to put on my breast because we had gotten a bad latch and Nolan had brought blood to the surface of my nipple--OUCH! I wore these until it cleared up (you rinse and reuse them) but you aren't suppose to use them with the lanolin cream.

I also wore a gown until the day I left the hospital. It was easiest to breast feed in and it was the most comfortable. I was so engorged by the time I left the hospital that the maternity shirt I brought to wear was tight on top. Putting on my pants was the second saddest moment of my life though. They were elastic waist maternity pants and they hugged my stomach and for the first time in a long time it wasn't full feeling. The saddest(and happiest) moment of my life was the last push I gave and when he was finally out my stomach just sank. I was the first time I had given it thought but at that moment I realized there was only so much I could do to protect my child at that point. No more being inside mommy where she knows everything baby eats and everytime baby moves and where baby has a shock absorber all around him/her.

Okay this is getting long-SO...things I wish I had not brought with me.
diapers and wipes-hospital supplies them and will bill you for them wether you use them or not. Once they make it to your room you have paid for them!
Too many outfits for baby-but this may not be the case for you. My hospital supplied/and sent me home with generic white outfits for him.
There was more I brought that I didn't need but it's not coming to mind right now so I might be back later

Well - I had a 27 hour labor, pushed for 3 1/2 hours, Shannon needed forceps and I had an episiotomy (level 2).  Yah, I needed some ice packs!  I was shocked at how bad the pain was afterward.  I don't want to scare any expectant moms - you WILL be able to handle it - but I was pissed off that no one prepared me for this beforehand.  Be prepared to bleed alot.  Don't freak out if you pass baseball sized clots.  It is normal (though you should call your doctor if your bleeding is a constant hemorrhage of course). 

 I second Lisa's suggestions about all your bath stuff.  I had a hard time standing in the shower for that long though.  I was really messed up "downstairs" and felt like I was not contained whatsoever.  Very disconcerting feeling. 

 Yes - big underwear and plenty of it!  The mesh underwear they give you is great for the first few days.  Yeah, leave off the cute nursing jammies until the bleeding is at least under control so you don't ruin anything. 

Just plan on wearing your maternity clothes home so bring a few of those outfits.  Esp if you have a csection, you won't want anything tight around your abdomen.

 Also bring the most comfortable pair of shoes you own.  Crocs if you have them.  Since I was in labor so long with a ruptured membrane, I got a fever at the end so I had to be on antibiotics and saline for an extra day and a half.  So my feet ballooned even more than they did with the pregnancy. 

Soothies pads are gel pads that go over your nipple to repair all the cracking and chapping that happens the first few days of BFing.  Put these in the fridge beforehand!  It is the BEST feeling to put those on right after you have a painful BF session.  Get lots of these - you will use a ton of them the first week, and then you won't need them anymore.

And bookmark this site:  www.kellymom.com - they have a BFing forum that is absolutely fantastic. 

Oh!  I forgot to add - raid that bassinet before you leave the hospital.  Like a PP said, you are billed for all the diapers and wipes...so take them home with you!  Our nurse told us to do this - basically we were able to take everything in the bassinet except the linens. 

Wow, this thread has an amazing birth control effect on me.  It's like I wanna know...and really don't wanna know at the same time.

Same here  No kids in this house for another several years.

I was, however, already iffy on the breastfeeding thing, and now I think I'm even more so Another few years of pondering to decide for certain, but I think chapped and bleeding nipples might just do it for me...

I take my own pillow with me to the hospital.  The ones at the hospital get so hot and sweaty it can be unbearable.  Also bring a few hair elastics if you have long hair.  There's nothing worse than trying to BF and your hair is in your face.  I brought a tube top with me last time and it was a godsend.  With an IV in your arm, trying to figure out clothing is a royal pain in the butt, so something sleeveless was nice to have for when I wanted to cover up quickly.  

I'm not sure I agree with the statement about not growing so much that your prelabour bras will still fit.  I wore a regular bra to the hospital.  I went up 3 cup sizes with Kali and stayed about 2 sizes bigger after engorgement.  I tried on one of my nursing bras a few weeks ago to see if I would need new ones this time around and they are baggy on me...sigh.  The nipple cream is a must for sure, I've never used the Soothies or anything like that, in fact I had never heard of them, but I'll look at them this time for sure.

I second the bottled water.  Bring a case with you if you can.  Hospitals guard their water with a vengeance or so I've found.  They bring you a tiny little jug, with a teeny little cup and a big a$$ straw.   Its just nice to have a normal bottle of it.  Drink lots of it too if you have a vaginal birth, if you don't it can really sting when you pee.

If you're like me and can't sleep in socks, bring slippers that you can slip on really easy.  You don't want to have to be doubled over trying to tug on socks or slippers while juggling your IV cables, your half undone hospital gown, and worrying about seepage...but then again, you don't want to go to the bathroom barefoot either.

Figure out how to work your bed before you need to.  This sounds dumb, but it really sucks when your baby is already crying, you need to pee and you're flat on your back with the rails up.   

You really don't need anything for the baby.  I just bring cute little outfit to come home in. 

Aww please don't reconsider on breast feeding. It really isn't bad at all if you get help. All it takes is one bad latch to be sore, so you hear about it a lot, but once you get the latch worked out its no biggie, and it's a great start for baby.

Bring your own pillow. The ones at the hospital suck(hard and lumpy).

Camera

Chapstick(your lips will get dry from all the breathing)

If you do have issues w/breastfeeding and your nipples get blistered or cracked, ask your doctor to write you a script for apno(all purpose nipple ointment). It has to be put together by a compounding pharmacy, but i tell you this stuff is 1000 times better than lanolin.

ipod(this helped me in the early stages of labor to keep focused while i walked).

going home outfit for the little one.

I loved the mesh undies. If you can take home any extra, they're great to use and not have to worry about.

sitz bath, especially if you tear or got an episiotomy. This felt so good.

And yes it does hurt, but I would do it a million times over to have my little meri with me!

ewin0210

And yes it does hurt, but I would do it a million times over to have my little meri with me!

 

Well said.  And I agree 110%.  Both of my children are worth so so much more than labour and delivery.

I forgot about chapstick.  I always have some in my purse so I just take it for granted I guess.