things/advice to help with or after C-sec

HI ladies. Rm I was the same. Totally in denial but packed bags at 36-37 weeks luckily.

Take your own pillow. Hospital pillows suck. Hubbby can bring it later. You are going to spend quite a while there after a c section.

I wore the same clothes home that I wore to the hospital.

I bought a woolies back pack baby bag which is great and Dad prefers a back pack to a shoulder bag.

Ear plugs. The alarm bell is annoying. It will be rining in your ears for days after getting home. Either that or I am crazy.

I packed a grow, nappy and vest into individual bags which made it really easy for the nurses to change dylan during the first couple days.

Straws also help to drink liquid when you are sore.

If you are at a mediclinic and they give you your celebration dinner drink the champers. You can even if breastfeeding. I didn't know I could. Feels like I need to go and do the dinner again to right the wrong.

Be nice to the staff and they will be nice to you. If they are not put them in their place. You are the customer!!!!

Nappy Bags - I wanted to make a comment. When I had Connor in 2001 the only nappy bags where the sling bags, and the idea of something falling off my shoulder all the time was less than attractive.

I bought a blue daypack from Cape Union that I used as a nappy bag. I bought the girls pink daypacks also from Cape Union and that is what I used as a nappy bag.

I found it much easier to have a backpack on that slips over my back, than a slip-off-my-shoulder sling nappy bag.

The daypacks have compartments for drinking bottles which work for bottles, there are always water proof compartments, and there is often areas with webbing/see through compartments which is great.

I keep the daypack packed with nappies wipes, a change of clothes, a blanket, and odds and sods and I leave it ready, so when ever we go out, I just grab it and never have to pack it. I leave a spooon in there and a bib, so the only thing I need to grab is food and a bottle and we are good to exit the house - quickly.

The two strap backpack also fits nicely on the pram handles and is nice and evenly balanced.

Just my tip ... use it, don't which ever works for you ....

Thanx V, will pack this weekend!

Now another stupid questions. That my hubby actually asked...which I'm inclined to fully take advantage of!

Hospital bag...what do you pack your stuff in? A small suitcase, or a sportsbag. And babies things, do you pack them in her Nappy bag, or sportsbag.

Hubby is under the impression we need to buy seperate bags....no harm in nice new bags.....hehehehe!

EileenB - I packed my bag the night before, maybe aim to have the baby bag packed, with some essentials if you have bought them already.

Leave your clothes etc to the last minute. Some moms like to be prepared, I sort of was in denial I was having a baby even on the way to the hospital, so I left everything until the last moment. I still stopped at the mall on the way to the hospital to get some odds and ends ... talk about delaying the inevitable.

Oh yes, INSTANT HAND SANITIZER

you know the stuff that needs no water? Dischem sell a pump bottle for about R20 and that was a huge blessing.

it's hard to jump in and out of bed all the time after a C-sec but yet you still have to change poop nappies so i would 'sanitize' my hands, change the nappy, sanitize then lay him back in his bassinet before i got up to wash hands, that way you're only getting up once but you're keeping as germ free as possible for your precious new bundle. I actually always keep one in the nappy bag because you never know when you need to change a nappy in the car and also i hate touching public toilet taps!!!!

did someone post about cheap dark face cloths? not for your face but for lady downstairs, i was mortified when i realised the face cloths i had taken in were old but lilac and beige...... next time we'll buy a pack of black ones i think.

EileenB- pack sweetie pack already! LOL

I had started packing from 32w and just every week i would pack in and pack out what i changed my mind about, at least that way if you suddenly go into labour you'll have something ready!

Just because you have booked a C-sec date means nothing to baby, if your LG decides to come early there'll be no stopping her!

O.k still need to check the last page again so don't know if this has been posted but:

BIG GRANNY PANTS
disposables are a waste of time for anyone is you ask me but especially for CS mommies because they sit right over your cut line. Buy yourself some cheap high waist granny pants from Ackermans or jet or pep.

also make sure you have loose pants like joggers to come home from hospital and preferrably no hipsters because they will all sit over your scar. i bought PJ's before i knew about my C-sec and they were elasticated at the hipline, ouch they were pretty uncomfortable. I think comfort is way more important than style at this point!