some words of advice from a new mom regarding my hospital experience--VERY long and detailed

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browneyedgirl
family is all that matters

Member since 6/06

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Name:
browneyes

some words of advice from a new mom regarding my hospital experience--VERY long and detailed

hi ladies!

I just got home from the hospital yesterday after giving birth to my son. My hospital stay was WONDERFUL and I wanted to share some things that I wish I had known before I went in. Please keep in mind that these were my opinions on my personal stay--you need to do what is best for YOU.

**they give you disposable underwear! they are the BEST and you don't need to bring granny panties. if you are even thinking of breastfeeding, bring one nursing bra--you really don't need a nursing tank, a regular one is fine.
**they supply you with everything you need to take care of yourself afterward--the hugest maxi pads I've ever seen, pain cream, pain spray, etc. And you get to take a supply home with you as well
**don't bring anything for the baby except the coming home outfit and a doll for his nursery bassinet. They dress the baby and swaddle him in their own stuff--which again you get to take some home with you.
**bring a pair of sweatpants and some tank tops so if you feel up to it you can wear your own stuff. That's all you need--I only wore a nightgown the first night after delivery. I felt up to wearing real clothes the whole rest of my time there except to sleep in. One nightgown in addition to what they give you would work.
**bring your hair dryer and makeup--it makes you feel more human when you look decent even when your body is in pain.
**If you feel comfortable doing it, have your mom or another family member there for delivery with your husband. My mom stayed the whole time and she is so excited that she got to see her grandson born! It is something she'll never forget! She gave birth to me, so I didn't care AT ALL about what she saw--and she saw EVERYTHING!
**don't worry about what may...ahem...happen on the table. It will happen, possibly several times, and the nurses could care less. There's NOTHING you can do about it...NOTHING. get over it and move on to the important things about delivery.
**eat before delivery. This will contribute to the above statement happening, but once you are in the labor and delivery room you can't eat or drink ANYTHING but ice chips. I was in active labor for 17 hours and was STARVING. All I wanted was a glass of water and I couldn't even have that. Thank goodness I had eaten lunch or I would have had no strength.
**you WILL get huge and puffy during labor. They pump over 5 bags of IV into you which makes you swell. I don't even recognize myself in the pictures from right after delivery--I look like someone else.
**GET THE EPIDURAL!!! you won't have a better "labor experience" if you don't get it and are in excruciating pain. If you can handle the pain, great. But it is VERY HARD once the pain really starts to get the epidural. I got mine at the first possible second I could (3cm) and at that point I thought I was going to pass out from the pain. DH was in tears watching me scream and cry because there was nothing he could do. I went in with an open mind about the epidural. Actually, you can't even get the epidural as soon as you want it--they have to give you a bag of IV fluid BEFORE you get the needle and that takes about 40 minutes and THEN the anestheseologist comes in. THEN you have to wait about 10 minutes for him to insert it (while you're in pain) and for it to start working.) I wasn't trying to be a hero by going "naturally"--I just wanted DS out safe and healthy and did whatever I needed to do to get there. ETA: obviously, this is MY opinion. Not everyone wants or needs the epidural--I did. My son would not have been able to be born without it because I was in such excruciating pain that I couldn't push. You are not a better or worse mother for getting or not getting it--you need to do what's best for YOU.
**have visitors in the hospital. It's nice to see your friends and family.
**bring bottled water and snacks for in between meal times. You get pretty hungry!
**if you're breastfeeding, you don't need your boppy. I didn't use mine at all because the lactation consultants showed me how to rearrange the pillows for a newborn--MUCH easier at this point than the boppy because he's so little.
**bring a video camera for right after delivery. we have video of DS being cleaned, weighed, etc and I LOVE it!!!
**bring your OWN PILLOW!!! you will use it in labor and delivery as well as your maternity room. Hospital pillows are terrible and it was so nice having a comfy spot to lay my head while I was pushing DS out.

hope this helps! i'll add to it as I think of things. Keep in mind, this was my personal experience at South Nassau and everyone and every hospital is different.

Message edited 7/7/2008 10:14:05 AM.

Posted 7/6/08 1:08 PM