How Many??? (Hospital bag Q)

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this but -
When i pack my hospital bag - how many undies & maternity pads do i need? I have horror visions from what my sister told me - and i am assuming bleeding will be like niagara falls.

In my two previous maternity ward visits, I worked on the option of more is best. I took 2 packets of pads. One nightime stayfree style pack, and one maxi stayfree pack. For undies I had about 10 pairs in my bag. With extra reserves at home if needed in a little bag for hubby or mum to grab.

Some may look and say wow thats a lot, but if the undies were really spoiled(sorry if TMI) I personally just threw them out in that occasion.

As for the amount you bleed Day one and Two for me were pretty full on. By at least Day three to four it had calmed to a medium to heavy period. I guess everyone is different so hopefully you will get more perspectives as well.

Jac

The hospital i went to provided disposable undies for the first day or two which were yukky but easier than knickers, they also provided all the pads but i guess it depends on the hospital.

Thats interesting Mrs Mac. At Gold Coast hospital we have to supply our own pads once we get out of labour ward & up to maternity ward as far as I can remember. I think its nappies and wipes now too!

My formula for this is - pack what you think you will need and then pack double LOL.

I actually wasn't a huge bleeder after I had my babies - the worst was over in a few days - but I still went through alot of undies and alot of pads at first.

Pack about 8-10 pairs of cheap, big, dark coloured undies and 2 packets of pads. The undies can just get thrown out if you bleed on them - it's not like you'd ever want to wear them again anyway LOL.

I too had visions of "niagra falls"! Tee hee. I took 10 pairs of undies with the notion that if I leaked on them I would have spares and not have to bother DH with bringing in spares. Also had the notion I could just chuck them out if they were too mucky.

I took 2 packs of Kotex and 1 of libra ultra thins and had more Kotex at home if I needed DH to bring them in (he had to bring that third pack for me). I used the thin ones when I was expecting visitors (all my visitors called first with the exception of two work friends - pitful of birthing in the hospital adjacent to work :rolleyes: ) My hospital also provided a pack of about 10 pads for initial use (but they were like surf boards so prefered my own).

HTH

MG

Oooh, good Q, I'm just packing my bags tonight (with a quick break ;) ) and I was wondering if more was better. Glad to see I was right!

Yes. Unfortunately you do bleed a lot in the first couple of days (that was a little shocking for me). I had a shower the day after I had my little girl, had a maternity pad on, sat down on the corner of the bed as my husband got dressed and as I stood up to walk off I was already leaking blood onto my pjs and the bed so the first pad lasted about 10mins. Dont be shocked though its completely normal. I took 2 packets of maternity pads and the hospital supplied one packet and I had to stop at the shops on the way home to buy another pack.

Thanks girls - i have packed 5 or 6 pairs of undies - now I know i need to double it! Cheers!

I brought about 5 pairs of super old undies. I initially had like 10 pairs in my bag but decided I had gone overboard and took some out!! I ended up having to get DH to go home and bring more for me! I also brought 2 packets of pads. The hospital provided me with surfboard pads anyway, so I didnt run out of pads luckily.

On the day my daughter was born and the day after, I was soaking through pads really quickly and it was going through to my clothes and onto whatever I was sitting on... so I ended up needing DH to bring me more pants from home too. I didnt realise I was going to bleed THAT much, but yeah it was like niagara falls.

I was obvisouly not particilarly well prepared, but now I know for if theres ever a next time!

Um, when I was awake at 2am :rolleyes: I was thinking about this, and wondering how long most of you were in hossy? I've been told to expect four nights, so maybe I need to pack more than some IYKWIM?

I was in for 3 nights... I was meant to have stayed longer but I was going a bit insane so I asked if I could go home earlier. I went through 3 packs of surfboard pads while in hospital. I think about 10-12 in each pack. First day was the worst for me, so gross tmi , but it was just dripping out uncontrollably - Just a warning :)

for all 3 of my babies I took 2 packets of maternity pads (kotex) and then I got dh to buy some smaller ones for when I came home..

My bleeding was minimal with all 3. Some people bleed alot on the first day or so. I suppose I did with my first son (natural delivery) with my other 2 they were c/s and I felt I didn't bleed as much..

but always take more then you need. :)

I took 4 pkts (7 in each).
I might have sent DH out for more though, I can't remember..I was in for 4 days though.
I also took 10 pair of disposable undies, which were remarkably comfy. I don't know if you can still get them now.

i went and bought about 10 pairs of nickers. and 1 packet of pads i think... but i sooo needed more... i hada c-sec and the mw had to change my surf boards for the first 24 hros or so... i did bleed heaps and just when i thought it was over i was at home( spent 5 days there) i had a visitor and i was sitting on the couch (while wearing a smaller pad) & i could tell i was leaking every where...and when i got up there it was a pile of blood... so i suggest maternity pads forthe first 2 weeeks!! then the super and eventually smaller size.. i bled for about 4 weeks

I had about 8 pairs of undies, all my old ones. Took 2 packs of pads. First day or 2 was really heavy and im not good with seeing blood!

when i had jelly i took about twenty pairs of knickers (but only because i hadn't yet packed my hospital bag and DH just grabbed all of them from my undie draw for me). anyway because i ended up in hospital for five day i did end up using most of the kcickers anyway. i also took two packs of maternity pads and ended up having to send dh to the shop to buy me more, on the day before i left hospital. work on the theory more is better.

I've bought really cheap oversized pairs of black undies. They were like $8 for a pack of 7 and I bought about 3 sizes above my size to allow for mat pads. I'm taking 14 pairs to the hospital altogether LOL. I'll bin them afterward and keep the ones that are keepable...this is my big reason for buying black only because of the staining.

First 3 days it's usually pretty full on, the hospital will often give you a special disposable mat thing to put under you for a couple of days too that you can throw away to prevent leakage. For the first day, I would wear a nightie/skirt/dress and hike it up under me so I'm lying on the mat, with a pair of undies on and usually have two mat pads side by side. That way, if there is any leakage, it goes on the mat and not my clothes. And of course, a sheet over everything. I bled alot with my bubs but I had retained products I found out later when I got infections both times and needed D&C after a few weeks, so I'm sure that was why I had so much bleeding initially.

It's a big reason I don't want anyone staying here after bubs is born except my mum because we only have one toilet and bathroom and I'm going to need my privacy with things like that. MIL and FIL want to stay but I honestly couldn't handle any other males in the house during a time like that, not even my dad.

I'm super paranoid/precious/private though LOL

Nothing is TMI on here Karina! That's just the sort of info I'm after, thanks heaps :)

Thanks everyone for your tips, they're very helpful for a first-timer like me!

Oh and BTW Tara, I don't think you're paranoid etc, I'd be exactly the same! NO ONE is staying here after I have bubs!

Oh god. I've got 3 packs of super-slims and DF is "allergic" to purchasing feminine hygeine products. I really hope its enough.

thanks all for your help.
I had a look at the shops today - and nothing jumped out and said "maternity" although i was expecting something to say that that was what they where designed for.
I think it was kotex (blue packet) had extra super ones, so figured that would have to do the job. I think i will get like 3 super duper packs, and then a couple of smaller normal ones. And lots of undies. I want to just chuck them out. I dont want someone else having to wash my blooded knickers. Esp for the first few days.

ETA - had a brain wave - i think it was Tena brand i seen at woolies.

If you have a look at the back of the packs they give a "Rating" as to the flow they are good for... the Kotex ones (on the back) say "heavy" "Maternity" or something like that. If it helps, all the Kotex Mat ones I've seen recently have a Pumpkin Patch Comp logo on one corner. They are a rather thick pad but you will feel "secure" with them - trust me!

In regards to having someone else wash your bloody knickers... someone in my BB group (The Lovely Lil!) suggested taking some Sard Wondersoap with you so you can give them a quick scrub in the shower. This not only "protects" your undies if you do want to reuse them but also limits the embarrassment of someone else seeing them. I found it in a stick in the laundry aisle - kind of like a deodorant stick really! Less messy than the traditional soap bar and not as chunky as the spray bottle!

HTH

MG

Thanks MG - thats a good idea RE: stick.

Now keep an open mind when reading my suggestion. I have been told by heaps of women to pack the incontinence pants (Depend from the supermarket) for the first two days so you don't have to worry about leakage at all and no staining of knickers. Then when your bleeding settles down you can switch to pads. Any way just another suggestion to consider.

Dan, I was actually considering this, but because nobody had mentioned it, I thought that it won't work for some reason. Thanks for bringing it up, I might get myself a packet.

I've packed two packs of 10. One for during labour so after my waters break I'll be able to wear them and not have gushes running down my legs all the time and they are so easy to get off becuase all you have to do is tear down the sides and off they come. So easy. The second pack will be for the first few days. That's my plan and hopefully it will work but hey no loss if it doesn't. Anything is worth a try.

Good luck with bubby. Not long now.

whats the difference between incontinence pads and normal ones?

The incontinence pads that I've bought are like a pair of knickers not just pads. They have the "pad" from the top front to top back and the sides are elastic and material and you don't have to wear knickers with them. The one's I've got are Depend full brief type. You can get one's that have the pad from front to back and are held by two pieces of elastic (not for me). Apparantely they are really good because they are so long, cover and hold so much that you don't have leakage front, back or sides between our legs.
They are in the same section as the normal pads so have a look next time you're shopping. They are more expensive than a pack of pads but you don't have to worry about staining your knickers.

i got you now. When i read your inital post, i didnt realise that you had got pants, and was all muddled up.
Ended up buying yesterday 2 packs of Tena Extra Supa, and 1 pack of Stayfree maternity. And 10 pairs black huge full brief undies. I figure, if i go early, then they are the things i dont want anyone else to have to buy for me. Hopefully, that will do. If i rinse the undies out at the hospital, then DH washes them at home, at least the blood will be gone already, and he wont see the staining....not that i would really want to hang on to them - being as attractive as they are! NOT!!

oh yeah someone in hospital (i think?) told me about the incontience pads. Apparently theyre more soft than other pads, so if you have stitches, the softer pad might be nicer.