What to pack in your hospital bag can be a minefield, if you packed every single thing that someone recommends you take, you would probably need a suitcase big enough for a family of 4!
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When this conversation comes up in my antenatal classes I always recommend packing 2 bags!
One bag for the essentials for a normal straight forward.birth, where you are in hospital for a number of hours but not necessarily over night (as in a night after you give birth) and another one with extra things in case you do need or decide to stay longer.
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If you haven’t already you should definitely check out a really fantastic company called BirthBags, they have created a range of pre packed birth essentials leaving you to focus on choosing your bag.
Take a look at our range of gorgeous Ottilie bags in grey, mint and coral, which have a huge capacity and many useful little features making them perfect not only as a hospital bag but for life with your new arrival!
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In your second bag you can place extra clothes for yourself and baby, extra toiletries, more snacks and anything else you would like with you if you need or decide to stay over night or longer. This bag can be left at home but easily collected and brought to hospital by your other half or a family member needed.
Lastly one very important thing is your babies car seat, you will not be allowed out of hospital without this!
A TENS machine for labour is a safe, effective, drug free pain relief used widely during childbirth..but don’t just take my word for it, here is what other people have said…
“I couldn’t have got through my labour without my TENS machine, I took it off to go into the birth pool and I instantly required gas and air. The pool slowed down my contractions and I wish I had just continued to use the TENS machine.”
“I got from 4cm to fully and pushing with the TENS machine alone”
“I used one from early on in my first labour, I got to 9cm using just that and one paracetamol! It helped me focus by pressing the button at the start of a contraction and just after.”
“Loved mine first time round, good distraction and I felt like I was in control.”
“I used mine from the start of labour. I found it was a good distraction and something else to concentrate on.”
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The machine consists of a battery powered hand held controller, connected by leads to four large flat sticky pads. The machine sends small, safe, pulses of electrical current to your skin giving you a tingling or buzzing sensation. You also have a boost button which you press when you sense each contraction.
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-Electrical pulses prevent pain signals from reaching your brain.
-Pulses stimulate your body to release endorphins (happy hormones).
-It helps you to feel in control and therefore less anxious.
-It offers distraction from your contractions.
New research conducted in Australia found that TENS produces a significant decrease in pain during labour, and postpones the need for pain relief, without affecting your baby.
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It is best to start using your TENS machine early in labour. Get your birth partner to place the pads on your back for you- following the instructions that come with the machine. Moving around during labour helps to make the TENS more effective. Do not give up immediately if you don’t feel anything happening, in some cases it can take up to an hour for you to feel the effects.
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As a Women’s Health Physio ‘when can I return to running after birth’ is a question I get asked a lot.
It is much easier to guide someone I know with this question but there are some rules that everyone can stick to!
Firstly do not just wake up one day and think ‘today I am going to go for a run’ (having done no exercise since having your baby). Secondly just having your 6/8 week GP does not give you the OK to start running (they rarely check anything other than if you are using contraception!).
My first recommendation is that you read our other blog ‘return to exercise after having your baby’ and follow what I recommend for weeks 1-8 first. You should really build up gradually, strengthening your core and your pelvic floor before embarking on a run.
So once you are at least 8 weeks, it takes a minimum of 6-8 weeks for soft tissues to heal, let alone strengthen, (ideally even 12) will you just pop your trainers on and head out for a blast?! NO!!
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Postnatal rehabilitation is about progression, scroll through the images below to see our paced progressive training program, it is basically the couch to 5k so downloading the app might be a good idea!
If you have been a keen and regular runner either pre pregnancy or even during your pregnancy you will probably skip through the plan slightly quicker but we really would still recommend following it!
-pain anywhere in your body (unless its just your leg muscles aching)
-pelvic floor weakness or heaviness
-leaking
Should you experience any of the above DO NOT continue, either go to see a Women’s Health Physio or at least cut back and find a level which does not cause these problems to happen. It is likely that you are just not quite strong enough to cope with the intensity and you need to build your foundations a bit first! If problems continue please then definitely see a Physio!!
Lastly, when you return to running after birth, make sure you are wearing a good supportive bra, you can see our range of sports bras here!
Good luck and let us know how you get on!!
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More super simple, super yummy, super healthy snacks. Raw banana energy balls…gluten free, dairy free, sugar free yumminess.
These are such a good cup of tea snack or even for when you out and about if you parcel one or 2 up in a little container! Certainly if you close your eyes, forget about the dates and the fact they are cold they do taste a like banana bread!
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Dates 370g
Bananas 230g
Oats 200g
Walnuts 80g
Raisins 70g
Half a teaspoon of Nutmeg
Half a teaspoon of Cinnamon
A small amount of apple juice to bind if necessary.
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For more healthy snack ideas check out the rest of our recipes!
We really recommend having access to plenty of snacks when you are pregnant or a new Mum. Nutrition can be so hard as you may not find the time to prepare everyday, plus having the head space to even think what you might eat can be hard. Therefore it is good to have a complete range of snacks available to you from fresh fruit and veg, simple dried fruit and nuts, to easy packet snacks like Eat Natural Bars as well as some home made treats which you can batch make and often freeze!
Finally can find another slight variation on this recipe at the kitchen sanctuary where they roll them in coconut too- yum!
