so I was thinking of throwing a pack of cards in the bag, as well as my computer and charger. I figure labor could be a long process (esp once I get my epi and I'm comfortable!) so it might be nice to have "things" to do.
am I totally nutso for thinking I'll be using netflix or watching a movie with DH?
what did you do during labor, if yours was long?
nectarine / 2039 posts
Mine was quick but I did need something to keep my mind off things in the beginning. Would have used my cell phone (internet) for that as I walked around but my phone ran out of batteries! Luckily the tv worked in the room and I watched tv as I walked around and did some 'get things moving' poses. Shortly thereafter it was all toilet-shower-survival time. 
But that is a really good point that if you have long labour you should maybe bring some things to read and do.
pomelo / 5178 posts
The first time, I brought movies, books, and the laptop to keep me entertained during labor. I didn't use any of those things. Before I got the epidural, I was concentrating very hard and didn't want distractions; after I got the epidural I slept for a couple hours and then had a baby, so I didn't really have time. With my second, I didn't even bother bringing that stuff, and had a very similar experience pre and post epidural. Both labors were about 12 hours total, 4-ish hours from the epidural until the baby was born.
ETA: Oh, I did have the tv on at the end of both labors, but I wasn't really paying attention. It was more for background noise.
coconut / 8305 posts
Well, mine was unmedicated so once I hit transition, well more like 6 almost 7 cm, I spent all of my time concentrating on labor. Before that though I spent alot of time chatting it up with my midwives and DH, rocked and hummed through contractions, and then got back to talking. lol
GOLD / wonderful pea / 17697 posts
When my epidural was up and running I napped some (I had been awake nearly 24 hours by the time I got it), browsed the web on my Kindle (I even posted to HB!) and watched the Olympics with DH, my mom, MIL & FIL. Mostly I just relaxed and enjoyed the lack of pain, though.
papaya / 10560 posts
Mine happened so fast I didn't even have time to do anything. My water broke at 1050p, at hospital by 11, had a baby by 155a...although that's far from norm. I had my iPad and barely even touched it the whole hospital stay.
pear / 1586 posts
I got to the hospital at 7-8cm so all I did was stay in the shower until pushing time (unmedicated delivery). Luckily for me early labor happened during the night while I was sleeping. I had wanted to bake cupcakes before we left,but alas it did not work out. No harm in bringing the stuff just in case though.
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
I had my cell phone and an extension cord. It's all we both needed. We took magazines, cards and a book with us. None of those got used. I needed quick entertainment, not something that might go on for a while. The extension cord was KEY since the plugs were so far away.
blogger / pear / 1964 posts
@mediagirl: the extension cord is a great idea! I'm planning on bringing my iPad, but wouldn't have thought about the distance to an outlet.
grapefruit / 4823 posts
i was induced so me and DH talked, watched tv and i played words with friends on my phone. people know when things were starting to really happen because i stopped playing lol
pineapple / 12526 posts
I read Game of Thrones through the early part. Once things heated up and my epidural failed, i wasnt doing anything but laying there in pain.
pomegranate / 3350 posts
I did not do much of anything during labor besides focus on getting through contractions and talk a little bit when not contracting. Once I got the epidural I was in such a daze that I just laid there for like an hour and then it was time to push. My actual labor from Pitocin to baby was about 7 hours.
I was in the hospital for days before active labor started and during that time I watched some tv (we don't have cable so it was kind of a treat), used our Kindle Fire, and just generally hung out. I didn't use any of the books or magazines that we brought because it required too much attention. I probably would have liked to watch a movie.
persimmon / 1341 posts
I say pack a few things. If you dont use it, oh well. I used my iPad and iPhone to watch Netflix, read blogs, play games, etc. Also watched a bit of the olympics. I liked having something to take my mind off things. I also took a couple cat naps.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
I was induced, so for the first couple hours I ate some light food, drank lots of water, talked with my mom and nurses, had DH give me a massage, and I took a nap. Once my water broke, I started active labor and did nothing but focus on labor. I had an unmedicated birth.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
Oh! I should say, I was pretty bored after giving birth lol. I had to stay in the hospital and extra day cause of some meds I was on. I cuddled with my baby a lot, but I couldn't sleep, so when my sister or mom or sister were holding baby, I was so bored! lol
I was on Facebook haha!! and checked my phone a lot.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
After getting the epidural I slept (had been up all night in labor ) and watched tv.
GOLD / papaya / 10166 posts
My water broke at 8pm, got to the hospital at 9pm... got the epidural right after I got in there and then tried to sleep. (It's really hard to sleep after you get the epidural because you have the blood pressure machine taking your blood pressure every 15 min)
kiwi / 678 posts
I talked, did crossword puzzles with my husband, and watched shows on my Kindle up until transition. Then I got an epidural and pushed my kid out within the hour.
grapefruit / 4819 posts
Before I got the epidural, I couldn't do anything but focus on labour. Once it was in though, I mostly chatted with DH and our midwife, although I did sleep some and also read a fair a bit. I had brought cards and our iPods but just wasn't in the mood for them.
pomegranate / 3438 posts
Before the epi I was too focused on getting through each contraction. After the epi I still needed to concentrate to get through the contractions. I wasn't feeling pain, but I did feel lots of pressure. I also tried to doze a little bit. Three hours later it was time to push.
hostess / wonderful honeydew / 32460 posts
I was in labor from 2am-2pm so I rested and got through contractions. Was so tired! Took a nap after I got my epi.
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
hmm maybe i'll just bring the computer (we'd be bringing it to the hospital anyway, to upload the photos off the memory card) and play it by ear.
I never would have thought of an extension cord! I wish I'd peeked at where the plugs were when we were on our tour. The L&D rooms themselves are really tight anyway.
I don't have a tablet, just computer and iphone, so I'm afraid that I don't have anything super portable (assuming I'll kill my iphone battery!). If we don't use it, we don't use it 
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I labored at home for about 6 hours, in that time, I baked a cake, mopped the floors and did some laundry. When my husband came home, I took a bath.
When we got to the hospital, I didn't do anything for entertainment. I basically spent the entire time bent over at the waist, working through my contractions.
cantaloupe / 6146 posts
I was in labor for 29 hours. The first 2 hours I was ok to watch a movie. The next two hours I put on a movie and watched moments of it. The next two hours I put on a movie and didn't watch a darn thing of it.
The next 23 hours I really only focused on the contractions/nurses/doctors. Even once the epidural was in I only focused on the contractions/doctors/nurses--I'm beginning to think that mine not only gave me a bad effect but maybe it didn't work very well. No, really. Goodness that sounds so boring! It wasn't. I was tired the whole time though.
grapefruit / 4800 posts
Once I got to the hospital but before the epidural it was mainly just trying to get through the pain. I was very touch, noise sensitive so I didn't want to talk much or watch TV or really do anything but rock in the rocking chair. I tried showering and would talk with my husband a bit between contractions but most of the time the contractions were coming quickly so I just was resting in between.
Once I had the epidural I was a lot more chatty. A couple of the nursing students came by and kept me company for awhile while my husband went to get some food (I was so hungry and they wouldn't let me eat so I told him to go down to the cafeteria to get food so I didn't have to smell it). I talked to my husband and watched the monitor, poked my belly and tried to rest.
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
I watched movies on netflix streaming on my phone! until the contractions got unbearable. After my epi I slept! But I would have watched more movies if I wasn't sleepy, I think!
nectarine / 2504 posts
We brought our laptop, DVDs, and Kindle with us but in the end I only used my phone to text friends and watched Mad Men on TV. They kept airing the episode where Don's wife sang Zou Bisou Bisou.
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