The hospital essentials list

Dear Dr Mitchell,

Can you tell me what are the things that are absolutely essential for me to take to the hospital while giving birth? Why can’t I wear a weave or braids? And why do I have to remove my nail polish or acrylic nails? These are all on the list I got from the clinic, but I don’t know what a lot of the stuff are for, like olive oil and rubbing alcohol, and why certain rules are made. 

Congratulations on your pregnancy! The shopping list is designed to help you to organise the things that you buy for both yourself and the baby and helps to reduce the problems with buying unnecessary things that you do not end up using.

The shopping list is usually organised into the separate lists for the mother and the baby. 

The mother’s list includes:

2 wash rags

2 packs of maternity pads

2 brassieres (2 cup sizes larger than usual)

1 bath soap

1 roll of toilet tissue

1 sheet

Incontinent pads (to prevent leakage)

Basin

2–3-night gowns and 2 dusters

Rubber slippers for bathing

6-8 panties

2 dark half slips

Toothbrush

Toothpaste

Deodorant

2 plastic bags for dirty clothes

Clothes to wear home. 

The shopping list for the baby includes:

Small roll cotton wool balls

Baby wash or soap substitute (eg emulsifying ointment)

4-6 changes of baby clothes

1 diaper cream eg zinc in castor oil, petroleum jelly

1 pack diapers or 12 cloth nappies

Wash rags

Baby wipes

Bath towels

Receivers/blankets

1 bottle of 70% clear alcohol

1 bottle of olive oil

Socks and caps

Crib net

Small basin. 

The olive oil is used in the bath water or to apply directly to the baby’s skin to soften the skin and prevent dryness and cracking of the skin. The rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs are used to clean the baby’s umbilical cord to prevent infection. The cord is cleaned at least twice daily and is usually done at each bath time.

You can wear weave or braids but you should do it in a manner that you can lie flat on the back of your head. If you need to have surgery done it is difficult to manipulate your head if the weave or braids is excessive. This can pose a problem for the anaesthetist.

You do not have to remove nail polish or acrylic nails but you should ensure that the nails are not too long because this will make it difficult to clean your hands properly and effectively manage the baby in a safe way. It also will pose a problem for the pulse oximeter (machine that checks the oxygen level in the blood) to fit onto your finger properly to read your oxygen levels. The doctors and nurses can sometimes get around this by placing it on your earlobe with good effect.

If you have body piercings you should remove unnecessary rings before coming to the hospital as this will reduce any unnecessary delay in the event that an emergency caesarean section is necessary to save the life of the baby or yours. Remember to bring all the medications that you currently take to the hospital. Do not over shop since the baby grows quickly and will not fit into the newborn clothes for too long.

Wishing for you a safe delivery and happy parenting.

Best regards. 

Dr Sharmaine Mitchell is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Send questions via e-mail to allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com; write to All Woman, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or fax to 876-968-2025. All responses are published. Dr Mitchell cannot provide personal responses. 

DISCLAIMER:

The contents of this article are for informational purposes only, and must not be relied upon as an alternative to medical advice or treatment from your own doctor.