Hygiene in public hospitals - experiences?

Licquorce, I had my daughter by emergency c-section in POW. She spent the first night in the nursery as I could not walk after the spinal block but the next morning she was beside me and stayed there until I left 3 days later. The only time she was brought to the nursery was to be bathed. She also slept beside me at night.
 
I think if you indicate before giving births that you want to BF exclusively, they will do as you wish. In my case, I had C/S and had general anesthesia. When they moved me to the ward, they put the baby next to me and helped me so the baby will have a good latch. Afterwards, they put him back to the nursery and bring him back every 2 hours or so until I was able to walk to get him myself. He can room-in with you if want to.
 
Kaikosmum... I'm going to be delivering at United Christian very soon. Any tips? I went there on the weekend but couldn't go into the delivery room to check it out. There was a closed door through which you have to speak to the nurse. Couple of questions: 1) Did you call the hospital before going in?
2) Did you have to speak to someone through the intercom to enter the delivery suite?
3) At what stage did you tell them your preference for breastfeeding?
4) Do you know if it's possible to get a semi-private room?
5) There's a list of things to take to government hospitals on this site... like maternity pads with string. Does the hospital insist on any of this stuff? I don't remember getting a list of what to take from the maternal health care centre. Does the hospital provide anything?
6) Do you have to give them clothes for your baby or do they have standard hospital clothes?

Sorry for the barrage of questions... there's not that much info on United Christian on this site, so would be helpful for those of us who are going to deliver there to get some firsthand recent feedback.
 
1) Did you call the hospital before going in?
no, just show up
2) Did you have to speak to someone through the intercom to enter the delivery suite?
just buzz them if you arrive and the door is closed. besides, you don't go directly to the delivery suite. you go to the ward and they will transfer you to the delivery suite when it becomes necessary.
3) At what stage did you tell them your preference for breastfeeding?
go with a couple of copies of your birthplan, just in case there is a shift change during your labour. give one to the nurse upon admittance and then again to the nurse/mid-wife when you get to the delivery suite. have a spare copy just in case.
4) Do you know if it's possible to get a semi-private room? on a firs-come, first-served basis. also, they will charge you retroactively... so beware, it may cost a lot more than you are anticipating.
5) There's a list of things to take to government hospitals on this site... like maternity pads with string. Does the hospital insist on any of this stuff? I don't remember getting a list of what to take from the maternal health care centre. Does the hospital provide anything?
hospital provides nothing... that's why they tell you to bring it...
6) Do you have to give them clothes for your baby or do they have standard hospital clothes?
they will have standard wraps for the baby, but you WILL need to bring clothes for baby to go home in.
 
Ok, about the birth plan. At no stage during my appointments at the maternal health care centre or TKO hospital was I told I needed to make one or how to do it. Is this something you have to specifically request? Basically, I have only two points: a) my husband be there for the birth (which they told me I just need to inform the nurses about) and b) I want to exclusively breastfeed if possible. So I guess the plan would be only 1 point... but anyway, how does one go about making one?

Also, for what to take to the hospital... the list I got was from this site. But I wasn't given a list at the MCH. And the list on this site says something like old-style maternity pads, which are a pain to find. Are they really necessary?

So the hospital won't even provide a hospital gown? I need to take pjs or something?
 
they provide a gown and actually prefer you to wear their clothes. i just took the sticky bottom mat. pads. they didn't have any problem with it...
 
sorry, no idea. my first was born by emergency c-section and my second was a planned c-section with general anesthesia.
 
Carang / Kaikosmom, why did you have generals for your c-sections? Was it your choice or the aneasthetists recommendation? I'm not clear on the benefits / drawbacks versus an epidural or spinal block... Was it okay or would you do something different if you did it again?
 

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