Day Wear

• Comfortable clothes suitable for breastfeeding, which open at the front or separate at the waist
• Bras – maternity bra or soft bra (as breast size can vary significantly)
• Breast-pads
• Underpants suitable for wearing a sanitary pad

Night Wear

• Nighties or pyjamas, dressing gown (remember convenience for breastfeeding), slippers with good grip soles

Also Bring

• Birth plan
• West Coast Breastfeeding Handbook
• Breastfeeding Plan
• Relaxation CDs / iPOD
• Maternity notes
• Nutritious snacks
• Barley sugars for labour
• Camera
• Pen (for completing baby’s feed chart)

PLEASE LEAVE VALUABLES AT HOME

Optional

• Biscuits / snacks, fruit
• Decaffeinated coffee or herbal tea
• Lip balm
• Headband/hair ties
• Pillow / pillow case
• Jandals for shower

For Baby in the Maternity Unit

• Hat and booties (woollen)
• Baby wrap – shawl or blanket
• Baby clothes, including singlets, gowns or ‘all in ones’
• Something to wipe baby’s bottom (e.g. soft cloths)

Car seat

In accordance with NZ legislation your baby must travel in a car seat. Please make sure you are familiar with how to put your seat into your car and that your car seat complies with NZ Safety Standards.

Find a child restraint technician

Make sure you are familiar with how to install your baby / child car seat into your vehicle and that it complies with New Zealand safety standards. To find a local child restraint technician to assisting in fitting your car seat, please click here:

• Find a child restraint technician

Child Restraint Information

For more information on NZ child restraints, please click here:

• More info about NZ child restraints

Preparing for going home

On the day of your discharge please arrange to be picked up and plan to leave by 11.00 am. You will need to ensure you have a car seat to take baby homeand suitable clothing for baby.

Before coming into hospital, please notify your Lead Maternity Carer (LMC) midwife who will arrange your admission to hospital.

In some circumstances partners may be allowed to stay in the unit overnight. However, this depends on whether there is space in the unit at the time, and is at the discretion of the unit manager.

Motherhood is a special, but tiring time.  Mums and Babies need time to get to know each other and bond.

Mums will be asked to nominate up to two visitors who will be able to visit them at any time (this can be negotiated if required).

All other visitors can only visit between 4.00pm and 8.00pm.

No children under the age of 16 years, apart from siblings are to visit.

To keep our Mums, babies and everyone safe:

• Sterilise hands on entry to the Maternity Unit
• Do not visit if there any signs of coughs, colds, sore throat, infection or a runny nose
• Do not visit if you have had diarrhoea or vomiting  within the last 48 hours

Please use hand sanitiser provide in the ward before and after touching a baby or new mother.

After-hours access

To access after 8.30pm and before 6am (if you are one of the mother’s nominated visitors) enter the front doors of the main entrance to Grey Base Hospital. On the right hand side there is a red phone which will connect you directly to the front desk receptionist.  The receptionist will open the doors and let the Maternity ward know you have arrived.  If you require assistance, an orderly or Maternity Unit staff member will escort you.

There is a card payphone in the main corridor on the ground floor, opposite the entrance to Hannan Ward.

The television in the McBrearty Ward lounge is available for patients and visitors to watch. There are no televisions in any of the bedrooms.

The Grey Star has a newspaper stand adjacent to the main entrance, Grey Base Hospital. The Christchurch Press can be purchased from Vibe Cafe. The News (Westport newspaper) can be purchased from main reception, Grey Base Hospital.