[butterflydreamin...]

Hi everyone,
I am due to have my baby at Joondalup (public) in a couple of weeks and while I have (unfortunately) had some experience staying on the maternity ward as an antenatal patient I am wondering what to expect of my stay when I have my baby. As an antenatal patient I had a fantastic experience and really the only fault I can find is how long it took to discharge me. (They decided at 8am they were discharging me that day but then took until 3pm to chase up things like scripts that i needed before i could go home)

Also what do I need to take for baby? I know that they don't supply disposable nappies but will supply cloth if that's what you want to use. Do they supply anything else for baby or do I need to make sure I take in enough clothes/wraps etc? For babies clothes should I be looking at taking in the long sleeve/leg all in ones or should I be thinking more along the lines of summer wear? If I need to take wraps should I take light muslin, flannel or something even warmer?

I've wanted to ask at antenatal appointments but there never seems to be enough time, it feels so rushed, see the midwife for two minutes to get weighed/bp then back into the waiting area then see the drs for five minutes and then all done, come back and see us in X amount of time. I don't even know how many support people I can have, if i'm allowed to have a photographer taking photos of the birth or what equipment (In the way of fit balls etc) they have available in birth suite. With the birth being so close now, not knowing any of this is setting me on edge.

I hate that they assume that because I am a second time mum I would know all of this stuff but I gave birth to my first in a different state and as we all know different states, different hospitals = different policies.

[MakesMeHappy]

Hi,

I gave birth at Joondalup Public. I had a great experience


I had to provide pretty much everything for bubs. There was cotton wool balls and some bath product where you bath the babies but that's all they provided.


If you don't plan on being there long I would take in Maybe 3 all in ones and 1 singlet jumpsuit or light one. I would also take in a couple of muslin's (I like to wrap with these) and a couple of spew cloths (cloth nappies) It definatly was not cold in the rooms.


Have you had your hospital tour yet? They tell you a lot of info about the birth suite during these and you can ask all the questions you want.


I had read a lot of bad stories about joondalup hosptial but I had a great experience and would happily have another baby there. Good luck with your birth

This post has been edited by MakesMeHappy: 06/12/2012, 07:32 PM

[lucky 2]

Hi, I was also wondering if you had taken a Hosp tour and what information was given to you on booking and with each AN appt as birth approaches.
It would be unusual for a Hosp not to provide written information on their services for consumers as not everyone uses online resources.
http://www.joondaluphealthcampus.com.au/Ou.../maternity.aspx
They have a very comprehensive website, the link below is general but has information on photography and if you click the link to public patients it is great, if you scroll down there is a list of what to bring to hospital etc and services for after your birth.
I hope this helps and that you have a calm lead up to the birth of you baby .

[butterflydreamin...]

I have read all the information on their site but it doesn't match up with the answer staff has given me or other people like popples experience. For example it says one set of clothes yet popple said she had to supply everything for baby.

As I said in my OP it's very hard to ask questions at antenatal appointments due to the way they are set up, I spend all of two minutes with the midwife taking bp/weight and then pretty much rushed out the door and back to the waiting room to wait for my few minutes with the doctors. The doctors tell me they can't answer my questions and I'd be better off asking midwife but the midwife just doesn't give you that time to ask. The one time I did try to ask a midwife she told me she didn't know what I needed to take and that I'd need written permission from the head of maternity for photos but couldn't give me info on who to speak to. When I tried calling I got a completely different answer.

Hospital tour - the only time it is offered is a time we really can't make due to work and other children commmitments. (3pm Sundays)

[lucky 2]

Argh, how frustrating for you.
Something is not working well for you, I hope you get the information you need asap.
Fwiw from my experience in other public hospitals the parents need to bring everything the baby needs, ie clothes, nappies, wipes and wraps. I'd probably over pack rather than be caught short.
Would you consider ringing the Outpatients dept and telling them you need more information and how you have not been given time in appts to do so? Perhaps someone can at least talk with you on the phone and give you the opportunity to get some answers.
All the best,

[*Natski82*]

I have had two babies there and were amazing. I wanted to be discharges 24 hours after the birth of my second and quite late in the afternoon, this was not a hasstle and they did it with no drams.

I too stayed there a bit antenatal due to pre-eclampsia with my first. My DD1 spent two weeks in special care so a different experience to my second.

To be honest I just bought a small pack of huggies newborn, dummies, clothes. Anything I forgot my husband brought in for me (nipple cream, diet coke lol) Its not like you are stuck there and they have nappies, clothes etc if you do forget, they are not that mean.

Natalie

[littlesuzie]

Hi,
I pretty much took in everything myself but that was my preference. The hospital does provide basic all-in -one suits and wraps for the baby but other than straight after the birth (when the midwife dressed bubs), I preferred to use my own. What kind of wraps to pack would be your personal preference. The hospital is not cold. Why not pack a few of each.
What kind of clothes to take.....I had a December bub too and I took lightweight short and long all in ones.
They provided small bottles of Johnson's baby bath etc, cotton wool, cloth nappies.
The info provided on the website seems pretty right to me.
Good luck, don't stress!