Giving Birth

What to bring to the hospital

In preparation for your upcoming hospital stay, the Women and Children’s Program in your hospital has developed the following list of items.

For mother:

Medicare card
Robe and slippers
Comfortable nightwear that allows for skin to skin with baby
Supportive bra or nursing bra (We encourage sports bras, no underwire)
Personal items such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, brush/comb, deodorant, soap, and lotions
- Please no scents!
Do not wear nail polish or shellac polish
Full size underwear (4 – 5 pairs, no thongs). You will be given 1 pair of mesh panties for immediate use post-delivery.
Sanitary napkins (maxi or super absorbent pads)
Breast pads
Breastfeeding pillow if you wish to use one
Comfortable outfit to wear home
Prescription medications (Nurse is required to view the actual prescription on the bottle)
Birth plan (when completed, discuss with physician)

Please note: Do not bring valuable items or large amounts of money to the hospital.

For newborn:

3 – 4 receiving blankets
3 – 4 baby sleepers
1 blanket
1 small package of newborn diapers, size 1
Small containers of baby soap, diaper cream and shampoo
Outfit for going home
Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) approved car seat

Labour and Delivery Prenatal Classes

A series of videos to watch from the comfort of your own home, at your own convenience.

We welcome your feedback on these videos. Click here to complete a survey.

Facebook Live: Breastfeeding Q&A

Breastfeeding isn’t always easy, and Horizon is here to help you on your journey. Horizon lactation consultants Kelly and Christina answer breastfeeding from parents.