Women who intend to give birth at home or will be at home during the confinement period, need to be properly equipped for this. Women who are arranging maternity care via a maternity care centre will receive further information about this from the maternity care centre concerned. The majority of health insurers provide a maternity care package or reimburse a payment for the purchase of a maternity care package.
Contents of the maternity care package:
- 2 large, thick disposable absorbent underpads (60 × 90 cm).
- 5 thin disposable absorbent underpads (60 × 60 cm).
- 2 packs of maternity towels.
- Several packs of sanitary towels.
- 1 pack of cotton wool (100 grams).
- 5 boxes of sterile gauzes (16/16).
- 1 umbilical clamp.
- 50 ml alcohol (70%).
- 1 bar of unperfumed soap.
- 1 thermometer (digital or mercury).
Household articles:
- A box of paper bags (large).
- 1 large plastic washing-up bowl, 2 plastic buckets.
- 1 sterilised (boiled) bottle with a wide neck, or a measuring jug.
- 1 pair of rubber household gloves (medium size).
- 1 roll of kitchen paper.
- Soft toilet paper.
- Towels.
- Pedal bin and rubbish bags.
- Washing line, drying rack or tumble dryer.
- For home birth: additional lighting, e.g. desk lamp 100 Watt.
- Nightclothes.
In the case of a home birth, or where the confinement period will be spent at home, the following should also be present:
- Rubber sheet and bedpan.
- Blocks for raising the height of the bed.
The average layette contains the following items:
- Cradle or cot (no cord, safety harness, toys or such in the bed, a maximum distance of 7 cm between the cot bars, and the distance between the edge of the cot and the mattress should be no greater than 2.5 cm).
- Changing table/chest of drawers with baby changing mat.
- Baby bath with (optional) stand.
- 1 bucket with lid.
- 6 flannel mattress pads.
- 4 sheets and 2 blankets; a duvet is advised against due to the risk of hyperthermia.
- 1 rubber undersheet (the sheet must not cover the entire length of the mattress, no plastic mattress cover).
- 6 vests/babygrows.
- 6 jumpers (cotton or terry cloth) size 62 or 68.
- 30 cotton or disposable nappies/diapers.
- 6 terry nappies/diapers.
- 6 baby facecloths.
- 2 terry towelling wraps.
- 6 small muslin squares.
- 12 (baby) safety pins or two rolls of sticky strips.
- 2 metal hot water bottles (the hot water bottles should be seamless, and have a threaded cap with rubber top and should be checked for leakage before use).
- 1 bottle and teat for breast feeding.
- 2 bottles and teats for bottle feeding.
- Measuring jug with lid (1000 ml) for bottle feeding.
- 1 bottle brush.
- Baby care articles: baby soap, oil, skin cream, hairbrush, comb, etc.
An assessment of the woman’s living accommodation will be made at some time during the pregnancy. A home birth and/or confinement period can take place in any accommodation with sanitary facilities (toilet, shower), hot and cold running water, electricity, heating and facilities for boiling water. The room the child sleeps in should be frost-free and draught-free and with sufficient ventilation. The room in which the child is bathed and cared for must have some form of heating.
It is important that women who have just given birth are not left alone for longer periods at home for the first few days postnatally, as they might not be able to call for help in the event of a calamity.