Obstetrics

Preparing for Your Hospital Stay

Click here to download A Baby’s Coming: Information to help you prepare for the birth of your baby.

What You Should Bring

For Mother

For baby:

For your convenience, Mother and Baby packs are available for purchase containing some of the above should you require additional items.
Cost: (plus applicable taxes) 

• Mom Pack - $12.00
• Baby Pack - $15.00

Other items for sale include disposable underwear and peri bottles for cleansing following delivery, breast pump equipment, breastfeeding pillows and washable breast pads.

Balloons and Latex Products Not Allowed
For the protection of patients, staff and visitors who may have a latex allergy/sensitivity, we ask that you do not bring latex products into the hospital.

Valuables
Although we work hard to ensure a secure environment, the hospital cannot be held responsible for lost or stolen valuables.  Therefore, please leave all valuables such as jewellery, watches, and large sums of money at home.

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Midwives

Midwives with privileges at Southlake belong to one of two Practice Groups.

Southlake is dedicated to accommodating the requests of women who are in labour; however, this service can only be provided to those women who have arranged for care by a midwife and are already under their care at the time of labour.

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Cord Blood Program

Southlake supports patients who wish to participate in a Cord Blood Program.  These programs offer parents the opportunity to retrieve and store stem cells for possible future use.

Umbilical Cord Source of Stem Cells
In a newborn's umbilical cord, a high concentration of stem cells are contained within cord blood. Stem cells are the basic units in bone marrow responsible for producing all blood cells: red cells to carry oxygen, white cells to fight infection and platelets to help the blood clot.  Immediately after the birth, the blood is collected from the portion of the cord that remains with the placenta with no pain or risk to the baby. 

How Stem Cells are Used
Stem cells can be used in patients requiring bone marrow transplants; for fighting diseases such as leukemia, malignant lymphoma or neuroblastoma.  The stem cells from cord blood may also provide a better match for siblings or parents of the newborn than an unrelated adult donor match.

The choice to bank stem cells is made well in advance of labour. If you are interested in the Program, we encourage you to speak with your doctor or midwife. The Hospital fee for cord blood collection is $75.00.

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Cord Blood Programs

Cells for Life
Markham Stouffville Health Centre
Markham, Ontario
905- 472-0060
www.cellsforlife.com

CReATe Cord Blood and Peristem Stem Cell Bank
790- Bay Street Suite 1130
Toronto, Ontario
M5G 1N8
Toll Free 1-888-494-0003
Tel 416-813-4700
Fax 416-813-4725
http://www.createcordbank.com/

Insception Biosciences (formerly known as The Toronto Cord Blood Programme)
1620 Tech Ave, Unit #1
Mississauga, ON
L4W 5P4
1-866-606-2790
www.insception.com

Lifebank
1-888-888-7836
http://www.lifebank.com

Viacord
Boston, USA
1-800-998-4226

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For information on resources available to you during your hospital visit or stay (for example: parking, what to bring, discharge times and other helpful information) please click on Patients and Visitors.