254 Where There Is No Doctor 2011
THINGS A MOTHER SHOULD HAVE READY
BEFORE GIVING BIRTH
Every pregnant woman should have the following things ready by the seventh
month of pregnancy:
A lot of very clean cloths or rags.
A new razor blade. (Do not unwrap
until you are ready to cut the
umbilical cord.)
An antiseptic soap (or any soap).
(If you do not have a new razor blade,
have clean, rust-free scissors ready.
Boil them just before cutting the cord.)
A clean scrub brush for cleaning the
hands and fingernails.
Two bowls—1 for washing hands, 1 for
catching and examining the afterbirth.
Alcohol for rubbing
hands after washing
them.
Clean cotton.
Two ribbons or strips of clean cloth
for tying the cord.
Both patches and
ribbons should
be wrapped and
sealed in paper
packets and then
baked in an oven
or ironed.