Mama La Vida Lanka: The Case of the Hospital Bag

During my 6^th month visit to my OB, I was given this list to prepare items required for delivery. 

Lanka Hospitals Colombo

Department of Gynaecology

List of Items Required for Mother & Baby

Baby

• Baby Nappies – 2
• Baby Safety Pins – 2
• Baby Caps / Socks / Mittens
• Baby Flannels (Blankets) – 2
• Baby Shirts / Baby Frocks – 10
• Baby Towels – 3
• Baby Cologne / Cream / Soap
• Small Plastic Bowl
• Baby Wrapping Sheets – 4
• Mackintosh – 1

Mother

• Bed Jackets (front Opening) – 5
• Clothes (Cheetah) – 5
• Feeding Bra – 2
• Maternity Panties – 5

The baby stuff are quite straightforward.  I just realized how British their English really is!  First, Nappies! Shoshall! If this list came from Manila it would have been diapers!  Nappies sound so much more posh and cute.  I mean compare that to diapers right?  Boring.  Hubby was right to want our kids to have a British accent.  Hahaha!   Second, I was really stuck with Mackintosh.  I mean we need a Mac for baby? Which one? Macbook? iPod? iPad?  Shoshall! So I checked with my workmate C and she said it was something like a rubber mat.  Ah... Not so shoshall after all! Haha! 

Ah ito pala ang Mackintosh!

Now, moving on to the Mother’s list two things were kind of discombobulating.  Bed Jackets?  What’s that?  Apparently it is like a pajama button down top.  Okaay...  Now onto Clothes (Cheetah)...  Cheetah?  The cheetah I know is an animal and the Cheetah Girls... Hahaha!  So I checked again with my workmate C and first of all, the pronunciation is cheeth-tha and I think it’s a Sri Lankan term.  If you’re wondering what in the world it is (like I did), it’s a wrap-around skirt.  Like a sarong.  I parked the idea and just went about shopping for all these.  I wanted my hospital bag pretty much ready by the 7^th month.  While we were shopping, hubby was the one who put two and two together pertaining to the Bed Jackets and the Cheeththa and said: “so they don’t give out hospital gowns?”  OMG.  That is what it’s for! 

My hospital get-up... Sri Lankan Style 

It’s just funny how the guy who was the manager of the baby shop we went to was explaining all these things to us and just said, “you know that’s the Sri Lankan way.”  Oh well, the Sri Lankan way.  Interesting...  Now I wonder what the list in Manila would look like?  Anyone care to share?