Nails & contact lenses?

[Small Flower]

Hey mums,

First time soon to be mum here!

Just wondering how to prepare for hospital and labour. I normally wear contact lenses (sleep in ones that I change monthly). When I go to hospital will I be asked to take them out? The reason I ask is last time I was in hospital (I had severe phnumonia (sp?) they never asked and kept them in the whole 2 weeks I was in hospital)

Another thing, I wear acrylic nails - which I'm gonna have taken off as time gets nearer - will I need to/or will MW insist nails are kept very short? I know these might be dumb quessies, but I just want to be prepared and have no idea!!

 

[moss]

Hi, I'm obviously not experienced with when your in labour, but your contacts should be fine unless you need surgery. We always let patients have contacts in until they're going for surgery. As for the nails, I've heard they just tell you not to paint them, which is just in case they need to monitor your blood-oxygen levels.

 

[1sttimemum]

I was able to keep my acrylic nails on during an operation under anasthetic, they like your nails to be clean so that if they have to put the finger thing on (think its the pulse monitor )then they can get a clear reading, they managed fine through my nails

 

[DebbieM]

Nah, they don't care what you wear/how your nails are etc when you're in labour. I'd certainly recommend short nails though for handling baby

 

[kalia]

Depending on your vision, I'd recommend removing your contacts. If you need surgery you would need to take them out. I don't think that would have been an easy task for me when I was taken to theatre. I just asked OH and he says that I seemed very focussed and he's not convinced I'd have managed it. I remember them asking if I was wearing nail varnish but I was so addled I didn't understand what they were asking (iy just seemed so out of context!) and they had to check my feet to see as I never answered. I didn't wear my glasses either, I wasn't looking anywhere anyway. I could see baby once she arrived without my glasses.

 

[andreag]

I'd certainly recommend short nails though for handling baby

I agree - I have my nails quite long but they are an absolute nuisance with a newborn and I cut them quite short when she was 2 days old.

 

[clarey]

I ended up being prepared for theatre in case I needed an emergency c-section and my lovely toe-nail polish had to come off (after getting my Mum to paint them for me so I would have something pretty to look at in labour lol!)
I didnt wear my lenses or my specs, was just more comfy that way, but you could take them with you for afterwards, my eyes were wayyyyy too tired for lenses though!

 

[kerryp]

if you dont wear nail polish on your toes & your feet are quite warm i would imagine the hospital could measure your oxygen saturations through the nails on your toes (that what i did with a woman today at work anyway)... if they have any problems with doing it on your toes though they might want to remove a nail. it all depends on what type of nail you have on ive found & obviously if they are polished. I managed to get away with getting my patient to warm her feet up today (the monitors work better on warm digits) so i didnt have to remove one of her acrylic nails... im such a nice nurse

 

[Sandi4Paul]

i was recommended to cut nails pre labour for holding OH's hand!

Sandi