3 Tips For Preparing To Deliver Your First Baby At The Hospital
If you’re pregnant and are planning to deliver your baby in the hospital for the first time, you might be a little nervous about how everything will go to the hospital. While we’ve all seen or heard horror stories about bad hospital experiences or potential malpractice taking place at a hospital, these types of situations are usually the exception, not the rule. But by coming into the situation prepared, you can help set yourself and your baby up for an even more successful experience during your labor and delivery. To show you how to do this, here are three tips for preparing to deliver your first baby at the hospital.
Make A Visit Before The Big Day
To ease your own mind and get a better feeling for how the whole process will work at the hospital, What To Expect recommends that you make a visit to the hospital before your due date arrives. During this visit, see if you can get a tour of the labor and delivery unit and see what the rooms look like where you’ll be staying. Additionally, you should also pre-register during this visit, which will make the day of your delivery go by much smoother from an administrative standpoint. If you have any questions or uncertainties, your visit to the hospital is the perfect chance for you to get the information you need and help you feel more prepared for the big day.
Know Who Can And Will Be In The Room Or Visit You
In many hospitals, there are rules and regulations about who can come to visit you, when visits are possible, and how many people are allowed to be in the room with you when you’re laboring and delivering. According to Evonne Lack, a contributor to Baby Center, many mothers only want certain people to visit them when they’re in the hospital, as getting many people in your room while you’re trying to recover can be overwhelming. If this sounds like a situation you might find yourself in, you can ask the nurses to only allow in those people on a specified list.
Consider A Birthing-Center Room
One of the reasons people sometimes choose to have a home birth rather than giving birth in a hospital is the comfort of the rooms. But according to Gayle Sato and Jennifer Cody Epstein, contributors to Parents.com, many hospitals now have birthing-center rooms, which are much more homey and personal than just a standard delivery room. Talk to your hospital about what options they have available for delivery or birthing-center rooms to ensure you find something that works for you.
To ensure you have a positive experience with your labor and delivery, consider using the tips mentioned about to help you prepare for your upcoming hospital birth.
