Are you getting close to your due date? Here are some tips to help you prepare for your hospital stay.
When you're pregnant, you're a sponge for information. The week-by-week updates and message boards can be helpful – but the advice can sometimes be too general. Our experts are here to answer any questions you might have.
To help you get ready for labor and delivery, here are a few unique things we've heard expectant parents say they wish they'd known before heading to the hospital.
Before You Go to the Hospital
Once you're at the hospital, a nurse will check your baby's heart rate, how dilated you are and if it's time to be admitted. Here are a few things to think about before then:
1. Know when you'll go. Ask your pregnancy care provider when they recommend you go to the hospital. This can vary from person to person depending on your pregnancy history. Keep your provider's phone number handy and be sure to call if you think it's time to go.
2. Have a backup route. Ever noticed how traffic is worse when you've got somewhere to be? Make sure you have a safe way of getting to the hospital, and know alternative routes, in case traffic is an issue.
3. Eat something before you head in, unless you are scheduled to have a C-section. Once you're at the hospital, you might not be able or want to eat. If there's time, grab a light bite. The hospital has several food options, but if you have a favorite snack you'll want after your baby is born, make plans to bring it with you, or have someone bring it for you.
You may have dietary restrictions around your delivery time, so you should check with your pregnancy provider about these during your routine check-ups.
4. Focus on comfort. If you're deciding what to wear before and after childbirth, consider soft, stretchy clothes, plus no-slip socks and slippers if your feet swell. Also, the hospital has pillows, but some patients say they're more comfortable with one from home.
5. Don't stress too much about what you pack. Forgot a toothbrush? Don't sweat it. The hospital has all the essentials for you and your baby, including basic toiletries, diapers and wipes.
Off to Labor and Delivery
If you're in labor, you'll be admitted and will head to your labor and delivery room – also known as your home away from home for the next little bit. Now's the time to put your birth plan into action. This could include soft music, a sound machine, a yoga ball or whatever relaxes you until you're 10 centimeters dilated.
Also, in case you didn't know:
1. Ask questions. Your care team will explain what's happening throughout your labor and delivery. If there's something you don't understand, don't hesitate to speak up. The more you know about what's going on, the more at ease you'll be.
2. You might meet different nurses and doctors. Depending on how long you labor, it's normal for there to be a shift change – rest assured everyone's there to make you feel comfortable and cared for.
3. There are 4 stages of labor. The first stage of active labor starts when you're dilated to 4 centimeters and ends when you're about 10 centimeters. The second stage is when your baby moves through the birth canal – this is when you start pushing. After your baby is born, you enter the third stage and deliver the placenta. And at last, the fourth stage – which is when you begin recovering.
4. Don't worry if plans change. Labor and delivery is different for every patient and for every baby. Some are fast; some are slow. Some are easy; some are challenging. Plans can change in a moment. But know your care team will be helping you every step of the way.
After Your Baby is Born
You'll get to hold your little one right away to begin bonding and breastfeeding. Keep baby in the room with you and place your baby skin-to-skin on your chest often. Your doctor will make sure you and baby are headed into recovery healthfully. If additional exams or observations are required, your care team will communicate those needs with you.
As you start recovering, remember:
1. Rest, hydrate, snack, repeat. Take time to rest as much as you can in the hospital, and drink lots of water. You might not be hungry yet, but especially if you're breastfeeding, try to snack on high-calorie, nutritious foods, like peanut butter and nuts.
2. Contractions after birth are common. These are called afterbirth pains, and it's your uterus shrinking back down to its regular size.
3. It might hurt to go to the bathroom or sit. This is common after vaginal deliveries. Your nurses will help you find items to help you get more comfortable, like spray bottles of water, numbing spray and a waffle pillow.
4. Don't leave until all your questions are answered. Whether it's a doctor, nurse or lactation consultant, now's a great time to ask all those last-minute questions.
5. It is best to get up and move around soon after birth, but exactly when you start depends on the type of birth experience you had. Your care team will help you can help you decide how mobile you should be and when. Moving around lowers the risk of blood clots in the veins of your pelvis, legs, ankles and feet. It also helps with better bladder and bowel function and lessens your pain or discomfort, even with C-section.
When it's Time to Go Home
You might be emotional. In addition to the changes of becoming a parent, your body will go through changes of its own. It's okay and very normal to feel like you're on an emotional rollercoaster. Even right after birth, mental recovery can be just as challenging as physical, so talk to your doctor if you need extra help – they can connect you to support resources, like a maternal wellness program for postpartum depression. Postpartum depression can appear any time during the first few months to one year after your birth. Be honest about how you are feeling and reach out for help if you are having trouble engaging with your baby.
2. Be car seat ready. You will need to have baby's car seat base installed in your vehicle and the car seat in your hospital room before you are discharged. When it is time to head home, the team will ensure your baby is properly secured in the car seat.
3. Breastfeeding might not be easy. Books and articles make it sound so easy, right? The truth is breastfeeding doesn't always come naturally for mom or baby. Take your time as you learn together and listen to your body and your newborn. Our lactation consultants are here to meet with you one-on-one to help you achieve your feeding goals.
4. Take care of yourself, too. All your focus is on the baby – it's easy to forget about someone else: yourself. Ask for help, and rest when you can, even if it's just closing your eyes for a few minutes
Still have questions about labor and delivery? The best advice comes from your doctors and nurses. Also, the childbirth educators at Atrium Health Floyd Childbirth Education offers classes specific to postpartum care and newborn health and safety.