Having a baby at hospital

Birthing Centers and Hospital Maternity Services (for Parents)

You'll make plenty of decisions during pregnancy, and choosing whether to give birth in a hospital or a birth center is an important one.

Giving Birth at a Hospital

Traditional hospital births are still the most common option. This means the mother-to-be moves from a labor room to a delivery room and then, after the birth, to a semiprivate room.

In a hospital birth:

Pain medicines are available during labor and delivery, if a woman wants them.
Labor can be induced, if necessary.
The baby is usually electronically monitored throughout the labor.

Doctors "manage" the delivery with their patients. A birth plan can help a woman communicate her preferences, and her doctor will abide by these as much possible.

Many hospitals now offer more options for low-risk births, often known as family-centered care. These may include private rooms with baths (called birthing suites) where women can labor, deliver, and recover in one place without having to be moved.

A doctor and medical staff are still on hand. But the rooms create a nurturing environment, with warm, soothing colors and features that try to simulate a home-like atmosphere that can be very comforting for new moms. Rooming in — when the baby stays with the mother most of the time instead of in the infant nursery — also is more common.

Many hospitals offer childbirth and prenatal education classes to prepare parents for childbirth and parenting classes for after the birth.

How many people may attend the birth varies from hospital to hospital. In more traditional settings, the limit might be three support people during a vaginal birth. In a family-centered setting, more family members, friends, and sometimes even kids might be allowed. During a routine or nonemergency C-section, usually just one support person is allowed.

A variety of health professionals oversee hospital births:

Obstetrician/gynecologists (OB/GYNs) are doctors with at least 4 more years of training after medical school in women's health and reproduction, including both surgical and medical care. They can handle complicated pregnancies and also do C-sections.

Look for obstetricians who are board-certified, meaning they have passed an examination by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG). Board-certified obstetricians who go on to receive further training in high-risk pregnancies are called maternal-fetal specialists or perinatologists.

If you deliver in a hospital, you also might be able to use a certified nurse-midwife (CNM). CNMs are registered nurses who have a graduate degree in midwifery, meaning they're trained to handle low-risk pregnancies and deliveries. Most CNMs deliver babies in hospitals or birth centers, although some do home births.

Registered nurses (RNs) attend births to take care of the mother and baby. If you give birth in a teaching hospital, medical students or residents might attend the birth. Some family doctors also offer prenatal care and deliver babies.

Anesthesia, if needed, will be administered by an anesthesiologist. A variety of pain-control measures — including pain medicine and local, epidural, and general anesthesia — are available in the hospital setting.

Giving Birth at a Birth Center

Women who deliver in a birth center usually have already given birth without any problems or have a low-risk pregnancy (meaning they are in good health and are not likely to develop complications).

Women are carefully screened early in pregnancy and given prenatal care at the birth center to monitor their health throughout their pregnancy.

Epidural anesthesia usually isn't offered at birth centers. So women are free to move around in labor, get in the positions most comfortable to them, spend time in the jacuzzi, etc. Comfort measures (such as hydrotherapy, massage, warm and cold compresses, and visualization and relaxation techniques) are often used.

A variety of health care professionals work at birth centers, such as registered nurses, CNMs, and doulas (professionally trained providers of labor support and/or postpartum care). A doctor usually isn't on-site and medical interventions are rare. But most birth centers work with obstetric and pediatric consultants as a team. Nurse-midwives provide care during a woman's pregnancy, labor, and delivery. The OB/GYN consultants are available if she develops complications that put her into a higher risk category.

The baby's heart rate is monitored often during labor, typically with a handheld Doppler device. Birth centers do have medical equipment available, such as IV lines and fluids, oxygen for the mother and the infant, and other equipment necessary to treat sick babies and moms.

A birth center can provide natural pain control and pain control with mild narcotic medicines. But if a woman decides she wants an epidural, or develops complications, she must be taken to a hospital.

Birth centers provide a homey birth setting for the mother, baby, and extended family. In most cases, they're freestanding buildings, though some are attached to a hospital. They often include amenities such as private rooms with soft lighting, showers, whirlpool tubs, and a kitchen for the family to use.

Look for a birth center that is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC). Some states regulate birth centers, so make sure the birth center you choose has all the proper credentials.

p

Which One Is Right for Me?

How do you decide whether a hospital or a birth center is the right choice for you?

Some things to consider:

If you've chosen a health care provider, find out if he or she can only practice at a particular hospital or birth center.
Check with your health insurance carrier to see which options are covered. Often, major insurance companies cover accredited birth centers as well as hospitals.

Some risk factors might mean that you're not eligible to deliver in a birth center, such as:

being older than 35
carrying multiples
having gestational diabetes or high blood pressure
having a breech-positioned baby

And if you want interventions such as an epidural or continuous fetal monitoring, a hospital is probably the better choice for you.

A birth center can be an option for women who:

don't have significant problems in their medical history
have a low-risk pregnancy
want a natural birth with minimal medical intervention or pain control
want friends or family members there for the birth

To help with your choice, arrange a tour of the hospital or birth center. This lets you make sure that the staff is friendly and the atmosphere is one in which you'll feel relaxed.

Having a Baby Outside of a Hospital: What You Need to Know

When you're having a baby, you can decide where to give birth. It is a personal choice, but you need good information to make the best choice. A hospital is the most common place, but there are other options. You should know the risks and benefits of each setting before you decide.

The first thing to think about is your health and pregnancy status (such as low risk vs. higher risk).

You should give birth in a hospital if:

You have a medical issue, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, that makes your pregnancy higher risk
You've had a premature birth, a cesarean delivery (c-section), or other complicated delivery before
You are pregnant with more than one baby, such as twins or triplets
Your baby is breech or in a position that makes delivery harder
Your labor starts early (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
You are 35 years or older
You have not gone into labor by 41 weeks of pregnancy
Your baby has a problem that will need care right after birth

Which birth setting is right for you?

Each type of location has pros and cons. Consider the following when making your decision.

HOSPITAL

You should consider delivery at a hospital if this will be your first baby.

Pros: Hospitals have more pain control options. If there are any problems during birth, experts are right there to care for you and your baby.

Cons: Hospitals can be more stressful and less comfortable. You'll have fewer options for delivery (e.g., birthing chairs, water birth) and you may have more interventions than you planned. Also, you may not be able to have everyone you want in the delivery room. Depending on when you go into labor, you may not know the doctor who delivers your baby.

BIRTH CENTER

Every birth center is different. Look for one accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Birth Centers (CABC). Be sure the birth center has agreements with a local hospital in case problems come up in labor or delivery.

Pros: Birth centers are often more comfortable than hospitals and more visitors are allowed. You may have a more natural delivery with fewer interventions. You'll usually have access to a nearby hospital if needed.

Cons: Birth centers have fewer pain relief options. They also have fewer resources to help you and your baby if problems occur. You may need to be moved to a hospital if there are any problems in delivery.

This is an option if you know you're having a low-risk pregnancy.

Pros: You'll likely feel more comfortable delivering at home. You may have a close relationship with your midwife. There will be fewer delivery interventions, a greater chance for natural childbirth, and less chance of having a c-section.

Cons: There is a higher risk of newborn death and seizures. You'll have limited pain control options, and there will be limited resources available to care for a newborn with problems. If there are problems, moving you and your baby to a hospital can be disruptive.

Things to consider:

Pregnancy risk. No birth is ever risk free; different birth settings have different risks. If you have health issues or if your pregnancy is not “low risk,” then hospital birth is the safest option.

Where your doctor delivers babies. Some doctors can only deliver at places where they practice. If the delivery location is important to you, choose the location and see who is available—just make sure that person is qualified and licensed.

Your location. Check your state resources on how birthing centers and midwives are regulated. Only consider out-of-hospital birth in places that have well-established regulations and agreements with local hospitals.

Cost of delivery. Many insurance policies pay for hospital births but won't pay for birth center or home delivery. You might also find that hospital delivery with insurance is still more expensive than out-of-hospital deliveries. Be sure to talk with your insurance provider.

Questions to ask your doctor:

Where do you deliver? What resources does the location have for my baby and me?

Where is the best place for me to deliver?

Who will deliver my baby?

What are the differences between hospital and out-of-hospital births?

How many people can be at my delivery?

Will my baby stay with me the whole time?

How closely can you follow my birth plan in the hospital?

CHOOSE A DOCTOR FOR BIRTH | City Clinical Hospital.

F.I. Inozemtseva

Nobody likes the unknown. She frightens us, but in childbirth this is not at all necessary: fear intensifies pain and spends more strength. So you should use every opportunity to create a pleasant and familiar environment for yourself during childbirth. And you need to start by getting to know the doctor who will take delivery. True, there is one nuance here: a personal doctor is possible only during contractual childbirth.

Define criteria

Before looking for a doctor, the expectant mother must decide how she sees her birth and what, in fact, she wants from the doctor? Does she want to give birth as naturally as possible or does she agree to some kind of intervention? Maybe the woman is set up for a vertical birth or is planning to spend the first stage of labor in some other way (for example, in a bath)? Does she expect active help from the doctor or does she only want observation and non-interference in the birth process? You can draw up a whole birth plan for yourself, in which you write all your wishes, doubts and questions. And only having understood something about your childbirth and about what kind of help is expected from a doctor, you can start looking for a specialist who will help to carry out all this.

Where can I find it?

Ideally, if the same doctor will manage the pregnancy and delivery. This is possible only in large medical clinics or in maternity hospitals, which have their own consultation centers. For nine months of constant communication, the doctor and the expectant mother will become, if not friends, then close acquaintances for sure. A woman will trust her doctor, and he will know all the features of her body, as well as the state of health and even the nature of her unborn baby.
But you can choose a doctor and immediately before childbirth, they sign a contract already from the 36th week of pregnancy. We advise you not to postpone the acquaintance, you need to meet with the doctor at least a few times to make sure how you fit each other. Indeed, sometimes the first impression is deceptive, and it will be too late to change the doctor during childbirth.

List of doctors and midwives for concluding a contract for childbirth in the maternity hospital at the GKB im. FI Inozemtseva on Fortunatovskaya street

F. I. Inozemtseva on Upper Pervomaiskaya Street

Who will help you find a doctor?

Probably the first thing that pregnant women look for when looking for a doctor is the reviews of friends and acquaintances who have already given birth, the so-called word of mouth. This is convenient: you can directly ask a young mother a bunch of questions, at the same time get yourself a first impression of the doctor - is this the person you need. Still, of course, you can read reviews on the Internet, but here it is difficult to count on reliability. After all, it is impossible to understand through the screen what kind of person is talking about the doctor, it is likely that his preferences will be very far from yours. Well, already having come to the clinic or maternity hospital, you can additionally ask for advice there. In the department where the contract for the management of pregnancy or childbirth is concluded, there are always specialists who will help you choose a doctor, taking into account the preferences of the expectant mother, and not even one. Well, then it remains only to go to get acquainted with the doctor.

First meeting

At the first meeting, in addition to any medical aspects, one should also pay attention to the character of the doctor. Some women need a kind doctor, others a strict one. Someone would prefer a talkative doctor, and someone - a laconic one. There are mothers who feel good with a cheerful person, while others need a serious specialist. All this is also important, because a woman should feel comfortable in the company of her doctor, she needs to establish contact with him. If the expectant mother takes her husband with her to the birth, then his opinion will also be important here, because then three people will already interact in childbirth. Therefore, it is necessary to come to the first meeting with the future dad.
There is one more thing - the doctor will also evaluate the couple with whom he will then have to work, so we must take into account that he, too, should be comfortable with future parents.

We pay attention

Next, we look at whether the doctor is positive? Yes, there are doctors who immediately see a problem in every complaint, not a solution, expect the worst, and even voice their concerns to the expectant mother. You need to part with such a doctor, because how pregnancy and childbirth will proceed depends largely on the psychological mood of the mother. And where can I get it if the doctor scares the woman all the time?
The doctor should also be friendly to the expectant mother and take into account her opinion.

Important little things

Discuss with the doctor all the points that concern you: how to call him for childbirth, what time he will arrive, whether he will be on vacation and whether he will leave the city. Find out how the doctor relates to pain relief in childbirth, stimulation of contractions, puncture of the fetal bladder, etc. Tell him about your wishes, because the doctor cannot read the thoughts of his patients and, not knowing what a woman wants or does not want, will act as usual, not the way she expects. You need to not only voice your preferences, but also find out how the doctor treats them, so that later it does not turn out that the doctor either did not hear the woman, or did not agree with her, but simply did not focus on this.
If the mother does not yet know what she wants from childbirth and the doctor, then you need to ask the doctor to tell you about how he prefers to conduct childbirth, what he considers necessary to do and what not, and why. After that, it will be easier for a woman to form her own opinion.

If you find a doctor with whom you are on the same wavelength, hold on tight to him. With such an assistant, childbirth will be much more productive than without it!
http://www. mama-journal.ru/

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU TO THE Maternity Hospital WHEN ADMISSIONING FOR BIRTH

What should be the bag for the maternity hospital? The main requirement 一 is that the bag must be washable. From a cloth bag or suitcase, you will be asked to transfer things to bags or transparent plastic bags. At the onset of labor or the outflow of amniotic fluid, a list of what to take with you to childbirth should be prepared in advance. These are the following documents:

exchange card (the main document of a pregnant woman)
passport, compulsory medical insurance policy, SNILS (if available)
birth certificate (provided that it was issued to you by the LCD),
medical documentation not included in the exchange card (ultrasound data, consultations of other specialists, extracts, etc.).

You can take with you to the maternity hospital when you are admitted to the maternity ward:

washable slippers
mobile phone with charger
compression stockings
ml. )

All medical care in the maternity hospital is provided free of charge in accordance with the medical and economic standards (MES) of Moscow. There is no need to come to the maternity hospital in advance before the start of labor activity in the absence of indications.

Scheduled hospitalization in the maternity hospital is carried out if there are indications in the direction of the doctor of the antenatal clinic.

Emergency hospitalization is carried out in the presence of emergency indications by the ambulance team (AMB), or in case of self-treatment with complaints to the emergency room of the obstetric and gynecological center.

Post-natal items You must bring after delivery, when you are transferred to the post-natal unit.

List of things for the mother and newborn in the postpartum department and for discharge.

The postpartum department of our maternity hospital provides the most necessary for the mother and her child. After giving birth, relatives and friends can give you the following things in a bag or in a light small bag made of polymer materials to the postpartum department:

disposable underpants - 1 pack
postnatal pads - 1 pack
small cotton towel for the body
soap, toothbrush and toothpaste
shower slippers
Abdominal postoperative bandage (necessary for patients after cesarean section)

List for the child in the postpartum department:

Diabs - 1 packaging (from 2 to 5 kg)
Wet napkins
Children's soap or gel
Cream protective under diaper

If the discharge takes place in the summer, then the child, depending on the air temperature outside, will need a vest, a bodysuit, a hat, a light blanket.