The Crib: A Blog for New Parents

Posted by pecuellar on 12/07/07 - 11:53 AM

When you are choosing which hospital you will deliver at, there are many questions you should consider. First, to narrow your choices you will want to check which facilities your Practitioner has privileges to practice. Sometimes your doctor will prefer a certain hospital but often they have more than one where they are willing to deliver. Then consider the following questions:

• Will the labor and delivery occur in the same room? Many hospitals now offer Labor and Delivery Suites that include a nursery area, so that your baby will never have to leave your side and you will not need to be moved to another room after the delivery.
• What are the safety policies in the hospital? Many hospital use electronic ankle monitors for babies to ensure that they do not leave a designated area.
• Who and how many people will be allowed to attend your deliver? Can you other children attend?
• Are video or cameras allowed during delivery? The hospital policy on these issues varies widely from hospital to hospital, so if you are planning a video journal of your delivery you will want to ask this question up front.
• Is there accommodation for your partner to spend the night with you in the hospital room? Many hospitals will offer a cot or fold out chair upon request.
• If you plan to breastfeed, you should ask if there is a lactation consultant on site. This may prove invaluable as breastfeeding is sometimes more difficult than expected.
• Also consider the hospitals neonatal capabilities. If something were to happen, do they have adequate staff and resources to provide your baby with immediate care?

Not all of these issues will be major considerations for you, but you will surely want to consider and inquire on a few of them. This will make choosing the hospital that is right for you a much easier decision.