The Birth
- In terms of when to go into the hospital, you will need to play
it by ear. If there is any suspicion of a problem, do not hesitate
but get in there. If the water breaks, then most pediatricians will
want you to go in immediately. But often, depending on the hospital,
staying at home longer means that you can stay in your own bed and
environment instead of a waiting room or strange delivery bed in the
hospital. Showers at home are often very nice during labor and are
usually not an option at the hospital. If this is your first child,
they are going to be more likely to send you home because a lot of
first parents go in prematurely.
- They broke my wife's water in the hospital with a very large wire
with a little loop on the end. It looked like a large knitting
needle. It isn't a big deal but it can be a little scary when the
nurse whips it out. Once the water was broken, the birth process may
be accelerated so it is a feature.
- My wife opted for the epidural which went really well for
us. Your mileage may vary. They may ask the partner to step out of
the room during the procedure but if you are okay with staying, you
should insist. They will be working on the mother's back so you could
be holding her hands from the front. Remember, you are the customer.
If you are worried about how the epidural effects your baby then you
need to look at the statistics and do the reading. I'd argue that
less trama to the mother is better for the baby.
- In the hospital (at least it was this way in our hospital) the
baby belongs to the birth mother. Other people, including the
partner, are usually restricted from carrying the baby outside of the
room. This is for very important security reasons. I took Tim out to
the nursing station to ask a question and they hustled me back into
the room.
- As I mentioned in the planning
section, make sure that you understand how long you are entitled
to stay in the hospital. It is a confusing and emotional time and
it's important that you aren't surprised when they come in and remind
you that it's check out time at noon.
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