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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