The process of labor can be very scary, in fact, it can be even more intimidating than handling a newborn baby after it’s born. Hospitals, needles, doctors, IVs, monitors, can all be incredibly unnerving to a new mom who has never had a baby and has no idea what to expect. Usually, that’s why we take hospital tours when we are pregnant, so we can ease our worried minds. However, unfortunately, those hospital tours don’t always answer the questions we really need to know the answers to. Since you don’t know what to ask or what to expect you don’t even realize that there is some very important information left out. Here are 12 questions you need to ask the hospital when you are having your maternity ward tour.
1. Do You Have Private Rooms?
When I was pregnant one of the most important things I wanted to know about labor and delivery was if the hospital I was delivering at had private rooms. I couldn’t stand the thought of enduring painful contractions or sleeping with my new baby while someone else was on the other side of the curtain screaming in pain or trying to calm their crying baby. Ask your hospital if they have private rooms, and if so, how you can book one. Some hospitals charge extra for private rooms, while some hospitals only have private rooms for no extra charge. It will be nice to know ahead of time what to expect.
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2. How Many People Are Allowed In The Birthing Room?
Many women only want their husband in the birthing room with them, but some want their mom, sister, mother-in-law, or best friend. Be sure to ask how many people are allowed to be in the birthing room so you can plan accordingly. The last thing you want to stress about when you’re in labor is your mother-in-law’s feelings being hurt because she can’t come in the birthing room after all.
3. Will My Baby Be Separated From Me Right After Birth?
This is perhaps one of the most important questions to ask. It is very important to have contact with your baby right after he or she is born not only for you as a mom, but for the baby as well. Some hospitals believe very strongly in this and will pass the baby directly to the mom for some skin to skin contact, while others will wisk your baby away immediately to clean it up and check it out. If it’s important for you to have that special skin to skin moment, you’ll want to know the hospital’s policy. It may also be different depending on if you have a vaginal birth or c section, so be sure to ask their policy in both situations.