Interested in home birth, hospital birth or private midwifery care? Questions or comments? Email Melissa Maimann or call 0400 418 448.
There is a fairly normal standard of events for women who give birth in a hospital setting, whether public or private.
The following information can help you to understand what may happen in labour, to give you a sense of your options and lessen any surprises. When you go to hospital in labour, you can expect to:
- be asked to remove your clothes and wear a hospital gown.
- To have a vaginal examination when you are admitted and at least every 4 hours thereafter.
- To have your temperature, blood pressure and pulse taken regularly throughout labour
- In some hospitals, continuous monitoring is used for 20-30 minutes when you arrive. In many cases, it is left on for the whole labour.
- Many women will have a cannula in their arm. Some women will have antibiotics put through this cannula; others will have IV fluids.
- You can expect food to be limited in labour. Some hospitals have a policy of ice chips only when in labour.
- You will have one or two ID bands placed around your wrist.
- If you’re giving birth in a private hospital, it’s fairly standard to have your waters broken in labour by the staff.
- You can expect to give birth lying on your back in bed with the back rest elevated somewhat. In some hospitals, stirrups are used.
- In many hospitals, pain relief is routinely offered.
- You will most likely be told when and how to push.
- Many women will be given an episiotomy.
- You will routinely be given an injection to speed the delivery of the placenta.
- Your baby’s cord will be cut before it has stopped pulsating.
Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting 0400 418 448