Hosptial Stay

What to expect

Great news, you're going into the home stretch and there isn't much left but to go through the delivery process and get some paperwork in order. Sounds simple, right? Well there's a few things you need to prepare for as you get ready for the delivery process.

Hospital Bag

We have a few more details here about what to include in the hosptial bag but suffice to say this is going to be your essentials for your time in the hosptial.

Food and drink

Speak with your partner about how they feel regarding food and drinks. Some women don't mind if you eat in front of them whereas others might be aggravated as they can't until after delivery. Have these conversations prior to them becoming a problem. We recommend eating protein rich foods (meats and nuts) and drinking both water and drinks with electrolites.

Health standards

While many nurses are top tier when it comes to care and knowledge, there may be exceptions which aren't as on the ball as they should be. Ensure you're knowledgeable about what should and shouldn't be happening through the process.

Fundal Massage

The fundal massage is a technique used to reduce things like bleeding and cramping of the uterus after childbirth. While this process not only helps to mitigate some of the pain after birth, it's also a key component in preventing postpartum hemorrhages and preventing uterine atony where the uterus lacks muscle tone.

Hemorrhaging

Made popular by the media as a common occurance during and after pregnancy, according to March of Dimes there's a 1%-5% chance on having a hemorrhage. These don't always occur during the birth and can happen up to 12 weeks after having a baby. Make sure you continue drinking fluids and keeping your iron content up to help prevent this.

Preventative care

There are some vaccines which are commonly given to babies shortly after delivery to help prevent common illnesses. We strongly advise innoculation of your children to prevent easily avoidable illnesses. If there are specific concerns or you have additional questions, please let your care provider know and they can explain what the innoculations are for and why you should have your baby get them.

Mental stability and peace of mind

Most of the items people think of when it comes to hospital stay revolve around the physical. Food, water, sanitation, but what plays an equally important role is the mental and emotional well being of the parent. Don't be afraid to set boundaries with friends and family on when or if they are able to visit in the hosptial. Maybe you and your partner don't feel comfortable exposing the baby until they're a few days old, or maybe a few weeks old. That's your call. Allow yourself time to breathe and process this new reality you're living in. Wether through natural birth of Caesarean, the birthing process is traumatic for many, don't rush through the mental processing because others are in a hurry to see the baby. This is about you and your baby. Everyone and everything else can wait.