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NB friendly hospital tour - very encouraging!

BootsOrHeartsBootsOrHearts member
in Natural Birth

We did our hospital tour this week and it was very encouraging for our NB plans. They have family-centered L&D care so you labor, deliver and recover in the same room and (unless there are issues) the baby stays with us in the room and moves with us to the mother/baby suite afterwards, they never go to a nursery (unless you ask for a break). 

The labor/delivery rooms all have showers and tubs (not jetted, just regular tubs) and you can use either during labor. 

I asked about hospital policies around monitoring, IVs, hep-locks, etc. and they said it's ALL up to your OB. If OB says you don't need any, then you don't need any. They do still have a policy about clear food/drink only during labor (jello, broth, etc.) but my doula said her patients routinely sneak in granola bars and such and mostly the nurses pretend not to notice. 

This along with the fact that my OB is GLAD I have a doula and offered to have the doula come to one of my appointments so we can work out a plan together, it's all very encouraging.

I'm a FTM so I feel like a NB the first time out is a tall order because I'm not really sure what I'm in for, but I am going for it! 

**Warning: Losses and living child mentioned**
BFP#1 1/31/12, EDD 10/6/12 Harrison Gray born sleeping @ 18w6d. You changed our lives little guy.
BFP#2 EDD 10/29/13, C/P 2/25/13, Bye little Ish, we barely got to know you.
BFP#3 EDD 12/21/13, Baby Boots born 11/23/13 My rainbow baby!
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Re: NB friendly hospital tour - very encouraging!

  • ncjulia12ncjulia12 member
    I'm glad you have a great hospital lined up!  I was very encouraged when I went on my hospital tour as well and it was a pleasant surprise because I didn't know what to expect.  My hospital doesn't sound as nb-friendly as yours (I think I'm the first one ever to bring a doula!) but they're trying to be accommodating as possible and they're very big on skin-to-skin/breastfeeding/delayed cord-clamping...all the post-birth things I thought I might have to argue for.


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  • Temp174496125006552Temp174496125006552 member

    That's great!  I hope everything works out for you!

    I remember being very pleased after we did the hospital tour when I was pregnant with Ben.  Their policies were very much in line with my wishes and everything worked out really well.  Unfortunately, they closed their maternity ward a couple of months after Ben was born.  I'm 29 weeks pregnant, so I've had to find a new practice and am delivering at a different hospital.  We're doing the tour in a couple of weeks and I'm a little anxious about it.  I'm not feeling as warm and fuzzy about this OB practice (they don't have MWs, which sucks) and while they say they are supportive of NB, based on my last few appointments, I'm not sure all of the OBs really are.  My next appt is with the head OB (who I haven't met yet) and I am going to address my concerns with her.  If I don't feel better about things, I am seriously considering switching to a different practice, even though I'm due in a little over 2 months.

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