Hospital Tour Experience and Questions

Knottie22668383 · June 2017

I just went on my hospital tour and I felt like I was the only one who really cared about the tour. I had three pages of questions and I was the only one asking any questions. It was like the other moms and dads were just there to look and not really get to know the facility. I got so discouraged and upset that I stopped asking questions. But the Labor and Delivery nurse was kind enough to give me their direct number so that all my questions could be answered. My favorite part was the end where we got to see where the nursery is located. There were a few newborns in there and my heart melted.

I'll post my questions in a separate comment in case someone.might find one or more useful.

Have you had your hospital tour?
What was it like? Good, bad or neutral experience?
Was there anything that surprised you?
What did you consider to be your favorite part?
Is there any advice you would give to someone who is about to go on a tour?

Knottie22668383 · June 2017

I printed out a copy and took notes during the tour.

Hospital Tour Questions & Notes

Hospital Logistics & Room Information

-Parking & Admission Information

1. Where is the best place to park? Parking costs? Is there valet and at what times?

2. Would I be allowed to get a wheelchair or do I have to walk in? Can I have a wheelchair now?

3. May I pre-register, after the tour, while I am here?

4. When I arrive, will I still have to fill out or sign any forms and check in or will I be able to go straight to the maternity ward? Is there an after-hours entrance?

5. If I believe I am in labor, where will I initially be examined? Will I have to wait in a general waiting area, triage, or will I be brought to a private room?

6. What items should I pack in my hospital bags for myself, my husband, and children? Are the gowns breastfeeding or breast pump friendly or should I bring my own nursing clothes? Am I allowed to bring my own blanket or pillows?

-Visitor Information

1. What are the visiting hours?

2. Is there a waiting room or lounge for extra family members and visitors?

3. Is there an age limit for visitors and sibling visits?

4. Are young children allowed to stay? Can I set up a pack 'n play for said child?

5. Who can be in the room during labor? During delivery? Postpartum?

6. Is there a limit to the number of people?

7. How do you deal with unwanted visitors or phone calls during labor, birth and postpartum?

-General Information

1. How many births take place at this hospital on average each day?

2. What happens if the L&D floor is full? How often does that happen?

3. Is this a teaching hospital? Do you utilize students or residents? Will they attend my labor and birth? What are they able to do or do they just watch what is going on? Can I request that they not attend if I don’t feel comfortable with them there?

4. Is there good cell service in the L&D rooms and postpartum rooms?

5. Is there wireless internet access?

6. Is there a NICU? What floor is it located on? Is it easy to access from the postpartum rooms?

-Room Information

1. Are all labor and delivery rooms completely private?

2. Can my husband take a shower if needed?

3. Are sitz baths available?

4. Are all the rooms the same? Are some smaller/less renovated, etc?

5. Will I be in one room during my entire stay, or will I be moved around?

6. Will I have a private tub or shower for my postpartum room, or will I have to share?

7. May I see a private and semi private room?

8. Will will there be a TV in each room? What channels do you have? Does it have an HDMI port?

9. Can my husband sleep in my room? What accommodations are there for him (BYO)?

-Food Information

1. Where’s the cafeteria? What time does it open and close and on what days? How do you order food?

2. Are we allowed to have deliveries or bring in outside food? Even late at night?

3. Is there a fridge in any of the rooms?

Labor & Birth

-General Information

1. If my pregnancy becomes high risk what services can you provide? Will I be relocated to another facility? And if so, what are the top three options?

2. What is the induction rate at this hospital? Avoidable? Episiotomy rate? Avoidable? Cesarean rate? Avoidable? Augmentation rate? Avoidable? Forceps/vacuum rate? Avoidable? What are your maternal and infant mortality rates? Unplanned c-section rates?

3. Who should I give my birth plan to? Will the nurse be comfortable with a birth plan that may include things they aren’t used to if my midwife/doctor has signed off on it?

4. Will the hospital/on-call doctor go along with my birth plan if my doctor is not on-call?

5. If a c-section is necessary, what is the procedure? Is there anything I can do to prep beforehand?

6. What are perineal massages and is that done here?

7. What sort of monitoring do you have and how often is it done? Is wireless monitoring available?

8. What labor and birthing equipment do you provide? For example, birth balls, peanut balls, squat bars, showers, jetted tubs, rocking chair, birthing stool, etc.

9. Will nurses be able to assist me in finding positions and exercises to help my labor progress?

10. What are the policies on cameras and video cameras during labor, pushing, and birth? Are recording devices allowed in the delivery room or operating room (if you are getting a c-section)?

11. What positions do you allow mothers to give birth? Can I push in more ways than just on my back in stirrups? Can I push on my side, on hands and knees, squatting, etc.?

12. How comfortable is the hospital with natural births?

13. What pain management options are available? What is the average time a laboring mother needs to wait for an epidural? Is there always an anesthesiologist on site?

14. How often are pelvic exams performed during labor and after delivery?

-Personal Labor Information

1. Will I be allowed to eat and/or drink during labor? Can I bring my own food? Or will popsicles, jello, juice or broth be provided?

2. Would I be allowed to pump during labor?

3. Am I able to avoid having an IV or is a hep-lock an option? Will the nurses and doctors respect my request not to be poked more than three times for a blood drawing, IV, etc? Or to have my hands free from needles and tubes?

4. Am I allowed to listen to music or watch something while in labor?

5. Will I be able to labor at my own pace or will I be put on a time limit?

6. Will I be allowed to move around freely and get in the tub or shower during labor?

7. Can I wear my own clothes during labor and birth?

8. Are there any situations that may take me away from my husband? May I request that he be allowed to stay by my side at all times?

9. What’s the policy on delayed cord clamping or chord milking?

10. Can we delay all procedures/exams for baby for an hour for bonding time/skin-to-skin?

11. Is my husband allowed in the room for a c-section? Will my baby be separated from me immediately? Can I do skin-to-skin immediately? Can my husband accompany my baby durring all procedures outside of my room or sight?

Postpartum

-General Information

1. Are there any situations where my baby would need to be transferred to another facility? If so, what are the top three facilities?

2. What is your policy on baby care immediately after birth? If my baby needs to be checked, weighed, or placed in a heater–will he/she be taken out of my room? Or will the examinations take place in my room and within my sight or my husband's sight?

3. Can my baby room-in with us instead of being in the nursery?

4. Are there any situations where my baby would not be allowed to be in the room with me?

5. Can the pediatrician do a bedside visit?

6. What sort of breastfeeding support is available? Do you provide an industrial-strength hospital grade breast pump?

7. Do you have a lactation consultant on staff at the hospital? When is she available?

8. Does the hospital support supplementing breastfeeding with formula?

9. Do you give pacifiers to the babies in the nursery? Will I be asked/notified before doing so?

10. Under what circumstances would formula be given to my baby? Will I be asked/notified first? Even in the middle of the night?

11. What security measures are there? Do people have to be buzzed in, are there security guards, and is a device placed on my baby to make sure he/she can not leave the floor?

12. Can the nursery staff look after baby if I need a break? How does that process work? Will she be returned for feedings even during the night?

-Personal Postpartum Information

1. Can I breastfeed immediately after a c-section?

2. May I have a copy of my baby's details such as weight, footprints, length, etc?

3. What kind of items will be provided for postpartum care during my stay?

4. What kind of information or items will I go home with?

5. Will I be able to complete paperwork to obtain my baby's birth certificate and SSN before discharge?

-Discharge Information

1. What time of day does discharge usually occur? Can I be discharged earlier or later than that?

2. Do you follow-up with your patients? What support do you offer? Can I call at any time if I have questions or need support?

3. What kind of tests, classes, setups or advisement do we need to complete before we are discharged?

4. What is the average stay for a vaginal birth with and without complications? C-section with and without complications?

5. What is the policy for early discharge?

BusyZee · June 2017

@Knottie22668383 that's very extensive! And thankyou:) i have been meaning to go myself!

AdaByron · June 2017

Not gonna lie, I would have been really annoyed if I was on a tour with you and you were trying to ask all of those questions. I imagine most of them would be answered without you having to ask them if you just let the tour guide do their job. And some of them are better suited to ask your doctor. And a lot of them are just unnecessary. Maybe you could register for a childbirth class through your hospital to find out about your whole L&D section. A tour doesn't seem like the appropriate time to ask those things.

CPR79 · June 2017

AdaByron said:

Not gonna lie, I would have been really annoyed if I was on a tour with you and you were trying to ask all of those questions. I imagine most of them would be answered without you having to ask them if you just let the tour guide do their job. And some of them are better suited to ask your doctor. And a lot of them are just unnecessary. Maybe you could register for a childbirth class through your hospital to find out about your whole L&D section. A tour doesn't seem like the appropriate time to ask those things.

Agreed. I took a childbirth education class through my hospital and I learned a lot of things that were hospital policy. When we took the tour I felt like I didn't have that many questions because of that class. One of the other couples on the tour had more questions, but most of them were things I had already learned in the class.

manillabar · June 2017

I'm going to agree with the above posters. In general it's all good information to know but for me most of these were answered by the class I took or by my doctor, or automatically covered by the nurse who gave us the tour. I think if someone really has that many unanswered questions then a class would be most beneficial to make the most of your and everyone else's time.

greenbean-2 · June 2017

Yeah... most of those questions were answered in my birth class or on the hospital website. And for other questions (c-section rate etc), the answers for your OB matter a lot more than the hospital average.

The main question I want answered on my tour is where exactly to go when I'm in labor.

AdaByron · June 2017

It's mostly about being considerate of people's time. If you're turning a 30-minute tour into a 3-hour personal Q&A session, that's just rude.

dancegurl1118 · June 2017

The reason you were the only one asking these questions is most likely because a tour is just a general walk through of a facility to get the basics.

I whole heartedly agree that a childbirth education class associated with your hospital would be right up your alley. Your OB should be able to answer
some of these questions, and there should be information about parking/visitors on your hospitals website.

Knottie22668383 · June 2017

@BusyZee Your welcome. I know it might sound strange... But when you have to let someone else take over it really helps to be knowledgeable about their history and abilities. Especially, when you have to trust them with someone so special and your own life.

neludelu · June 2017

Holy $4!& I would have hated being on a tour with you. You realize babies are born every day? This isn't a special event like the queen visiting or a rocket launch? That list was so over the top I am betting it's fake. There's no way someone could genuinely expect all of those questions to be answered. Please let that be fake.

longhairdntcare · June 2017

That list is ridiculous.

I had my hospital tour Thursday and I am pretty sure I asked 2-3 questions. And all were more regarding logistics (parking, where to go, etc.)

glitterfish-2 · June 2017

That's a great list of things to think about / find answers to! But I agree that a tour is not really the right setting or circumstance, unless it was a private session.
I was also the only one asking questions on my tour, and my husband was still rolling his eyes at me!
Sorry, DH, that hospital hat is pink and since they only have one type, we will be bringing our own!

Knottie22668383 · June 2017

@AdaByron @CPR79 @manillabar @greenbean-2 @dancegurl1118

Actually, I did not try to ask every single question on the list as I stated before. I honestly picked a few out of each section and the L&D nurse answered a good number of them on her own. Some of the questions, I researched the answers on my own the night before the tour. My tour was about an hour long. And at the beginning we were told it could be a maximum of two hours long and that we could ask as many questions as we wanted.

Taking a child-birthing class would have been complicated to find time for and could have been a waste of time. I took the classes about two years ago for a different facility and ended up being sent to another facility about three hours from home due to an emergency situation. So all of my previous time and effort went right out of the window in a city I had never been to or even knew anything about.

So I decided to do the work and research it myself. I already knew ahead of time there were things that certain people could not answer immediately and I already asked what I need from my doctor. I posted the list here in it's entirety just in case there was something on here that someone could use. I did not post my notes and answers because it would be useless to someone who is not attending the same exact facility as myself.

I just created this post just to find out what other experiences were out there and how others prepared. Please do not assume that I just ran the tour with my questions or that I would be that inconsiderate of other people's time.

neludelu · June 2017

longhairdntcare · June 2017

Knottie22668383 said:

@AdaByron @CPR79 @manillabar @greenbean-2 @dancegurl1118

Actually, I did not try to ask every single question on the list as I stated before. I honestly picked a few out of each section and the L&D nurse answered a good number of them on her own. Some of the questions, I researched the answers on my own the night before the tour. My tour was about an hour long. And at the beginning we were told it could be a maximum of two hours long and that we could ask as many questions as we wanted.

Taking a child-birthing class would have been complicated to find time for and could have been a waste of time. I took the classes about two years ago for a different facility and ended up being sent to another facility about three hours from home due to an emergency situation. So all of my previous time and effort went right out of the window in a city I had never been to or even knew anything about.

So I decided to do the work and research it myself. I already knew ahead of time there were things that certain people could not answer immediately and I already asked what I need from my doctor. I posted the list here in it's entirety just in case there was something on here that someone could use. I did not post my notes and answers because it would be useless to someone who is not attending the same exact facility as myself.

I just created this post just to find out what other experiences were out there and how others prepared. Please do not assume that I just ran the tour with my questions or that I would be that inconsiderate of other people's time.

in your OP you said you stopped asking questions because you got discouraged that you were the only one with questions, not because you researched them ahead of time, so....

BusyZee · June 2017

I doubt anyone would ask all those questions! It's very extensive, and would take up a lot of time. It is my understanding that OP had all those concerns and wanted to make sure something wasn't left out. I agree most of those must have been answered but there's no harm in asking the ones that are related but unanswered (not the doctor specific ones). I'm just seeing this as a checklist.

greenbean-2 · June 2017

I also don't see what good it does to know the answers to some of these questions. If you don't like the channels available on the TV in your room are you really going to find a new OB so you can switch hospitals?

longhairdntcare · June 2017

@greenbean-2 I was thinking the same thing. Half of these questions seem like they are more 'interview' questions to pick a hospital rather than just general information you need to know after you have decided on a hospital.

neludelu · June 2017

greenbean-2 said:

I also don't see what good it does to know the answers to some of these questions. If you don't like the channels available on the TV in your room are you really going to find a new OB so you can switch hospitals?

Lol right also about the new/old rooms. Are you going to change docs bc you have an ugly room?

AdaByron · June 2017

Knottie22668383 said:

@AdaByron @CPR79 @manillabar @greenbean-2 @dancegurl1118

Actually, I did not try to ask every single question on the list as I stated before. I honestly picked a few out of each section and the L&D nurse answered a good number of them on her own. Some of the questions, I researched the answers on my own the night before the tour. My tour was about an hour long. And at the beginning we were told it could be a maximum of two hours long and that we could ask as many questions as we wanted.

Taking a child-birthing class would have been complicated to find time for and could have been a waste of time. I took the classes about two years ago for a different facility and ended up being sent to another facility about three hours from home due to an emergency situation. So all of my previous time and effort went right out of the window in a city I had never been to or even knew anything about.

So I decided to do the work and research it myself. I already knew ahead of time there were things that certain people could not answer immediately and I already asked what I need from my doctor. I posted the list here in it's entirety just in case there was something on here that someone could use. I did not post my notes and answers because it would be useless to someone who is not attending the same exact facility as myself.

I just created this post just to find out what other experiences were out there and how others prepared. Please do not assume that I just ran the tour with my questions or that I would be that inconsiderate of other people's time.

Yeah this is not what you said in your OP. Seems like you were frustrated with the other couples in the tour and assumed that they didn't care about it since they didn't ask as many questions as you. You never said anything about getting your questions answered elsewhere. And it's really inappropriate to waste the time of everyone else in the tour just because a childbirth class would be inconvenient to you.

longhairdntcare · June 2017

Knottie22668383 said:

I just went on my hospital tour and I felt like I was the only one who really cared about the tour. I had three pages of questions and I was the only one asking any questions. It was like the other moms and dads were just there to look and not really get to know the facility. I got so discouraged and upset that I stopped asking questions. But the Labor and Delivery nurse was kind enough to give me their direct number so that all my questions could be answered. My favorite part was the end where we got to see where the nursery is located. There were a few newborns in there and my heart melted.

I'll post my questions in a separate comment in case someone.might find one or more useful.

Have you had your hospital tour?
What was it like? Good, bad or neutral experience?
Was there anything that surprised you?
What did you consider to be your favorite part?
Is there any advice you would give to someone who is about to go on a tour?

QFP

lph4248 · June 2017

Knottie22668383 said:
Taking a child-birthing class would have been complicated to find time for and could have been a waste of time. I took the classes about two years ago for a different facility and ended up being sent to another facility about three hours from home due to an emergency situation. So all of my previous time and effort went right out of the window in a city I had never been to or even knew anything about.
<snipped>

To be fair though, the same thing could happen this time, and you'd end up having wasted your own time (as well as other people's on the tour, depending on how case-specific your questions were) trying to answer those questions about your current hospital, so I don't see this as a valid argument for not taking the class at that hospital... If your list of questions is that long, and you were invested enough in finding the answers to get upset and discouraged in the tour setting, then a class wouldn't be a waste of time.

kat0607 · June 2017

I'm pretty sure every single one of your questions was covered in my childbirth class by the instructor and also available in multiple different pamphlets provided by the hospital. I would suggest signing up for a class, or talking directly to your OB about where you can find this information. Also questions about the visiting hours or cafeteria hours can probably be answered on your hospitals website. You say a class would be a waste of time, but it sounds like you could really benefit, if you don't know most of your hospitals procedures, policies, or even what the procedure is for a c-section and what pain management options are available to you. Perhaps taking the time to get all of this info could better prepare you for an emergency situation if one were to occur again. It's your responsibility to get this information, a hospital tour is exactly that: an overview of the facilities.

Knottie22668383 · June 2017

@rae1-3 I was really discouraged because I was expecting people to actually have questions and not just stand there like wallflowers. The nurse would state information about one area or subject and then ask for questions. Then crickets would chirp away. If I needed to, I would ask one to three questions. And then the peanut gallery would come to life saying that it was a good question, they wondering the same thing or ask an unnecessary follow up question to mine that the L&D nurse just answered. After about 30 minutes or so of that, I just stopped. And decided to get my answers another time. Everything I asked was directly related to the area we were viewing or subject we were discussing. But as I said before it was like the other couples were just not interested or paying attention.

neludelu · June 2017

Knottie22668383 said:

@rae1-3 I was really discouraged because I was expecting people to actually have questions and not just stand there like wallflowers. The nurse would state information about one area or subject and then ask for questions. Then crickets would chirp away. If I needed to, I would ask one to three questions. And then the peanut gallery would come to life saying that it was a good question, they wondering the same thing or ask an unnecessary follow up question to mine that the L&D nurse just answered. After about 30 minutes or so of that, I just stopped. And decided to get my answers another time. Everything I asked was directly related to the area we were viewing or subject we were discussing. But as I said before it was like the other couples were just not interested or paying attention.

So your upsetthat no one else had 3 pages of notes? Is it possible that the "wall flowers" had already done their research? Maybe they felt that they picked their docs and hospital for a reason and felt that they were in good hands? Maybe they had been to one of those pesky classes where they give you most of that info? So many possibilities and reasons to not have 3 pages of obnoxious notes.

AdaByron · June 2017

Knottie22668383 said:

@rae1-3 I was really discouraged because I was expecting people to actually have questions and not just stand there like wallflowers. The nurse would state information about one area or subject and then ask for questions. Then crickets would chirp away. If I needed to, I would ask one to three questions. And then the peanut gallery would come to life saying that it was a good question, they wondering the same thing or ask an unnecessary follow up question to mine that the L&D nurse just answered. After about 30 minutes or so of that, I just stopped. And decided to get my answers another time. Everything I asked was directly related to the area we were viewing or subject we were discussing. But as I said before it was like the other couples were just not interested or paying attention.

Ok so now your story is that you asked an appropriate number of questions, they were well-received, and you got positive feedback from the other couples... And so you decided to... stop?.... Because you were being TOO helpful perhaps?

nktrodden826 · June 2017

Not only is this list insane but you've had a child before correct?? Honestly, how did you manage that? Even if you're in a new hospital and hoping for a vbac instead of repeat c section wouldnt majority of these questions be answered??

I think it's safe to say you won't care/remember a single one of these answers when you're in labor. And I'm positive those nurses were rolling their eyes because 85+% of those desires are for a birthing center- not a hospital. If you need an iv they're going to stick you as many times as they need, they won't stop at 3.

I could go on forever but for the sake of not having to read a ridiculously long post since I've met my reading quota after reading that list- to answer question #6 under labor/birth this is a perineal massage and you would have found this if you perhaps, i don't know, googled it. Still want someone at the hospital to do it for you?

edit because people know that perineal massages have to do with rubbing the skin between the vag and anus. Better ladies?

longhairdntcare · June 2017

@nktrodden826 WOAH, that gif - can we not!? Many of us look at TB at work!

AdaByron · June 2017

OMG. My eyes. LOL

squirttheturtle · June 2017

FTM and between the hospital website, my OB and the tour, all the information that DH and I needed was covered...extensively.

On my hospital tour, the one couple that asked multiple questions at each stage of the the tour, the educator pulled them aside and suggested a birth class.

I couldn't read through all of your questions but at just a glace, a lot of them seem like basic knowledge for a hospital (is there an anesthesiologist on site?) and of the ones I did read, I could answer by just my own common sense.

Good Luck to you.

etc: words

Dovahkiin_99 · June 2017

ellie111227 · June 2017

Lurking from June, but curious to clarify: You asked (or planned to ask) if you could have a wheelchair for your hospital tour? Is that not something you would have brought with you if you have a condition that doesn't allow you to stand/walk for the length of a tour?

PurplePoppy424 · June 2017

I'm confused on a lot of those questions and why they'd be asked on a tour. For example, isn't it common knowledge that other children are not able to stay in the room with you and a PNP is a liability hazard for the hospital? Plus, how would one already have pumped milk to bring to the hospital when none of us have even had our babies yet? It's widely known that pumping prior to birth is discouraged. Plus, introducing a bottle too early is known to cause nipple confusion if you're nursing and somehow had pumped milk already. Not to mention, colostrum is what a brand new baby needs, not full blown breast milk.

I could keep going on, but I think that kind of gives a good example of the stuff I was thinking when I read that list. To reiterate what others have already said, a labor and delivery class maybe a good option for you if you still have all of those questions.

Lastly, most people were probably being "quiet" because they wanted to hear what the nurse had to say. Just because someone is quiet doesn't mean that they aren't interested in getting information or they don't have questions. They're digesting what the hospital is offering and going from there.

AdaByron · June 2017

Guys she obviously knows all this already. She was just posting this giant list in case any of these asinine questions could help US. We should clearly be thanking her.

SaphireSweetie88 · June 2017

I am glad I was not on that tour with you! Just reading your list of questions had me rolling my eyes. I am a FTM and most of those I already knew because I
1) listened to my doctor over the past 34 weeks when she discussed things
2) I found out by talking to STMs here and IRL about their experiences
3) have common sense

mrsla0512 · June 2017

So normally Dr. GOOGLE is a no, but in your case it might be helpful. Andplusalso, dont call the nurse and ask those questions you didn't get to ask. No one wants to be on the phone that long at work.

cielaw89 · June 2017

I had my hospital tour and a majority of the questions you had here were answered by the guide during the tour (she was a lactation consultant/child birth educator).

My tour did not consist of many questions being asked by anyone, but I think it was because the guide was already so thorough with her explanations. There were occasional questions, but they really were just a reiteration of what was already said.

abmommy15 · June 2017

I have no words and yet so many words. This list is completely out of control. What channels are on tv and how's the cell signal? Why do you even care? Are the answers to those questions going to change anything at this stage of the game? Like "Oh sorry I need to switch hospitals because you don't have HBO".

nononorman · June 2017

abmommy15 said:

I have no words and yet so many words. This list is completely out of control. What channels are on tv and how's the cell signal? Why do you even care? Are the answers to those questions going to change anything at this stage of the game? Like "Oh sorry I need to switch hospitals because you don't have HBO".

To be fair, game of thrones IS coming back soooo

chiquita928 · June 2017

Potterphile said:

abmommy15 said:

I have no words and yet so many words. This list is completely out of control. What channels are on tv and how's the cell signal? Why do you even care? Are the answers to those questions going to change anything at this stage of the game? Like "Oh sorry I need to switch hospitals because you don't have HBO".

To be fair, game of thrones IS coming back soooo

I was thinking that...it starts on my due date, so...

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