Whats the hospital routine?

[mommys_boy23]

Ftm nd jus want to know what to expect when the time comes. Assuming everything goes smoothly, whats the routine, what happens after I get admitted? Like getting a room, getting medicine, what is done to check baby?

[Bri_1985]

Wow. The hospital Ive been to before you had labor in the same room you were going to stay in. They just take all the equipment out afterward and its a sweet little room. Defintely going to see what the new hospital is like

[AlysMom85]

With my first, I arrived at the hospital in labor, they won't "admit you" until they've determined you're in true labor, (usually about 6 cm dilated or more, or your water has broken) but how that's determined can vary. So you'll get checked (small room), then if admitted, moved to a delivery room (bigger room, more equipment). They'll hook a fetal monitor to you, which is an elastic like belt that goes around the waste and has a monitor attached to monitor babies heart beat and another band with another monitor that will monitor your contractions. These things will beep, print on a paper and make noises that'll draw you in like you can really tell wtf is going on. You'll get an iv and they'll probably start u on fluid while monitoring your bp, heart rate and usual vitals. When you're contractions get oh so far apart, you'll discuss your options for pain management. The MAIN focus during this entire time will be on the babies heart rate as this is the best indicator to how well your baby is tolerating labor. How well their doing dictates how things will proceed. You can watch tv, listen to music, fb whatever you please, as long as the baby is doing alright. (I stayed moving around and out of the bed until it was time to push!) They'll occasionally check to see if you're cervix is fully dilated, once it is, is when the pushing begins. That could take HOURS :-/ After you deliver, the baby gets cleaned up, weighed, a shot of vitamin k, foot printed, id tagged, blood drawn - all in a matter of minutes! You'll be busy delivering your placenta and then you'll get to hold your baby for the first time!!!! They'll move you from the delivery room to postpardum care which probably isn't too far. They'll wheel you in a chair or push the whole bed - you get to hold the baby for the ride. The baby never leaves your room until id tags are in place and most hospitals now also have those 'baby low jack' alarms they put on them too. This way if the baby is taken off the floor, near an elvator or stairwell, it sends an alarm!  During the rest of your stay, they try and brainwash you into breast feeding if you haven't already decided to do so :) and will run different tests on your baby (ie hearing). Some hospitals discharge after 24 hours, some 48. If you have a choice, I'd opt for 48 only because as a ftm you'll have a zillion questions and its comforting/empowering to have medical professionals there to give you the 411 first hand. Hope all this is helpful :D

[acline93]

Wow, you get sent home that fast? I'd be a nervous wreck!

[sadies93]

When I went in they put me in the delivery room, hooked up my IVs and started my antibiotics (I had group b strep), and hooked me up to the monitors to monitor contractions and the baby's heartbeat. I stayed in the delivery room till I had my son, about an hour after having my son they took all my IVs out, and unhooked me from the monitors and took us to our room, 24hours later we were sent home

[mommys_boy23]

Bump!

[fluffybelly2]

Your hospital should offer a tour. They go over everything during it.