Hospital birth
Even though more and more women are choosing to have home births, most babies are born in hospital. The majority of women choose to give birth in hospital, either because they are encouraged to do so by their medical advisers or because they want to. Most hospitals are now paying much more attention to the mother's wishes so there's no reason why you shouldn't enjoy giving birth to your baby in a hospital setting.
What to expect from a hospital birth?
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You'll probably have been told to leave all valuables at home, and when you get to the hospital you may be asked to remove any remaining personal items such as jewellery. If this worries you, ask if you can keep your personal belongings with you in a bag. If you wear contact lenses, ask about the hospital's policy beforehand as they may prefer you to bring your spectacles instead.
After admission
When you arrive at the hospital, your midwife will ask you about how your labour's going - how often you're getting contractions and whether your waters have broken, for example. Then she'll examine your abdomen to confirm the situation, feel your baby's position, and check your baby's heart. (You're unlikely to be examined by a doctor unless the midwives feel they want a second opinion.) Your blood pressure and temperature will be taken and you'll be given an internal examination to see how far your cervix has dilated. You'll probably be asked to wear a fetal monitor for about 20 minutes, but afterwards you should be able to move around as you want.
Giving birth
If you've decided that you prefer to manage without drugs for as long as you can during labour, the midwives will usually be more than happy to help you cope using other methods of pain relief. Bear in mind, though, that drug relief is available if you want and you can ask to start with smaller doses if you don't feel you need the full measure.
Once your baby is descending, you may be helped to get into a semi-reclining position. If you're in any danger of tearing, you may need to have an episiotomy as your baby's head is crowning. If forceps have to be used, an episiotomy is more likely. Your baby will be delivered on to your abdomen, and while you take your first look at each other you'll be given an injection of syntometrine into your thigh. This is to make sure that your uterus contracts firmly, reducing the chance of severe bleeding after the placenta is delivered. Your baby will be assessed and given an Apgar score while you are cleaned up. If you need to have stitches these are usually done by the midwife at this point.
The advantages of hospital birth
For some mothers a hospital birth gives the best chance of a successful and happy outcome. Having your baby in hospital is the safest option if: you suffer from a medical condition such as heart disease or diabetes; you're expecting twins; your baby is known to be breech; or as a first-time mother your obstetrical history just presents too many unknown factors.
Should anything go wrong during the labour and birth, emergency medical assistance is on hand right away and there's a wide range of pain-relief medication readily available should you want it. You may feel happier knowing that your baby can be given treatment in a special care baby unit straight away if the need arises.
The disadvantages of hospital birth
Once you're in hospital it's easy to feel overpowered by the atmosphere. Bear in mind that hospital staff have to follow rules and routines and you're going to have to fit in with them. But that doesn't mean that you should have to do anything you aren't happy about. It helps to find out as much as you can about the hospital procedures and set-up beforehand, so that you're more prepared once you go into labour.
Posted 16.11.2010
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