Health Guide

DELIVERING YOUR BABY: 10 IMPORTANT THINGS TO ASK

Having a baby means making lots of decisions. Here are some important things to settle before youre ready to deliver.
Q1
What are my pain control options?
There are many ways to help ease the pain of labor, and you may want to use more than one, depending on what stage of labor you're in. You might: Practice breathing techniques. Relax for a time in a warm tub, shower, or Jacuzzi. Take narcotic pain relievers. Receive epidurals or spinal blocks. Think about the methods you want to have available. Then find out if the facility provides and supports them.

Q2

When would a C-section be performed, and what are the facility's C-section rates for first-time moms?
Talk with your doctor or midwife about what situations might require a C-section. Compare the C-section rates for the facilities you're considering -- especially the rates for first-time moms. Also, if you delivered by C-section before, ask whether it's possible to have a vaginal birth after C-section (VBAC). Not all facilities will support a VBAC.

Q3

When would an episiotomy be performed?

An episiotomy is a cut the doctor or midwife makes to the area between the vagina and the anus during delivery. Some doctors perform an episiotomy at every birth. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends against this practice except in emergency situations. Ask when an episiotomy might be needed, and make sure that your doctor or midwife will ask for your consent before performing one.

Q4

Will I have the freedom to move around during labor?

Check to see if you'll be encouraged to move around freely during labor and give birth in the position you choose, such as squatting or on all fours. There are a variety of ways to go through labor and delivery, from laboring in water to using birthing chairs, birthing balls, and squat bars. Find out which options your facility will provide and which your doctor or midwife will support.

Q5

Will I labor and deliver in one room, or will I have to move room to room?
Some hospitals and birthing centers offer rooms where you labor and deliver your baby in the same place. In other facilities, you labor in one room, deliver in another, and recover in another. Also find out how soon you can go home after giving birth, or how long you can stay at the facility if thats what you'd prefer.

Q6

Can family and friends attend my delivery?

Often there are limits on how many people can attend. Also ask what the policy is for visits from older children and teens.

Q7

Can my spouse or partner photograph or videotape the delivery?

Not all facilities allow cameras or video equipment in the delivery room.

Q8

Will you be able to begin breastfeeding your baby right away?

Will your baby be put skin-to-skin immediately after delivery? Will you be able to breastfeed within 30 minutes of delivery? As long as the baby is healthy, all of the necessary medical tests and procedures (except the Apgar test) can wait for at least an hour. Will lactation consultants be available to help you and your baby learn to breastfeed? Is the facility certified as baby friendly? If not, is it following best practices known to support breastfeeding? Does the facility have a written breastfeeding policy? If so, you can ask to see it. For free help, call the National Breastfeeding Helpline at 800-994-9662.

Q9

What happens if there is an emergency?

This can vary depending on what facility you're in and where it's located. While you can get emergency care in just minutes in many hospitals, smaller or more rural hospitals may not have around-the-clock emergency staff or have a neonatal intensive care unit. If that's the case, find out where you would go in case of an emergency. You might need to be transferred to a larger hospital. If you're considering a stand-alone birth center, ask about the center's rate of hospital transfers, who the consulting physician is, and what the emergency back-up plan is.

Q10 Can my baby stay in my room?

Rooming in, when your baby stays in the room with you 24 hours a day, helps you learn to breastfeed and take care of your newborn right away. Ask if measuring the baby's weight and other medical procedures are done in the room, or if your baby will be taken somewhere else. Also ask whether your partner can sleep in the room with you and your little one. You may be tired from labor and delivery, and you should rest. Your baby is tired, too! Rooming in will help you take advantage of your babys strong instinct to suck and feed every 1-2 hours during the first 24 hours. Very young breastfed babies dont eat on a schedule.

Reviewed by Hansa D. Bhargava, MD, on August 9, 2013

Sources: Agency for HealthCare Research and Quality: "What You Need to Know About Episiotomy." | American Association of Birth Centers: How to Choose a Birth Center. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: ACOG Recommends Restricted Use of Episiotomy," "Cesarean Birth," "Pain Relief During Labor and Delivery." | Arizona Doula Organization and Birth Education Association: "Birth Balls." | Brigham and Women's Hospital: "A Guide for Expectant Parents." | American Association of Birth Centers: "How to Choose a Birth Center," "What Is a Birth Center?" | Cluett, ER. Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, Nov. 20, 2008. | De Jonge, A. International Journal of Clinical Practice, April 2010. | Gupta, J.K. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2004. | Hunter S. Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, Oct. 17, 2007. | March of Dimes.com: "C-section," Vaginal Birth, Water Birth." | Stremler R. Birth, December 2005. | Terry, RR. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, April 2006. | Thies-Lagergren, L. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, March 24, 2011. Thoeni A. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, May 2005.