Choosing Where to Give Birth
It’s probably time to start considering
where you want to give birth. In some situations, you may not have a
choice. Or in your area, you may have several choices.
When baby hears music, liquid and tissue affect the sound a great deal.
Whatever birthing setup you choose, the
most important considerations are the health of your baby and the
welfare of you both. When you decide where to have your baby, be sure
you have answers to the following questions, if you can.
• What facilities and staff are available?
• What is the availability of anesthesia? Is an anesthesiologist available 24 hours a day?
• How long does it take to respond and to perform a Cesarean delivery, if necessary? (This should be 30 minutes or less.)
• Is a pediatrician available 24 hours a day for an emergency or problems?
• Is the nursery staffed at all times?
• In the event of an emergency or a
premature baby that needs to be transported to a high-risk nursery, how
is it done? By ambulance? By helicopter? How close is the nearest
high-risk nursery, if not at this hospital?
These may seem like a lot of questions to
ask, but the answers can help put your mind at ease. When it’s your
baby and your health, it’s good to know emergency measures can be
employed in an efficient, timely manner when necessary.
There are various hospital setups available for labor and birth. With LDRP (labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum),
the room you are admitted to at the beginning of labor is the room you
labor in, deliver in, recover in and remain in for your hospital stay.
The concept of LDRP has evolved because
many women don’t want to be moved from the labor area to a delivery
area, then to another part of the hospital after delivery for recovery.
The nursery is usually close to labor and delivery and the recovery
area. This enables you to see your baby as often as you like and to
have your baby in your room for longer periods.
Another option is the birthing room;
this generally refers to delivering your baby in the same room you
labor in. Even if you use a birthing room, you may have to move to
another area of the hospital for recovery and the remainder of your
stay.
In many places, labor-and-delivery suites
are available; you labor in one room, then are moved to a delivery room
at the time of birth. Following this, you may go to a postpartum floor,
which is an area in the hospital where you will spend the remainder of
your hospital stay.
Most hospitals allow you to have your baby in your room as much as you want. This is called rooming in or boarding in.
Some hospitals also have a cot, couch or chair that makes into a bed in
your room so your partner can stay with you after delivery. Check the
availability of various facilities in the hospitals in your area.
6. Your Nutrition
Some women ask if herbal teas are safe to
drink during pregnancy. Some herbal teas are probably safe to drink and
include chamomile, dandelion, ginger root, lemon-balm, peppermint and
nettle leaf.
You may have heard warnings about
drinking peppermint tea during pregnancy. Many experts agree it’s OK if
you only drink one or two 6- to 8-ounce cups a day to help relieve
morning sickness or upset stomach. However, it may worsen heartburn
and/or GERD. Look for products that contain 100% pure peppermint leaves.
Tip for Week 30
Good posture can help relieve
lower-back stress and eliminate some back discomfort. Maintaining good
posture may take some effort, but it’s worth it if it relieves pain.
Many “pregnancy teas” contain
red-raspberry leaf. Studies show you can safely drink tea made from
red-raspberry leaves during pregnancy; it may help make labor a little
shorter. However, many experts advise waiting until after the first
trimester to drink it because it may cause uterine contractions.
Don’t overuse any herbal teas, even those considered OK to drink during pregnancy. About 12 to 16 ounces total a day is the maximum amount of any tea to consume. If you have questions, check with your healthcare provider.
Avoid certain herbal teas while you’re
pregnant. Studies indicate those to avoid include blue cohosh, black
cohosh, alfalfa, yellow-dock, penny-royal leaf, yarrow, goldenseal,
feverfew, psyllium seed, mugwort, comfrey, coltsfoot, juniper, rue,
tansy, cottonroot bark, large amounts of sage, senna, cascara sagrada,
buckthorn, fern, slippery elm and squaw vine. We have little
information on dandelion tea, stinging-nettles tea or rose hips. It may
be best to avoid drinking them during pregnancy.
Benefits of Drinking Some Herbal Teas
|
chamomile |
aids digestion |
|
dandelion |
helps with swelling and can soothe an upset stomach |
|
ginger root |
helps with nausea and nasal congestion |
|
nettle leaf |
rich in iron, calcium and other vitamins and minerals |
|
peppermint |
relieves gas pains and calms the stomach |
