The American labour & delivery ward, 1st impressions

I’m going to start with this bombshell – NO gas & air!!! I need all the shocked and confused emojis right now!

🤯😲😮😱😕

Rob and I visited the hospital where I have chosen to deliver baby 4. We went for a tour of the ward and to register for the birth. We started with forms – my details, his details and of course insurance information. Next was an introduction from one of the L&D nurses with some info about the ward and their policies.

A few things I noted…

Guests are allowed 24/7 and there is no maximum number. I told rob instantly no one is allowed in that room aside from him & the staff until the baby is born! There are already enough people involved in your business during a delivery without the extra well wishers. ***US friends take note 😅***

☝️ My cute visitors after my last birth.

Average stay is 2 days. I’m unsure right now whether this is good or bad. I know from experience being on a ward with 10 beds and new babies for 48 hours is no fun. It’s hard being away from older children with those hormones raging after a birth too. However here I get a private room, peace & quiet compared to home? A rest after the delivery maybe. We’ll see.

Food. So once I am admitted into the hospital (as soon as contractions start if I want to) I cannot eat or drink. Ice chips only!! What?? No tea and toast from friendly midwives. Surely all that hardwork deserves some bread & butter as a minimum. I’ll be weak and hangry without 🤔😬… poor Rob. Once baby is delivered though I get a menu, with options I can call and order! Imagine that compared to the trolley of indescribable food that gets wheeled to the end of the ward, where you have to drag your poor stitched up body down to get your plate. Watch this space I’m excited to try the post birth feast I’ll be ordering!

This is the meal I was given after Leo. Looks a little messy but I was so hungry after delivery (even though I was allowed to eat) Imagine when I’ve been starved what I’d eat if I had to!

Onto the pain relief. Nothing or an epidural are my options. As I said earlier no gas & air also no pethedine. I’m unsure of my plan right now.

Previously I have birthed once with an epidural and twice with just gas & air. I couldn’t have got through those last 2 births without the gas & air. It takes the edge off the painful contraction whilst making you feel like you’ve had 4 glasses of wine, the best!

My experience with the epidural wasn’t great, the birth felt very medical and I had trouble getting around afterwards due to my legs not having full feeling in them. I couldn’t feel when my body wanted to push and perhaps consequently Poppy went into distress and had to be delivered in 1 push (with the help of an episiotomy) covered in her own pooh. Not the best start for either of us in this motherhood journey.

However this birth goes I do feel confident in the hospital and their staff. I have experience and confidence in my own body and I have a great helper by my side. My OB team come with many recommendations and so far have been flawless in their care for me and baby. I’m looking forward to seeing a friendly face after the birth too, thanks to my good friend being one of the lactation consultants on the ward. 19 weeks and counting, wish me luck!