1) Have a support person to ease the transition from home to hospital. When laboring at home, the transition from home to hospital can be a little bit stressful. Be sure to pack a birth bag in the car at least 1-2 weeks prior to the expected onset of labor, and/or have a hospital bag by the door. Have Dad, doula, or partner be prepared to grab this on the way out. Once to the hospital, have a plan for who is going to park the car, walk in with Mom, grab the bag and camera, etc. It's just easier not to have to do this in the heat of the moment, or to be scrambled, which takes the attention of Mom (usually in the middle of a contraction.) No one wants to be doing decision-making at this time; a plan should be implemented then smoothly carried out.
2) Bring a personal item from home into the room, that can remain with you for the duration of labor. This can be a pillow, robe, stuffed animal, picture frame, or focus object (pictures of other siblings, vacation picture, etc.) Anything to maintain familiarity. It serves as a comfort object. When everything in the room feels unfamiliar and sterile having a pillow or object to hold onto with your scent can be very soothing. If it is a pillow from home, make sure to bring an extra case, or one that you don't mind getting stained or possibly permanently soiled (i.e. blood, bodily fluids, iodine, etc.)
3) Pack food, drinks, and snacks for support partner. Dads need to eat too, and sometimes in the rush of gathering Mom's belongings and getting to the hospital Dads forget to pack sustenance for themselves. Dad gets a care package like Mom, and should include the following: a sandwich, drink, refillable water bottle, swim shorts (for shower or water birth,) change of clothes, pillow (hospital pillows don't always cut it,) small blanket (the room can get chilly,) slippers, reading material, and personal items (toiletries, etc.) This eliminates the need for Dad or partner to leave the room, partake of the dreaded cafeteria food, or feel famished at one of the greatest highlights of his life!
4) Have extra copies of the birth plan. These should be distributed to the doula, nurses, and OB on call. It can also be handy to attach one to the door or place it in a well-visible area. Ideally this will also be in your chart and will have been discussed with your provider at a prior prenatal visit. Some people like to attach them to a gift basket or plate of cookies.
5) Dim lighting, minimize open doors, and pull the curtain. After the initial check-in and traige, Mom should have all the privacy she needs. Pull the curtain that divides the entry way from the room, quietly close the door, and switch off any lights that are too bright (fluorescents) or invasive. If there is a window, adjust blinds to allow in or minimize natural light, or for privacy. As a doula, I pack baby blankets and cloths in my birth bag to place over blinking lights and monitors. This creates a more home-like and less medically "noisy" environment. Too, if there are too many monitors Dad can get hooked on watching those instead of Mom.
6) If there is a tub or shower, use it. Many hospitals and birthing centers offer the use of hydrotherapy for labor and sometimes birth, which can be very soothing. Most nurses and providers are very good at adapting to Mom's wishes in this regard and taping up monitors, IV lines, saline locks, etc. and making everything "water proof" to enter the tub or shower. If you are choosing intermittent monitoring, you may be able to remain in bed or on a birth ball for 15-20 minutes for a baseline reading, then remove the monitor and utilize the tub or shower for an hour at a time. It is helpful for Dad or doula to get in the shower with Mom and aim the removable shower head at her back or abdomen. Make sure to maintain a comfortable temperature (laboring women are often hot) and remember that hospitals have an on-demand water heater so it never runs out, refill away. :)
7) Play music! Bring an ipod or phone with your favorite playlist on it. As circumstances allow, I carry in my portable Bose adapter and provide a playlist for my clients via a variety of stations on Pandora One (sans ads) for listening pleasure. If played on a phone or personal device, it can be carried into the bathroom when Mom is in the shower or tub, or to other places around the hospital. Sometimes Mom prefers earbuds so be sure to pack those in a birth bag too. Whatever you do, make sure your streaming app does not contain ads! I decided to pay the $8 a month to provide my clients with ad-free listening. :)
8) Use essential oils, atomizers, and battery-powered candles. It's amazing how a couple drops on the bottom of Mom's feet, or into a palm-full of carrier oil used for massage can infuse the whole room and positively affect everyone who enters into it. Different essential oils have soothing properties, and subsequently act as aromatherapy, and counteract the aromas of birth, sweat, stagnation, tension, and hospital equipment and concoctions. Battery powered candles can be a nice alternative to the overhead lights in night time births, and can also be moved into the bathroom to create a nice ambiance if Mom labors there.
9) Bring as much food and drink from home as possible. Often times the hospital staff will keep drinks and snacks in a refrigerator with your name on it for labor or after the birth. Some hospitals may have an in-room mini fridge. If you're not fond of hospital food or the midnight turkey sandwich, having your own meal packed eliminates the need for anyone to leave the hospital to bring you food of your choice. In my birth bag I pack coconut water, vitamin water, spring water, gingerale, a caffeinated drink or two (for Dad,) honey sticks, granola bars, dried fruit, nuts, gum, hard candies, and mints. You never know if you are going to be in that room for 24 hours or more and how far away the cafeteria is. It's always a good idea to be prepared.
10) Relax!! The hospital can be anxiety-provoking for some, but others receive it as a welcome break from younger siblings, household duties, and relish in the room service that is provided. Try to make the most of your hospital stay and know that in no time you'll be back to the familiar as well as the grind. Creating a cozy, even home-like environment, bringing a familiar object, being prepared, staying in the moment, and having the right support can give you a birth experience to remember. You will probably grow very fond of the nurses and support people who helped you. The hospital can be a wonderful environment if you just make a few tweaks to make it that way! I would love to hear your comments and suggestions below. :)
