Congratulations, you’re pregnant! It’s the moment you have been waiting for and your head must be whirling with countless things to do and to get like a baby crib, clothes or bottle sterilizer. But, first things first. How do you choose the right hospital for your prenatal and maternity care?
At the Carectory website, you can easily browse through numerous options of hospitals near your providing maternity services.
But, how do you narrow down all the options? Read below to make the right choice.
Travel Distance from your Home
A major thing you may consider when choosing a hospital to give birth at is the proximity to your home. Although, the distance between your home and maternity hospital has no overall effect on the birth outcomes; it is still preferable to not have to worry about traffic when the baby is on the way and you are already feeling a bit flustered. Therefore, choosing a maternity hospital near you might be the way to go.
Insurance Coverage
Of course another thing on your checklist will be to find a maternity hospital with doctors who are in-network and accept your health insurance. This will help narrow down how much your prenatal and labor and delivery will cost.
Hospital Facilities and Labor Environment
Labor and delivery can be a very long and intense process and a lot of pregnant women want the best comfort and facilities during their birthing experience.To narrow down your preferences, decide if you want a single postpartum room or are okay sharing with another new mom. Would you want your baby to stay in your room or be taken to the nursery? Would the labor room offer options like a birthing ball, peanut ball or a laboring tub? Will you be allowed to request fewer interruptions when you want to rest after giving birth? Other things you may want to consider would be if the hospital allows immediate skin to skin contact with your baby and also provides lactation consultants for breastfeeding support.
You may also want to look into the hospital’s policies on the birth support partners. How many support people do you want in the room with you while you are laboring? If you want multiple people like your husband, mother and a doula with you, will the hospital allow it?
Another important thing that you should factor is the hospital’s facilities for high risk pregnancies. If you’ve previously had a complicated pregnancy and delivery or a preexisting health condition that may affect your pregnancy, finding a labor and delivery hospital near you with facilities for high risk pregnancies like a blood bank, ICU and NICU should be on your checklist.
While the outcome of the birth is difficult to predict, finding the right maternity hospital for you can make a great impact on your overall prenatal, birthing and postpartum experience.
Your Birth Plan
How do you want to give birth? You may want to opt for a vaginal birth, a C-section or a VBAC. Some facilities may or may not have the option for a VBAC.
Be sure to discuss your birthing options and plan with your healthcare professional for a better understanding when choosing your ideal maternity hospital.
Pain Management
While some people may want to get an epidural, some may not and sometimes some facilities might have various pain management options like nitrous oxide. It is important to look into the hospital’s pain management options to make sure it aligns with your birthing plan and philosophy.
The C-section rate for Low-risk Pregnancies
If having a vaginal birth is important to you, you may want to research the C-section rates of the hospital you are choosing. It is said that your biggest risk factor to having a C-section is the hospital you choose to go to. In short, hospitals that prioritise certain outcomes like financial goals may have higher C-section rates and may not prioritise vaginal births.
Newborn Facilities
Don’t forget to inquire about hospital facilities for postpartum since you and your baby will likely be at the hospital for a day or two following birth. These things include a postpartum room for mom, nursery for baby, or a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NICU if your baby needs extra support in case of premature birth, other health problems or babies born to moms with a high risk pregnancy.
The Healthcare Provider
The most common providers that pregnant patients choose during their pregnancy journey are OB/GYN and nurse practitioners trained in gynecological care. If you have a high-risk pregnancy, you will be referred to a Perinatologist also known as a maternal fetal medicine doctor. A Perinatologist is a specialist with advanced training in high-risk pregnancies and specialized care that may arise during the pregnancy or labor and delivery.
The provider’s personality may also be something on your checklist to having the ultimate birthing experience. Make sure your provider’s personality aligns with your own and does not intimidate you from discussing your concerns along with keeping the communication open and easy. Some things you may characterise the provider’s personality with is their communication style, their bedside manner, whether they are friendly or curt, if they are willing to explain things properly to you and are a good listener all while responding to your concerns.
Pregnancy and birth can be an exciting yet overwhelming and scary time. While you cannot predict what your future birth outcome will be, you can plan ahead by choosing the right hospital best fit for your needs. Where your deliver your baby is just as important as choosing the right OB/GYN, therefor, do your research well, ask important questions and choose the right maternity hospital for yourself
Save yourself the hassle and stress and find your nearest maternity hospital now using our healthcare directory.
