Choosing a Maternity Hospital

Having a baby is a whirlwind of preparation, excitement and anticipation. You’ve prepared the nursery, bought some really tiny clothes and perhaps had a baby shower or two. And as the day gets closer you’ll begin to think about the actual birth. Your healthcare plan will probably dictate where the baby will be delivered but you can still “interview” your hospital and get detailed information about policies and procedures. Knowing how things work and what you can expect during your stay will help with the nervous feelings any expectant parent will experience.

What Questions Should Expectant Parents Ask?

• How many deliveries take place at the hospital each year? The more they have the better able they are at dealing with unexpected problems.
• How long is the typical postpartum stay for vaginal deliveries or for Caesarean sections?
• What types of birthing rooms do they have? Some hospitals allow labor and delivery in the same room. This reduces stress and allows for a calmer atmosphere.
• What are the visitor policies for labor and delivery? Are siblings allowed during any part of the birthing process?
• Can you record the birth? More and more hospitals are limiting cameras in the delivery room. Some have outlawed video cameras altogether.
• What are the nursery facilities like? There are varying levels of nursery, up to and including a neonatal intensive care unit. If you have a high-risk pregnancy you'll want to know if your newborn will have to be moved to a NICU if needed and if this means moving to another facility.
• If choosing breastfeeding ask about policy. Will there be a lactation consultant and are they available seven days a week? Does she see every nursing mother or is her involvement dependent on your health care coverage?
• What security precautions do they take to guard against mother/baby mix-ups or infant abductions? More and more maternity wards are equipping parents and infants with security devices that greatly reduce the chance of either of these incidents happening. In the future there will even be DNA-based security measures that will all but eliminate the possibility.

The Accutech Cuddles infant protection system ensures the safety of every infant with unique, tamper-proof and continuously visible tags that prevent accidental mix-ups or abductions. The RFID based system experiences the lowest-rate of false alarms in the industry so staff can spend more time caring for your newborn while ensuring the piece of mind that every new parent deserves.