Am-In-Labor.com

When you go to have your baby, you may spend a couple of hours in labor and delivery. You could also spend a couple of days there. So, its nice to look good and feel fresh while you labor.

1. Tip number one is wear good makeup to the hospital. By good, I mean the type of make up that lasts a couple of hours. I had a patient whose make up was flawless after 2 days of labor! Another patient. Had the prettiest lashes and when I commented on them, she said they were fake lashes from a company called wings. They were very pretty.

2. Tip number 2, ask for pericare. During labor, the doctors and nurses might do vaginal exams on you, your water will break at some point and you may not be able to shower or even get out of bed if you have an epidural. The feminine parts need to be cleaned often during this time or it could develop a not so nice fragrance. Each time some one comes to do a vaginal exam on you, ask them to clean up your perineal area with a wash cloth and warm water after. You could add this to your birth plan. That way, you won’t have to keep calling your nurses.

Hopefully using these 2 tips Will keep you fabulous and fresh during labor

If you have placenta previa and go into labor, you need to let the nurses have this information once you get to the hospital ESPECIALLY if you don’t have your prenatal records.

This way, no one will do a vaginal exam on you and you would then need a c-section. Any type of vaginal exam could cause you to bleed and may also lead to premature separation of your placenta from your uterus. Which could then affect your baby.

I heard about a lady who went into labor and rushed to the hospital to give birth. This was her first baby and she really really wanted to push the baby out on her own. That is, she did not want a c-section. According to her she spent about 2 days in labor and was dilating till she got to about 8cm. Suddenly, the staff discovered her baby was breech. SO, she had to have a c-section. If the ultrasound was done in the first place, she wouldnt have had to go through all that pain (she didnt get an epidural).

TIP: When you go nto labor, have your doctors confirm your babys position- get a picture if possible

Listen to Your baby’s heart beat whenever you want with a fetal doppler like the  SonoTrax Baby Doppler Lite with 3MHz Probe — Its similar to the type used in doctors offices.

Well, if you go to a labor and delivery ( L and D) floor and are truly in labor, here are a fewthings you should expect–depending on the doctor who’s taking care of you:

1. Initially, you will be asked to provide a urine sample, change into a hospital gown (yep, if you want to bring yours feel free, they have a couple of pretty ones here) and lay in a bed.  Then two monitors will be placed on your belly. One to monitor your contraction pattern and the second to monitor your baby’s heart rate. Your blood pressure and temperature will also be taken.

2. After this, you’ll need to be admitted. To do this, your nurse will ask you a whole bunch of questions about yourself and your pregnancy. Your prenatal records will also be needed, because it contains information about your pregnancy history and lab work. So make sure you have your prenatal records every time you visit L and D.

3. Next, your nurse will draw some blood from you for lab work and start an IV on you, so you can get fluids and IV medication if needed. The IV line may also be needed if blood has to be given.

4. After this, you and your baby will be monitored by your nurse and doctor, until you deliver.

This is just a summary of what you should expect. Other things that will or may happen are vaginal exams to see how dilated and effaced your cervix is, an ultrasound to make sure your baby’s is head down if you will be giving birth vaginally and flipping you left or right depending on how your baby is doing, as well as getting oxygen. I will expand on this post in other posts as things change pretty often in L and D.

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One of my patients had this beautiful hospital gown on while she was in labor.

It has snap buttons in the back for easy access during an epidural.

The snap buttons also provide privacy. They make it easy for you to walk around so you don’t have to double gown or hold the back of your hospital gown .

If you want to breastfeed, it has shoulder snaps that provide easy access for breastfeeding.

It also comes in a variety of colors. For more information about this hospital pregnancy gown, click here