Hospital Orientation

Last night we went to Memorial West for our hospital orientation. It was quite informative and I am really glad we went. First things first, if you go into labor on your own, you are not to come in until you are 5-1-1. Which is, contractions are less than 5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, and have followed that pattern for at least an hour. If you go to the hospital before that, you will be kept in the labor and delivery triage until you have reached that point.

So checking into the hospital when you are in labor, you go to the triage, they check you out, and make sure you are at 5-1-1. If that is the case, you go right to the delivery suite. The delivery suite has a hospital bed with a sleeper-sofa or recliner chair for dad, or a queen-sized bed. All have private bathrooms, some with tubs with jets, some with showers. The rooms have televisions, some with VCRs. We will stay in this room until Carson has joined us. Then we stay in there for about an hour afterwards and then we are moved to the 3rd floor where we stay. ALL of the rooms are private. THANK GOODNESS!!! I knew that before hand, but it is nice to always hear. Your stay is calculated by 48 hours once the baby has arrived, 72 hours for a C-section.

We are allowed to have AS MANY people in the room as we like, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. That being said, during the actual pushing and delivery, Geoffrey and I decided it will just be the 2 of us, and of course the dr and nurses. It will be the waiting room for everyone else for those 5 minutes of pushing..ha!! I know, I know, but I can dream.

The hospital is a "Room In" hospital. That means, Carson never leaves our side. I really liked that. They also use a lo-jack system, a small anklet on Carson which is deactivated when he leaves the hospital with us.

They told us what to bring to the hospital. Our toiletries, pillows, a robe, slippers, etc. And of course, can't forget Dad! Geoffrey needs to bring with him his toiletries and change of clothes and of course snacks. We can bring our lap top with us because all of the rooms have the ability to access the Internet. That means Geoffrey can upload pictures and send them to everyone right away!

Because my due date is in the height of hurricane season, I paid close attention to that topic. Basically, if you wait the hurricane out at the hospital, you wait it out in the lobby and have to bring EVERYTHING with you, i.e. your own air mattress, blankets, pillows, food. They provide nothing but a place to be in case you go into labor. Because of the pressure drop, hurricanes have been known to send women into labor when they are very close to full term. So that plan does not sound like a good time to me. No hurricanes the last 2 weeks of September or the first 2 weeks of October......Fingers crossed!!!

I think that's all for now, I'm pretty sure I have covered it all. :)

And this is all in the case that I am not induced or have a planned C-section.
81 days to go until Carson is here!!!!

Happy Friday!