The people who care for you when you deliver a baby have the power to create a great experience. A great hospital delivery staff ensures your safety and comfort throughout your stay. Consider these three key characteristics of top-notch obstetrical medical providers.
Fast Response Times
When you are in labor, timing is everything. A great hospital delivery staff will quickly respond to your questions and needs. For a natural delivery, you may prefer to only have your partner in the room, with regular check-ins from the medical team. If you have a sudden need to use the restroom or you need a check to see how far you have progressed, you will not want to wait half an hour for the staff to respond to the call button. An ideal team of nurses and doctors will be at your room within a minute or two of your call.
Personalized Patient Care
When it comes to having a baby, there is no one size fits all approach. Choose a hospital delivery staff that offers a personalized patient care experience. You may wish to go with a hospital that will allow the same provider to work with you through the duration of your labor. Inquire about amenities that are important to you. For example, you may wish to be mobile during your labor, walking through the hallways until you are fully dilated. On the other hand, you may wish to relax in a bathtub or sit in a rocking chair during your contractions. You will want to make sure you have staff that have taken the time to learn more and are up-to-date on the latest techniques for patient care.
Up-to-Date on Medical Research
Almost every day, a new scientific study is published with new information about health care. When you are searching for a hospital to have your baby at, consider how well-informed the staff is on the latest scientific findings. For example, many recent studies have elucidated the benefits of skin-to-skin or “kangaroo care” for newborns and premature babies. Other studies have shown some benefits to waiting for up to 30 minutes to cut the umbilical cord. Ask how up-to-date the hospital delivery staff is on the issues that are important to you.
Delivering a baby is an incredible experience. With the right team of people caring for you, the time you spend in the hospital will make life-long memories. Keep these ideal characteristics of the hospital delivery staff and maternity care team in mind as you decide where to have your new bundle of joy.