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The Grand Tour
A Quick Trip Through the Labor and Delivery Room
By Jacqueline Rupp
Later the baby is taken to a warming bed that is close to the mother. The radiant heat warms the baby, while a monitor placed on Baby's skin continually monitors temperature, automatically adjusting the heating level of the bed. The baby is then weighed on a digital baby scale, wrapped and given back to the mother. A mini infant crash cart is also always in the LDR room in case Baby needs immediate medical attention. The emergency box contains everything the pediatrician would need, including infant umbilical IVs, an intubation kit and oxygen mask.
Hospital bands are placed on Baby's wrist and ankle, and Mom, Dad and Baby's bands all will match. According to Stark there are strict procedures requiring staff to always check the bands, especially when the family is moved to their postpartum room.
During the hour or two after delivery, there will be checks to make sure there are no signs of hemorrhaging or other problems. After this the family goes to the postpartum room, which is set up like a bedroom. "In our hospital there is a bed, a pull-out recliner chair for Father and a bassinet on wheels," says Stark. Everyone can stay together in this room as a family until it is time to go home.
As you've seen there are a number of options available in the birthing process. That's why it's a good idea to sit down before you are in labor and decide which technology and tools you would like to have available to you and which you would prefer not to use. Create a birth plan with specific statements, such as "No interventions unless there is a severe medical danger" rather than "I prefer not to have interventions." Make several copies that you can distribute to your primary care provider, labor and delivery nurse and doula.
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