Hospital Tour Recap

Warning this is a long, long post. If you just want the hospital info scroll down to the **** break.

Good and bad. That's about the only way to describe it. It started off very bad. First, hubby calls me and asks if there is some event at the indian casino up the road from us. I guess the traffic leaving that direction was crazy, bumper-to-bumper. I of course don't know a thing, was busy getting Jake fed and bathed before German Grandma shows up, so I sort of rushed him off the phone. Five minutes later he calls. The traffic is NOT from the casino, rather it is his direction of traffic (less than 5 miles from home) being turned around due to a road closer, the road he takes to get home. Long story short, I had to meet him at the gas station about an hour later. It took him that long to make it back the 4 or 5 miles. The really crappy thing, the road closer was due to some bust by the police and had been going on since like 7:30 in the morning and yet, they didn't have any police stationed at that head of that road to turn traffic around! It was 5pm!!!!!! What the heck!!????

I didn't want to drive, but considering hubby's last hour and the fact that when I arrived at the gas station, he still wasn't there. I filled my truck up with gas and when he arrived I told him I would drive. He was so happy about that, but he said, "Oh no, I can drive". Such a sweetheart. But I drove.

We were too late to go get a regular meal, so we hit a drive-thru. Yuck! Then we hit the hospital. As we approach the reception desk we notice quite a few pregnant ladies turning around and leaving. As soon as we get to the desk, the couple before us says, "Oh you have got to be kidding". Turns out the tour was canceled. The lady that normally gives the tour was sick and they couldn't find a replacement. I know it's not a big deal, but really for us it sucked. I didn't cry but I was upset. We both needed to use the restroom so we headed for the bathrooms. We kept saying, "Heck if we had known, we wouldn't have eaten at a drive-thru and we could have gone out for a nice dinner together". After the bathroom break, we had to pass the information desk again. The lady working the desk stopped us and said they had found a replacement person to give the tour. I was so happy. But I felt bad for all the other couples who had left already!

************** 

Okay, the tour itself was nicely run. We had an adorable nurse who was good about explaining things and making everyone feel comfortable. First stop was check-in and triage area. No brainers really. Second stop was the nursery. There were NO babies in the nursery. She said, "notice, no babies? That's because we want them to room in with you". This hospital keeps the babies with the mothers as much as possible. Even the pediatrician does the newborn exams in room and the nurses do the post birth clean up in the rooms. That was GOOD!

Next was the labor rooms. Nice, big private rooms. The rule is you can have 4 people with you in the room during labor/delivery. Hubby was cute, knowing that I don't want 4 people in the room, ONLY want him. He pointed to me and said, "one" pointed to himself and said, "two" and then pointed to my belly and said, "three & four".  The bad news is for twins they make you deliver in the OR. That really sucks! So that is a BAD thing for me. Another thing that is rotten is this is NOT a natural birth friendly hospital. You are tied to monitors the moment you are admitted. So you can't walk around and labor like nature intended. This of course will not apply to me as I will be bucking the system. Also an IV is mandatory. But you can do a hep lock (IV insert, no saline attached). I'm fine with this. 

If you are having a normal singleton pregnancy, you labor and deliver in the same room and then about two hours after birth they move you to the postpartum rooms. Much nicer rooms (which is amazing, given how nice the labor rooms are). Bassinet/s in the rooms, tables, chairs for family or friends, big bathroom. Very nice! That's a GOOD thing. The really good thing, no mandatory epidural line for twins.

I didn't ask about eating or drinking during labor. I just know the answer to that will be NO, given the way the rest of the tour went. It's pretty much by-the-medical-book type facility. Discharge, if you and the babies are both healthy and cleared medically (no c-section) no bad blood results or blood pressure issues, is about 26 hours. They have to run one blood test on the babies at 24 hours after they are born. If you have a c-section or you or the babies don't pass blood and other tests then of course it takes more time before you get released. Average stay after a C-section is 3 to 4 days. I really hope that isn't us. I got a panic feeling thinking of being away from Jake and home that long. I know hubby would bring him in to see me, but still, it freaked me out just thinking that might happen to us. I really, really, really don't want a C-section for so many reasons.

To sort of recap, I'm okay with delivering at this hospital. I think most of their procedures are standard and normal. Frankly, unless I give birth at home I realize that I'm not going to be able to labor/deliver the way I would like, the way I believe nature intended.  So I rather be a facility where I know, if something should go terribly wrong, is the best place for my babies to be. 

The real decision making needs to start when labor starts. How long will I labor at home? Here's the thing, this hospital is realistically 45 mins from our home. Driving crazy, less time, hitting traffic more time. I've read countless times how horrible it is to have contractions while in the car. Also, with a first timer like myself, how on earth can I gage how close I am to delivering? We do have the option of getting a hotel room close to the hospital and doing much of the laboring there. But it is way too early to make that type of decision.

The other possibility is what if the first baby in line to be born is breech? In that case, I can't have a normal delivery, it is a for sure C-section. They won't deliver Baby A (first to exit the womb) if he is breech. They sometimes will deliver baby B as a breech. Again, this is nothing to worry about but it is something to realize could happen to us. I know that they will start doing u/s more frequently the closer we get to 37 weeks. I know that if Baby A is breech they will be trying to schedule me for a C-section. Now if this was a small hospital with limited staff, I'd probably make that concession. I wouldn't want to put my babies at risk of not having enough people on hand to help them if I should have to have an emergency c-section. But given the size of this hospital and the number of people available to us, I don't think we would consider scheduling in advance a C-section. I think we will wait until labor starts and progresses and then they can determine if the baby has turned or not. If not, then we would do a C-section.

Really, there are so many variables, we really have to just play it be ear. We have to educate ourselves so we aren't pushed into things we don't want and also, to make sure we listen to the staff we have seen it all and know better than we do. It's a fine line to walk. But it's one we are willing to walk and do the research on. This is part of parenting..... the first stages of parenting these babies!

Now if I could only get over my fear of leaving Jake during this process! By the way, he did pretty good with German Grandma. He practically kicked me out the door. When I grabbed my keys and purse he said, "bye". Stinker! I said can I have a hug and kiss. And he kissed me and gave me a hug and then turned to German Grandma to have him follow him to his room. When we got home we asked her how things went. I guess he was great all evening until he went to bed. Then I guess he sort of freaked after she tucked him in. He cried for mama and didn't settle. She she layed down next to him. He kept touching her arm to make sure she was next to him. So sweet cause he does that to me also. I was glad she layed down with him and let him settle. Made me feel good that she used some common sense and catered to his emotions. I knew I liked this lady! As soon as she left I had to go in and check on him and give him kisses. Thankfully I didn't wake him up. But in all honesty I wanted to crawl in bed and sleep next to him last night. I just love him so much! 

Comments

[Kathy]

so much to consider!!!

its good though you are thinking through the what ifs so when you have to decide under some pressure you will know what you want.

I like the idea of an IV line in for you so they can do what they need to in an emergency. Which you won't have....it just peace of mind. :)

[Erin]

Hey, I've got a great blog for you to read about natural birth. She gave birth to her twins naturally, no pain medication in a hospital setting.

http://wonderfullymadebelliesandbabies.blogspot.com/

If you look through her archives, she has the birth story of all her babies :)

[karen j]

WOW, so much to think about. I hope you get all that you want and have the birth experience you and your babies deserve.

[Susan]

This is coming together well, really. Breathe, make your plans and then kick butt, well you know.

[AmyLyn]

It sounds like you know exactly what you want and don't. Stick to it, they HAVE to listen to you unless you want something that is endangering you/the babies and obviously you wouldn't do that! :)