As the crisis of Covid nears 365 days of havoc, King of Prussia Doulas would like to offer you some reassurance for your hospital birth. There has been so much unknown this year, but hospital systems have worked tirelessly to enact the most updated safety protocols, to keep you safe. We would like to outline these changes, in terms of how it will directly impact you during your pregnancy and labor/delivery experience.
Before Covid expectant families would typically register for an in-person hospital tour to scope out the route and get a feel for the facility.
Before Covid you would be permitted to have older siblings, family, friends, parents, and/or various support people at the hospital with you, awaiting the arrival of your newest bundle.
Before Covid you were monitored for typical vitals-temperature, BP, contractions, fetal heart rate, etc. sans face mask.
Before Covid your facility may have offered a peanut ball, birth ball, nitrous oxide and/ or Jacuzzi tubs as pain management options.
Before Covid your doula could come and go as needed.
Before Covid your hospital stay was 2 nights after the baby was born vaginally, and 3 nights after baby was born via cesarean.
Before Covid your partner and any visitors could leave, and return, as they pleased after your baby’s arrival.
Has Covid changed some of these expectations? YES. Have they all been significant and negative changes to your birth experience, NO! Some of these protocol modifications have been really beneficial to new families and their adjustments into the next phase of their parenting journey.
Here is what you can expect delivering a baby at a hospital now, During Covid.
The in-person hospital tours are no longer. Some hospitals offer a virtual L&D tour; you may be interested to inquire for your birth facility. If not, it’s really okay, because KOP Doulas have experience with all of the local hospitals and we can answer your questions about arrival, amenities, route to arrival, what your delivery room will look like, and where your partner will rest while you’re in the process of meeting your baby.
Upon arrival to the hospital, both the laboring person and your partner will have their temperature scanned, and they will be asked the standard Covid screening questions- “are you exhibiting any symptoms, have you been around anyone who has symptoms/tested positive,” etc. You will likely be asked to swap out your personal mask for a hospital provided blue surgical mask. The laboring person will be given a Covid test upon admission. Your support person will likely not get a Covid test. Masks will likely be required for both parties while hospital staff are in the room. During active labor, the hospital staff is very reasonable about the mask expectations for the laboring person. If it becomes too much, they may even offer the oxygen mask instead, so that you can feel more comfortable. KOP has supported several “masked” births, and though not ideal, it has not been as cumbersome as anticipated.
In terms of monitoring, everything is exactly the same! Vitals are monitored on a regular or intermittent basis as you request or allow, and laboring women are free to move about their room, use a peanut, birth ball, chair, squat, use their private bathroom, or shower at their leisure.
At this point, the Jacuzzi tubs are not being offered. So, if hydrotherapy is calming to you, use your bathtub at home, or use the shower in your private room at the hospital. You can sit on the birth ball in there to ease the stress on your legs. The shower head is detachable, and your support person can use that to allow the warm water to massage your back if that is something that appeals to you.
In many hospitals, doulas ARE permitted to support in-person. With medical staff being vaccinated at this time, it is likely that many more hospitals will be permitting doulas as well.
If your doula cannot support you in the hospital you chose, there are still MANY ways they can provide prenatal, labor, and postpartum support. KOP Doulas have had several clients that we have labored with at home, transferred with them to the hospital, and even walked with them through the parking lot, to the hospital entrance. While in the delivery room, we are available for FaceTime, Zoom, texts, phone calls. Our education and guidance allows your partner to make effective adjustments for you with position changes, and modifications to the mood/lighting/temperature of your room. Your doula’s ability to offer emotional support is not deterred by Covid protocol, nor is the education we provide during pregnancy or early/active labor. The reassurance that what you are experiencing is normal, the validation that what you are feeling is personal, and important, is something we can provide no matter the distance.
Once the baby is earth side, lactation consultants are available as always. The nurses are available to help with early newborn care. If everyone is comfortable and healthy, you are even permitted to leave 24 hrs. after the baby’s arrival! Keep in mind, this is an option, not an obligation. Many families opt to stay the second or third day to continue recovering, and to get a little more monitoring for mother and baby.
Having a no visitor policy, though frustrating at times, has allowed mothers to focus on their baby and their rest. It has given the opportunity to target feeding challenges without interruption from guests, and it has provided bonding time for the new family without strategizing when the next visitor will arrive. That 24-48 hours of recharge allows parents to leave the hospital a little more prepared for the next step in their journey.
How else can YOU prepare for your labor and new parenthood? KOP Doulas offers private in-person and virtual group or private Childbirth Education Classes. We also offer Newborn Care and Infant Feeding classes. Our Birth and Postpartum doulas are available for in-person and virtual support. We are a wealth of information- take advantage of our offerings so that you may enter new parenthood with confidence.
By Laura Martin
