Last night we had a tour at the new hospital we decided to deliver at. We were pretty fortunate to be able to get a tour so last minute. We only decided to switch hospitals last Thursday so to be on a tour less than a week later was great!! Immediately upon entering this hospital the vibe was completely different from the other. It was calm and serene and there was much less hustle and bustle. It's a much smaller community hospital, compared to a large teaching hospital. Normally I am a mess when I'm at hospitals. White coat syndrome. My blood pressure soars and my heart rate skyrockets. For someone who has a resting heart rate in the high 90's already, a soaring heart rate is not really a good thing. Even at our last hospital tour I felt the effects of being in a hospital. Last night, nothing. The ambiance is just completely different. We weren't even sure we wanted to do a tour. After no support from my OB on our birth plan last week and then hearing this hospital was more open to natural childbirth, we debated just going with what we heard and hoping it was true, rather than taking a tour finding out it wasn't and stressing. I am more than thrilled to report that everything we heard was 100% correct. I felt absolutely certain that is the hospital LD is meant to be born in!! We went into the tour with questions regarding hospital procedures, or what my OB told me were hospital procedures at the other hospital. We didn't even need to ask our questions as the nurse leading the tour said basically everything we were hoping for is pretty much standard operating procedure at the new hospital. Eating actual food while in labor was the only thing it sounds like I won't be able to do of the things on my birth plan. I can live with that. Lollipops, popsicles, and ice chips it is...just let me move around freely, use the shower or jacuzzi bathtub, monitor my little guy intermittently, push using a push bar, respect that I truly want to do this without pain medication, don't just give me an episiotomy, and wait until the cord stops pulsing before clamping it, as long as my little man and I are doing well and there are no complications. That is all I ask. This hospital only delivers about ten babies a day, so there's no push to clear rooms or any reason to rush labor. The nurses are regularly exposed to natural childbirth so my requests are not out of the norm to them. The environment was one that I absolutely felt comfortable in. I am so thankful we went on the tour and I am again so looking forward to LD's birth day!! There were a few very cute new little (and big babes) in the nursery while their parents took a discharge class last night and I just couldn't believe that in about a month we will welcome our little guy in that very hospital!! It was actually our first choice of hospitals in the beginning when we were discussing where to deliver, more for the private room guarantee than anything. At the time we had no idea how we envisioned our ideal birth. In the end my DH decided he wasn't thrilled about the idea of driving an extra 30 minutes with a laboring woman. So we went with the closer hospital. Last night when we drove to the tour it was during rush hour so we took what we thought would be the quickest way, it still took over an hour. Luckily first babies give you plenty of time to get to the hospital. We even saw a couple arrive last night in labor, so calm and ready for what was to come. I'm hoping I look that calm when it's our turn!! Last night DH was so sweet and he said he wishes there was someone else who could drive us to the hospital so he could focus on me and helping me get through contractions. I told him lots of partners bring the laboring mother to the hospital by themselves. He said those women probably don't hold grudges like I do!! :) I assured him that despite what I say while in the throes of labor, once I am holding our son all memory of the drive to the hospital or the pain of labor will cease to be. All that will matter is the welcoming of the newest member of our family. Little LD's due date is only 33 days away...
(if you're looking for the cloth diaper post it's below :) )
