Whether you’re a first-time mother or expecting your second or third baby, as you near 40 weeks — the finish line — of pregnancy, you might feel a rollercoaster of emotions. When it comes to your delivery journey, it’s important to know what to expect — and how you might have to pivot — when you welcome your baby.
We talked with Hannah Vetter, DO, an obstetrician and gynecologist at Parkland Health Center, about the questions patients should ask about preparing for delivery, birth plans and what goes on in the delivery room. We also spoke with Dr. Vetter’s patient Rebecca Stites, a mother of three from Farmington, who delivered all three of her children at Parkland, about her experience at the hospital and advice for new moms. Dr. Vetter recently delivered Stites’ third child, a boy.
What questions do expecting parents often have about giving birth?
Many women ask about what to expect during labor, especially if it’s their first pregnancy, Dr. Vetter says. “That includes how an induction and labor process works, when to ask for an epidural, and who will be part of their care team and who will deliver them.”
What is a birth plan and why should patients consider making one?
A birth plan is direction from the patient to the doctor about different birthing decisions, including if they want an epidural, don’t want to lie flat on their back, want to be positioned on a birthing ball as well as different monitoring styles for the baby.
“In general, patients should be aware of those things, and I think that those kinds of decisions are better made before they go into labor,” Dr. Vetter says. “I encourage patients to talk to their providers before delivery occurs, when they’re around 30 weeks pregnant, about their wishes or even to hear about different options.”
Dr. Vetter also says that having a pain management plan in place is a good idea.
“Some people want an epidural right off the bat, and that might be something they want to communicate to their nursing staff,” Dr. Vetter says. “Others might want an unmedicated birth, and it might be annoying to them to be offered an epidural over and over.”
Rebecca adds that it’s a good idea for moms to keep an open mind even if they do create a birth plan. “Some people have such a strict birth plan, and most of the time it probably doesn’t go the way that everyone wants it to,” she says.
That was the case for Rebecca as well. As in her first two births, Rebecca wanted an epidural for the birth of her third child. However, her labor progressed so quickly that she didn’t have time for one. Rebecca relied on the support from Parkland nurses and Dr. Vetter to help her through her unmedicated birth.
“It was scary because I didn’t know what it would be like to give birth without an epidural,” Rebecca remembers. “I was terrified, but the nurses and Dr. Vetter told me that I was fine, that I had this and that it would be over soon — and it was. I was lucky with my birth experiences. They were easy. I’m very thankful.”
How should moms prepare for delivery?
Parkland Health Center has just about everything the patient needs to deliver their baby and care for them postpartum, including onesies, swaddles, mesh underwear and pads for mom, and more.
Dr. Vetter recommends patients bring items such as roomy clothes, comfy underwear, nursing bras, slippers, an extra-long phone charging cable and an iPad for entertainment.
To make her delivery experience enjoyable and comfortable, Rebecca brought her own pillow and blanket, loose-fitting pajamas to wear after giving birth, and her own toiletries for her first shower post-delivery.
What can moms expect in the delivery room?
Dr. Vetter says the labor and delivery process is different for every patient, and it depends on whether they go into labor spontaneously versus having a scheduled induction.
“In general, they’re assessed by a triage nurse, then a care team member will come in and check on them,” Dr. Vetter says. “If they end up being admitted for any other reason, often they’re seen by a physician either at the time of their admission or shortly after.”
If the admission is for spontaneous labor, Dr. Vetter says the patient is usually offered medications for pain management at that time. “That often includes an epidural, and labor is augmented with medications as appropriate,” she says.
Patients are encouraged to ask their doctor questions about the baby during labor and delivery, especially about the baby’s status and whether the delivery is unfolding in a way that the doctor would expect. The doctor should be communicating those things back to the patient as well.
“The best deliveries are ones in which the patient and the doctor or the midwife communicate well,” Dr. Vetter says.
What can moms expect after their baby is delivered?
Dr. Vetter says that after babies are delivered at Parkland, providers encourage uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact with mom for an hour, also known as the golden hour. If the baby is delivered vaginally, they can go directly to mom’s chest. In the case of a C-section delivery, the baby is assessed immediately and then, if there are no complications, brought over to mom.
Many providers delay cord clamping for a short time, and baby is also not weighed until the golden hour has ended. During skin-to-skin, providers will help patients and babies latch and initiate breastfeeding.
Of course, Dr. Vetter says, “if the baby is in any distress, the provider has concerns or the baby is preterm, sometimes those babies don’t go directly to mom’s chest. They’ll instead go to a warmer to be evaluated.”
Schedule an appointment with one of Parkland Health Center’s labor and delivery care team members.