what happens when you actually go into the hospital?

houseman

hi gals (and some guys),
im on the first so just wondering what actually happens once you go into labour and into hospital? Are you in a public ward or what for the first few hours? I know it can take hours before you even see the doors of the delivery room. Im going semi-p in HS. Should have asked this at the hospital.
Also, is the other half allowed to stay with you? we're over an hour from dublin so just wondering if they'll make him leave and come back or what?
I guess if they do, he could always book a cheap hotel near by or something.
I want to prepare him as much as myself for what will happen.

Oryx

Depends how your labour is progressing. If its slow, they may suggest your oh goes off for a lie down, but he doesnt have to. Tho if they think its ok, Id take them up on it. Labour can go on a bit, and in the early stages you can cope adequately, sometimes even sleep. Ask if they have a room he can use to get his head down, you never know.

In my case my oh was allowed to be with me all the time, apart from when he swapped with my mum. Only one person was allowed.

Afaik, where you are put will depend on what stage you are at and how busy the labour wards are at the time. Usually when you get there they monitor you to see if you are in labour, and then check your dilation. What happens after that depends on that. You may end up going straight to the delivery suite and staying there, or they may put you in a ward, or in some very busy cases you might even share a delivery room. And Id say all hospitals differ anyway.


All I can tell you is that the staff will make the very best effort to accomodate you in a way that is private, and with the support around you that you need.

Good luck with it.

crazy cat lady

If you go to Holles St with pains and you think you are in labour, you will first go to the delivery ward. They have an admissions room there which most people are seen in.

A brief history will be taken - When did the pains start? How frequesnt are they? Where are the pains? Have you had a show? Do you think your waters have broken? Is the baby active? etc...

The midwife will then palpate your tummy to assess which way the baby is lying and then listen to the baby's heartbeat with a doppler.

You will then be examined to see if you are in labour. This is done by a midwife, usually one of the senior midwives, and involves an internal examination.

During the examination, the midwife will assess your cervix for many things - whether it is posterior (to the back) or if it has started moving to the front, whether it has softened, whether it has shortened, whether it had dilated at all. They will also feel to see how well applied to the cervix the baby's head is, or whether it can still move.

All of this information, along with the information you provide about your pains will then lead to a decision being made about what happens next. You are likely to have a pain whilst all of this is happening which the midwife will also assess. If you don't have a pain, it is unlikely, but not impossible, that you are in labour.

If your cervix is as little as 1cm dilated, you will be deemed 'in labour'. You will then be offered to have your waters broken for you (a painless procedure) They will not allow you to have an epidural in Holles St unless your waters are broken or have been broken for you. You will then be transferred to a delivery room until your baby arrives. The midwife will listen to your baby's heartbeat every 15 minutes, unless there is a need for continuous monitoring with a CTG.

If your cervix has not started to dilate, you will be deemed 'not in labour' which can be very disheartening when you are having pains! Based on what is felt at examination and your history, the decision to either send you home to to the antenatal ward will be made. Before you go anywhere you will have a 20 minute trace of the babys heartbeat and movements to check the wellbeing.

If given the option to go home - take it! The antenatal ward can be very busy and not at all relaxing. This can actually slow your progression into labour. If they think that you will go inot labour soon, you will be sent to the antanatal ward regardless. Your husband should be able to stay with you, although if he can get some rest (even if thats just sat in the car) he should definately get it.

On the antenatal ward, your pains will be monitored and you will then be examined again when you are suspected to be in labour. As I said, the antenatal ward can be very busy so make sure that you seek attention when you think the pains have worsened, otherwise you might get overlooked.

There is only one antenatal ward and it accommodates public/private/semi-private patients. It is unlikely that you will be given an individual room as they are often in use by people with infectious illnesses etc...

Anyway, hope this helps! And good luck

eviltwin

Just be careful about sending your partner home

I had my baby two weeks ago and was in hospital for 12 hours and nothing was happening so at about 11 that night I told my husband to go back home and get some sleep

I went into full labour an hour later, he was just home so had to come back in again and just made it in time to see our son being born

Lots of other mums I know have had the same thing happen to them. Luckily we only live in Blanchardstown, if he had been any further out he would have missed it.