Most births are natural experiences, and the physicians at Women First want you to have as natural a birth experience as possible. We also view pregnancy and delivery as a cooperative endeavor between physician and patient to provide a healthy outcome for both mother and baby. The following guidelines for a typical birth help you bring your baby into the world safely and naturally.
- Presence of husband or significant other at all times through labor and delivery
- Presence of baby’s siblings if appropriately prepared
- No shave prep
- No enema
- Saline lock rather than continuous IV fluid
- Labor positioning as you desire
- No episiotomy unless necessary for delivery of your baby
- Option to use nitrous oxide for pain relief during labor
- Intermittent fetal monitoring after 30 minutes when a normal fetal heart rate is documented
- Wireless telemetry
- Spontaneous delivery of the placenta
- Ambulation in early stages of labor provided fetal heart rate is checked
- Ice chips, popsicles and sips of clear liquids
- Kangaroo Care (skin-to-skin holding of newborn baby)
- Delayed cord clamping