Choosing where to deliver your baby

The end of pregnancy cannot come sooner for many women. The initial excitement of carrying a pregnancy starts to wane off towards the last few weeks. Carrying the extra weight causes unending fatigue, and ordinary activities are further limited by more pronounced bodily changes towards the final weeks. And the expectation of finally seeing the long awaited baby adds to the desire of anticipating the end of the pregnancy.

Decisions about where to deliver should be made pretty early. You should do your homework well, and choose a delivery facility that best suits your expectations. Choose to deliver in an easily accessible facility. The onset of labour is unpredictable; being caught out on a lengthy drive in unpredictable traffic patterns is the last thing you want. Be sure alternate modes of transport to the chosen facility are available, including public means if that becomes necessary.

Complication rates

Next, you need to be completely satisfied about the safety of where you choose to deliver. Labour is dynamic, with potential for things to go wrong. Maternities must have processes in place that ensure the best outcomes for mothers and their babies. Enquire about the number of deliveries each year, and complication rates. Minor problems are common during delivery, and usually easily dealt with. Maternal and newborn deaths are the worst complications, but are uncommon. Be wary of delivery units where major complications appear to be disproportionate.

The infrastructure in maternities is another thing you should consider. Are the delivery rooms large enough, and is privacy and confidentiality well catered for? The ideal delivery room should be private, only accessible to you and your chosen companions. En-suite bathroom facilities should be available to further maintain privacy and dignity. Each delivery room must be equipped with all the necessary devices required for monitoring your labour.

Be sure to enquire about staffing. Midwives play a very critical role during labour. You want to deliver in a facility with adequate numbers of midwives, all well trained and very professional. A one-on-one midwife is the standard, this is what you want.

Doctors

Choose your supervising doctors carefully. There are pros and cons of either having an individual obstetrician, or a team of obstetricians working together. What is important is ready availability of the doctors soonest they are needed. You’ll, of course, select the best of obstetricians available.

Once your tick box takes care of staffing, infrastructure, equipment and processes that assure safety, you are ready to go. Be confident you have made the right choice, but you must stay vigilant. Any slippage of standards and expectations must be met with queries. You must always remain in charge, you and your baby deserve a smooth, safe and enjoyable delivery.