Even if you feel like you’re in labor, it’s a good idea to
time a few contractions before calling your doctor or midwife, so you're
able to describe what you are experiencing. If you are instructed to go
to the hospital:
Between 5 am and 8 pm, go directly to Labor & Delivery on the 3rd floor
of Community Memorial Hospital – Ventura.
Between 8 pm and 5 am, come in through the Emergency Department, where
you will be checked in.
A nurse will examine you, evaluate your baby’s heart rate, determine
how much your labor has progressed, and consult an obstetrician to determine
whether to admit you. It’s very common for women to experience symptoms
of labor without being ready to deliver, so please don’t be disappointed
if you are sent home.
During Labor
Our Labor & Delivery staff are committed to your comfort and safety
throughout your labor and delivery. Wherever possible, we try to accommodate
the preferences you specified in your Birth Plan, including the comfort
measures you request to help you cope with the discomfort of labor. These
may include:
Breathing and relaxation techniques
Visualization or use of a focal point
Therapeutic heat or cold
Position changes, walking, squatting, use of a birth ball
Low lighting
Music
Massage and therapeutic touch
Aromatherapy (no smoke/flames or diffusers allowed)
Hydrotherapy (shower or tub)
Continuous labor support is extremely beneficial, and we encourage you
to bring your spouse, partner, or other support person. Your support person
will be given a wrist band to identify them while they are in the hospital.
You are also welcome to have a doula. We can supply a mirror if you would
like to see your baby enter the world. Intravenous pain medications and
epidural anesthesia are available according to your personal preference,
birth plan, and physician or midwife’s recommendations.
You will be in a Labor & Delivery room throughout the labor and delivery
process and for a few hours after your baby’s birth. Your Labor
& Delivery Nurse will dry your baby off with a clean blanket and place
your baby skin-to-skin on your breast. (If you have a cesarean section,
skin-to-skin contact will be initiated in the operating room as soon as
it is safe to do so.) We routinely delay newborn procedures, such as weighing,
measuring, and administering newborn medications, to allow time for bonding
and breastfeeding. Because newborns take time to regulate their body temperature,
we also hold off on bathing them for 8 to 12 hours unless an earlier bath
is medically necessary.
Unless one of you needs specialized care, you will not be separated until
the first feeding is complete. Skin-to-skin bonding benefits both mother and baby.
Babies cry less, are better able to control their body temperature, have
a lower incidence of low blood sugar, and are more successful at breastfeeding,
which can decrease the chance of the baby developing jaundice.
Mothers enjoy a distraction from discomfort, are more confident caring
for their baby, experience less anxiety, and start becoming attached to
their baby, which is believed to reduce the risk of postpartum depression.
We ask that any visitors in the delivery room other than your husband or
partner only stay for a few minutes after delivery so that you can have
some privacy, bond with your new baby, and provide skin-to-skin contact.
Once your baby has been fed, he or she will be weighed and measured and
you, your baby, and your husband or partner will all be transferred to
your postpartum room. Visitors can reunite with you all at this time.
Don’t worry if breastfeeding doesn’t come naturally right away.
All our maternity nurses are trained to provide breastfeeding support
and education. We also have RN Certified Lactation Counselors/Educators
dedicated to providing individualized assistance with any specific breastfeeding
issues or needs.
Mother-Baby Unit
About two hours after delivery, you and your baby will be moved to our
Mother-Baby Unit to begin your postpartum stay. The Mother-Baby staff
will check on you often and give you tips on caring for your newborn,
as well as for yourself as you recover. The Unit schedules daily bonding
time between 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm when mother and baby may rest and bond
uninterrupted. During this time, hospital staff will not enter your room
unless requested by you or medically necessary. Visitors other than your
banded significant other will not be allowed unless specifically requested.
Once you are in the Mother-Baby Unit, you are free to take videos, and
of course, photographs. You can also purchase a newborn photo or souvenir
birth certificate as mementos of your baby’s birth.
Going Home
Hospital discharge typically occurs around 11 am. In preparation for leaving
the hospital, please arrange for family or friends to take you and your
baby home. It’s perfectly normal to experience physical discomfort
and mood swings and even be unexpectedly weepy. Give yourself time to
recuperate and rely on your loved ones for help and support. If you are
feeling increasingly anxious, sad, blue, or depressed, please call your
physician or midwife for further guidance.
Advantages of Breastfeeding
The cells, hormones, and antibodies in breast milk help to fight disease.
Breastfed infants have lower rates of gastrointestinal infections, respiratory
infections, asthma, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. Some research also shows
a lower rate of type 1 diabetes, childhood leukemia, SIDS, and certain
skin rashes in breastfed infants.
Breastfeeding has advantages for mothers as well. It can save you money
and time – no formula to buy, bottles to wash, or nipples to disinfect.
As you breastfeed and strengthen your bond with your baby, your body releases
oxytocin. This hormone stimulates the flow of milk and has a calming effect
on you. Breastfeeding also has a beneficial effect on your health. It
is linked to lower rates of type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, ovarian cancer,
and postpartum depression in women.
Your early milk, called colostrum, comes in small amounts to match your
infant’s tummy size. It is rich in nutrients and antibodies. By
the third to fifth day, the colostrum changes to mature milk to meet the
needs of your growing baby. It has just the right amounts of fat, sugar,
water, and protein. Since human breast milk is made for human babies,
it is much easier to digest than formula that is made from cow’s milk.
We recommend and encourage exclusive breastfeeding, but we also understand
that not every woman can, or wants, to breastfeed. We support each individual
parent’s feeding decisions for their baby. To help you and your
baby adjust to breast feeding, we offer the following:
Breastfeeding Education: For further information on breast feeding, download and print this form
to refer to at home, in English or Spanish.
Private Lactation Consultations: during your baby’s first year, you can meet at the
New Parent Resource Center with one of our lactation experts for assistance. If you delivered at
Community Memorial Hospital, there is no charge, and only a nominal fee
if you delivered elsewhere. Call
805-948-BABY (2229) to schedule your consultation.
Newborn Feeding Log: This handy form will help you keep track of how well your baby is feeding
and digesting. Download it here.
Breastfeeding Support Group: Moderated by an RN with expertise in breastfeeding, this group is a great
way to share breastfeeding successes and tips and meet other new moms.
The group is held at our New Parent Resource Center. Learn more and register here.
