The Delivery Room

Who Can Be In The Delivery Room With You?

For those who are going through their first pregnancy will be focused on eating healthy, following a regular exercise routine, what type of birth they are going to have and so much more. What most couples will not worry about asking is “who is going to be allowed into the delivery room?”. Most hospitals have strict policies on who is and who is not allowed into the delivery room. In most cases this is usually limited to your partner or person you choose to be in the room with you and the medical staff who are going to be involved in the birth.

Which medical staff will attend your labor?

During your labor there will be a regular flow of medical staff in and out of the delivery room, some may partake in a single role and others may partake in a number of different roles during the birth, these may include:

• Doctor/Midwife: You will know this person well as you would have built up a relationship with this person over the course of your pregnancy.When you do meet with your practitioner or midwife for the first time be sure to ask right away what their schedule is like an if they have any vacation time scheduled near your due date. This will give you the chance to make other arrangements or to meet their backup or replacement before hand.
• Family Member/Partner: Be sure to find out the delivery room policy at the institution where you will be having your baby before hand. Some hospitals insist that your birthing partner, the person who will be in the delivery room with you, must attend special classes before being allowed into the delivery room.
• Doula: If you are hiring a doula you will need to find out the hospitals policy on doula’s before hand. Most hospitals have no restrictions on doula’s but they may have restrictions on the number of people who are allowed into the delivery room.
• Labor Nurse: She will be the person who you will deal with from the hospital. In most cases you will have the same nurse for the duration of your delivery, but in some cases she may change depending on shifts etc. She will keep your midwife or doctor in the loop as to how your labor is progressing and she will also relay any messages or requests which you may have to them.She will also be present to assist your midwife or doctor during the actual birth. Although she wont be around much during your labor to offer you comfort, she may provide some suggestions to help you stay as comfortable as possible.
• OB Tech: This is the person who comes in right near the end – but just before the birth – and sets up the instruments, oils and other requirements. This person is usually there during the actual birth, and he/she will be there to directly assist your midwife or doctor.
• Nursery Nurse: Most hospitals now have a nursery nurse who may also attend the birth, depending on the facility, but in some they may only attend c-sections. They are there to care and look after your baby after he or she has been born.If you are planning on having a homebirth then you should talk to your midwife or doctor who you may have at the birth and who they might be bringing along to assist them with the birth.