Hospital Births

[Deesalie]

Of those of you who had hospy births, what would you have liked to see in the birthing rooms?

I'm in the process of drafting a letter to the Western Area Health Service - Orange is getting a new hospital and I want to make sure the maternity unit's up to scratch. So far, I'm thinking drains in all the rooms so that birthing pools can be brought in. I doubt they'd actually install pools.

Any other ideas? Keeping in mind, this is the govt. we're talking about and their lack of spending money on health care

[Marmee]

If not room for a birthing pool in each room - a bath! I know many hopsys do have a bath in their room, but ours didn't.

[lrning2b]

I know what I did like. I have had babies at 5 different hosp. I liked different things at all of them.

All the equipment conveniently hidden behind attractive cupboards that only opened when they were needed. It looked more like a room in a home.

Access to the world outside. Large windows that open with a decent view. Or alternatively a life size scene of some nature. Maybe not a balcony just incase someone wants to jump. But I would have liked one.

Showers and bathrooms with nonslip flooring and NO Tiles! I've been in some dives where I feel I need hipboots and bleach just to shower.

Sinks deep enough that they don't splash all over your clothes when the tap is turned on.

Hand held shower heads as well as tub tap in birthing bath. With adequate water pressure and heat!
Floating ring for bath.

Beautiful large photos of mothers and fathers holding new babies. (It is good to focus on the outcome) And those ones I don't know what they are called but it is like light shining out or a flower or something growing out of the vagi or something. Ok... ok don't laugh! It is very powerful whatever it is called.

Blanket warmers that make blankets really warm.
Dimmer lights.

Fan

And last but not least, a buzzer for the midwife to come in after you have done your work so they can say wow and you can go home now.

I will think of others I am sure. I'll get back to you.

[Deesalie]

Also, who to send it to... the nsw health minister, the general manager of the greater western area health service, local council... anyone else?

[Deesalie]

I do, of course, expect to get the standard "thankyou for your letter, we'll take your suggestions into consideration blah blah blah"...........

but maybe, just maybe, someone will take notice

[skn]

I would've like a room that could have been void of as much light as possible- I understand that this maybe hard to do, health and safety etc. With DD2 I ended up in the bathroom, lights off with nothing but a torch (with batteries that needed changing), so maybe a light/lamp of some sort that can be moved to a bathroom to for minimal lighting.

I second the hidding away of medical equipment- that really shouldn't be too hard to do.

I found temperature to be an issue at the hospital...not sure what can really be done about that.

That's all I can come up with for now- I'm sure there is heaps more that can be done.

[Deesalie]

some good suggestions BTW

[Marmee]

lrning2b ~ lovin' that birthing room you've got going there!

[Nyree]

Ah yes, a fan would have been nice! Or fresh air! When I wasn't blissing out under a hot shower, I was stripping clothes off left, right & centre!

Baths or drains would be nice.

I spent most of my labour in the shower or on the toilet when I wasn't strapped to a CTG, so a nice comfy toilet seat! And lots of bars on the walls to heave yourself up. Actually, a hook in the ceiling that can hold a rope or fabric & the entire weight of a labouring woman hanging off the other end!

[timestwo]

All the equipment conveniently hidden behind attractive cupboards

Yep. All that scary looking equipment needs to be hidden away.
Along with hospitial staff!
I had so many people comming in and out at the end, when I really needed to be in my zone.