How and what to look for
Pregnancy and child-birth are extremely personal and life-transforming events, and hence the choice of a hospital where to give birth, haunts many parents-to-be! Gone are the days, where hospitals were defined by a room and a bed with a window, if you were lucky! These days hospitals are designed in comfortable, appealing and hygienic ways, keeping in mind, the mental-state and comfort of the people who will be occupying it.
However there are few guidelines that may help you to make the right choice when it comes to choosing the hospitals –
It is accredited by the Governmental quality and accrediting agencies applicable to your country or state. Also check through its past performance and progress – locally or nationally and as per popular opinion
Make sure the rooms are set up to create a nurturing environment and ease of use not only for the mother but also for the baby and rest of the family.
Inquire if the hospital offers pre-natal and post-natal classes, follow-up and support to the mother and the baby.
In case you wish to have your spouse stay with you during the complete labor process, make sure the hospital allows and provides for that.
Make sure to check the policies regarding emergency procedures like cesarean, episiotomies etc, and ensure that you understand, discuss and agree to them.
Remember to check the facility – like the neo-natal intensive care unit and others that may be necessary to use in case of emergency.
Make sure there are standard guidelines and procedures that are followed, right from the needles used to actual delivery process parameters, from the time the mother gets admitted until the family leaves the hospital after birth. Also check if the procedures are user-friendly.
Check up on the panel of experts especially all the medical professionals and doctors that are required to support a child-birth process, right from the gynecologist, obstetrician and the support staff especially the anesthesiologist. Make sure they are certified, have prior experience and have credible histories of prior deliveries. Also examine the comfort level with them, and have them explain the entire procedure to you and your partner.
Check up on the nurse-midwives, and make sure that they are certified and with credible expertise
Make sure that they do not recommend or suggest un-necessary or emergency surgeries, beforehand, without judging the situation. In case this happens, make sure you get a second or even a third opinion or even be open to changing the hospital.
Another factor that may affect your choice is your health plan and insurance policies, which may cover only certain hospitals and exclude some.
