What Should You Expect Inside the Delivery Room after a Normal Delivery?
Image from nuh.nhs.uk
It is natural to be curious of what will happen in the birthing or delivery room after your baby is born. Although, the procedure is same for the hospital staff it is one of the most precious moments of your life. So, if you have a normal delivery you can first expect the baby to be wiped well till dry. Then the baby is covered with a towel or a blanket and may be placed just besides you. Sometimes if it is cold around the baby may be taken to a warmer as babies are not able to retain the body heat. The baby is next given a dose of vitamin K so that the blood is able to clot fast. To prevent the eyes from any kind of infection generally an antibiotic ointment is applied inside the eyes. This does not mean that it hurts or irritates the eyes. The ointment is soothing and your baby can even see through it. It is now necessary to take the foot-prints followed by strapping the wrist and leg with identification bands. Along with the baby, the mother will also go for fingerprinting.
By the time the baby undergoes these procedures you will have to release the entire placenta. It may take minutes or may even take an hour for the placenta to slide out completely. Although, the placenta is soft as there are no bones in it but the cramping may still continue. Placenta is about a fifth of the size of your baby.
You will be given a dose of Pitocin (oxytocin) either separately or mixed with the intravenous fluids you are taking. This is a hormone that will help the uterus to shrink back and stop the excessive bleeding. To contract your uterus naturally it may be massaged externally or your baby may be put beside you to suck your breasts.
After your perineal area is cleaned a sanitary pad may be placed to absorb the extra bleeding and then you will get inside a gown and covered with a blanket. Some mothers have severe shivering after they give birth so keeping them warm helps. After you take some rest you may feel hungry so you can take something to eat or drink and its absolute fine.
The parents should converse with baby as the baby is already familiar with their voices and these voices will make the baby comfortable. You will be kept in the delivery area for a couple of hours for observation and later transferred to the postpartum room.
Related posts:
- Healing Body after Vaginal Delivery
- Some Interventions that could ease the Process of Labor – Vacuum and Forceps
- What does the baby feel during Labor? – Part 1
- Ask Yourself these Questions when you Prepare a Birth Plan
- The Real Picture of Due Dates
- Knowing about C-section
- Some interventions that could ease the Process of Labor – C-Section
- How can a Pregnancy Prep School Help You? – Part 1
- Risks Associated with Inducing Labor
- Risks Associated with an Episiotomy
Filed Under: Labor & Delivery
[...] Many doctors will not take up the topic of the possibilities of a medical intervention during the process of birth, and you will have to yourself get this out of them. If you hear during the delivery that vacuum will be used to take the baby out you do not have an option then. Although, most of the doctors do discuss about the medications but they will generally try to avoid talking about the other options that could be used in the delivery room. [...]
Glad that your speaking about it so the rest of us can know! Definitely will keep in mind. Also, I never thought of it before, but later learned, you got to reignite the situation that first brought you together and also avoid a ton of bad choices we all do at first if you want to save your marriage