Your Birth Experience

Each birth is as unique as the baby you carry. Each labor is also different. Understanding that, we want you to know that South Shore Hospital staff will assist you in individualizing your labor, birth, and postpartum experience.

Once you have spoken with your physician/midwife and you know that your labor has started, you will be instructed to come to the hospital. Your physician/midwife will notify us that you are on your way.

Upon admission to the birthing unit, your labor nurse will thoroughly assess your pregnancy and labor pattern. She will take your vital signs, check your urine, and orient you to the
Birthing Unit.

External fetal monitoring is done periodically during your labor to assess how the baby is doing. We encourage walking around, taking showers and tub baths (if your membranes have not ruptured) to assist in your comfort.

Because staying hydrated is important during labor, refreshments are available to all patients and labor partners.

Your care team, consisting of physician or midwife and nurses, will monitor your labor carefully and provide support and comfort measures according to your choices.

A board-certified anesthesiologist is always on site if you choose an epidural for pain relief.

Once the baby is born, he/she will stay with you as long as there are no immediate medical concerns. The staff will assess and dry the baby, after which an injection of Vitamin K will be administered to assure that his/her blood is clotting. He/she will also have erythromycin eye ointment applied to each eye to prevent transmission of infection during passage through the birth canal.

Within a few hours following birth, you will move to your room on the Mother/Infant Unit.
There, you and your baby will be cared for by our experienced maternity staff. If you are breastfeeding, the staff will assist you with any needs you may have.

There are many opportunities to learn about your new baby while you are here. We offer instruction in newborn care, baby baths, breastfeeding, and infant massage. Ask your nurse what is available to you.

Following a vaginal birth patients customarily go home in about 48 hours.

After a Cesarean birth you will be going home in about 96 hours.