Public hospital general questions

M

mmmagic

New member
Hello all,

My wife will be delivering our baby at United Christian Hospital in May; and she would like to have an epidural. Just wanted to confirm whether there is an anesthesiologist on staff 24/7 at the hospital. We are a bit concerned that if my wife went into labour in the middle of the night and wanted an epidural that someone would be available to carry out the procedure. Can anyone confirm?

Also, during pre-labour, I've read that husbands are not allowed into the ward until the mother is fully dilated and ready to deliver - which can take hours. During this time, I really want to be with my wife to make sure she's doing ok along with emotional support. Is it possible to pay for a private room during this pre-labour so that we can be together?

Thanks in advance.
 
I delivered 2 babies there (Nov 2010, Jan 2012) so my experience is fairly recent:
1. For my son (Nov 2010), labour was induced as I was not fully dilated more than 12 hours after my waters broke. I was offered an epidural (not sure if because of the induction or it is routine for them to offer it) and I said I would like to try and do without and when was the latest I could let them know. They told me midnight. Way before that I began screaming for an epidural. I did not get one.

For my daughter (Jan 2012), I specifically asked the doctor at my antenatal appointment about their epidural procedure. She said that they do have an anesthesiologist 24/7. However, they only have 2 machines/or whatever equipment is requred (sorry cannot remember the exact words). Therefore, there is a small chance that you cannot have an epidural. Her advice was to ask for it as soon as you are in the delivery suite (in United Christian, that is when they transfer you from the maternity ward above to the floor downstairs where the delivery actually happens). She said 90% I would get it. In the end, I had an emergency c-section so didn't apply.

I would advise your wife to make her preference for epidural known when she first goes in to register and then again, when they bring her down to the delivery suite.

2. United Christian as far as I know has a policy to let husband in with the mother during active labour. This is when fully dilated as you wrote. Before that, she will be in the maternity ward upstairs, and you can't be with her except during visiting hours (12-1 pm, 6-8 pm if I remember correctly). However, they are pretty okay with women going out of the maternity ward so you could be with her in the corridor outside or in the canteen downstairs. Though if she's in labour, it would be pretty tiring roaming about. Frankly, I didn't find the bit alone in the maternity ward that bad. There were women who were in pain, panting, looking like they were going to pass out but all seemed to do okay without hubbies.

During the actual labour part, I would totally need my husband there. The pain is crazy and it just helps to have someone there to be your rock. I think as long as you can be there during "active labour" when contractions are coming on in full force and during the pushing part, your wife should be okay.

I will warn you that I had a couple of crappy docs on duty. But one sees them very fleetingly and the midwives at UCH are mostly great.
 
there are no private rooms at UCH. i agree with charade: your wife can sit/walk with you in the lobby outside visiting hours, and yes be warned that some of the doctors are really unpleasant to deal with, but the midwives are mostly lovely.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using GeoClicks Mobile
 
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