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What to expect in the rush to the hospital

October 3, 2006 by GreatDad Writers Leave a Comment

The big day has arrived and you are pulling up to the front door of the hospital. Your partner is in labor, huffing and puffing every three minutes.    

 

Parking illegally in the “No Parking” zone, you could not care less. If you don’t get her into the labor room, you are going to be delivering your first child, alone. This is a scary thought. Fortunately the last contraction just ended and she is talking like a normal person…at least until the next one. You help her out of the car, taking her bag and usher her into the entrance. Grabbing a waiting wheel chair, you move quickly down the corridor. You now wish you’d taken the tour of the hospital and delivery area since then you’d know exactly where to go.

 

Entering the Labor Floor, a sense of relief hits. You made it! No heroics necessary, no back seat birth, reinforcements have arrived. Once the staff is aware of your arrival, you sit at the end of the hall while they prepare a room. Three more contractions make you and your partner anxious. Why aren’t they taking her into a room? STAT. 

 

Relaxing is out of the question. Your partner is nervous and in pain. She’s already experienced labor at home and you want help NOW. 

  

Despite the outward indifference of the staff, they are preparing a room and taking note of your partner’s behavior. The nurses can tell by her behavior if delivery is eminent. Mercifully, you are escorted to a “birthing room” where your partner changes into a hospital gown and is hooked up to the fetal monitor. This machine registers the frequency of your partner’s contractions and the baby’s heart rate. 

 

The nurse/resident/or your obstetrician does the first internal exam-Can you believe that she is just three centimeters. Seven more to go! You are informed that it will be HOURS before the baby is born.

 

You have a choice to make. Does your partner want to walk/shower or go home?   

 

• Going home –This is a tough choice. Your partner is pretty uncomfortable and it isn’t going to get any better. While it might seem more comfortable at home if you’re just going to be waiting, you, the new dad, will be taking on a load of responsibility. You’ll be doing a lot of coaching and breathing before you come back to the hospital, most likely in the next six hours.

• Shower/walk. Sometime being in the hospital, knowing professionals are nearby and checking on the baby and your partner is enough for now. Sure, your wife is going to be having contractions and pain, but you have each other and more confidence. Walking might help speed up the labor and a shower can ease some labor discomforts. Give it a try. 

 

Next week, the choices on pain management.

 

– Dr. Craig Bissinger

Filed Under: Authors, Pregnancy

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What to expect in the rush to the hospital

August 21, 2006 by Paul Banas Leave a Comment

The big day has arrived and you are pulling up to the front door of the hospital. Your partner is in labor, huffing and puffing every three minutes.    


 


Parking illegally in the “No Parking” zone, you could not care less. If you don’t get her into the labor room, you are going to be delivering your first child, alone. This is a scary thought. Fortunately the last contraction just ended and she is talking like a normal person…at least until the next one. You help her out of the car, taking her bag and usher her into the entrance. Grabbing a waiting wheel chair, you move quickly down the corridor. You now wish you’d taken the tour of the hospital and delivery area since then you’d know exactly where to go. 


 


Entering the Labor Floor, a sense of relief hits. You made it! No heroics necessary, no back seat birth, reinforcements have arrived. Once the staff is aware of your arrival, you sit at the end of the hall while they prepare a room. Three more contractions make you and your partner anxious. Why aren’t they taking her into a room? STAT. 


 


Relaxing is out of the question. Your partner is nervous and in pain. She’s already experienced labor at home and you want help NOW. 


  


Despite the outward indifference of the staff, they are preparing a room and taking note of your partner’s behavior. The nurses can tell by her behavior if delivery is eminent. Mercifully, you are escorted to a “birthing room” where your partner changes into a hospital gown and is hooked up to the fetal monitor. This machine registers the frequency of your partner’s contractions and the baby’s heart rate. 


 


The nurse/resident/or your obstetrician does the first internal exam-Can you believe that she is just three centimeters. Seven more to go! You are informed that it will be HOURS before the baby is born.  


You have a choice to make. Does your partner want to walk/shower or go home?   


 


• Going home –This is a tough choice. Your partner is pretty uncomfortable and it isn’t going to get any better. While it might seem more comfortable at home if you’re just going to be waiting, you, the new dad, will be taking on a load of responsibility. You’ll be doing a lot of coaching and breathing before you come back to the hospital, most likely in the next six hours. 


 


• Shower/walk. Sometime being in the hospital, knowing professionals are nearby and checking on the baby and your partner is enough for now. Sure, your wife is going to be having contractions and pain, but you have each other and more confidence. Walking might help speed up the labor and a shower can ease some labor discomforts. Give it a try. 


 


Next week, the choices on pain management.


 


– Dr. Craig Bissinger


Parsippany, New Jersey


 



Dr. Bissinger, a highly respected, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist, is author of Pickles and Ice Cream: A Father’s Guide to Pregnancy.


 

Filed Under: -7 Week

About Paul Banas

Paul Banas is happy married dad of two great kids living in San Francisco. He writes now about kids, new technology and how the two interact for GreatDad.com and for Pregnancy Magazine (pregnancymagazine.com) where he is also the publisher.

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Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

145. Understanding Children’s Emotional Needs with Dr. David Marcus
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Today we delve into the complexities of fatherhood with David Marcus, Ph.D., an expert with over forty years of experience working with families and children. In this enlightening conversation, we explore the essential components of communicating with your child, focusing on the development of a common emotional language. Learn about the four assumptions of emotionality that parents often make and discover strategies to foster a safe and open environment for meaningful conversations at any age.

Check out Dr. Marcus’ website at parentrx.org

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

– GreatDad.com/coaching 

– GreatDad.com/pq 

– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC  

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