I wanted to share my experiences with the hospital facility tour we took on Sunday. We planned our tour of the labor and delivery ward of the nearest hospital covered by our insurance a little early so we would be able to explore other options if it didn't feel right. I hadn't done any research prior to the tour and to be honest, I wasn't expecting anything spectacular. What I found was more than a pleasant surprise, it was kind of exciting.
The tour was extremely informative. The tour leader took us all over the facility and explained the processes and procedures. The first thing I noticed was that the rooms are huge and you don't have to share a room with anyone for recovery. I was afraid that we might have to do that. I found out that my hospital is the only facility following the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative in my area. They have one of the best breastfeeding success rates in the Northwest, are very conscious of giving you the birth experience you want, and all deliveries (except for high risk surgeries) are done by midwives. The facility was also recently renovated and is really beautiful.
I'm so impressed by the facility and I feel much calmer about labor and delivery now because I absolutely feel like I am in the competent hands of people who are going to listen to me and follow practices that I planned to ask for anyway.
Only 10 more weeks to go!
-Kira
