By: Leigh Beihl
beingwell magazine Winter 2007

Most grandparents visiting a maternity ward would immediately recognize the changes to hospital birthing: long gone are the crowded waiting areas, pacing fathers, glassed-in nurseries and multi-patient rooms. In their place is an environment more likened to a hotel than a hospital and the changes you can see are only part of the story.

“Night and day” is how Kirstyn King compares the earlier methods to the modern ones and, having birthed Landon, her sixth child, at Southlake last February, she speaks from experience.

“For me, the most noticeable difference is in the choices,” she said. “When my first son was born 22 years ago, I was a very passive part of the process. I was told how everything would happen. I was never asked.”

“I know this is old-hat for me now, but having the options ... I felt more involved, more comfortable.”

According to Lorrie Reynolds, director of maternal child and mental health at Southlake, choices are just one part of the family-centred philosophy that is revolutionizing hospital childbirth.

 “Mothers have much more control over every aspect of the experience,” she said, using the example of pain management to illustrate.   

“Some women know they want an epidural. Others know they don’t. Some aren’t sure. Some start without, but they know that they have the freedom to change their minds. The nursing staff are there to help facilitate the choices the patients make.”

“The support to the women in labour is so important; the nurses are tremendous.”

The program is very family-centred, so dads, even grandparents, are welcome. For mothers preferring a mid-wife, the hospital environment has the added piece of mind that immediate medical support is available should the situation require it.

At the core of the experience is the LDRP room: this stands for labour, delivery, recovery and postpartum, the four stages mothers go through in giving birth and all of which now happen in the same room.

The private room is equipped with a special bed, changeable to the different stages of the birth, as well as a bassinet for baby and a fold-out second bed so fathers or other family members can stay overnight. There is also a private washroom.

A table and chairs allows meals to be eaten in a more-home-than-hospital environment, while the fold-out, which is an armchair by day, provides a comfy spot for nursing, cuddling or simply lounging.

“There used to be different rooms for each stage,” explained Ms Reynolds. “Patients would start in a labour room, be transferred to an delivery-operating room for an epidural or delivery, go to a recovery room and then on to a postpartum patient room afterward.”

The current LDRPs are equipped with the necessary equipment, such as oxygen, suction and lighting, to allow everything to be done in one room.  

Down the hall, a lounge allows larger groups to visit or provide a waiting area for family who would like to be close, but not too close, at the time of birth.

Providing a safe, warm and welcoming environment is an important aspect of a positive birth experience.  

Mental health is also improved by providing a relaxed birth place and the opportunity for immediate bonding.

“I didn’t see my first child for hours after he was born,” said Ms King. “He went to the nursery, I went to sleep and I met him at the 4 a.m. feeding.

“At the time, I wouldn’t have said this was specifically wrong, but having most of my children room-in, I can now see how — and why — it took more effort to make that bond with the first one. I don’t think I realized how naturally that should come.”

Another reason for the change is to encourage family participation, with a view to integrating the new arrival as the hospital stay is shorter in comparison to years past.

“The family centered approach encompasses the care not only to the mother, but to those who will be helping once the family is discharged home,” Ms Reynolds said.

And according to Ms King, having the family at the hospital makes a big difference.

“There’s less isolation when the family is right here,” Ms King said. “Even though my stay was short, I felt more rested than exhausted and coming home went really smoothly.” She laughs before adding, “Of course, we’ve had a lot of practice.”

With a husband at home, as well as older children to help care for Landon, Ms King has a lot of hands-on support available to her: an ideal scenario for any new mom.

For moms who don’t have this level of support, York Region Public Health steps up with its Healthy Babies, Healthy Children program, which helps mothers connect to the resources available in the community.

“We work very closely with public health,” said Ms Reynolds. “We advise them daily of new births and advocate for families that may require additional support once they are discharged home.”

Post-natal visits from public health reinforce the information provided by the mother’s doctor, prenatal education classes and by hospital staff during her stay.

“And there is a wealth of information,” said Ms King. “I was very impressed by how much I could still learn and it’s good that most of it comes pre-natal, before you’re too busy with the baby.”

Overall, Ms King says the changes in hospital birthing are improvements and sees only one drawback to the program: “They’ve made the rooms so nice, I would have liked to stay longer.”

© Copyright 2008