You’re having a baby! Now it’s time to tackle that to-do list, which includes everything from picking out a crib to choosing a name. What might not be top of your list right now is taking a hospital tour. But, did you know a hospital tour can help you get a better sense of how you might labor, deliver and recover with your new bundle of joy? So before the big day, schedule a tour and be sure to ask these key questions so you’re as prepared as possible.
Who will be with me when I’m in labor?
Everyone deserves the comfort and reassurance of having someone they can trust with them while going through labor. With Kaiser Permanente, you can expect access to a team of highly trained doctors, midwives and nurses. Rest assured that you’ll be in the careful care of a dedicated nurse during your entire labor experience. In fact, Kaiser Permanente birth centers are staffed 24/7 with labor and delivery doctors, anesthesiologists and other key team members who are well qualified to make clinical decisions, such as pivoting to a cesarean section delivery when necessary.
If this is your second, third or beyond(!) baby and you’re hoping to deliver vaginally, you’ll be thrilled to learn that the VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) rate is 15% higher than the national average.* That’s reassuring for moms-to-be who want to try for a vaginal birth after a previous C-section.
What resources do you provide for moms before the big day?
As your belly grows, so does the need for consistent and quality prenatal care. And the team at Kaiser Permanente is available to ensure you have as healthy a pregnancy as possible with each prenatal visit, test and ultrasound. From nutrition and fitness to relationships and emotional health, you’ll have your care team, articles, videos and resources to help guide you through each trimester.
Kaiser Permanente also offers birth planning and childbirth classes, so you can go into your delivery empowered with the confidence and knowledge you need. You can know that you’re receiving high-quality prenatal care up to and during delivery day, with highly trained professionals and state-of-the-art facilities leading up to and during delivery day.
What resources do you offer once I give birth?
Once your adorable baby is cozy in your arms, it’s time to get some rest and let your body heal. Postpartum care is just as important as all of those prenatal check-ups! And Kaiser Permanente makes an extra effort to help mom and baby thrive. Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center has a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to treat critically ill newborns. And every Kaiser Permanente medical professional is on your team to support breastfeeding and bonding after the birth experience.
Comprehensive follow-up care includes postpartum classes, lactation consultants and your care provider who already knows your baby. Whatever you may experience physically or emotionally, your Kaiser Permanente care team is there to support and guide you.
To learn more about Kaiser Permanente’s maternity care, visit kp.org/maternity/nw.
—Whitney C. Harris
All plans offered and underwritten by Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest. 500 NE Multnomah St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97232. 2019 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest
*Kaiser Permanente internal data, data covering the period from January 2015 through March 2018; “VBAC Rates by State,” cesareanrates.org/vbac, accessed August 12, 2019.
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