1) Where to go when you’re in labor

• Between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. enter through the West Entrance. 
  • Take the West elevators to the fifth floor and register at the Reception/Registration area on 5 West.
  • After registering, we’ll escort you to the Antenatal Testing and Evaluation Center (AETU) for evaluation.
• Between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. enter through the Emergency Department.
  • The Admitting Coordinator will register and take you to the Antenatal Testing and Evaluation Center (AETU) for evaluation.

2) Labor evaluation and treatment center

We’ll evaluate your labor in the Antenatal Evaluation and Treatment Center (AETC) when you arrive at the hospital before admitting you to a labor and delivery suite. Our AETC is staffed by nurse clinicians 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The AETC is also where we evaluate and monitor patients who have pregnancy-related complications from early through late pregnancy upon referral from an obstetrician or midwife. If there’s any concern that requires immediate assessment, your provider can refer you to the AETC. You’ll also come to the AETC for a pre-admission orientation if you’re scheduled for a cesarean birth.

3) Labor and delivery suite

Once we’ve confirmed that you’re in active labor, we’ll take you to one of our newly renovated spacious labor and delivery suites. These suites each have private bathrooms, and five of them contain Jacuzzi tubs that are specially designed to aid in the labor process. As labor continues, you can walk around or use the shower, bathtub or birthing ball in your suite to help you relax.

In addition to medications, there are many activities and resources that can help you cope with pain and discomfort during labor, such as:

• Birthing ball
• Breathing and relaxation
• Changing positions
• Jacuzzi tub
• Massage
• Showers

Please note: While you can labor in the Jacuzzi tub if your suite has one, we do not offer water births. Classes in most of these techniques are available through our Childbirth Education program.

Your partner or support person is welcome to stay with you throughout labor and overnight in your room if you wish.

You’ll receive either repeated or continuous external fetal monitoring during labor, depending on the needs of both you and your baby.

A nurse will be with you throughout labor and delivery, providing any information you need as well as support and encouragement. Your nurse will keep your doctor or midwife informed of your progress. Your doctor or midwife also will be available during labor and throughout delivery. Please don’t hesitate to tell us if you need anything during this time.

4) Pain management during labor

You should discuss your options for pain management with your obstetrician or midwife ahead of time so you have a plan when your labor starts. You and your provider likely won’t make the final decision about what pain relief is best for you until you are in labor, but it’s important to understand your choices in advance.

You have several options to manage your labor pain medically. Some patients find that an injection of pain medicine is enough to manage their pain. Others choose to have an epidural, which blocks labor pain while allowing the mother to remain alert and move freely in bed. If you choose to have an epidural, an anesthesiologist will provide it and monitor your comfort level, as well as the medical conditions of both you and your baby, until the baby is born. The day after delivery, an anesthesiologist will visit you to check on your recovery.

Photos and video recording

We allow your support person to take pictures. However, we reserve the right to prohibit photography and video recording if a doctor, midwife, or nurse believes it creates interference or is inappropriate. We appreciate your cooperation.