Labor & Delivery
Each woman’s labor and delivery is unique and can even vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. In some cases, labor is over in a matter of hours and in other cases, it is a longer process. While all childbirth experiences are unique, it is important to recognize the signs of labor and know when it is time to head to the hospital to deliver.
Am I in labor?
Sometimes, it’s not easy to tell whether you’re in labor. There are, however, some definite signs.
What might happen when you go into labor:
Your water might break, and you might feel a big gush of water or feel water trickling down your legs. You may also begin to feel contractions (tightening) of your uterus. Your womb will feel hard and then soft, and it might be painful. You might see a “bloody show,” meaning pink-colored mucus coming from your vagina.
What you should do if you think you are in labor:
Call your doctor or nurse if you think your water has broken. If you are having contractions, time them. When contractions are coming every 5 minutes, call your doctor to see if it is time to go to the hospital. Don’t eat any heavy or fatty foods as this can sometimes make you feel sick and vomit in labor. It’s better to drink liquids such as tea, juice or broth.
Call your doctor or nurse immediately if:
You have heaving bleeding from your vagina, you have a sharp pain that does not go away, your baby stops moving for several hours or you have any signs of labor before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Arriving at East Alabama Medical Center
It’s time – but where do you go?
When you come to East Alabama Medical Center for the birth of your new baby, enter the hospital through the main lobby entrance. If it is after 9 p.m., you will still be granted access through the main lobby entrance by Security. You should NOT go through the Emergency Department unless you are in an emergency situation.You will take the main elevators up to the third floor and will be greeted at the reception/registration desk. You will then be escorted to the Childbirth Unit, and your primary support person(s) will be directed to the waiting area for a brief period of time while we are getting you admitted and settled into your room. The Reception/Registration staff are on duty 24 hours a day and, in conjunction with the Childbirth Unit, are here to provide you with a swift and comfortable admission to the hospital.
The Childbirth Unit at East Alabama Medical Center is where we welcome more than 2,000 little miracles into the world each year. Services offered by the Childbirth Unit include antepartum testing, labor, delivery and immediate postpartum care, surgical services (Cesarean sections and immediate postpartum sterilizations), and post-anesthesia recovery. Located on the third floor, the Childbirth Unit features eight childbirth suites. Each suite is designed with laminate hardwood floors, crown molding, and armoires to provide a comfortable, relaxed and home-like atmosphere for your birth experience. The unit also has three observation suites for outpatient care and services and a spacious operating room for mothers requiring a Cesarean section.
Once admitted, the mother will be evaluated to determine if she is indeed in labor. If in labor, she will be admitted to one of our spacious birthing rooms. The rooms provide seating for your primary support person(s), a rocking chair, a television and special lighting and equipment that establish an environment that allows for labor, birth and recovery all in the same room.If there will be a cesarean birth, delivery will occur in our designated Obstetrical Surgical Suite.
Visitation will be limited to three people during labor. Once delivery is imminent, only two visitors will be allowed to stay in the labor room. Upon delivery of the new baby, the primary support person will remain with mom and baby, while the second visitor will go to the waiting area and update waiting family and friends. After delivery, mom may elect to have up to three visitors stay with her during in-room recovery. Should mom experience a cesarean birth, visitor access will be limited to one primary support person in the Obstetrical Surgical Suite and Recovery.
During the labor process, a RN will be providing care and support. If you would like, photographs may be taken during labor and delivery, but we ask that you refrain from videotaping of the birth.
Pain Management
We want you to have the birth experience you have chosen when possible. Whether you have chosen an unmedicated childbirth (with no anesthesia or pain medication), or to have medications, including an epidural, we are here to help.
No matter what time of day (or night!) that your baby decides to come, anesthesiologists are available around the clock to provide pain management. At East Alabama Medical Center, our staff and physicians will work to provide you with a safe and secure experience, whether you want a pain-free or medication-free birth process.