You will begin your hospital stay at the "Starting Place" (Labor and Delivery Triage Unit), unless you are scheduled for an induction of labor or Cesarean birth, or your health-care provider has determined you are in labor and requested that you be admitted to labor and delivery.
When you arrive at the Starting Place, a nurse will take your temperature and blood pressure, as well as ask you several questions to help better plan for your care. You will be evaluated to see whether labor is progressing, assessed for any possible complications of pregnancy and asked about your specific birth preferences.
Plan to give the staff the name of your baby's doctor when you are admitted to the Starting Place. (Although we have resources to provide a doctor for the baby while in the hospital, it's important that you have a doctor for the baby when you go home.)
The Starting Place is a unit consisting of four evaluation rooms and a large labor lounge, where you can watch television or listen to relaxing music as you walk about or sit on a birthing ball for comfort between labor assessments. The Starting Place is designed to accommodate you and your labor support person during early labor examinations while your labor is being evaluated. We suggest that other family members and visitors remain at home to be notified when you are transferred to "The Baby Place" once labor is confirmed.
Your labor evaluation may last up to three or four hours in The Starting Place in order to determine whether you are truly in labor. A nurse will transfer you and your labor support person to this area.
