Kaiser tour

Last Monday, we got to take a tour of the hospital where we will probably have our baby. (Click here for a virtual tour of the unit). Let me just say, first off, how much I LOVE Kaiser. It was so cool being walked through the hospital and I feel more comfortable learning where we should park, and what to expect when we arrive. We learned some things about how the process will work, too...

There are two hospitals in the Kaiser OC network. We hope to deliver in Irvine, but if we deliver before 32 weeks, or if Irvine is full, we will be directed Anaheim. Either hospital takes about the same amount of time to get to, but we prefer Irvine because it's a newer facility.

Upon arrival at the hospital, we will go into a labor observation room for an hour or so, and they will make sure I'm far enough along to check in.

Once checked in, we get our own room where I will both labor and deliver (unless it's a c-section). All the rooms have large windows, and are very spacious. They also have a private bathroom, small fridge, pull-out couch/bed for sleeping, a small dining table, and a TV with DVD player. And, adjustable levels of lighting. They are really beautiful rooms. In the delivery room, Kaiser allows up to 3 "support persons."

Once the baby is born, the hospital staff will measure her and do a little clean up, and then give her back to me for bonding. They strongly promote an hour or two of immediate skin to skin contact to help the baby regulate their temperature, heartrate, and other functions.

Once the family bonding time has happened, we will be moved to a post-partum room for the next 24-48 hours. This is where we can have visitors come by (up to 4 at a time). These rooms are slightly smaller, but have many of the same amenities. Kaiser promotes the baby being with the parents all the time, so our baby will not be put in a nursery or anything. In the post-partum room, the staff brings the new parents a celebratory dinner, complete with Martinelli's sparkling cider, to enjoy together.

On our tour, we cleared up a little mystery that has bothered me ever since we went in for our first appointment. Every so often, thoughout the hospital, the Braham's lullaby would play over the speakers for 15 to 20 seconds, and then just stop. I always wondered why they had a broken nursery soundtrack playing. Turns out, it's not broken. When new moms get moved from L&D to post-partum, they pass by a painting in the hallway with a button built into the middle, and they get to press the button to let all the hospital staff know that a new baby has been born. I thought that was so neat! It's supposed to be a reminder that good things can happen in hospitals, too. :)

I can feel little Miss Bean moving around quite emphatically tonight. I think she's excited about making her entrance into the world in just three months!