Questions To Ask During Maternity Hospital Tour

With all of the things you have to prepare for when you find out you are pregnant a maternity hospital tour may not be at the top of the list. However, this can make or break your labor and delivery experience. There are many policies and practices in place at the hospital that will affect your labor and delivery. So, that is why it is important to ask questions. If you have a particular birth plan you want to stick to, this is especially important. To make sure you have the best labor and delivery journey, we have put together a list of questions to ask during a maternity hospital tour.

What to Expect on a Maternity Hospital Tour

While the labor and delivery process can be overwhelming and confusing, it doesn’t have to be. Having as much knowledge as possible before you even go to the hospital can greatly relieve your anxiety and nerves. Many women choose to go on a hospital tour of their preferred hospital so that they know what to expect. While a hospital tour is an excellent idea, it won’t necessarily give your all of the information you may need.

A maternity hospital tour typically takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. They are most often guided by a labor and delivery nurse or a hospital educator. Their job is to get you acquainted with the layout of the hospital and make you feel more comfortable and at ease. They will usually cover where you should park, where you will check-in, where the labor and delivery rooms are, and where the postpartum/recovery rooms are. Now while this can be very informative, you may still have questions. So don’t be afraid to ask them. If you are not quite sure what you should be asking, don’t worry we have made a list of questions to ask during a maternity hospital tour.

Questions to Ask During Maternity Hospital Tour

Depending on your personal birth plan and concerns, you will have questions only pertaining to a few subjects. We have separated into different topics to make it easier to find the relevant questions for you. The topics are labor and delivery questions, C-section questions, and postpartum recovery questions.

Labor & Delivery Questions to Ask During Maternity Hospital Tour

• Where is the check-in area for labor and delivery? Is there a different check-in area at night?
• Is there check-in paperwork that needs to be done? Can we do it beforehand?
• What do I need to bring with me to the maternity ward? Do I need to bring my medical chart or can it be sent over?
• Is there a triage process? How long do women typically stay in triage?
• What is the birthing room situation? Is there a separate room for birthing? Or can I stay in the same room for all stages of the labor process?
• Are the rooms shared? Can I get a private room if I want one?
• What happens when all of the birthing rooms are taken? Is there an overflow area?
• What amenities are provided in the labor and birthing rooms? Are their showers and tubs? Are there birth balls? Is there a music hook-up?
• Is food allowed in the rooms? Will I be able to eat and drink during labor? What food can I bring from home?
• How many people are allowed in the room with me? Are children allowed?
• Is there a chair/bed/cot for my partner to spend the night in the room with me?
• Are IV’s required?
• What pain management options are available?
• What type of fetal monitoring do you have available?
• Do you have any labor and delivery statistics for me to look over? Such as what percentage of women are induced? What is the percentage of women who are given an emergency C-section? Etc.
• Should I send/bring my birth plan? If my doctor/midwife is not on-call, will the on-call doctor go with my birth plan?
• Will I be able to labor at my own pace or will I be put on a time limit?
• What positions can I give birth in?
• Are there doulas here?
• What are the policies on cameras and filming equipment?
• Would I be allowed to take the placenta home afterwards?
• Is there a NICU in the hospital? How far away from the delivery rooms is the NICU? If there is not a NICU, what is the protocol for getting a baby to the NICU?

C-section Questions to Ask During Maternity Hospital Tour

• If my Cesarean is planned where do we go to check in?
• Will my partner be allowed in the room for the delivery?
• Can I have photos of the birth?
• Will I be able to watch the surgery via mirror, clear drapes, or lowered drapes?
• Will I be able to have skin-to-skin contact with my baby immediately after birth?
• If my baby needs to be taken from the room can my partner go with them?
• What medications are available during and after delivery?

Postpartum Recovery Questions to Ask During Maternity Hospital Tour

• What pain relief options are available postpartum? Are they different for Cesarean births?
• How long is the average stay after labor and delivery?
• Is there an early discharge policy?
• Are the postpartum rooms private?
• Can babies sleep in the same room as me?
• Can pediatricians do bedside visits?
• What is your visitor policy? Are young children allowed?
• Do you have a lactation consultant? Are they available 24/7?
• What is your policy on breastfeeding over bottles?
• Can siblings visit?
• Are pacifiers used in the nursery? If they are, will I be asked for approval prior to their usage?
• Does the nursery use formula? Will I be notified before formula is used?
• What new parent support is offered?

Key Takeaways