Labor & Delivery Support

Labor Support2021-09-24T18:35:55+00:00

Your hospital stay begins in Labor and Delivery, where you will prepare for birth and deliver your baby in a warm, private, homelike room in our state-of-the-art birthing suites. A team of highly-skilled physicians and magnet-awarded nurses will care for you during your delivery and recovery. Our special care nursery is connected to the unit and staffed 24/7 if your baby needs special attention following birth.

Supportive Birthing Options

Being well-informed about your birth options can help provide the experience you and your family desire. We encourage you to think about how you want to bring your baby into the world, to discuss your wishes with your practitioner, and to create a birth plan. A birth plan details an ideal order of events, but keep in mind that sometimes circumstances change—so it’s important to be flexible and trust that your care team will accommodate your wishes as much as possible. We have a variety of support techniques available to you during labor, including:

  • Peanut Balls – Peanut balls are inflatable birthing balls shaped like a peanut and help you to properly position during labor. The positions can vary depending on your stage of labor and will open the birth canal to give your baby room to rotate and descend. This can speed up the overall process of labor and strongly supports a vaginal delivery.
  • Birthing Ball – A birthing ball is a round exercise ball that you sit on to apply pressure to your perineum, which decreases the sensation of pain. You can kneel and lean over the ball for support and to relax your pelvic floor.
  • Whirlpool – The soothing properties of a warm whirlpool tub can relax you and decrease the need for pain medication. The heat increases blood flow and ultimately calms the body.
  • Aromatherapy – If you use candles or essential oils to destress at home, consider using aromatherapy during labor to reap the same benefits—helping your mind and body relax.
  • Family-Centered C-section – If a c-section is needed, CentraState offers a “gentle c-section.” Our team will make the c-section experience in the operating room as similar as possible to the labor and delivery room. A clear, sterile drape is lowered so you and your support person can see your baby being born.
  • Support Persons – Having a helpful, caring support person in the room with you can be just as important as other support options. An attentive spouse, partner, friend, doula, or family member will help you feel more at ease and provide reassurance. Two support persons can be in the delivery room at CentraState.

Birthing Ball

A birthing ball is a round exercise ball that you sit on to apply pressure to your perineum, which decreases the sensation of pain. You can kneel and lean over the ball for support and to relax your pelvic floor.

Whirlpool

The soothing properties of a warm whirlpool tub can relax you and decrease the need for pain medication. The heat increases blood flow and ultimately calms the body.

Aromatherapy

If you use candles or essential oils to destress at home, consider using aromatherapy during labor to reap the same benefits—helping your mind and body relax.

Family-Centered C-section

If a c-section is needed, CentraState offers a “gentle c-section.” Our team will make the c-section experience in the operating room as similar as possible to the labor and delivery room. A clear, sterile drape is lowered so you and your support person can see your baby being born.

Support Persons

Having a helpful, caring support person in the room with you can be just as important as other support options. An attentive spouse, partner, friend, doula, or family member will help you feel more at ease and provide reassurance. Two support persons can be in the delivery room at CentraState.

Laborist Program

Our laborist program empowers laboring mothers for a vaginal delivery by having a CentraState physician available during the entire labor journey. This means you’ll have the support of a board-certified OB/GYN, in addition to your labor and delivery nurses, prior to being ready to push with your doctor. This evidence-based practice allows mothers to labor longer for a vaginal birth, provides more opportunities for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), and reduces the need for an emergency c-section.

Medicines for Pain Relief

There are a variety of pain-relieving medicines available under the supervision of your doctor. It’s a good idea to discuss pain relief with your doctor at an appointment before labor begins, keeping in mind that circumstances and preferences may change once labor is underway. CentraState offers a range of anesthesia options during labor, including:

When injected into the spinal or epidural region by an anesthesiologist, regional anesthetics (also called an epidural) can provide complete relief from pain while allowing you to remain alert during labor and childbirth. Some patients are concerned that having an epidural means that they won’t have a vaginal delivery, but this type of anesthesia doesn’t increase your risk of having a c-section and can lead to a more comfortable labor.

Local anesthetics can be injected into the area around the vagina and perineum shortly before delivery to numb the area. They also may be used after delivery if stitches are necessary. Local anesthetics do not reduce discomfort during labor.

When used during labor, these medicines can help reduce labor pains in as little as two minutes. Some women report that these medications help them deal with the strongest contractions.

Breastfeeding

We provide breastfeeding support in the hospital, after the birth of your baby since we understand that some moms and babies need help during the learning process of breastfeeding.

Request More Info On Our Maternity Services

To request more information about maternity services at CentraState or to ask any questions, please complete this form and we will be in touch shortly.