When is suggested to go in hospital

At the hospital

What happens when I arrive at the hospital? Where I go? Where do I park?

The day of birth has arrived and you have to be ready. For this reason it is also useful to follow some practical advice:

• you can have a car take you to the entrance of the Mangiagalli Clinic
• the emergency room/obstetrician reception bell rings while your companion can safely go to park
• it may happen that you stay for some time in the ED and then be transferred to the delivery room (single) or go through the labor rooms (normal rooms with two beds).

Can I assume free positions during labor to combat the pain while waiting for the epidural or if I decide not to have it?

During labor and the expulsion period there will be a delivery room midwife to whom you will be entrusted who will show you step by step everything you can or cannot do based on the time of labor and your clinical conditions. You will also be followed by the midwife for breathing, especially in the expulsion phase. The experience of our team of midwives should make you feel confident.

The birth suitcase

What do I put in my suitcase?

When you go to hospital for the happy event you need to bring with you everything that is useful for you and the unborn child. Few elements but designed for a comfortable stay.

If it is useful, divide into two suitcases:

• a practical bag with the essentials for the delivery room
• a second suitcase with the rest: sanitary napkins, baby clothes, mother's changes in a larger suitcase that can be left in the car and taken when transferring to the postpartum to be more free in the delivery room.

You and your baby

Can I keep the baby immediately after birth?

Once born, your baby will be placed on your womb and mother and baby will be given the opportunity to get to know each other through skin to skin. This period begins postpartum, as early as possible, compatibly with the care due to the newborn and the mother.

Remember that skin-to-skin contact is a good idea to continue even in your room and once you are home since it is a contact that stabilizes your heart rate, breathing and blood sugar levels. The mother's body keeps the baby at the right temperature and this practice promotes the mother/baby bond, making the mother more confident and relaxed.

The same also applies in the case of a caesarean section, compatibly with the transfer times from the operating room and the health of mother and baby.

How long do you stay in hospital?

The length of stay in hospital ranges from 2/3 days for a spontaneous birth to 4 days for a caesarean section. In any case, you remain in hospital as long as the clinical conditions of both the mother and the child allow it. At any time you will have the opportunity to peacefully experience your new condition as a mother alongside your new born.

Before discharge, all newborns undergo some screening programs.

I've heard of baby blues. Is it postpartum depression?

The baby blues is a sort of physiological melancholy sadness due to the drastic hormonal change that occurs with childbirth, i.e. the collapse of estrogen and progesterone. But it should fade within 10/15 days.

As regards postpartum depression, however, a real diagnosis is needed. The advice is to get support from your partner and the people closest to you at the moment. And once again it is useful to go to the counseling center to get support from competent people in this field.
Furthermore, going to the clinic involves taking care of yourself: dressing, putting on make-up. These actions can also be useful in this somewhat critical period.