Labor & Delivery Experience

Enter through the Emergency Department at South, Bossier or Pierremont. Tell the admitting staff you believe you are in labor. We encourage you to preregister to allow you to enter as quickly as possible. You can do this at the Admitting Department at your preferred hospital during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also register during a prenatal tour, so sign up for that free class and register then.

• You’ll receive an identification wristband to wear throughout your time with us.
• A staff member will take you to Labor & Delivery in a wheelchair.

Here are tips for your support person or driver:

• Drop off the mother-to-be and park your vehicle. Do not leave the vehicle in a driveway or at a drop-off location at the hospital.
• Keep a suitcase in your car, packed with things for mom and baby to assure they are ready for the big day. 

When you arrive at the labor unit, the staff will provide you with a gown and help you get comfortable in your hospital room.

• Your nurse will ask important questions about your health and history, check your vital signs, and begin monitoring you and your baby.
• Your nurse will continuously monitor you and your baby throughout your entire labor.
• You will be given an IV for the duration of your labor. Many times, an IV is needed so that fluids and medications can be administered quickly. 
• Be sure to discuss your birth plan with your nurse.
• Your nurse will communicate with you and your doctor to ensure you are as comfortable as possible during your labor. You can choose from a variety of pain relief methods including IV medications, epidural anesthesia, natural pain relief methods or a combination of these options. Discuss your pain management plan with your doctor and nurse.
• The average length of active labor is eight hours, though every labor is different.
• Having a birthing partner with you for support can help ease fear and anxiety.

When it is time to deliver your baby vaginally, a small team of staff members will enter the room to attend the birth.

• Your legs will be placed in stirrups to make pushing easier for you.
• Your nurse will guide you on when and how to push most effectively to help ensure the safety of mom and baby.
• Pushing lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours, with most mothers falling somewhere in that range.
• When your baby is born, the doctor and nurse will place the baby on your chest if there are no complications.
• Your nurse will dry your baby and assess the baby's health. When the baby is dry, you can place your baby skin to skin.
• Some babies require a little help transitioning from the womb to the world. If that is the case, nurses will take your baby to the warmer located in your room where the baby will receive needed help, such as oxygen or a heat lamp. As soon as the baby is stable, the nurse will offer skin-to-skin contact for you.

When a cesarean delivery is required, you will first be taken to a prep room. If your cesarean delivery is unexpected, you will be prepped in your labor room.

• Preparation includes a history and health assessment for you and your baby. You’ll receive an IV and you may also need removal of hair with clippers. 
• A nurse or doctor from anesthesia will discuss your medication options with you before taking you into the operating room. 
• After your anesthesia has been administered, the nurse will place a urinary catheter into your bladder to keep it empty. 
• Your abdomen will be washed with an antibacterial solution and sterile paper drapes will be placed over your body so that only your abdomen is exposed. 
• You may have one support person in the room with you. 
• The anesthesiologist will sit near your head to keep you comfortable and answer your questions. With rare exceptions, your medication will allow you to be completely awake and alert during the delivery. 
• When your baby is born, you’ll view the baby before he or she is taken to the warmer for drying and diapering. If there are no complications, your nurse will wrap you while the surgery is completed. 
• If your baby requires help transitioning from womb to world, the nurse will take your baby to the nursery. Your support person may stay with you or may go to the nursery window to see the baby. 
• You will be taken to recovery after the delivery and will remain there for two hours while the staff monitors your health. 
• As soon as your surgery is over and you and your baby are stable, you can place your baby skin to skin.

Newborn babies benefit from lying skin to skin with their mothers as soon as possible after birth. Benefits of skin-to-skin contact include bonding, stabilizing baby’s heart rate and breathing, and providing warmth for the baby.

• Your baby will begin to root and search for the breast within the first hour. If you plan to breastfeed, a nurse can help you get your baby latched and positioned properly.
• The first one or two hours of bonding is called the Golden Hour, and we encourage you to spend this time with your baby and birthing partner only. 
• Other family and visitors should be invited to see you and the baby after your initial bonding and breastfeeding time has ended.
• Nurses will monitor the health of mom and baby during this time. Your nurse will review proper perineum or cesarean incision care with you.
• Plan to stay in the hospital with your baby for two to three nights.
• While in the hospital, you will be given paperwork to complete the birth certificate. You’ll receive a temporary copy when you go home.
• Several tests will be given to your baby, including Phenylketonuria (PKU) screening and a hearing screening.
• If you have questions or concerns during your hospital stay, speak to your nurses. They want to keep you comfortable and help you learn about caring for your baby so you’re confident when you and your baby go home.

Baby’s Safety & Security

Willis Knighton security policies ensure the safety of newborns. 

• Look for a Willis Knighton picture badge to easily identify anyone authorized to provide care for you or your baby.  
• Do not give your baby to anyone without checking for proper identification. Immediately contact nursing staff if a situation is uncomfortable for you or if you have concerns.  
• Babies are always transported in rolling, open cribs. Only properly identified staff may transport your baby. Neither the mother nor family members should remove the infant from the room.  
• Never leave your baby alone or unsupervised in the room.  
• Don’t sleep with your baby in your bed. This is dangerous and can result in falls and or suffocation.  
• Do not remove the identification bracelets for mother or baby while at the hospital. These bracelets are critical for identification and care. 
• A security sensor attached to your baby’s ankle links to our infant security system. If anyone tampers with or removes the band or takes your baby out of the authorized area, the infant security system alerts staff. Staff members are trained to respond to prevent your baby from leaving the area.  
• Be sure you have installed an age-appropriate car seat in the car before the day of discharge. Babies cannot be released from the hospital until we verify that the infant car seat is installed. 

Visitor Information 

Every delivery is special. Please remember that new mothers need time to recover from labor and bond with their babies. Here are tips to help you be a supportive visitor:

• Wait several hours after the birth before you visit. This will give mother and baby time to bond.
• Siblings 3 to 12 years old with shot records may visit. Any other visitor must be over the age of 12.
• No more than two people should visit at a time.
• Don’t take food or coffee into patient rooms because smells may make the mother feel queasy.
• Rest is critical for patients. Please limit light and noise in rooms or waiting areas. This includes loud conversations.
• Please show respect for each patient’s privacy and wishes.

Sibling Visitation

Siblings are the only children permitted to visit the Nest, and they should arrive at least two hours after the birth and mom’s recovery. Because newborns are at risk from germs, help us assure that a sibling visit will not expose the newborn to infections. Here are some things to consider before planning a sibling visit: 

• A current immunization record is required for each child who visits.
• A nurse will check for written proof that the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine has been administered to a sibling visitor at least six weeks prior to the hospital visit.
• A nurse will take the sibling’s temperature and have the child wash his or her hands before visiting the newborn.

Siblings who have had any of the following symptoms in the past two weeks should not visit their mother and the newborn:

• Fever
• Runny nose, cold, or any respiratory infection
• Cough
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• Rash
• Draining sore

Siblings who have been exposed to the following diseases within the past three weeks should not visit their mother and the newborn:

• Chickenpox
• Mumps
• Measles
• Rubella
• Diagnosed illness