Labor and Delivery Hospital Tour

“Visiting the place where you’re planning to give birth well before you deliver can help relieve some pre-birth anxiety and make your birthing more enjoyable.” —What to Expect

I have to agree with the above quote. My husband and I finally took our hospital tour a few weeks ago. I was 36 weeks pregnant. Pregnancy experts recommend taking the tour between week 30 and week 34 but better late than never, right?

With this being my first time being pregnant, I have had an understandable amount of hesitation and nerves in regards to labor. However, attending a hospital tour brought me a lot of peace of mind and reassurance. I was able to ask certain questions I had been wondering about and received answers from an experienced labor and delivery nurse. I loved the tour.

Also, I wanted some specific things with labor, such as keeping the baby in my room, having alone time with the baby after birth, and breastfeeding right away instead of bottle-feeding. Taking the tour showed me that the hospital actually suggested those procedures instead of other methods, such as taking the baby out of the room. Knowing the hospital’s typical methods greatly reassured me and helped me become more excited for delivery day (“D-Day”).

There are many benefits to hospital tours! Whether you are an expecting mom, expecting dad, or just a curious daydreamer, I highly recommend reading this article by What To Expect: http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/hospital-tour

—Lexi Foster