Patient Guide: Labor & Delivery
During your time on Labor & Delivery we want to support you and your family in having an experience that most closely meets the expectations and hopes that you have for the birth of your baby.
We welcome you to provide us with a birth plan that you have reviewed with your provider so that all members of your care team are aware of your goals. We acknowledge that all families are unique and we will do everything we can to support your individual circumstances while maintaining our policies and your safety.
Before You Arrive
Call your provider to determine if it is time to come to the hospital. When you decide together that it is time to come, your provider will notify the nursing staff so that we can begin to prepare for your arrival. We encourage you and your family to leave all valuables at home.
If you are arriving between the hours of 9 pm and 6 am you can park in the Emergency Department (ED) parking area and enter the hospital through the ED. The ED staff will assist you in getting to Labor & Delivery (L&D).
If you are coming during the day and you think you have time to park in the parking garage and walk up to L&D you can do that.
If you feel that delivery is imminent, you can certainly park in the ED as well.
Wherever you park, you don’t need to stop at Registration. You can walk right up to L&D on McClure 7. Parking is priced per hour with a $7/day maximum charge.
When you arrive on L&D, you and your support person will be asked brief screening questions and then welcomed to a room and evaluated. We have both delivery and triage rooms on L&D. Once your nurse and provider have had the opportunity to assess you and monitor your baby’s heart rate you will either be admitted to L&D, B7 or you may also be discharged to home depending on the clinical circumstances.
Our Welcoming Policy
Currently, we welcome three people at the bedside with you at a time. If you have more than three people that you would like to be present for your labor and birth we have a waiting room for the support people of L&D patients where additional people can wait and rotate in to see you. We encourage you to thoughtfully select who you want present to minimize infection exposure to your new baby and to help you maintain an environment that is calm and supportive.
If you have a doula working with you, this person does not count as the second support person. If you would like to work with a volunteer doula staffed by UVM Medical Center, please speak to your provider regarding this option. Please consider the intense nature of birth when deciding who you’d like present at your birth.
Learn more about our Visiting Hours & Policies
Cold & Flu Season
In most cases your primary support person will be able to be present for your birth. We ask that if you or any of your support people are displaying any signs of illness that you mask throughout your stay on L&D. In the event of a respiratory infection (COVID-19, RSV, Flu) primary support people will be asked to remain at home if they are experiencing symptoms that will prevent them from being able to actively provide support during the birthing process and the postpartum stay.
Staff Support & Routine Care
Our nurses will provide you with a variety of options to help you progress through labor. We have birthing balls, a birthing tub, wireless monitors to support free movement around your room. You may also choose to use pain medication while you are in labor. We have anesthesiologists available 24/7 on L&D and your health care team may recommend that you consult with an anesthesiologist whether or not you plan on having an epidural for pain management during labor.
Our nursing staff wants to support your birth wishes while maintaining safety for you and your baby. We will ask to perform either continuous or intermittent fetal heart rate monitoring throughout labor depending on the clinical circumstances. There are some circumstances in which internal monitoring may be recommended. Your care team will discuss these circumstances with you should they arise.
Promoting a vaginal delivery is a top priority for our providers and nurses. We also recognize that a cesarean section may be the safer or preferred mode of delivery for you and your baby.
If a cesarean delivery is indicated, we will do everything we can to create a calm and welcoming environment for you to greet your new baby. You will be able to bring one support person with you into the operating room. We have two operating rooms on L&D and you will return to your labor room to recover after surgery. In most cases, a team of pediatric doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists will attend your baby’s delivery if a cesarean delivery is indicated. The same team may also be present for a vaginal delivery depending on clinical circumstances. Your health care team may ask for your support person to wait in the NICU waiting room until the nursing staff deems it appropriate to welcome them back into your room.
Our routine post-delivery care includes the collection and storage of placental and umbilical cord tissue, if testing of tissue is indicated. Placental tissue is sent to the laboratory based on certain pregnancy complications. Your provider will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Umbilical cord tissue will not be tested without further discussion and formal consent, which would be based on clinical symptoms in you or your baby — the pediatric providers will speak with you if umbilical cord tissue testing is recommended by their team.
Photo & Video
Photo and video are allowed in the delivery room. However, your health care team is also responsible for maintaining safety, patient and staff privacy and a healing, calm environment. Providers, clinical staff and/or employees have the right to ask patients, family and/or visitors to turn off cameras and/or recording equipment at any time even if prior approval has been granted.
Food Options
Cafeterias are available almost all of the time. The hospital cafeteria is closed from 3-5 am. During all other times you will be able to order room service or purchase food from one of three cafeterias in the hospital. We also have a refrigerator on L&D that you can use to store your own food from home (please make sure you put a label on any food you bring from home). Labels are provided and kept on top of the microwave and your RN will place your food in our patient specific fridge. We provide juice, soda and light snacks, like popsicles, Jell-O, crackers and toast.